Page 9 of Can't Help Falling in Love
She made another dismissive noise. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He had a meeting this afternoon and was probably cutting it close. They turned right on Pine Street, which headed toward Pike Place Market. The steep road had them slowing their pace.
“Thank you. I think Brett’s given me as many chances as he’s willing to, though. It’s for the best. I took the job for the tips but it’s a lot harder than I expected.”
He couldn’t comment on the serving aspect of it as he’d never done it but it didn’tlookall that easy. “I gave you a great tip,” he assured her.
“You’re a nice guy, Will. Thank you for helping me escape my self-made drama.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, long enough for him to realize the quiet didn’t feel awkward with her. He needed to go but he wanted to make sure she was okay. He assured himself he was just being a good guy. He wasn’t already far too invested in this intriguing woman. He wasn’t caught up in the way she seemed vulnerable with asteel spine, funny but self-deprecating, smart but slightly unsure. Who was he kidding? Those dualities pulled him in even as all that hair, that long, lithe body, and her expressive face squeezed his lungs.
“So, track star?”
Hands in her pockets, staring straight ahead, she nodded. She had a strong profile, an elegant, almost stubborn jaw he couldn’t seem to stop looking at. The women he dated were somewhat superficial, focused more on shopping, decorating, and the next sponsored event than they were worried about earning tips or looking bad in front of some old friends. Of course, most of the women he went out with, until he’d told his mother to knock it off, were from her social circle. Daughters of friends. He’d prefer to be a workaholic than have his mother try any more matchmaking. Lexi… fascinated him. Not just her looks or the contrasts but how she stared at the water like it held the answers in its gentle waves.
“Once upon a time,” she finally answered. “Sometimes it seems like that was someone else’s life and I just have really amazing memories of it.”
“Memories always make things seem better than they were. We tend to idealize them.”
She stopped walking as the street flattened out. “You must have somewhere better to be. Thank you for today. I’d say you’re off the hook for Good Samaritan duties for the rest of the month, at least.”
He smiled, not sure what the unsettled feeling in his chest meant. “Will you go tonight?”
Lexi tilted her head. The smell of fish and ocean wafted over them. “Go where?”
“To Jackie’s party. She was quite adamant about you going.”
Another snort-laugh. It was ridiculous and adorable at the same time. The last several women his mother had set him up with were like façades. He could sense more to them but they refused to show it. They were all polite laughter at his jokes, exaggerated air kisses, and tellingstories of who they knew. Alexandria, as far as he could tell, was just absolutely herself, no matter the situation. God, that was refreshing as fuck.
Appearances mattered a lot to the Grand family. It was why Home Needs wanted to partner with them so badly. The Grand name and reputation were crystal clear, family-oriented, and stable. Will didn’t mind any of those things but he hated phoniness. Maybe that’s what was missing from his life: somethingreal.Lexi was disheveled from the last few minutes and still, she was the kind of beautiful that etched into a man’s brain and distracted him.
“Hard pass. The last thing I need is to go to some swanky party where I’ll stick out like cheap tequila at a fine-wine soiree. It’s hard enough knowing everyone else made it out alive and I’m just treading water.”
The sadness that tinged her tone tore at him. It shouldn’t. It was none of his business. He had his own issues. His own life. It was jam-packed with meetings, mergers, social engagements, and making sure they moved through each quarter successfully and in good financial standing. On top of that, his parents were going all out for the company’s fiftieth anniversary celebration, and the Grand siblings were making sure it went off without a hitch while explaining to their mother that who they brought to the party shouldn’t matter.
He imagined bringing Lexi to that party. It made him smile despite the fact that he hated attending those types of events. She stood here thinking she wasn’t worthy of going to a party just because some women seemed to have it all. Will ought to bring her to one of their company functions or charity events just to show her that any shine could be dulled if you polished it enough. If you dug a little deeper. Just because someone looked like they had their act together didn’t mean they were perfect or their life was. As far as he was concerned, and from what little he knew, this woman had once been proud of herself. For good reason. She’d been great at several things and life had obviously thrown her a few cheap shots—but that didn’t mean she was any less than anyone else. She hadn’t given up. She was busting her ass at more than one job trying to turn things around.
That kind of gumption with the right backing and a little luck led to great things. If it didn’t, his grandfather wouldn’t have been able to create their company, Grand Babies. His grandfather hadn’t had anything when he started. He’d worked hard, night and day, scraped by and saved until he was able to open a tiny store that sold high-quality baby products. Success wasn’t a straight path.
For the third time that day, the sandwich and the impromptu patio exit being the first two, Will did something without thinking it all the way through.
“You need to go to that party. You seem more like a fighter than a quitter to me. No matter what you wish you were doing, you should be proud of who you are right this minute.”
She regarded him skeptically for a moment, her brown eyes full of an emotion he couldn’t name. “You don’t even know me.”
Will checked his watch, saw the load of messages he’d missed along with the time. When he looked up, she’d crossed her arms over her chest. Closing up, protecting herself from more of life’s punches.
“I have a Zoom meeting scheduled. I need your number so I can pick you up for the party tonight.”
“Excuse me?” She squared her shoulders.
“I was invited too, remember? It’s rude to pull a no-show. Besides, where’s the harm? Do you have a boyfriend? Husband? Girlfriend? Wife?”Please say no.
She tilted her head again, a small smile playing on her lips. “Way to cover your bases. No. I don’t, but let me answer your question. Where’s the harm in going to a party I don’t want to go to, surrounding myself with people from high school who did incredible things with their lives, and going on a date with a guy I barely know? Where to begin.” She tapped her index finger to her chin.
He chuckled and held out a hand, waited for her to slip her phone into it. “I’ll put my number in your phone. Life’s all about risks. You seem like you could use a night out. Going will show you that beneath the shiny clothes and phony smiles, everyone is fighting the same fight, just trying to figure it out. And I didn’t saydate.” Though he wanted to. But he’d take seeing her again in whatever form she was comfortable with. “Just two new friends hanging out at a party they were both invited to.”
Her left brow rose, her lips twitching. “And pretending to be a couple.”
Will leaned in just a touch. She smelled like french fries and vanilla. A strange yet enticing combination. “Jackie did say she’d come looking for you if you didn’t show. Plus, you’ll be saving me from another family dinner where my mother assures me my biological clock is going to explode if I don’t lock someone down soon.”
