Lexi: Errands.
Easton: What kind of errands?
Lexi: Girl errands.
This makes me pause. Either Lexi’s telling the truth, or she’s using her period to get me to leave her alone. I’m learning a lot about her on this trip, and I’m going with door number two.
Easton: What size do you need? Come back, and I’ll go to the pharmacy.
Lexi: You’re going to buy me tampons?
Easton: Why wouldn’t I?
Lexi: Did you buy your last assistant tampons?
Easton:I didn’t sleep with my last assistant
Easton: The occasion never arose.
Lexi: You don’t buy tampons for co-workers.
Easton: You’re also family adjacent.
Lexi: I’ll see you on the plane.
Easton: Come back to the room, Lex. We need to talk.
Lexi: It was a mistake, East. Leave it alone.
Easton:It wasn’t a fucking mistake
Easton:We’ll see about that
Easton: We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one, Locket.
I sit with my phone in my hand for ten minutes, waiting for a reply that doesn’t come. Just as I’m about to toss it on the desk, a new message comes through.
Lexi: Sometimes mistakes help you move on, but that doesn’t make them right.
Easton: And sometimes, mistakes turn out to be blessings in disguise.
* * *
Two hours later, I arrive at the airfield to learn that Lexi has taken an Ambien and is fast asleep by the time I board. She’s the master of evasion, and it’s pissing me off. Unable to do a damn thing about it, I sit at the table and stare at Sleeping Beauty. Watching her sleep, I can’t hang onto my anger, though, and end up pulling out the contracts I received right before I checked out of the hotel.
True to her word, Lexi closed the deal.
Ashton: Any idea why Pacen Macomb would be contacting me after all this time?
I stare at the text message, unblinking. Just seeing the name Macomb makes my body seize until I remember how scared Lexi had been for Pacen.
Easton: Lexi is worried about her.
I won’t elaborate, because if I do, I’ll have to admit to him why Lexi knows and I don’t. Ash may be the most responsible Westbrook, but he’s still a Westbrook. Leaving a man or woman behind doesn’t fit well with our family creed.
Ashton: Do you want me to help her?
I don’t even hesitate in my response.