Finding Lexi

by AJ Attard

  "Hello you two," Ms. Jenkins greeted them, a smile crinkling the corners of her mouth and reaching to her eyes, which sparkled with pleasure brightly, "What can I get you?" she asked as if she already knew the answer, which she indeed did.

  "Strawberry still your favorite?" Luke asked her, his voice still husky and heavy with something Lexi couldn't quite put her finger on.

  She nodded and he grinned, the intensity he emanated made more so by the flash of mischievousness.

  "Two strawberries, please, Ms. Jenkins, " He said politely, his gaze drawn back to Lexi as soon as the words had been spoken. Lexi felt a warm blush burning in her cheeks and she dropped her eyes, her flush only heightening for her having done so.

  "Here you go," Ms. Jenkins said passing Luke one ice cream at a time while barely concealing a knowing and joyful grin, "Just like old times," she said with pleasure, "I have probably handed you two a thousand strawberry cones over the years," she chuckled to herself and wiped her hands on her apron, "Lexi did your momma send a list with you?" She asked, holding her hand out over the counter as if her question was actually a given and required no answer.

  Lexi smiled, "Yes, Ma'am," she responded and dutifully handed the slip of paper over the polished counter.

  "Good," Ms. Jenkins said with satisfaction, "I'll have someone fill this for you while you have your ice cream. It will be ready when you are," She said with all certainty and a big smile, "Now you all go enjoy your cones," she ordered with a friendly whooshing motion of her hands, "Go on now."

  Luke and Lexi said thanks in unison and maneuvered back out to the front porch, taking seats on the wooden steps off to the side of the ample structure, where it was a little less public and a great deal quieter.

  "Thanks for the ice cream," Lexi said between mouthfuls, "It's as good as I remember," she added taking a quick lick at a runaway drop of pink liquid that had began a determined dribble down her cone.

  "My pleasure," Luke told her, watching with ill concealed humor as she caught the drop with her tongue and righted her tipped sideways ice cream, "I really am glad you're back," he said, the intensity returning to his voice and his gaze with blazing alacrity.

  “Me too,” Lexi admitted smiling at him over her mound of pink, dripping ice cream, “I didn’t realize how much I missed this place,” she said with a sigh, wrapping her napkin expertly around the base of the now sticky cone and returning to work devouring her dessert.

  “I didn’t realize how much I missed,” Luke began, his face softening, a flush rising in his sun kissed, round cheeks as the words caught in his throat.

  “Lexi!” Peter Montque’s voice interrupted Luke with much the same effect as throwing a bucket of cold water on him. Peter had just reached the porch and stopped smack in the middle, turning on his heel to stride over to them, his giant promotional smile firmly in place, “How are you?” He asked, crouching down next to Lexi, his back to Luke and his shoulder, clad in a custom made shirt, effectively blocking Luke from Lexi’s view, “I heard about the cattle rustling last night and that you saw them,” he shook his head in disbelief and disgust, real or put on, the blonde curls underneath his hat bouncing back and forth with each sway of his head, “Thank goodness they didn’t see you and you weren’t hurt!” He exclaimed, reaching out to lay a hand gently on her arm, “I wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to you.”

  Luke snorted contemptuously behind Peter, but Peter ignored him, continuing with the over done emotion of his well thought out monologue, “It is just crazy to think of something like that happening in our perfect little town,” he said in well maintained aghast, before smoothing into a smile, ”I think you would have been safer at my party,” he drawled, casting a look back over his shoulder at Luke who was silently smoldering behind him.

  Lexi tipped her head sideways and smiled her sweetest, most polite smile, “I too am worried about the town, Peter,” she said, blinking her long lashes slowly and enchantingly, something which was not at all in her character, “I just hardly know what has happened to it,” she continued, dropping her gaze momentarily, careful to keep her eyes off Luke who was struggling to keep his mirth at her performance in check, “and I cannot begin to tell you how flattered I am that you would be worried about me. However,” Lexi took a deep breath, her chest rising slowly with her inhalation, causing Peter’s eyes to momentarily fall to the v-neck of her tee shirt, “I can tell you, you have no reason to be worried. I was in no danger for two very good reasons. For one, I was with Luke, and we have been getting into and out of trouble together since we were young, or at least much younger than we are now,” she added, with a small wistful smile, “and two, the most important reason, in my humble opinion. I can out fight and out shoot most of the people in this town, and even in the local area, and I am always, let me repeat, always, well armed. So you see I have no need of anyone to take care of me, I am quite capable of doing so all by myself.”

  Chapter 15

  Peter inhaled deeply, the brightness of his smile fading just a bit as a spark of displeasure flashed in his eyes, “You certainly are feisty,” he said returning his smile to its former wattage with sheer determination, “Just like your momma. That’s good,” he said almost thoughtfully and mostly to himself, “I do like women with fire,” he continued, his eyes meeting Lexi’s again finally as he rose to his feet and tipped his hat, “If you will excuse me. I am in a bit of hurry,” he offered, his polite words carrying a touch of frostiness hidden just behind their sound, “I have a meeting I must attend after picking up supplies, so I have to get going. I do look forward to seeing you later, Lexi,” he said with a nod and another tip of his hat. He barely acknowledged Luke with a glance over his shoulder before striding purposefully into the store, brushing an invisible speck of dust from his perfectly creased jeans.

  “That was quite a performance,” Luke said, rubbing his chin and grinning ear to ear as he pushed the last bit of his cone into his mouth.

  “Why whatever do you mean?” Lexi answered, blinking innocently at him with big doe eyes causing him to cough on what was left of his mouthful of cone.

  “Ok, ok,” he sputtered shaking his head, “I give up. I’ll let it go,” he said before a wicked half smile pulled at his mouth and danced in his eyes, “for now.”

  Lexi went back to work on her ice cream, carefully positioning it to hide her smile as well.

  Luke sighed, feeling his heart swell in his chest, “Come on, I’ll help you get your truck loaded,” he offered, as much to get himself moving and his attention from her as to actually load the truck. Lexi nodded her agreement and gave the last bite of her cone to the old dog that had been minding the store since she was a kid and followed Luke back into the store just as Peter was coming out.

  For a moment the two men stood toe to toe, a study in contrast. Peter was tall, crane your neck to kiss him tall, well built, immaculately polished and dressed head to toe in clothes that had been tailored to accentuate all of his assets and hide any imperfections that he may have. His smile was like something out of a toothpaste commercial, big and flashy, his manner meticulously over the top. There was not a speck of dust on him, nor a thread out of place, except for his blonde curls that poked out from under his hat with a slight rebelliousness, but even that seemed planned and somewhat manufactured.

  Luke, on the other hand, was shorter and stockier. He was well muscled and solid from years of working on a ranch and in equally good shape, just in a different kind of way. His muscles didn’t need to work out in a gym as he actually worked. His hands were calloused and his skin tanned by the sun, not a sprayer and some skin coloring. His jeans were well worn and covered in dirt and his boots scuffed from excited dog paws and stubborn horse hooves. His shirt had been mended one too many times and Lexi could swear she could see some stitching that belonged to her from way back when. Standing face to face with Peter, Luke was almost a head shorter but half again as broad and as powerful. He was, in Lexi’s opinion, just perfect f
or kissing. Not that she was entertaining such thoughts of course, at least not all the time.

  For a moment the two men stood there, jaws clenched, chests puffed out, the tension so thick between them you could cut it with the proverbial knife. It seemed as if suddenly everything and everyone had stopped, waiting to see what would happen next, holding their breath for the first punch to be thrown. The old men had stopped rocking, Ms. Jenkins was frozen behind the counter, even the old dog had stopped wagging his tail, and everything seemed to be waiting with baited breath for what would surely happen next. Lexi gave the back of Luke’s shirt a tiny, but firm tug, then hooked her finger through one of his belt loops and repeated the action to make sure he knew what she meant.

  Luke took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling with the movement of his lungs, expanding against the worn fibers of his shirt. Then he stepped back, holding his arm out to sweep Lexi behind him protectively as Peter came out.

  “Excuse us,” Luke said with a quiet but firm emphasis on the “us”. Peter narrowed his eyes at Luke’s words, but tipped his hat nonetheless as he passed out the doorway and down the wooden steps, climbing into his matching spotless truck.

  “You sure do make an impression on people,” Lexi teased softly, the words exhaled on previously held breath, when Peter had driven away.

  “Me?” Luke looked over his shoulder at her, “What about you?” he stepped back to allow her to precede him through the door and she smiled with a nod of thanks.

  “I would say both of you cause trouble,” winked Ms. Jenkins good naturedly, “You two have been getting into trouble together for more years than I care to remember,” she said with a laugh, “You’re stuff is all packed up and ready to go, Lexi,” the friendly woman smiled, “Here at the end of the counter.”

  “Thank you,” Lexi said gratefully as she and Luke moved around the back of the counter and collected the boxes.

  “The feed is out back,” Ms. Jenkins added giving each of them a friendly wave as they headed for the door.

  Luke preceded Lexi, holding the door open for her, despite his full arms, with his body, holding his breath as she passed. She smelled even better than he remembered and he found himself thankful that his arms were full otherwise he would have been more than tempted to wrap them around her, something he wasn’t sure she was eager to pursue. Lexi tramped down the steps, her hips swaying in her well-worn jeans as she lugged a box full of supplies to the truck and Luke grinned to himself, glad he had let her go first.

  “Thanks for the help, Luke,” she said, propping the box of supplies on one hip as she lowered the tailgate slowly, the tailgate creaking stiffly in complaint at the usage.

  “Anytime,” he answered easily, the mischievous sparkle returning to his blue eyes, “You want me to go around back and get the feed?” He asked, half hoping she would say yes and give him an excuse to spend a little extra time with her.

  “That’s okay,” she replied, cocking her head sideways rather sweetly and smiling at him, “I’ll just pull around back and toss it in, no worries.”

  “Alright,” he nodded and started to head back to the store before turning back around to look at her, “You know, we didn’t get to finish our talk last night,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets and rocking back on the worn heels of his boots.

  Lexi grinned at him, pushing a random curl back behind her ears and feeling about sixteen again, “Didn’t we?” She asked, looking at him from under her lashes, her heart beating a million miles a minute. She knew if she paused to think about what she was doing she would lose her cool. It was easy to banter with Luke, she had done it for much of her youth and the years in between seemed to disappear instantly.

  It was his turn to grin and he shook his head in amusement at her, “No we didn’t,” he told her, freeing one hand from his pocket to press his hat down a bit more snugly on his head, “but I would like to fix that if you wouldn’t mind,” he said rocking back on his heels again, enjoying their back and forth as much as she did.

  “Luke Henderson,” Lexi said coyly, shutting her tailgate with a protesting creak from the hinges and leaning against the truck jauntily, the metal hot and encouraging on her back, “Are you asking me out on date?” she asked a smile stretching across her face and illuminating her features.

  Luke took a step closer and ran his tongue over his lips in a way that made Lexi want to kiss him, “Would you accept if I were?” He questioned, his barely contained humor revealed by the quiver of a smile at the corners of his mouth.

  “I might,” Lexi answered, tipping her head up to him and slipping her hands behind her against the tailgate, the H in Chevrolet hot beneath her palms.

  “Would seven thirty work?” He asked, now suddenly standing right before her and a touch closer than was really necessary.

  “See you then,” She answered and slid away from him and into the driver’s seat with much more composure than she felt. The truck door thunked shut beside her and she exhaled, unaware she had been holding her breath. Her eyes flipped upward to the rear view mirror and she saw Luke watching with that same expression of amusement on his face. She pushed the gear lever into drive and waved out the window, easing the truck onto Main Street as smoothly as she could with the aging suspension and the bumpy exit.

  Pulling up to the only stoplight in town, well out of sight of the store, Lexi burst out giggling.

  “What in the world was I thinking? And I forgot the feed!” She said out loud to herself, fanning her flushed cheeks and again feeling a giggle bubble in her throat. She shook her head at herself and pulled out her ponytail, shaking the curls loose just as the light turned green. She eased the truck forward and turned up the radio ready for the drive home. Lexi was feeling so buoyant she didn’t even notice the truck perpendicular to her at the stoplight or the ominously frowning person inside.

  ****

  “It’s time to step things up a bit,” The first voice said to his companions who shifted uncomfortably in their seats. He smiled at this and leaned back in his seat with the ease of those who are assured of their rightness.

  “What do you have in mind?” One of the companions asked. He smiled again at the tremor in their voice. They were afraid, not just of his plan but of him. The feeling was intoxicating. He thrived on power and control and here he was sitting in a room so full of it that it threatened to swallow them whole.

  “Well,” he began slowly, stretching his arms above his head and then bringing them to rest on his neck, his short cropped hair poking tenuously through his fingers, “Due to the closeness of our recent call,” he shot a withering look at his third companion who sank noticeably into their chair as if trying to disappear, “I think an acceleration of sorts is needed.”

  The second companion leaned forward, their hands clasped together on the table that separated them, “Yes, you mentioned that,” they replied, the tremor in their voice revealing their sheer terror.

  He smiled, clearly delighted with their attempt to hurry him, “Patience is a virtue,” he chided them darkly, “however, since you are so eager, I will illuminate you,” he said, speaking each word slowly, savoring the sound of the syllables in the darkened room.

  “It is time we take our grievances to the source,” he said, “Lexi, herself.”

  “That’s your grievance,” The second companion said, concern making their face into a caraciture of its true self, “Not mine, I’m only here because.”

  “You are here because I told you to be,” He interrupted sharply causing both of his companions to withdraw farther from him, edging back from the table and into their seats. He took a deep breath, calming himself and inhaling the scent of their fear, “As I was saying,” he continued, his demonic smile back in place, “Lexi.”

  Chapter 16

  “You look mighty pretty there, Hon,” Clyde smiled warmly at Lexi as she came in the kitchen. He had a mischievous glint in his green eyes and Lexi couldn’t help but smile back at him.

&n
bsp; “Thanks, Grandpa,” she answered, before sidling up to give him a kiss on the cheek, his skin leathery and warm beneath her lips, “I think you may be biased though,” she teased, giving him an extra squeeze. He smelled like horses, hay, and hand soap. He had obviously washed up for dinner and the combination of scents was both familiar and pleasant.

  “Maybe,” he admitted warmly, taking an offered piece of homemade pie from Nora, “I have always been partial to red sundresses I must say,” he said with a wink before taking a creaky seat at the well-worn table.

  Lexi shook her head and grinned. She had on her favorite red sundress. Well, to say it was her favorite was possibly exaggerating a bit. She had bought it just before leaving with Colton and it had hung in her closet ever since, un-needed and unwanted in the harsh environment of Alaska. It hadn’t been until Luke had asked her out that she had even remembered seeing it hanging in the back of her closet still, waiting to be rediscovered. She was elated it still fit, although she had to admit everything on her body might not be in the same place it once was ten years ago. Thank goodness Marci had texted her every few minutes spouting suggestions and encouragement to her and making sure Lexi promised to call her in the morning and tell her everything.