Page 51 of Finding Lexie
Lexie felt like pinching herself. It was two hours after she’d arrived, and she’d had the most delicious hamburger she’d ever eaten, everyone had raved over her cookies and devoured them, and they were now in the freaking penthouse apartment at the condo complex, watching an afternoon storm roll in from the ocean.
Aleck’s penthouse was everything she imagined it would be and more. It was classy and expensive looking, but also somehow comfortable. Maybe it was the pillows and blankets strewn across the furniture. Or the books sitting haphazardly on the bookshelves. Or the dirty dishes in the sink in the kitchen. It looked lived in. Not like a showplace where you were afraid to touch anything.
She was currently sitting on the balcony with Elodie. The guys were doing something inside, Lexie had no idea what, and she was happy for the chance to talk to Elodie one on one. She guessed that maybe Mustang and Midas had urged the others to give them some space, and she was grateful.
“This is so amazing,” Lexie said.
“Isn’t it? The first time I came up here, I had major balcony envy,” Elodie said without a trace of jealousy.
“I think this balcony alone is bigger than my studio apartment,” Lexie agreed. “And when I open my curtains, I get an up close and personal view of the old guy in the building next to mine, who likes to walk around in his underwear.”
“Seriously?”
“Unfortunately.”
Elodie giggled. “Holy shit! The same thing happened to me before I moved in with Scott. But at least Midas has a good view.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Lexie said.
Elodie looked over at her in surprise. “Really?”
“Really. I mean, I haven’t even been here a week yet.”
“I knew that, but you and Midas just seem so…close. I just assumed you’d been over to his place.”
Lexie knew she was blushing, but she wasn’t sure why. “We’re still getting to know each other.”
“You guys went to high school together, right?” Elodie asked.
“Well, sort of. I moved to Portland my senior year. We were in a few classes together, but didn’t really know each other.”
“That’s not the impression I got from Scott.”
“I mean, we knew each other, but we didn’t hang out or anything. He was the swim captain, state champion, and was popular with the girls. I was…me. We did get put together for a project once though.”
“And?”
“And what?” Lexie asked.
“Did you fall madly in love with him and have been mourning his absence ever since?” Elodie asked with a gleam in her eye.
Lexie could only laugh. “No. I mean, I might have thought about him here and there, but he was pretty much just a good memory. But don’t tell him I said that, it might hurt his fragile ego.”
Elodie chuckled. “Yeah, none of the guys are hurting when it comes to self-esteem, are they?” she asked.
“No. But then again, they’re all good-looking, honorable, and freaking Navy SEALs.”
“True.”
“But seriously, it sucked always being the new kid in school. I never really had any close friends because by the time I got there, they’d already formed their cliques. I was always an outsider, which wasn’t so bad once I got used to it. Midas was super popular, and everyone knew he was joining the Navy when he graduated. I’m lucky to have even graduated at all,” Lexie said.
“Really? Why? Or…was that rude? Sorry. I’m not very good at this girl-talk thing,” Elodie said, seeming a little self-conscious.
“No, it’s not rude at all. I brought it up. And I’m loving getting to know you. Most of the time when I get a new assignment in a new city, I’m on my own. It was nice to be invited today. Anyway, I have dyslexia, and it was undiagnosed when I was in school.”
“What? Why? That makes no sense,” Elodie said, obviously irritated on her behalf.
It felt good to have someone else on her side. “Like I said, we moved around a lot, and I guess I just slipped through the cracks. It didn’t help that my dad always told me I was just stupid. I think some of that seeped into my psyche and I believed him.”
