20. Blake
Chapter 20
Blake
H ow had no one else seen this side of Xander?
The man who'd stepped up, who looked at me like I was the only girl in the world before he caught himself and pulled back again. It was almost like no one noticed the beautiful man he was, and only saw the doctor he’d become. But I'd seen the parts he kept hidden from the world, and lately I'd been wondering why he felt like he had to hide them in the first place.
I'd decided to pack a few things from the studio to take back home with me.
Maybe see if I could turn that glimmer of something I’d felt this morning into a full-blown light show without the pressure of the easel standing in front of me.
"Ready to go?" Xander asked, his voice low as he cradled a sleeping Amelia against his chest.
I nodded, throwing my bag over my shoulder and taking one last look at the empty canvas that had taunted me over the past few months.
"Yeah, let's get out of here."
We headed down the stairs, and I led us through the bookshop instead of the back door, partly because I slightly missed Daniel's lecture about proper exit protocol, but mostly because the smell of coffee and books always managed to lift my spirits, even when my artistic muse was AWOL.
As we made our way through the store, I spotted a familiar group sitting at one of the small tables near the window. Helen Schulster was there, with Marie from the bakery, and a younger blonde woman I didn't recognize. My heart dropped into my stomach.
"Xander," I whispered urgently, grabbing his arm. "What day is it?"
He frowned, shifting Amelia to his other shoulder. "Thursday, why?"
I sighed in disappointment. "I missed another lunch club meeting."
"Another what now?"
"The Wednesday Lunch Club. The most exclusive social gathering in Willowbrook. They know everything about everyone." I pouted, watching the trio laugh about something. "I've been trying to get an invitation for months."
"You want to have lunch with Mrs. Schulster? Voluntarily?" Xander looked at me like I'd just suggested we go skinny dipping in the town fountain.
"And I forgot to pack my ham," I sighed dramatically.
"Your... ham?" The confusion on his face was almost comical.
"For Titus," I explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Her dog."
"You've been carrying around ham to bribe Mrs. Schulster's dog?" Xander was still looking at me like I was certifiably insane, but there was also an amused glint in his eyes that made my stomach do a little flip. "That's... actually kind of brilliant."
"I have my moments." I preened a little under his approval.
"Come on," he said, nodding toward the table. "Let me introduce you to Billie."
I followed him to the table, suddenly feeling nervous. This was my chance to make a good impression.
"Ladies," Xander greeted them with a warm smile. "I hope we're not interrupting."
Marie’s face lit up. "Xander! And Blake! What a lovely surprise." Her eyes darted between us, no doubt cataloging every detail for the town gossip mill. "And who is this little angel?"
"This is Amelia," I said, watching as Xander gently transferred the baby from his shoulder to the carrier. "My niece."
"She's precious," Marie cooed, leaning over to get a better look.
"Blake, this is Billie Schulster," Xander said, gesturing to the blonde woman. "She's the new physiotherapist at the ranch. Billie, this is Blake Mitchell, my… erm, fiancée."
At the pause, I'd felt my cheeks warm.
This was the first time either of us had said it in public.
We probably should have tried it out more in private first. Well, we kind of did back with Delaney and the others.
But that word… it felt so much different now, especially after last night.
"It's nice to meet you," Billie said with a genuine smile. "Xander's told me a lot about you."
I could practically see Marie vibrating beside her as she absorbed this information in absolute delight.
The town gossip was going to explode the second our backs were turned.
Especially because Xander chose that moment to slip his arm around my waist and draw me into his side as he gently kissed the side of my head.
I was actually starting to worry for Marie’s health as her eyes darted between us with increasing speed.
"Oh,” I said in a slightly too high pitched voice, “All good things, I hope." I laughed, trying not to wonder exactly what Xander had been saying about me.
At least it was taking the pressure off me worrying about whether we were actually convincing anyone that this sudden and surprising engagement wasn't a figment of our imagination.
"Of course," Billie assured me. "Though the pink hair was a surprise. He didn't mention that."
"Keeps him on his toes," I winked, and Xander rolled his eyes.
“Let us see the ring, Blake!” Marie gasped and my stomach plummeted.
How could we have forgotten something like a ring?!
“Oh, it’s erm…” Oh god, this was the first time we’d been out in public and I was already failing at this.
“It’s getting resized,” Xander quickly added.
The ladies nodded but I could have sworn I saw a glimmer of a question in Billie’s eye.
I darted a glance at Xander, praying that he could somehow telepathically hear me as I screamed in my head Abort! Abort! You’re too pretty for prison!
Thankfully, a low growl rumbled from under the table, stealing everyone’s attention, and I looked down to see Titus, the immortal zombie dog, staring up at us before his left eye seemed to start to roll independent of the other in a completely freaky way.
"Oh, Titus, hush," Helen scolded, but the dog ignored her completely.
To everyone's shock, Titus suddenly perked up, his tail wagging as he sniffed around Amelia's carrier. The dog whined and shuffled closer, looking up at Amelia with what could only be described as adoration.
"Well, I'll be," Helen said, adjusting her glasses as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "I've never seen him take to anyone like that."
Honestly, most people assumed Titus was stuffed because he didn't react at all.
Titus stood on his hind legs, front paws balancing on the edge of Amelia's carrier as he tried to get closer to the baby. Amelia, who'd been sleeping peacefully, opened her eyes and let out a delighted gurgle at the dog.
Honestly the relief that I was currently feeling was nearly enough to make me pee myself. For now, we seemed to have escaped further questions. But for how long?
"They're going to be best friends," I declared, delighted by this unexpected development, but also simultaneously worried that the awful smell that seemed to emanate from Titus might seep into the baby.
Helen and Marie exchanged a look, and then Marie nodded at Helen, who cleared her throat. "Blake, dear, I believe I've been a bit harsh on you. Anyone who can charm Titus like this deserves a chance."
Marie rolled her eyes. "Oh, put the poor girl out of her misery, Helen."
Helen sighed dramatically. "Very well. Blake, would you like to join us for lunch next Wednesday? On a trial basis, of course."
I'm pretty sure I squealed. I definitely bounced on the balls of my feet like a hyperactive child. "I would love to! Thank you, thank you!"
Xander was watching me with amusement, picking up Amelia's carrier. "We should probably get going. Amelia's due for a nap."
We said our goodbyes, and I practically danced out of the bookstore, unable to contain my excitement.
"Oh my god, that was a disaster. Do you think that was a disaster? But maybe they bought it because they invited me for lunch,” I babbled, and then the excitement suddenly took over my nervousness. “I can't believe it! I got in! I'm in the Wednesday Lunch Club!"
"I still don't understand why you're so excited about having lunch with my fourth-grade homeroom teacher," Xander said as we walked to the car. “And I wouldn’t worry. Probably. I think we’re okay.” He glanced over his shoulder nervously and I decided right then that the best way to deal with this was to definitely ignore it.
I am blossoming into adulthood with all these insanely sensible life decisions that I’m making recently! Yeah, right. I wasn’t even convincing myself with that lie. I was terrible at this.
Still, dwelling on it wasn’t going to help so I decided to grasp onto something else to distract me.
“Mrs Shulster was your teacher?!"
"What... no." He frowned, then sighed. "Damn, it's too late to get away with that lie, isn't it?"
"Oooo, I wonder if Billie will come," I said, already planning my strategy for extracting all the embarrassing childhood stories about Xander. "She'd know all your deep, dark secrets."
"Oh no." Xander groaned. "Okay, if talk turns to the summer I was twelve, it's all lies."
"Does the straight-laced, perfect Xander Farrington have a shady past?" I gasped dramatically, placing a hand over my heart.
"Those sheep were that way when we got there!" he blurted out, then burst into laughter—a real, genuine, belly laugh that made his eyes crinkle at the corners and his whole face light up.
Amelia, as if sensing his joy, let out a little giggle from her carrier.
"That's right, little bug," he said, looking down at her with such tenderness it made my heart ache. "You'll stand up for me, won't you?"
We reached the car, and Xander placed Amelia's carrier in the back with practiced ease. When he returned to my side, his arm slipped around my waist, natural and possessive all at once. I leaned into him, savoring the warmth.
"So," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye, "let's solve the mystery of what other meat based products you feel the need to carry around with you."
"Oh no, I'm not spilling my secrets until you tell me about these sheep you assaulted."
"Blake!" His eyes widened in mock horror. "You can't go around saying stuff like that." He glanced around as if checking for eavesdroppers, then his head tipped back with another belly laugh.
"I like seeing you like this," I told him, the words slipping out before I could think better of them.
His laughter softened into a smile that reached his eyes. "I like being like this."
The look he gave me then—warm and full of something I was afraid to name—made my chest tighten. I knew right then I was in trouble. The kind of trouble I'd spent years running from.
Last night hadn't been a mistake. It felt more like a first step. A first step toward something terrifying and wonderful but real.
And for once in my life, I wasn't looking for the escape route.
I glanced over at him as he drove us home, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. I thought about how those hands looked so strong but could be so gentle and that itch of a spark fired in the back of my mind again.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, catching me staring.
"Nothing," I lied, looking away quickly. "Just... excited about the lunch club."
He chuckled, clearly not believing me but letting it slide. "You know they're probably going to tell you all kinds of embarrassing stories about me, right?"
"That's what I'm counting on," I grinned. "I need ammunition."
"Great," he groaned. "I'm never going to live down the sheep incident."
"You still haven't told me what actually happened with those sheep."
"And I never will," he said firmly, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Some things are better left to the imagination."
As we pulled into the driveway of the cottage, I felt a strange sense of coming home. Not just to a place, but to these people—Xander and Amelia. To this unexpected life I'd found myself living.
I'd never thought I'd be the type to settle down, to find comfort in routine and stability. But maybe I'd just never had the right people to settle down with.
Or maybe I'd never been brave enough to try.