Page 80 of Wild

Lexie looked at her, surprised.

"I'm here for the press meeting with Noah."

Erin closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, feeling stupid for asking.

"You have to tell me about last night at the gala," the journalist said, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm not telling you anything, Lexie."

"Oh, come on, don't be like that." Lexie gestured toward the back, where the hotel's café was. "I'm not asking as a journalist—I'm asking as a friend, an ex, or whatever you want to call me, though I'd prefer the first one."

The doctor finally gave in and followed her to the most out-of-the-way table they could find. Lexie couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she propped her elbows on the table and leaned in.

"I feel better, honestly," she said, amused.

Erin made a go-on gesture with her hands.

"I didn't come out of it with a bruised ego or anything like that," Lexie clarified, "but I didn't really get why you didn't want to do it again. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure we had a great time together that night."

"We did," the doctor confirmed. "It was really good."

"But you were already into Mia, damn it." She shook her head, still smiling. "I don't know how I didn't see it. After last night I started thinking about it, and it was so obvious. Maybe less so on her end, because Mia has this terrible habit of looking at every woman like she's a piece of candy."

Erin laughed and nodded, agreeing completely.

"But you—" Lexie shook her head. "Always standing rigid in a corner, watching her onstage, completely tuned out to everything else around you."

"I was doing my job, Lexie. Part of it is watching her, especially when she's onstage."

"I don't doubt it. But not with that kind of laser focus. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Tell me—how long has this been going on?"

"What has Noah told you?"

The journalist rolled her eyes.

"Nothing. He says Mia isn't going to comment on it for now."

"Neither am I."

"Come on, Erin." Lexie held up both hands. "No recorder, no notes—this stays between us. I think we can actually be friends, can't we? I'd like that, and it kind of makes sense, since we're going to keep running into each other in every city on the Wild tour."

Erin looked at her steadily. She'd liked Lexie from the start—they clicked—and she trusted her when she said she wouldn't publish anything.

"I can't tell you much. I'm not exactly sure what we have."

Lexie brushed a strand of hair from her face and looked at her with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"You don't know what you have?"

"It's a little complicated."

The journalist bit her lip, and when she realized Erin genuinely needed a friend right now, she wanted to show her she could be that.

"Is it you or her?"

The doctor took a moment to answer, but not because she didn't know.

"Me. She's very clear on what she wants."