Page 46 of Golden Rule

What have we here?

Looks like #KingMidas is making his rounds tonight. First, a visit to the in-law’s place after being seen outside an abandoned building with the wife. Now, two-thirds of the Golden Trio have been spotted out and about without their better halves.

Any idea where #KingMidas and #MrSilver might be headed this time of night?

You boys have your first team workout in the morning, do you not?

What on Earth could possibly be more important than bringing your A-game to your first session with your new team?

Something tells me we’ll all have an answer by the end of the night.

Later, peeps :)

—P

Chapter Thirteen

West

Turns out the address Lexi sent wasn’t to her house, but rather to the parking lot of a shopping plaza that closed hours ago. I’m guessing she’s either wanting to keep the boundaries of her and Sterling’s arrangement intact, or… maybe she has company she doesn’t care to explain, but needless to say, I keep my thoughts to myself.

We pull in, and her car’s parked beneath the glow of a streetlight. She still has the engine running, and I know this was a sacrifice—her having to wake my nephew, coming out this timeof night, and it isn’t lost on me that she could’ve said no. Only, she didn’t, and maybe that’s because some small, hidden part of her felt sympathy for my brother, even without knowing what this is all about.

Sterling reaches for the passenger side handle as soon as I put the car inpark.I’m hesitant to step out, wanting to give him, Lex, and Jaxon a bit of privacy, but then I remember that we’re already playing with fire, meeting out here in the middle of the night. It would only add more fuel if it looked like he and Lex were meeting alone.

I climb out at the same time Lexi does, and she shoots me a look. It’s not quiteI should kill youlevel anger, but more likeif you were on fire I wouldn’t put you outlevel anger. Still, I smile, because she did the right thing, and I’m appreciative.

She opens the back door and reaches in to unbuckle my nephew, then his small arms wrap around her neck. I smile at the pattern of tiny green rockets on his blue pajamas, his gigantic teddy bear slippers, then at the way his head falls to his mom’s shoulder. At first, he doesn’t seem to give any of this much thought, but then he sees Sterling and that all changes.

“Daddy!” he says, his eyes lighting up like he hadn’t just been asleep half an hour ago.

The huge grin on Sterling’s face matches his son’s, and Jaxon nearly leaps out of Lexi’s arms and into Sterling’s. I think it goes without saying that the big hug Jaxon gives him has just made everything better, which is exactly what I hoped for.

Sterling squeezes him tight, his eyes falling closed, and the look of relief on his face is like he’s just taken a breath for the first time today.

Lexi leans against the side of her car, watching the two embrace. She doesn’t speak, just stares. And that look of frustration she’d aimed at me when we first locked eyes a moment ago is gone. Regardless of whether they’re seeing eye-to-eye or not, she’s always been good about giving my brother space to be a father. Tonight is no exception. If anything, she just went above and beyond, which brings Tiffany’s behavior back into the spotlight.

I picture it, Tiff following my brother around their place, throwing a fit, piling emotional baggage on top of emotional baggage. I imagine what Sterling must have felt, being forced to manage not only hisownemotions after Pandora’s post, but Tiffany’s too. While she may have just made Sterling question her ability to coexist within a blended family, Lexi’s showing us all how it’s done. She’s as imperfect as the rest of us, but not once have her personal feelings interfered with what I believe we all know is the most important factor here.

That my nephew—their son—has room to receive all the love his little heart can stand.

“Uncle West!”

Only now does he even seem to realize I’m standing here, and his arms shoot out toward me next. I can’t grab him quickly enough, feeling honored to be on the receiving end of one of his warm little hugs.

“Hey, bud. Missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” he says, and almost as soon as the hug ends, he wriggles his way right back to Sterling.

“So,” Lexi sighs. “Either of you going to fill me in? Why am I awake right now?”

Sterling and I share a look, and I’m not sure how much he intends to say, but I imagine he’ll tread lightly.

“I just… had a rough night,” is all he admits. “West knew seeing Jaxon would be good for me, so… here we are, I guess.”

Lexi’s expression had gone stern for a moment, but it softens as she nods. “Fair enough.”

Awkward silence follows, and that feeling of wanting to give them a moment to themselves returns.

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