Page 58 of Two Hearts' Christmas Homecoming

She returned after filling the vase with more water, resting the flowers on the sideboard. “Lex? Has something happened?”

He blinked. “What makes you ask?”

“First of all, it’s not like you to run late. And you seem to be worried.”

He smiled wryly. “You’re right. There’s something that I’m definitely concerned about, but you’ll know about it soon enough. Jake is helping me do some investigating. Okay? Let’s enjoy our day, despite the fact that you have two finals to take.”

“Psych and sociology,” she muttered, rolling her eyes.

Lex grimaced. “You’re already taking courses toward your major, huh?”

“Yes. I don’t consider my classes awfully difficult. A lot of what I’m learning is common sense. And it’s always easier to study for something you’re really interested in.”

“You’re going for your master’s, right?” He asked. “I want that for you.”

She grinned. “I’m thinking about it. Not only will it help me get a better paying job, but I might even be able to choose where I want to go. I’ll have to intern and do a lot of clinical hours, I’ve heard.”

“You know, it’s getting kind of late for us to have lunch,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Want to wait until after your finals? That way we can take our time since we’re not having dinner with the family until eight.”

“Yes, I can wait. We both had a pretty big breakfast. How about grabbing some goodies from the bakery before you drop me off at school?”

“I like that idea. I’ll order some extras for tomorrow morning since we’re going to be outside, lighting up the house and winery. Everyone’s always more exhausted after braving the elements all day,” he said dryly.

Amy laughed. “I guess we should get moving. There’s a lot of traffic already near the winery.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” he muttered. “That’s another reason why I was running late.”

Chapter Thirty -Three

After Lex dropped off Amy at school, he decided to go back in town for a while and do a little more Christmas shopping. Not for gifts this time, but for some special lighting and outdoor sculptures. Amy had mentioned that Mom and Dad weren’t putting a whole lot of money into those kinds of items since they’d been working on restoring the remaining rooms in the house. Matthew had his own hideaway upstairs, while the twins each had their own rooms on the third floor as well. Izzy’s rooms remained empty, except for her few occasional visits. She was moving up in the Air Force ranks, and even Lex had heard how accomplished she was. It hadn’t surprised him since Izzy had always been a force to be reckoned with.

Lex hadn’t heard from Zane in a while and he’d been disappointed to hear that he no longer visited home. Maybe there was something that Lex could do about that if he had Danielle’s help. He’d always thought that Zane and Izzy belonged together, but right now, they couldn’t have been farther apart. Izzy was currently stationed in Germany, while Zane always seemed to be on tour. Plus, Los Angeles had become his home base.

But first, he’d better get his own life straightened out, Lex decided, heading to the new home improvement store located outside of town since he wouldn’t be picking Amy up for a couple more hours.

Lex found what he wanted with the help of one of the clerks. There were light displays already set up throughout the store, so he ordered three different types of scenic displays, which included a bunch of motion-activated light-up figures, along with instructions to set everything up.

If he could figure a way to anchor everything tightly against the wind, he might even try setting up Santa and his reindeer on the rooftop of the house without telling Mom and Dad.

He grinned, thinking about how they’d laugh.

Yes, he was so lucky to have them for parents. What would he have done without them?

Lex paid for everything, deciding to take the setup instructions along with him to show Amy since all the items would be delivered around ten tomorrow morning. Extra delivery people had been hired here at the home improvement store for the holidays, he was relieved to find out, since it would be hard fitting everything into the rental and he didn’t want to have to return with the truck.

He’d finished just in time to make it to the college and pick up Amy after her second final. She was even waiting outside, apparently ready to give him a call.

She smiled when he pulled up to the curb and got out of the car to open the door for her.

“Thank you,” she said primly. “I’m not used to you being such a gentleman.”

Lex barked out a laugh.

“How do you think you did?” he asked a few minutes later, when he was driving along the highway.

She gave him an impish grin. “Good. What have you been doing with yourself for the last couple hours?”

“More shopping,” he answered. “Take a look in the glove compartment and see what I’m having delivered tomorrow morning.”

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