No answer. She figured Charlotte was down the hall at Sylvia’s and headed for her bedroom, turning on lights as she walked through the apartment. Her grandmother preferred the dark, drawing closed the heavy draperies covering the old windows. Lexie flipped on a couple of lamps.
In her room, she ransacked her closet, looking for something appropriate to wear for a business meeting that wasn’t a date, but was still with a man she wanted to impress. She wasn’t someone who accumulated a lot of stuff, so the items she owned were those she truly loved and needed. She’d never had to perfect the art of traveling light. It just came naturally to her. Making a fast perusal of her closet she chose a lightweight sundress and a pair of flowered thong sandals.
Half an hour later, she’d showered, put on a touch of makeup and blow-dried her recently cut hair. She added a thin orange headband that matched her dress, spritzed her favorite perfume and was ready to go.
Only the light butterflies in her stomach indicated that this evening suddenly meant more to her than a transaction in which she hoped to buy a ring.
When she’d gone to meet Sam earlier, she hadn’t known what to expect. Sure he’d been good looking on the news, but he’d also been shy about accepting a reward and a little gruff with the TV reporter. She hadn’t been prepared for his impact in person. Once he’d gotten past his wariness of her, he’d been downright charming.
And he’d called her beautiful. Heat rose to her cheeks at the memory. Then there’d been his touch. His hands weren’t roughened from hard work, nor were they soft and manicured. In fact, his fingers felt just right as they’d wrapped around her hand and the jolt of awareness sizzled straight through to her toes, and other body parts she’d be better off not concentrating on too closely right now.
She hadn’t heard any noise from the rest of the apartment and assumed her grandmother hadn’t yet come home. Apparently, she was going to get lucky and slip out without having to answer any questions about where she was going. She wanted to surprise her grandmother with the jewelry at the party and the fewer opportunities her grandmother had to be nosy, the better.
She’d just leave the older a woman a note so she wouldn’t worry. Lexie picked up her purse, double-checked that she had the photo of her grandmother with the restaurant name and address on the back and headed into the tiny hallway and through the den area leading to the door.
A catcall stopped her in her tracks and Lexie whirled around to see her grandmother sitting in the large club chair in the corner of the room.
“Where are you going dressed so pretty?” Charlotte asked.
“You scared me! I didn’t know you’d come home.” Lexie put her hand to her chest, covering her galloping heart.
Her grandmother placed her knitting on her lap. “I called out. You must not have heard me.”
Lexie nodded. “Okay, well, I’ll be home later. Don’t wait up.”
She took a step toward the door, only to have her grandmother say, “You didn’t answer my question.”
And she’d been so close to escaping, Lexie thought. “What question was that?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. Do you have a hot date?” Charlotte asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Her grandmother would like nothing better than to see Lexie settled with a man, so there would be someone to look after her once Charlotte was gone. The ultimate in hypocrisy from a woman who, though she’d married, had also claimed to have been more like the independent, well-lived Rizzo in Grease than the demure and innocent Sandy. Minus the promiscuity. Lexie hoped.
She’d always idolized her grandmother and never took her push toward matrimony too seriously. She also knew better than to give Charlotte any real opening into her personal life.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s a work meeting, Grandma.”
Charlotte raised a penciled eyebrow in disbelief. “Oh come on now. Don’t kid a kidder. You are dressed too prettily for a client. So? Do I know him? Where is he taking you? Is this the first time you’re going out with him? And is he a nice young man?”
Lexie let out a dramatic sigh, discouraged but not defeated. “Believe what you want, Grandma,” she said, even as she couldn’t help but laugh at Charlotte’s enthusiastic rendition of twenty questions. “No, you don’t know this client, we’re going to a place called Jack’s Bar and Grill, yes, it’s our first time meeting, and of course he’s a nice young man. I wouldn’t agree to meet with any client otherwise.”
“I’m not buying it.”
Lexie glanced at her watch. “Well, that’s up to you. I have to go or I’ll be late.” She blew her grandmother a kiss. “Love you.”
Charlotte smiled. “Have fun! And remember, do everything I’d do…and more!”
Lexie rolled her eyes and headed out the door for the date that wasn’t a date but a business meeting—with the sexiest man she’d met in quite a while.
COOP’S CELL PHONE RANG before he reached the door of Jack’s Bar and Grill. Since he was early to meet with Lexie, he paused to take the call outside where it would be quieter.
“Coop here,” he said.
“This is Ricky Burnett. I own the Vintage Jewelers. I hear you saved my daughter and granddaughter’s life.”
Coop wasn’t sure he’d go that far. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, Mr. Burnett.”
“Well thank you. I’m grateful,” the man said in a gruff voice.
“You’re welcome.”
“But I need the ring back.”
The abrupt declaration took Coop off guard and at the mention of the ring, his instincts went on high alert.
“Dad!” Coop recognized the daughter’s voice in the background.
“Hang on a minute,” Ricky said.
Coop kept the phone pushed against his ear, trying to hear what was being discussed on the other end. Considering that father and daughter were arguing, he didn’t have any trouble eavesdropping.
“The nerve of you!” she scolded her father. “I told you that man saved our lives.”
“And I’m grateful, but you had no right giving him something from my private box of stuff!” Ricky said.
“You’re a pack rat, Dad. There’d be more stuff in the drawer than in the store if it was up to you. It’s a good thing I clean up once in a while! At least I make us a profit.”