“So,” Alexis took a sip of her Arnold Palmer drink as she looked across the wooden table to Sophia, “I think Blake and I are dating.”
The sparkling water came out of Sophai’s mouth and nose in a flurry.
“Quoi?” Sophia dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “When did this happen?”
“After game night.”
“Two nights ago?”
“I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you had your summer class in the morning, and Harper and I hung out with Blake and Mason for a bit, and by the time I got home, you and Emily had the front door locked, and I was so not knocking.”
“That was wise.” With a smirk, Sophia pointed her fork at Alexis before taking another bite of her salad. “Emily got this new…”
“Ahh.” Alexis held up her hands and shook her head. “I don’t need details.”
“Well, I do.” Sophia leaned onto the table. “Spill, Lex.”
“That’s really it.” She shrugged as she popped a fry into her mouth. Alexis and Harper had split a cheeseburger and fries, and Alexis was thankful Harper had scampered off to play before finishing all her fries. “She carried Harper over from your apartment, and we tucked her in, and then we talked on the couch and then,” she giggled, “she kissed me, and then I kissed her, and it was great.”
“Was it only kissing?” Sophia arched an eyebrow.
“Duh.” Alexis rolled her eyes at her. “I’m not a sex-on-the-first-date type of person.”
“You’re also not a kiss-someone-you-barely-know person, and yet, here we are.” With a sweeping hand, Sophia motioned around her dramatically. “What happened?”
“I told her I was concerned about us being together because I didn’t want her in Harper’s life if she wasn’t going to be in Harper’s life, you know?”
“I do.”
“And she said that we could take our time and see what there was between us and go from there. She said we didn’t have to tell Harper anything right now until we figured it out.”
“Well, that’s good.”
“Blake knows that Harper is the most important thing in my life.”
“Good.”
“And she respects that.”
“Also good.”
“Can you string together a few more words for me, please, Soph?”
In an un-Sophia-like move, she took her time responding. She took a few bites of her salad and slowly chewed as she nodded several times. Across the table, Alexis nervously tapped her fingers on the picnic table. The faster her fingers drummed, the slower Sophia chewed, and finally, Alexis had enough.
“Soph, come on. What are you thinking?”
“I’m savoring this moment.”
“Ok,” Alexis held out the word longer than necessary as she narrowed her eyes. “Why?”
“Well, for one, you’ve never dated anyone while we’ve been friends, so this is all very new and amusing for me.” Tossing her fork into the to-go bowl, she placed it into the reusable bag they’d used to carry the food to the table. “And two, it’s nice to see you so happy, and I don’t want that adorable smile to ever be off your face.”
“Aww, Soph.” Alexis pushed herself up from the bench seat and walked around the other side to sit beside Sophia. She wrapped her arms around Sophia’s bare shoulders and squeezed. “You’re such a softie underneath your tough exterior.”
“Tell anyone my secret, and I will hurt you.”
“No, you won’t.” Blowing her a kiss, Alexis turned her attention to Harper, who was playing in the sandpit. She had her green bucket and yellow shovel and was building what Alexis could only assume was a castle from a big pile of sand. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“Hmm?”
“I mean, Harper and I are fine. It’s not like we need someone else in our lives.”
“You may not need someone in your life, but it’s ok to want someone in your life.” Sophia nodded as she took a sip of her drink. “You’re strong, Lex, and I know you never want to admit that you need someone, but this could be great for you. I don’t know Blake that well – and that will need to change if she’s going to be in your life – but I saw her with Harper the other night, and they looked so natural together, and I see the way you light up when you talk about her.”
“She and Harper were super cute the other night, weren’t they?’
“Like right now.” Sophia jutted her chin toward Harper as Alexis followed her gaze. She’d texted Blake earlier to meet them at the park, and apparently, she’d arrived before their set time and was pushing Harper on the swing. They were both laughing, and it made Alexis’s heart happy. “I’ll let you three hang out.”
“No, stay.” Alexis put her hand on Sophia’s arm. “You can hang out with us.”
“You three enjoy your day. I’ll have Nonna and Harper time later while you and Emily are at work.” Standing up from the table, Sophia embraced Alexis, quickly placing a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.” As Sophia headed back toward the parking lot, Alexis made her way across the park to where Harper was swinging high in the air. Blake noticed her first and winked at her as she grabbed the swing and brought it to a stop. She was wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt and jeans, which Alexis had entirely accepted was her style, and had her long dark brown hair down. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Mommy, did you see how high Blake made me swing?”
“I did, baby.” Alexis kissed the top of her head. “You were going so high I thought you were going to hit the moon.”
“Blake, do you want to play in the sand with me?”
“How about you get back to work on your sandcastle, and your mommy and I will join you in a minute, ok?” Blake ruffled her hair, and it made Harper laugh. Bounding back off to her discarded sandcastle a few feet away, Harper plopped down in the sand and immediately went back to work. Blake slipped a hand around her waist and into the back pocket of her jeans, pulling her close. Their lips met tenderly for a brief moment. “Hey, again.”
“Hi. I’m happy to see you.” Alexis twirled her hair around her finger. It was a nervous habit she wished she could break, but aside from always keeping her hair pulled back, Alexis knew it was a habit she was stuck with.
“Thank you for inviting me to hang out with you two today.”
“I’m sorry it can’t be for long; my shift starts at three.” Pouting, Alexis sat on the swing as Blake sat beside her. She turned the swing to face Blake, who did the same toward Alexis.
“Who’s watching Harper tonight?”
“Sophia; she usually watches her for me.”
There was a pang of guilt that made its way through Alexis’s body as it often did when she thought about how often she had to leave Harper with her friends while she went to work. If she’d had it her way, she’d win the lottery and never have to work again so she and Harper could spend all their time together. At least working at the bar gave her a flexible schedule.
“You know, if you ever need someone to watch her,” Blake shrugged as she leaned her head onto the chain of the swing, “I’d be more than happy to.” As if Blake sensed Alexis’s hesitation, she continued. “I mean, I can watch Frozen with the best of them. I already know all the songs. We can have a karaoke party.”
“I’m sure she’d love that, but you don’t have to do that.”
“I know.” Blake tapped her foot against Alexis’s. “But I want to. If you ever want me to.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged at some point.” Reaching out, Alexis took hold of the chains on the side of Blake’s swing and pulled herself closer. They kissed once more but were rudely interrupted by Blake’s cell phone ringing from her pocket. Blake groaned as she pulled away from Alexis.
“I’m sorry.” She looked at the phone’s screen, and a flash of panic flew across her face as she stood. Holding up a finger at Alexis to tell her she’d be right back. Blake took a few steps away from her as Alexis joined Harper in the sandpit. Blak
e was out of earshot of her, but she could make out a few words. “Salem,” Blake groaned the name loudly as she pulled the phone away from her ear in frustration before starting to pace behind the swings.
“Who is Blake talking to?”
“I don’t know. She’s talking about Salem.” Alexis snarled her nose. “Hmm, maybe she’s been cast in a Salem witch trials movie or something.” Harper looked uninterested in Alexis’s musing as she went back to building her sandcastle. “That’d be so cool. She’d be perfect for...”
It hit her who Blake was talking to.
Salem Cohen.
Her agent.
And her ex.
Everything Alexis knew about them was what she’d seen on social media. They had gotten together when Blake had hired Salem as her agent after her previous agent had failed to land Blake any gigs for a year. Within weeks, Salem helped Blake get cast on The Things We Left Behind, and the two started dating a few months later. Alexis knew from the pictures posted on Salem’s Instagram account that the two had lived together for an extended period. The pictures of them together had stopped a couple of years ago, but as far as Alexis knew, Salem was still her agent.
“I’m sorry about that.” Blake walked over to them as Alexis stood. There was a change in Blake’s blue eyes that caused Alexis to worry. She took her pinky and wrapped it around hers like Blake did the night they’d first kissed.
“Everything ok?”
“Yeah.”
“Who was on the phone?”
“My agent.” She pressed her tongue into her cheek as she shook her head. “She’s trying to convince me to get back to Vancouver. She said she had some new scripts and pitches for me.”
“Do you,” Alexis swallowed the lump in her throat, “have to go? Does she have a gig lined up for you or something?”
“No, she’s just a bit—” Blake looked down at Harper then back up at Alexis, “b-i-t-c-h. Salem thinks because she’s my agent and my ex,” she snarled at the word, “that she can tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” Taking a few steps back, Blake sat back down on a swing as Alexis leaned on the metal support beam. She was thankful that the park was relatively empty so they could have their privacy. “You didn’t do anything.”
“Yeah, but I’m sorry she’s that way with you.”
“I’m used to it.”
“Why don’t you fire her?” It seemed like the easiest solution to Alexis.
“Because that would be a lawsuit in the works. ‘Actress fires agent who is also her ex-girlfriend’? Not that Salem would do that but still. Kinda shitty thing to do considering she’s the best agent I’ve ever had.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s fair.”
“I’m sorry.” Blake pitched the bridge of her nose as she let out a sigh. “I shouldn’t have taken the phone call when we were together. It could have waited.”
“No, no, it’s ok.” Alexis rambled off the words quickly before forcing herself to take a breath. “You can tell me what she said, and I won’t freak out.”
“Lex...” Her blue eyes met Alexis’s.
“I’m just saying.”
“Salem knows I’m here.” The words took out whatever air had made its way into Alexis’s lungs. They discussed little of Blake’s life leading up to her coming to the Cove, and for all Alexis knew, Blake could up and leave the next day without warning, which was why she hadn’t wanted to give her and Blake a shot. And why she was currently on the verge of freaking out. Again.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” Blake stood and crossed her arms as she leaned onto the support beam across from Alexis. “She’s the only one that knows, so I’m not worried about anyone else finding out. I’m more worried about ignoring her phone calls and her showing up here out of the blue than anything.”
“So, she wants you to go back, huh?”
“She said it would help with negotiations for the show if I showed I was committed to it and not gallivanting around the country.” Blake sighed and shrugged. “Her words, not mine.”
“So…are you going?”
“No.” A firm shake of the head.
“But, the show...”
“Will be fine. Besides, I like it where I am, and I like whatever is happening between us.” Blake closed the space between them and ran her hands into Alexis’s hair as she kissed her. Instead of kissing her back, Alexis pulled back slightly and let her arms fall back to her side. “Lex, come on.”
“I feel there’s something you’re not telling me.”
“There’s not.” Her voice rose an octave and her eyebrows went higher.
“Ok.” Alexis held up her hands in surrender. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” Blake covered her face with her hands briefly before placing her hands on Alexis’s shoulder. “I am sorry for taking the call here. Today was supposed to be a fun day with you, me, and Harper, and I’ve ruined that.”
“You didn’t ruin it.”
“Your face says otherwise.”
“My face is worried that the very thing I told you I was scared about two days ago is going to come to fruition, and I don’t know how to handle that.”
“Nothing is happening right now, you hear me?” Blake framed her face with her hands as her blue eyes seemed to plead for Alexis to understand. “I told Salem I wasn’t coming back until she had a contract ready for me to sign, and I don’t see that happening. The show’s over; Salem just hasn’t accepted that yet.”
“Ok.”
“And as for the other scripts, I’m not interested in doing anything right now. Salem knows that. She’s doing her job and letting me know when someone sends me a script to read.” Blake kissed her once more. “So, please, stop freaking out, and let’s enjoy our day.”
Alexis wanted to believe her. She did.
She didn’t know if her damaged heart would let her, though.
Chapter 19
Salem had the worst fucking timing.
She always had, it was her trademark.
Blake should have ignored the call as she had the other two times Salem had called before she arrived at the park. She hadn’t texted or called Blake in weeks, so Blake knew it wasn’t to get her to come back when Salem had called. It was about a job.
Which, if Blake was honest with herself, was why she’d ignored the first two calls. She wanted more than anything to stay in her happy little bubble with Alexis and never think about her career as an actress again. Blake simply wanted to disappear into the horizon to live an everyday, monotonous life.
Picking up the discarded basketball that was resting by the garage door, Blake tossed it into the hoop before retrieving it to do it again. She often shot hoops to focus her mind. Blake didn’t consider herself an athletic person, but she could regularly make a three-point shot with little effort.
She replayed the conversation she’d had with Salem over again in her head.
“I have two bites of good news.” Salem had sounded so smug. “One, I’m sending you a script to look over. Let me know what you think. And second, we got a studio to bite on the show’s revival. The details are still being hashed out, but it’s looking like Avery Romano will live to see the light of day for at least one more season, possibly a movie. Again, details are being worked out.”
“Oh, well, ok.” Blake kicked the sand of the playground as she looked at Alexis and Harper happily playing together. She was where she wanted to be; not on a soundstage.
“You don’t sound happy. I thought you’d be happy.”
“Honestly, I was relieved when the show was canceled. I thought it would give me a chance to turn over a new leaf.”
“Is that what you’re doing in Moonflower Cove now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, you need to get your ass here.”
“I can’t right now.”
“And why not?”
“Salem.” She’d groaned her name. “I
have stuff going on here that I can’t abandon.”
“Well, I can guarantee whatever is in Maine won’t pay you as much as being back in Vancouver will.” Salem had paused, giving Blake time to respond, but instead, she’d stayed quiet. “Or…is there someone there that’s got your attention?”
“Just give me the details of the show when you know them.”
Blake had hung up then. She was already pissed that Salem insinuated that there was someone in the Cove that had taken Blake’s attention away from the show. The only hesitation Blake faced when she’d asked Alexis to let them see where things go was how her Hollywood life might cause issues for Alexis. It wasn’t for everyone; hell, Blake wasn’t sure it was even for her anymore.
She might have told Alexis more about the phone call if Harper hadn't been with them at the park. Blake didn’t have any reason not to tell her. However, judging by how Alexis slightly freaked out on her anyway, Blake knew it would be a bigger deal than she was in the mindset to handle. Blake knew she had to figure out what the hell she was going to do. And soon. First, Blake had to figure out what she thought about it and how she felt about it before opening up to Alexis about it.
Deep down, Blake knew she held an upper hand with the show possibly being picked back up. The show wouldn’t be the same show without her, and she could play that to her advantage. She could barter for small scenes or a shorter filming schedule to not move back to Vancouver full time. Blake even knew a nuclear option was on the table, and it became more enticing as she thought about it. After all, she’d thought about it for years before, but it was more appealing after getting to know Alexis.
“I do this too when I’m stressed.”
The basketball missed the hoop as Blake whipped around to see Isla leaning on the porch railing. She hadn’t checked the garage or house to see if anyone was home and had assumed they had some quaint family plans for their Saturday. Blake grabbed the basketball and hugged it to her stomach.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to distract you.”
“It’s fine.”
Isla paused before speaking again. “Are you?”
“Hmm?” Blake tilted her head at her. She wasn’t in the mood for small talk, but it was inevitable as Isla made her way down the stairs toward her. Her eyes narrowed and she stopped a few feet away from Blake. “You’re your mother’s child, and your face gives you away.”
State of Grace: A Moonflower Cove Romance Page 17