Chapter 9 #2
Midas bit back a laugh.
“Oh shit, I didn’t mean it that way,” she said almost immediately. “I meant with real clothes on. You know, like shorts and T-shirts, not the uniforms they were wearing when I last saw them.”
“I knew what you meant,” Midas said, amused.
“Jeez, I’m totally gonna say something else to embarrass myself, I know it.”
“Naw,” Midas told her. “You’re good. Besides, I’m sure one of the guys will say something stupid before too long, so no worries.”
“Good to see you again!” Aleck told Lexie as they entered the pavilion.
“Yeah, you don’t look quite as much like something the cat dragged in,” Pid agreed.
Jag smacked his friend on the back of his head. “That was rude, asshole,” he said.
“Told you,” Midas murmured to Lexie. He was glad to see she was smiling and not at all offended by Jag’s sincere, if awkward, statement.
“Hey,” Slate said with a jerk of his chin.
Mustang walked over to them with a smile. “I’m thrilled that you were able to work it out to come to Oahu. When my men are happy, I’m happy. And believe me, Midas is fucking thrilled.”
“Scott, you probably shouldn’t swear when you first meet someone,” Elodie scolded.
“I’m not meeting her for the first time,” Mustang protested. “Besides, Midas is fucking thrilled. He’s been in a much better mood since she arrived.”
“Mustang,” Midas warned, seeing the blush that crossed Lexie’s face.
“All right, sorry. I’m just saying…it’s very nice that you’re here,” he told Lexie.
“Thanks, I’m glad to be here,” Lexie said politely.
“And I’m Elodie,” Mustang’s better half said, holding her hand out. “Scott told me all about what happened to you. Okay, not all of it, because he can’t legally do that, but he told me enough. It’s crazy that we both had a run-in with Somalis.”
“Not all people from Somalia are bad,” Lexie said immediately. “I met some amazing men and women there.”
“Oh, I know, I didn’t mean to imply differently,” Elodie said with a small frown.
“It’s just that poverty is so rampant over there. Most people don’t have the opportunities that we have here in the States, or in other countries. Fathers and mothers have to feed their families, and they’ll do whatever it takes to be able to do that.”
“I understand. I do,” Elodie insisted. “Shoot, now you must think I’m a horrible person. I’m not, I swear.”
Midas saw Mustang frown and take a step closer to his wife, as if to protect her.
“No! I don’t think that at all,” Lexie said, her brow furrowing in consternation.
“I’m the one who’s sorry. I tend to go on and on about things I’m passionate about and don’t take into account the connotations of what I’m saying.
I don’t condone what the pirates did to your cargo ship, or the men who kidnapped me and Dagmar, not in the least.”
“Whew,” Elodie said, pretending to wipe sweat from her brow. “For a second, I thought I’d really put my foot in it.”
“No, not at all,” Lexie said.
“Good. Now, if our guard dogs will stand down, we can head over to the grill and make sure Slate isn’t squishing the hamburgers. I’ve told him a hundred times not to do that, but he literally can’t seem to help himself.”
Lexie smiled, and Midas relaxed.
Mustang stepped away from Elodie as well, and Midas let out a small whoosh of relief.
Never in a million years would he have thought he’d go toe-to-toe with one of his teammates, but when it came to Lexie, he realized he absolutely would.
Though, he should’ve known Lexie wouldn’t let things get to that point.
She was kind from the tips of her unruly hair down to her toes.
She’d do whatever it took to smooth things over, just as she’d done here.
“Don’t let Slate sneak a cookie,” Midas warned as Lexie headed for the grill with Elodie.
“Cookies?” Mustang asked. “What kind?”
“Pumpkin spice,” Lexie told him.
“I think you should let me take those for you. I’ll just put them on the table with the other food,” Mustang said slyly.
“Don’t do it,” Midas told her. “He’s worse than Aleck when it comes to dessert.”
Elodie laughed. “I swear, you guys act like you’ve never eaten before. I seem to remember there being a plate of chocolate-dipped raspberries twenty minutes ago, and now it’s completely empty. You didn’t even save any for poor Lexie.”
Mustang went over to his wife and pulled her into his embrace. “You can’t blame us. You’re just too good of a cook,” he said.
“Flatterer,” Elodie complained half-heartedly.
Midas caught Lexie’s eye and smiled at her. She didn’t seem uneasy, and he’d suspected she’d get along with everyone just fine. That was just her way. She accepted people exactly as they were.
Elodie pulled out of her husband’s embrace and hooked her arm with Lexie’s. “Come on, we’ll guard your cookies from the hungry jackals and make sure Slate isn’t messing up the burgers at the same time.”
Aleck appeared at Midas’s side, and he pulled his gaze from Lexie long enough to look over at his friend. “What?” he asked when Aleck didn’t say anything.
“Nothing. I like her.”
It wasn’t as if Midas needed his friends’ approval, but it sure meant a hell of a lot that he had it. “Thanks. Me too.”
“Yeah, that’s obvious. But…” His voice trailed off.
“What?” Midas asked again.
“It’s just been…fast,” Aleck finished with a shrug.
“It has. But we’re not getting married tomorrow,” Midas told him.
“I like her. A lot. We’re still getting to know each other.
But I’ll tell you this, she’s unlike anyone I’ve ever dated before.
Just wait, someday you’re gonna meet a woman who completely knocks you off your feet, and I’m gonna remind you of this conversation and your skepticism. ”
Aleck shrugged. “Just because you and Mustang have found great women, doesn’t mean the rest of us will.”
“True, but sometimes when we least expect it, the exact right person falls out of the sky and into your lap.”
Aleck burst into laughter. “A take on the song ‘It’s Raining Men’, huh?”
“I wasn’t being literal, asshole,” Midas said, slugging his friend on the shoulder.
“Seriously, happy for you, man,” Aleck continued. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I appreciate it. I have no idea where things will end up with Lexie and me, but I have a good feeling about it. Besides, if things go sideways, I know you’ll have my back.”
“Fuck yeah, I will,” Aleck said.
“Come on, those burgers have to be done. I’m starved.”
Midas headed for the grill with Aleck, observing as Pid laughed at something Lexie said.
He wasn’t surprised in the least that she fit in so well.
He imagined that she could be plunked down in the middle of a primitive cannibalistic tribe smack dab in the rainforest and within an hour, she’d be best friends with the chief’s wife and children and welcomed with open arms. A little dramatic, maybe… but no less true.
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.”