Page 57 of Wilder

Occasionally, as the girls practiced, Lexi would glance over to where Wilder stood at the boards with Will and Janessa. Sheliked that he came with the girls and that he showed such an interest in what they were doing. What she was doing.

Will and Janessa could have brought the kids on their own. But for whatever reason, Wilder had tagged along, and Lexi was happier about that than she probably should have been.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to chat with them after the lesson was over because her day was busy. The afternoon was booked with individual groups, and then she had to stay until the rink closed.

“Hey, you want to grab coffee or something after you’re done here?” Wilder asked once the girls’ lesson was over and they’d left with Will and Janessa.

“I’m not finished until eight.”

“That’s okay. If you don’t mind a bit of a late evening, I don’t either.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.” Wilder shrugged. “I just thought you might like to get out for a bit. Do you like ice cream? We have a great ice cream parlor in town. Or if you prefer an actual dessert like cheesecake, there’s another small place that serves the best brownie cheesecake around.”

All of that sounded like a plan to put several pounds on her frame, but Lexi found herself reluctant to turn him down. The truth was, she enjoyed her time with him, and it hadn’t helped her state of mind to spend so much time alone.

“Okay.”

Wilder grinned. “Great. Do you want me to pick you up from your place?”

The smile he gave her whenever she agreed to do something with him made her feel like she’d just given him a great gift. It didn’t make a lot of sense, but she couldn’t deny how it made her feel.

“You don’t want me to just meet you somewhere?”

“You could, but I don’t mind picking you up,” he said. “Then you can just relax after being on your feet all day.”

That did sound very appealing. “I usually get home around eight-thirty.”

“I’ll be there.”

With that plan made, they said goodbye, and Wilder headed for the exit of the rink. Lexi sighed as he disappeared out the door, and she stood there for a moment, trying to tell herself tonotget excited about their evening plans. They were new friends hanging out and getting to know each other. And that was that.

But perhaps Wilder hadn’t gotten that memo?

She was beginning to think she hadn’t gotten it either. Or if she had, she’d read it and tossed it into the garbage.

Her mom was still trying to get her to join them in France, but for some reason, Lexi just wasn’t convinced it was the best move for her. She’d been in survival mode for a year and a half, just wanting to escape the spotlight and judgment that had fallen on her because of her dad.

If she’d been a nobody, her dad’s crimes wouldn’t have drawn the attention to her the way they had because of her career. She could have just continued to live her life without people gossiping about her all over the internet.

France might have given her the anonymity she wanted, but she couldn’t have done anything there. She’d have had no opportunity to work.

For all that some might have considered her a spoiled rich girl, she had a strong work ethic and didn’t know what to do with herself when she didn’t have something to keep her busy.

The months immediately following her dad’s arrest had seen her and her mom moving from Maine to New York City, where they had an apartment which had been in her mom’s name, so it hadn’t been seized along with all their Maine properties.

They had gone into seclusion together, trying to find ways to fill their days that didn’t involve going anywhere someone might recognize them. Somewhere along the way, her mom had reconnected with a man from her past, and they’d eventually gotten married.

When they’d moved to Leland’s home in the south of France instead of staying at one of his US properties, Lexi had stayed behind in New York, hoping to find a way to move forward. Things had gotten worse for her when her dad’s trial got underway, and the full extent of his crimes was brought to light.

Thankfully, because it was a federal trial, there were no cameras allowed in the courtroom. That didn’t stop people from reporting all the details, however.

Her dad had asked her to come to the trial and show support, but that was a solid no on her part. She didn’t support him or his actions at all. Though he’d stolen from the rich, he’d also stolen from the less fortunate, and none of it sat well with Lexi.

So now she was completely on her own.

Wilder’s face came to mind, and for a moment, she didn’t feel alone. His presence in her life had taken some of the sting out of being on her own in Serenity.

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