I follow her up the stairs, which more than makes up for my not running, while she takes the mountain in stride. I'm gasping while she whistles. Unfair. The cleaners scrub and vacuum the house in preparation for her fundraiser tonight as others decorate with freesias and unlit candles. She gives orders as we pass into the kitchen, filled with stainless steel everything. Brendan, dressed in a green Independence Eagles jersey and shorts stands, at the counter eating cereal as caterers stack up crates of food. "Look who popped by," Lexie says as we enter.
"Hey, Jo," Brendan says with his mouth full.
"Classy, darling," Lexie scolds. She pours us coffee. "Bren, coffee?"
"Thanks babe," he says.
"Like morons we were out all night after the game. Keep forgetting we're not as young as we used to be," Lexie says.
"That's for damn sure," Brendan says.
"What were you guys up to?" I ask.
She passes around the cups. "Club hopping with a few teammates and wives. My legs are killing me from all the dancing," Lexie says. "At least we weren't at the other one that exploded or whatever. This city," she says, shaking her head. "And now I have this fundraiser today."
"That's actually why I stopped by. I'm not going to make it tonight, I'm sorry. I'm not just up to it. It's been a long couple of days, and my ability to bullshit and schmooze is impaired. I'm sorry."
"You have to come! You're the only person in town I like!" Lexie says.
"Hey," Brendan says.
She scowls at him. "Oh, you don't count. You're my husband."
"Thanks, babe."
I pull out the check from my pocket. "I'm really sorry. Here, for the shelter."
She takes it. "Well, forty grand begins to make up for your abandonment, I guess."
"Um, who ditched who at the Mills' party? We're square now."
"I told you we only did that because you looked so cozy with your doctor out there. I knew he'd take very good care of you. And by the way, it worked so you're welcome." She leans on the counter. "So, how are things going with the good doctor? I haven't spoken to you in days. I'm dying for the next chapter in the saga."
Brendan picks up his mug and walks over to the sink. "And I'm taking that as my cue to leave. See you around, Jo." I wave as he walks out.
"Girl talk gives him indigestion," Lexie says. "So. Tell me! What is going on? Has he kissed you yet?"
"No. I told you, we're just friends."
"Right. Sure. I totally believe you," she says in a monotone. "That's why you get all goofy smiley when you talk about him."
"I do not."
"You so do. It's beyond cute. So, it's been two weeks, and you've seen him almost every day, have you even held hands yet? Called him in the middle of the night just to hear his voice?"
My cheeks flare up in embarrassment. "I had a bad day and couldn't sleep." Twice.
"And he was the only succor you could find," she says dramatically. "Tres romantic. You're totally falling for him. And why not? He sounds like a fantastic guy. Sweet, smart, interesting, and crazy about you. Cute too, in a nutty professor sort of way. You could do a hell of a lot worse."
"I know," I say, playing with my mug.
She sips her coffee. "Just one piece of advice: be careful."
"Why?"
"I knew a guy like him once. Shy, been through hell, just makes it hard to let people in. But once someone's in, they're in forever. Just don't do anything until you're a thousand percent certain you're ready to give as good as you get. That's all." She sips her coffee. "Anyway, traitor, I have a trillion things to do today. Lexie's wisdom shop is closed. Time for me to kick your butt out. Come on."
As she leads me back to the beach, past the lounging Brendan who winks at me, I tell her the best people to hit up for donations. Guilt assuaged, I wave good-bye and walk home, a knowing smile on my face when I turn my back to her. No doubt now. I chuckle and shake my head at the absurdity of it all.
Traffic isn't bad until I enter the city where kamikaze pedestrians and taxi drivers do their damnedest to give me a heart attack. Jem lives in the center of town in Parkscale, the ritzy part of the city with Stan Lee Park just around the corner. Jem's building is one of our newest and biggest, forty-five stories high and most of it blue glass built on top of the old building which was demolished after a fight between Justice and Shrieker. Most new buildings have similar history. The doorman phones Jem's apartment. This place still smells of paint and carpet glue. It takes awhile, but eventually I'm allowed up to his penthouse. I knock, then hear a thwack and grumbling inside before the door opens.