Chapter 5
Chapter Five
A week later, Connor had emptied the rental house, and he and Annabeth were officially moved back into their cabin.
And they’d never been happier.
It seemed wrong to be thankful for a near-catastrophic plumbing leak, but he was.
Every day, he got to spend time with Lexi.
He helped her get Jonah into the local preschool, and she helped him with Annabeth when Ruth wasn’t available.
They alternated driving the kids to school in the morning, and it felt like they were…
a family. At least, this is what he envisioned life would be like when there were two working parents and they shared responsibilities for their children.
And it had nothing to do with their history; he wasn’t playing make-believe and putting Lexi in the role of his wife because they were in love once upon a time. This was about liking the person she was now and enjoying getting to know her.
And Annabeth was enjoying having Lexi around too.
Every day after school when Ruth left, Lexi would take the kids to a new spot for them to read.
Annabeth was loving it. One day it was down by the lake and another, it was in the gazebo.
But lately they had found a spot along one of the trails with some boulders that they liked to sit on.
Every night Annabeth would gush about having that time with Lexi, Jonah, and her favorite books.
Almost every night after dinner, they all enjoyed sitting around the firepit and talking about their day.
Everyone.
Walker, Harlow, Axel, Maisie, Slater, Lexi, him, and the kids.
At first he was annoyed whenever the entire group kind of tagged along when they were letting the kids roast marshmallows or make s’mores, but it turned into a fun nightly thing where they were all just quietly unwinding and sharing their progress.
It was always great hearing how everyone’s work was going, but this week had been incredibly productive for him.
He’d finished hiring his staff; everyone from sous chefs to dishwashers.
All they needed was to open their doors to guests so they could test everything out.
Walker mentioned doing a soft opening the week after Jayce and Kelsey’s wedding, and that was the goal.
They all wanted to be fully prepared for it so everything would go off without a hitch.
But tonight, he really wanted some time alone with Lexi.
They were getting along great, and he knew she was definitely more comfortable around him than she’d been when she first arrived at the resort a few weeks ago.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that he’d want the chance to reconnect with her on a romantic level, but…
there were several obstacles in their way.
Namely, their kids.
He wasn’t going to leave Annabeth alone in their cabin so he could hang out in Lexi’s, and he knew she’d feel the same about Jonah. Of course, he could ask one of their friends to babysit, but he was afraid of the pushback he was going to get. So where did that leave him?
“Hey, Connor,” Maisie said as she walked into the kitchen. She was working on finishing all of the cabin decorations while also working with clients in town on their homes.
“Hey, Maisie,” he said distractedly, still trying to think of a way to find time to be alone with Lexi.
“You okay?” she asked as she helped herself to a bottle of water from their massive refrigerator.
“What? Oh, uh…yeah. Sorry. Just thinking.”
“Anything I can help you with?”
If only…
“Thanks, but…probably not,” he said miserably.
“Ooh…that doesn’t sound like you.” She pulled up a stool and sat down. “Come on. Talk to me.”
“Maisie…”
“Look, I get that I’m not one of the guys, but I’m a great problem-solver. Trust me.”
“I don’t know.”
“This is about Lexi, isn’t it?”
His eyes went wide. “How…?”
“Because if it were about food or the resort, you’d be talking it out. If you’re being quiet, it’s personal.” She shrugged. “So? Talk to me.”
What did he have to lose?
“Okay, you know how we’ve all been hanging out after dinner around the firepit?”
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s been a great way to unwind.”
“I feel like we’re either always in a group or with the kids. All I want is a chance to spend some time alone with Lexi, but it’s not possible because…”
“Because you’re either with the group or with the kids,” she finished for him.
“Got it.” Pausing, she took a sip of her water.
“Axel and I could take the kids to the movies. You know, we’ll grab pizza first and then see the movie and maybe even get ice cream after it.
They’ll come back on a sugar high, but it would easily give you four hours to yourselves. ”
It almost sounded too easy.
“Don’t you think you should ask Axel first before you volunteer him for this sort of thing?” he asked with a laugh. “He doesn’t strike me as the babysitting type.”
“Are you kidding me? There’s a new animated movie that just came out, and it’s all he’s been talking about. This would be the perfect excuse for him to see it without feeling like some sort of weirdo hanging out at a children’s movie.”
That just made him laugh more. “Do you really think he’d go for it? I know everyone’s been doing their best to babysit me and Lexi because of her stipulations when she accepted the job.”
“Oh, we’ve all gotten over that. Once we saw that she’s actually started some of the interactions between the two of you, we all relaxed.”
“Really? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because then you would have gone overboard and potentially made her uncomfortable again.”
He shook his head. “It’s a little unsettling how well you know the dynamics of our little group already.”
She smiled. “I’m a people-watcher, and I’ve spent a lot of time with all of you. And I’m not planning on going anywhere. Axel and I are…things are good. Really good. He’s my person, and I hope that I’m his.”
“Maisie, you know you’re his person. It’s been that way practically since the two of you met. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two of you were engaged by the end of the year.”
That just made her smile grow. “I’d love that. We talked about it, and we didn’t want to horn in on Walker and Harlow’s announcement.”
Another head shake. “Yeah, those two are so business-driven, that was almost a non-announcement. Only they could make a proposal part of a business plan.”
“I know, right? I’m hoping Axel will be a little more romantic than that.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“So, about tonight?” she prompted. “Let me text Axel and feel him out, and if he’s in, I’ll reach out to Lexi and ask her if we can take Jonah. If she agrees, then it’s up to you to get rid of everyone else tonight.”
“Easier said than done,” he murmured. “You know Walker’s going to give me shit and ruin everything.”
“Oh my God, Connor. Do you even hear yourself?” Maisie demanded with a laugh.
“What happened to the man who met every challenge with confidence, huh? What happened to the guy who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty?
” Stepping around the workstation, she stopped in front of him.
“But mostly, what happened to the friend who always encouraged everyone else to go after what they wanted most?”
Damn.
“All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t let anyone else’s reaction be a deterrent. If Lexi didn’t want to spend time with you, then she wouldn’t, plain and simple. If she were uncomfortable with you, she would have let us know.”
“I guess.”
“But if you’re using Walker as an excuse because you’re afraid she’s going to reject you, then…I get it.”
“Thanks, Maisie.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think she’s going to reject you. She’s probably going to be just as nervous as you are, and that’s okay. You’re both older and wiser and probably a lot more cautious. Take things slow and prove everyone wrong.”
He smiled.
“I’m going to text Axel right now so we can figure the rest out, so…hold on.” Pulling out her phone, she quickly tapped out a message. A minute later, she was grinning. Holding her phone up, she laughed. “Do you see all the exclamation points?”
Looking at the screen, he let out a bark of laughter.
Axel: ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?? I AM SO IN!!!! YES!!!!
“Obstacle number one cleared,” she said. “I need to head down to the Evergreen cabins and meet with Reece. His crew is working with Axel on more punch-list stuff. Text me if you need anything, but…you’ve got this.”
“Thanks again, Maisie.”
When she walked out of the kitchen, Connor went to work prepping for today’s lunch. He had a pot of chili going, but he wanted to bake some cornbread and make up a small toppings bar for everyone to test.
He had no idea how much time had passed when Walker came into the kitchen. “Is that chili I’m smelling?”
He nodded. “It is. And cornbread.” Wiping his hands on his apron, he turned around and saw Walker sitting where Maisie had. “But it won’t be ready for another two hours.”
“That’s okay. I can wait,” Walker said with a grin. “So I hear Axel and Maisie are taking the kids to the movies tonight.”
“That’s the plan,” he said, busying himself with clearing away the extra dishes he didn’t need.
“Is it just because Axel’s dying to see that damn cartoon or are you looking for a break?”
“A little of both,” he said honestly. “It’s a Friday, and Annabeth’s always looking for things to do, so I thought it could be fun.”
“And the fact that Jonah’s going?”
“That’s Lexi’s call. It would probably hurt his feelings if Axel and Maisie took Annabeth and not him.”
Walker nodded. “Are you planning on spending your free time alone?”
His head fell forward with a sigh before he rested his hands on the cool stainless steel. “If you have a question, Walker, just ask, okay?”
“Are you hoping to spend some time alone with Lexi?”
“Yes.” Then he held his breath and waited for his friend to give him all the reasons this wasn’t a good idea.
“Does she know?”
“Not yet. I was planning on talking to her over lunch.”
“Are you going to make dinner for the two of you?”