Page 39 of Hollywood Undercover
“Yeah. For now, I can’t do any better. I don’t cook, but thanks for bringing me food, buddy,” she said, grinning and putting her arm out for a fistbump.
It was getting harder not to burst out laughing at the effort she made to keep up herruse.
They crossed paths with the nurse when Sebastian followed Alexandra to the kitchen with his food pack. He took the food to the kitchen center island and began to fix her a plate. As she sat on a barstool, she appeared more upbeat. Sebastian even noticed a slight smile. Whatever had been bothering her took a back seat when he wasaround.
“Show me what you brought this time,” she said, peering into the lunchpack.
“It’s wild rice with pan-seared rosemary chicken, and a green salad. Pretty simple.” He passed the plate over to her. “Why don’t you tell me what made it such a bad day?” heasked.
A thoughtful expression came up on her face as she took the first bite. “Well,” she said, chewing slightly, “I got a call from work today. Basically, my boss is ready for me to get back on the job. I told him I needed to be here for my uncle, but he was a jerk about it. You know how itis?”
“What do you do for a living?” he asked, wondering what she wouldsay.
She coughed. He reached for a beer and cracked it open, sliding it across the table top to her. He was laughing on the inside as she appeared to scramble for an answer. Her eyes darted around the room, probably for a believable profession that had nothing to do with being LexxiRock.
She said, “I work in a, um,bar.”
“Oh, Isee.”
“Yeah,” she said hurriedly. “So, you know, I was pissed off about that call. Then, the nurse earlier was talking about me—talkingtome, about mycousin.”
“Whatabout?”
“The usual celebrity trash-talking. It was such bullshit. That nurse had me thinking how hard it is for Lexxi, you know? She’s under everyone’s scrutiny. Complete strangers think they know her. I’d be tired of being judged that way all thetime.”
She let out a long breath. Sebastian reached across the bar and patted her hand, tracing her slender knuckles with the pad of his thumb. He squeezed her fist and pulled his hand away, staring across ather.
“It’s really brave of you. You’ve set aside your life, your job, and everything you have going on to be here for Max. I’m sure he’s grateful to have youhere…”
He trailed off. Her blue eyes drowned him. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her lips; to make her stop this ‘Alex’ game she was playing, long enough for him to be there for her. She had him captivated, and he couldn’t do a thing about it. Well, he could have told her who he was, and that he knew she was Lexxi Rock. It would only make her walls goup.
Right now, Alexandra needed a friend. The media may have portrayed Lexxi Rock as the type of woman to party it up in France while her father was on his death bed, but Alexandra was right here, soldiering through Max’s darkdays.
“I just want to say, I’m impressed by how much you’ve done forhim.”
The words caused her to look down. She smiled slightly, and tossed her hair. “It’s nothing, man,” she answered. “Just an average guy doing what anyone else would do forfamily.”
“True, but you did it, unlike those who say they would and then don’t. You’ve got character,bud.”
She took a sip from her beer, and they finished eating in silence. The plates were scraped clean and the conversation started to trickle back in. She put the dishes into the dishwasher, and told him she would bring them over to his place tomorrow. He packed up the rest of histhings.
“Enough about that,” he said, following her back to the living room. “I came by to hang out and keep you company. How about we watch something onTV?”
“Sure,” sheanswered.
“Cool. You find something. I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be rightback.”
She relaxed back on the sofa, and by the time Sebastian got back from the bathroom, she was fast asleep, looking innocent and vulnerable. He had to stick his hands in his pockets to keep from brushing the hair out of her beautiful face. Everything in him wanted to hold her, protect her. He searched around for a blanket, and found one on an armchair. He threw it over her gently, and quietly left thehouse.
He laughed as he walked into his house. The girl of his dreams was right next door—tying to pull off being a dude. He wondered if he could be what she needed without completely giving away that he was crazy about her now. She wanted him around, and he couldn’t stayaway.
This shit isinsane.
