Page 21 of Lexi Lets Go

"Oh, it's no trouble, I got myself something too. I’ll be back in a bit."

"Let me come with you.” He stood and started walking towards her.

"I'm sorry?"

"Can I come with you?" He asked with a small smile. Something about this one was different from all the smiles, it looked almost bashful.

"You want to come with me?" she asked once more.

"Don't make me ask again, I’ll sound desperate. Please don't make me sound desperate."

“I thought you had to get everything ready for tonight,” she said.

“Done. Meeting room is set up. Everyone else is on their way back to the city. I’m done for now.”

"I mean, if you want to, I guess that would be alright." Her mind was struggling for bandwidth right now. Most of it was screaming with the want, bordering on need, to be close to him. But then there was her fifteen-year-old car that needed work and was messy, taking him to her brother and Poppy. She was struggling to compute everything going on in her brain all at once.

"Are you sure?" Amusement danced across his face.

"Yeah...My car is my brother sandwich," she stuttered. As that nonsense stuttered out of her mouth, he laughed at her.

"You got some interesting song titles of your own. My car is my brother sandwich. Sounds like a hit."

"Oh my god," she said, still holding her head in her hands. Looking up, she realized he was right there. She could smell him, it was bright and citrusy but also warm, almost cinnamony. Whatever it was, she just wanted to wrap up in him and feel his warmth. That was not helping her brain to come back online. "No, I'm sorry, my brain went offline there for a minute. Probably at the thought of you in my car. But yes, we can take the car to my brother's cafe for the sandwich. If you still want to go with me."

"Well, that does make more sense. I would love to go with you if you’re comfortable with that.” He looked right into her eyes, the weight of his gaze settling in her. The thought of him in her personal space and life did make her nervous, but she did want to spend more time with him.

"No, it's fine. I just wanted you to know you’ll meet my brother and his wife. It is going to make her day meeting you."

"Alright, then let's get going."

They made their way to the parking lot to her beat-up Kia. "Well, this is me," she said, unlocking the doors with a click. She got in and waited for him to do the same. If he had any opinions about her car, he kept them to himself, which she was happy about. She needed to text Josh that they were coming to prepare Poppy.

Lexi - I am on my way to get lunch. Liam is coming with me just so you know.

Slipping her phone back into her purse, she put the key in the ignition and turned it on. The sight of Liam James in her car and being this close to him made the absolute absurdity of these past two days fall away. When they were like this, he was just a man. He was still the most handsome man she had ever seen, but the more she looked at him, there was another quality about him. He was beautiful. Not that he looked androgynous by any means, but he didn't seem bothered by gender expectations. It was the juxtaposition of his black tattoos against the lime green fingernail polish. He was a walking contradiction and an utter delight.

"You ready?" he asked with a patient tone.

"Yep, let's get out of here." Putting her car in reverse, she backed out and made her way out of the parking lot.

The ride through town was quiet. Liam just looked out the window, taking in the sights. As they were leaving town to go to the orchard, which was about fifteen minutes outside of town, Liam turned to her. "Not taking me out into the woods to murder me, are you? I know Jacinda’s a bit much, but this seems excessive."

"It will be a slow torturous death... death by gluten," she said with a straight face.

"No! I can feel my stomach cramping already!" he said laughing at her. She chuckled at him. There was an ease to their banter, which was new. It was nice to be able to complete a thought around him and not be a tongue-tied mess.

"But seriously, where are we going? I assumed the cafe was in town."

"Oh, no. My sister-in-law's family runs an apple orchard a bit out of town. She and my brother run the cafe. It shouldn't be too busy, early summer isn't a normally busy time for the orchard."

"I gotcha. Sounds fun."

They pulled up to the orchard and Lexi stopped and took a breath. She was nervous. Why was she nervous? She was getting way ahead of herself with this whole Liam thing.

"Okay, so just FYI my sister-in-law is delightful. But she is a fan and has a pretty big personality, so I’m just warning you now."

"Oh, that's nice. I look forward to meeting her."

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