Page 38 of Blame It on the Bikini
"But you didn't go into photography; you became a lawyer."
"Because that had always been the plan," she said. "It was expected, and I didn't feel like I could change it up." She paused. "Have you ever considered walking away from your father's company?"
"No. I probably like the company more than he does at this point. He's starting to put me in charge of more and more areas, so it feels like it's our company, not just his."
She wasn't thrilled with that response because being the company man he was, he no doubt had to make sure the business was profitable, which would make changing his mind about a potentially lucrative deal much more difficult.
Grayson sipped his drink as he studied her. "You didn't like my answer."
"That's not true. Your answer is how you feel. There's no right or wrong."
"There's not," he agreed. "For what it's worth, I think you made the right choice, Lexie. You hated your life, and when you talk about photography, you light up like a Christmas tree. You're where you should be."
"I'm getting to where I should be. I'm still a work in progress. But I feel like I turned a corner yesterday. I'm going to prioritize my real goals more than the ones that are easy to do and pay the bills and don't make me wonder whether I'm an imposter or the real thing."
"You are definitely the real thing."
"You haven't even seen the photos yet."
"I watched when you took them. I know they're great. But I would like to see them tomorrow." He set down his drink. "I should probably get going."
"I'm ready to go, too," she said. "I have to get up early as well. I'm shooting an engagement photo in the light of dawn, at the bride's request."
"Those brides seem to have a lot of requests," he said dryly.
"Tell me about it. Let me just say goodbye to everyone, and I'll walk back with you."
He followed her over to the table where Hunter had slid into her chair. Before he could get up, she waved him back down.
"I'm going to call it a night. I have an early job tomorrow. I'll see you all at home."
"I'll go with you," Serena said. "I feel tired."
While she was disappointed that she wouldn't be walking back alone with Grayson, maybe it was better to have a chaperone to prevent any future lapses in judgment.
Serena waved goodbye to her husband, and the three of them walked out the door.
"It feels good out here," Serena said. "Was it warm in the bar, or was it just me?"
"It was a little warm," she said as they fell into step with her in the middle, Serena on one side and Grayson on the other. "You only have a couple of weeks to go, right?"
"Two," Serena said with a sigh. "Everyone says I should enjoy being pregnant because once the baby is born, I'll be even more exhausted, but I can't wait to see her. I feel so heavy and crampy all the time. And sorry for complaining."
"You're not complaining, and even if you were, it's understandable."
"Are you sure you should be walking home?" Grayson asked. "I can run back to Ocean Shores, grab my car, and come back and pick you up."
"It's only five blocks from here. I can make it, and the doctor said it's good for me to walk. It keeps the blood flowing, and the baby seems to like it when I'm moving. That's usually when she performs her gymnastics, which involves jumping up and down on my bladder," she added with a laugh.
"Sounds awesome," Grayson said dryly.
"It is," Serena said with a twinkle in her eye. "How are you enjoying Ocean Shores? Are you feeling the magic yet?"
"You do have a good group," he admitted.
"It's your group, too. You own the building," Serena pointed out. "And now you're living there, so you're one of us."
"For the time being," he said, his tone almost deliberately neutral.
