Page 67 of Finding Lexie
“I can stay if I need to,” Lexie told her.
“No, no, no, that’s not why I asked,” Ashlyn said with another smile. “You’ve been the first one here since you got the job, and it’s been a relief for me, since I’m not a morning person. Jack is able to get his kids on the bus now, and Pika likes to surf in the mornings, so you’re doing us all a favor. We have no problem with you heading out early.”
“Whew,” Lexie said, pantomiming wiping her brow. She put down the paper bags she’d been opening to make it easier to stuff them and smiled at Ash.
“Seriously, you’re doing an amazing job and we’re glad to have you.”
“Thanks.”
“You doing anything fun this weekend?” Ash asked as they headed for the main room. It was where everyone gathered to eat, to get out of the heat for a while, and simply to chat with others. It got pretty crowded at times, and as Ash hinted, because of the stress the people they served were under, scuffles sometimes broke out. The staff did their best to mitigate that, and to calm everyone down when tempers got out of control.
“Midas is taking me to the Dole Pineapple Plantation so I can try out the maze.”
Ash rolled her eyes. “Seriously, girl. That’s for tourists.”
“Well, I am still a tourist,” Lexie said with a laugh.
“If you want something else fun to do, let me know and I’ll see what I can come up with. Better yet, ask Pika. He was born and raised here. He’ll know what all the cool kids do.”
“Thanks. I’m sure Midas and his friends have some ideas of other things that aren’t as crowded and touristy too, but so far, I’m loving everything I’ve seen and done.”
They walked into the main room, and Lexie could see immediately why Natalie had asked her to come out and help. It seemed even more crowded than usual…and there was an odd feel to the atmosphere. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she nodded at her boss across the room, not missing the look of relief on Natalie’s face that she and Ashlyn had returned.
Lexie then looked over at Jack and Pika, who were passing out lunch boxes to those who wanted them. Each cardboard box had an apple, a small bag of chips, carrots, and a ham and cheese sandwich. They weren’t extravagant, but the food was always welcome.
For the next forty minutes, Lexie went from person to person, making small talk. Some seemed eager to chat and others completely ignored her, but she did her best to make everyone feel welcome.
Theo was there, sitting in his usual spot by himself against a far wall. His gaze constantly scanned the room as if he was looking for something, or someone. Lexie headed in his direction.
“Hello, Theo. It’s good to see you today. How are you?”
He grunted in response.
“It’s hot out today, isn’t it? I mean, it’s Hawaii, so it’s always warm, but I think today is hotter than normal. Maybe that’s why so many people are here, huh?”
“People. Lots of people.”
“Yeah, I know. Did you get something to eat? I can go and grab you an apple or sandwich if you want one.”
“I ate a sandwich.”
“Good. That’s great. Is there anything I can do for you?”
Theo looked up her then, and Lexie had to force herself not to take a step back. He had a look in his eyes that made her nervous. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe just because all his attention was focused on her.
“You’re pretty,” he said. “I like your hair.”
“Um…thanks,” Lexie replied, running a hand over her hair self-consciously. She’d tied it back in a ponytail this morning, like usual, and she could feel that it was extra crazy because of the heat and humidity.
“You should be careful,” Theo said. “There are crazy people here.”
Lexie nodded, knowing he was referring to himself as much as he was others. He knew he was different. “But everyone’s still a human being,” she said quietly. “Just because they don’t think the same as everyone else doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable.”
Theo’s head tilted and he stared at her without blinking. Lexie had no idea what was going on in his head, and she could admit that he made her nervous. She hated that, because she prided herself on not judging people, but his piercing gaze definitely made her apprehensive.
“Well, if you don’t need anything, I’m gonna talk to some of the others.”
Theo didn’t respond, and after she’d walked away and spoken to a few people nearby, she happened to glance back him. He was still watching her with an intense stare.
