Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
ALIX
Alix woke with her whole body aching, not from the wine, but from the endless loop of last night replaying in her brain.
Baby in the pool. Grace’s arm brushing hers as they crab-walked a soggy, flailing furball to the steps.
The way Grace had looked at her after, like Alix wasn’t just a screwup who’d let the dog outside, but someone she could actually trust.
And that shirt that Grace had been wearing.
Holy shit. The white fabric with Cruisin’ across the chest, plastered to Grace’s body, had been burned into Alix’s retinas.
She couldn’t stop picturing how it clung, how Grace’s nipples were clearly visible through the fabric, how it left almost nothing to the imagination.
It made her blush now just thinking about it.
She tried to remind herself that nothing had actually happened.
They hadn’t kissed. They hadn’t crossed a line.
But the way she’d wanted to? What had she been thinking?
Maybe it was just the adrenaline, or the ridiculous relief of seeing Baby flop onto the pool deck alive and smug.
It was definitely not just the nearness of Grace, wet hair slicked back, eyes wide and bright even in panic, lips inches from hers.
Alix had almost leaned in. She’d almost blown it.
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling.
No Phyllis banging around in the kitchen.
No familiar apartment clutter. Just Sylvia’s museum house and the faint sound of Grace moving somewhere down the hall.
Alix shut her eyes tighter. She could do this.
She wouldn’t risk the best friendship she’d stumbled into in years just because her brain and body were short-circuiting at the sight of Grace in a soaked T-shirt.
But God help her, she wanted to. She wanted to ruin the hell out of this friendship.
Grace appeared next to the pullout with two tiny cups of syrupy black coffee, handing one to Alix with a flourish.
“Oh,” Alix said reverently after a sip. “This looks like it’s going to ruin me for all other coffee ever.”
Grace flushed, but Alix caught the smile tugging at her mouth. “It’s called a cafecito. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Dinner is going to have to be incredible to compete with this,” Alix said, sipping what was surely the best thing she’d ever tasted. Creamy and sweet and rich and bitter all at the same time. It was heavenly. She needed twelve.
“Did you go somewhere this morning?” Alix asked, looking Grace up and down in a blue sundress that she definitely didn’t have on yesterday.
The color was stunning against Grace’s tanned skin, and the neckline exposed just enough — the hint of cleavage, the curve of her shoulders.
Grace was an intoxicating combination of curvy and fit, and Alix imagined what it might feel like to — Jesus, just how creepy was she, sitting here, drooling over a woman’s shoulders?
“Yeah, I ran home and grabbed a few things.”
Alix let out a teasing heavy sigh. “No more Cruisin’?”
“Thankfully, no.” Grace shook her head for emphasis.
“Why do you say it like that? I might steal it from Aunt Sylvia and frame it. It’s art, Gator,” Alix teased again.
Grace rolled her eyes.
That shirt was art for many, many reasons, the first and foremost being the way the white fabric had gone completely transparent — good God, Alix. Get yourself together. Did she need a cold shower just to get through the morning?
They sat by the pool while Baby swam languid laps, Alix dipping her legs in the water. For the first time in days, she felt loose and easy. Grace, hair glossy and eyes bright, didn’t hurt either.
She hadn’t been expecting Grace to be so stunning.
She was effortlessly sexy, like she didn’t know just how breathtaking she was.
Like she had no idea how the way her sleek hair slid over her shoulders was doing things to Alix’s stomach.
The way a tiny divot formed at the top of her lip when she smiled. Alix stared with abandon.
They’d only FaceTimed a few times, but the first time had been Grace in a pantry, and the other handful hadn’t done Grace justice.
Sure, she’d been enamored with how clever and funny and sweet Grace was, but the instant physical attraction had been almost palpable in her body.
She found herself leaning toward Grace, wanting to touch her arm or leg, to take any excuse to brush invisible things from her cheek.
“So, what time is Thanksgiving dinner?” Alix asked.
“Late. It takes a whole day to roast a pig, and they make such a big deal about it,” Grace said with a tentative smile.
“Your parents know I’m vegan, right?” Alix asked. “Should we, like, swing by the store and grab a tofurkey, or will that get me banned permanently from future events?”
Grace nodded. “It took some explaining, but they know. My mom thinks that means salad, so maybe eat a little something before we go, just in case.”
Eventually, they made their way back into the kitchen, Alix leaning against the counter to watch Grace make another cafecito. Grace moved with dancer-like elegance, filling a contraption with water and ground coffee, then placing it on the stove.
“What’s that called?” Alix asked.
“A cafetera. Or a moka pot if you’re fancy. I think it’s, like, all moka pots are cafeteras, but not all cafeteras are moka pots. Kind of a loose enough term… but I think I’m getting a little too into semantics here,” Grace explained.
She was patient as she went through the steps, but Alix had a hard time focusing on anything other than Grace’s long, slender, perfectly manicured fingers as she stirred a few drops of espresso with sugar, whipping it into the creamy concoction that Alix couldn’t get enough of.
Who knew hands could be so sexy? Alix wanted to reach out and take Grace’s hands in hers, study every line and curve.
Alix hunted for a snack as Grace poured the two cafecitos. She passed up the empanadas stacked like gold bars in the freezer, but her eyes landed on a Tupperware containing the vegan brownies Sylvia had mentioned the day before, cut into neat squares.
She held them up in a trophy pose.
“At nine in the morning?” Grace raised a brow.
“Technically nine thirty.” Alix popped the lid of the brownie tub and took one, then bit in, groaning around the chocolate. “Oh, hell yes.”
Grace sighed, took a piece, and popped it into her mouth. “Okay, yes, these are delicious,” she acquiesced.
They finished their cafecitos and carried the entire container of brownies to the back porch again, sitting in the morning sunlight together.
“How many brownies is too many brownies?” Grace asked, eyeing the Tupperware container again.
Alix snorted. “I’m pretty sure we’re on vacation, so the limit does not exist.”
“Weird museum for a vacation,” Grace said, gesturing to the house. “Again, I am so sorry. This honestly has been an insane intro to Miami and my family.”
Alix smiled, popping another half of a brownie into her mouth. “Actually, I love it. Midnight pool swims, art collections, a dog with IBS… what’s not to love?”
Grace sighed, but they sat down together at the small table where they’d eaten dinner the night before.
“Atta girl,” Alix said, watching Grace bite into her second brownie.
Two chews later, Grace froze. “Alix.”
“Mmm?” Alix said, sitting up from where she had begun sinking into her chair.
“These aren’t normal brownies.” Grace gestured to the Tupperware.
Alix blinked. “They aren’t vegan?”
“They’re… special.” Grace pointed to a masking tape label. “Sylvia’s friend Maribel bakes with — you know. She bakes.” She widened her eyes in emphasis.
Alix looked at the container. “Are you saying—”
Grace held out the brownie in her hand like it was radioactive. “We have to be at my mom’s house in two hours. I cannot show up high. I’m a lawyer, for God’s sake! I’m going to get fired.”
Alix shrugged, popping the rest of her brownie into her mouth. “What? Why? Does your firm do random drug testing?”
Grace shot her a pointed look. “No, but they could start at any time, Alix!”
Alix leaned back, fighting laughter. “Relax, you barely had any.”
“A crumb can be lethal,” Grace hissed as she began to stand, shaking her hands like she was about to start panicking. “What if I forget how to use a fork?”
Alix caught Grace’s wrists gently, tugging her back down. “Breathe, Gator. You’re fine. Worst case, you giggle and eat too many mashed potatoes. That’s just Thanksgiving.”
Grace glared, then cracked into a reluctant smile. “This isn’t funny.”
Alix paused, looking up at Grace’s earnest face, full of panic. “I mean, it’s a little funny.”
Baby barked in agreement.
By the time they’d crated him, his howls pure emotional blackmail, Alix was steady enough to pull it together.
Grace ordered an Uber, muttering about not being able to drive and reckless aunts and irresponsible baked goods, while Alix tucked the container back into the fridge with reverence and a promise that she’d return to it after dinner.
When the car pulled up, Grace exhaled like she was heading into battle. Alix slid in beside her, bumping their shoulders together, warm and easy.
“Hey,” Alix murmured as the driver pulled away, already feeling the lightness of the brownie’s secret ingredient. “You’re okay. I’m here. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Grace initially shot her a look sharp enough to slice but began to melt as Alix entwined their hands.
“I’m here with you. Everything’s going to be okay,” Alix soothed, squeezing Grace’s hand and brushing her thumb over the dark nail polish that tipped Grace’s fingers. Was it just an excuse to hold Grace’s hand? Absolutely not. Not one that she’d ever admit.
Grace clenched her jaw, fighting a smile she clearly didn’t want to give away. But Alix caught it. That twitch at the corner of Grace’s mouth, like she was trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.