Robert wrapped his arm around his wife as he led her to the house. “Oh, she was listening. Everyone in Terminal A was listening, dear. Your voice carries.”
“Grandma! Grandpa!” Madison appeared at the bottom of the stairs dressed in her silky pink pajamas, saving Robert from his wife.
“Hello, angel face. Look, Grandpa and I bought you lots of presents. He has the bag in the family room. Go see what he’s got.”
Madison flew off after Robert to check out her bounty. Elizabeth, however, cornered Lexi and Vincent with a knowing grin. “So, tell me everything.”
Lexi’s face paled, wondering just how much Elizabeth had seen when she pulled into the driveway. It must have looked awful, Lexi in Vincent’s arms, his face against hers. Elizabeth probably thought she was a tramp for throwing herself at a man with girlfriend. Lexi’s cheeks flamed red as she stared at the toe of her shoe, unable to look Elizabeth in the face. Vincent, too, was suddenly dumbstruck.
“About the presentation,” Elizabeth prompted as she glanced back and forth between the guilty-looking pair standing in front of her.
“Oh, it went very well. Julian thought it was perfect. He loved Lexi’s print ad. I think that’s what sold him on the idea.” Vincent smiled proudly at his partner in crime.
“He’s being too kind, really, Elizabeth. He came up with the overall concept. I just followed his lead.”
“You worked all night on the new project, and then gave a spotless presentation? You must be exhausted. You two make quite a team. The person who hired Lexi is one smart cookie, if I do say so myself. Maybe Mom really did know best, huh, Vincent?”
Lexi chuckled as Vincent scowled at his mother.
“Just say ‘Thank you, Mother,’ and I’ll consider us even.” Elizabeth waited with folded arms, tapping her foot.
“Thank you, Mother.” Vincent ground out the words through his clenched jaw.
“Thank you, Elizabeth, for hiring me, and giving me the pleasure of working with this ray of sunshine every day,” Lexi sang and quickly placed a kiss on Elizabeth’s cheek before chasing after Madison, trying to tickle the tiny girl.
“Madison, bed time.”
“But, Mom …”
“No arguing. Let’s go.”
“Can Lexi read me a story, please?” she asked, looking at Lexi with a huge grin on her face. “Or can you and Uncle Vince do another sleepover, but this time at my house?”
Elizabeth mumbled a shocked “Oh my.”
“Maddie, Lexi and I didn’t—”
Lexi glared at Vincent. “She’s five, Vincent. Do you really want to explain that to her?” She turned her attention back to Maddie. “How about you pick out a book, and I’ll read it to you up in bed. I can’t sleep over, because I have to get Miss Hope home soon. She gets cranky if she’s up too late.”
“And we wouldn’t want that now, would we?” Sean snickered as he walked in the front door of the house, Hope right behind him.
Lexi eyed Hope, who had a funny look on her face. “Is my car still in one piece?”
“Never better.” Sean grinned as he tossed the keys back to Lexi and gave Hope a sideways glance.
“Arrogant fool,” Hope griped, and then joined Elizabeth and Robert on the couch.
Before Lexi could go ask her friend why she seemed embarrassed, Madison came flying down the stairs with a large book in her hands. “Let’s go, Lexi. I know just the book. Uncle Vincent, are you going to come too?”
“I’ll be there in a minute, honey. You two go on upstairs and get started.” Vincent smiled as Madison gave everyone a hug and a kiss and said goodnight. Then she slipped her hand in Lexi’s and led her to her room.
Madison’s room was done in pale pinks with a mural of a meadow littered with purple flowers and grazing horses. Off in the distance stood a beautiful castle. The sun washed over the whole scene, giving it a warm, happy feel.
“Wow, Madison, this room is awesome.”
The little girl crawled into the center of her large, white canopy bed and patted the mattress beside her. “Come lay down, Lexi!”
Lexi drew back the white bedspread and Madison snuggled under the fluffy fabric. Once Madison was comfortable, Lexi lay down on top of the comforter beside her and picked up the book.
“Beauty and the Beast?” Lexi smiled.
“Yes! Because you are in it. Well, her name is Belle, but I call her Lexi now. And Uncle Vincent is the Beast!” Madison exploded into a fit of giggles and quickly had Lexi laughing right alongside her.
All childlike giddiness vanished when Lexi felt a heated stare from the doorway. Vincent was leaning against the doorframe, watching them laugh and be silly. He occasionally glanced Madison’s way, but mostly his eyes stayed locked on Lexi while a secretive smile crept across his lips.
“Do I even want to know what you two are giggling about?” His deep voice washed over Lexi, and she had to look away as he approached the bed.
When she felt the bed dip from his weight as he climbed in beside Maddie, and inches away from Lexi, her heart began beating wildly.
“You’re the Beast.” Maddie waved the book in his face.
“The Beast? What about Prince Charming? I think I’m more charming than beastly, wouldn’t you say, Lexi?”
Slowly, Lexi turned in his direction. On the other side of Madison, Vincent lazily stretched out on top of the covers, his long, muscular legs extending all the way to the end of the bed. He propped his elbow up on the pillow while his hand supported his head. He playfully grinned at Lexi, waiting for her to agree.
“I plead the fifth on that one.” Lexi laughed. “I enjoy my job too much to risk it.”
Vincent rolled back onto the pillow, clutching his heart. “Maddie, Lexi thinks I’m beastly.”
His niece kissed his cheek. “Yes, but just like Belle in the book, she loves you anyway. Now come on, we have to read!”
Once again, Lexi blushed at Madison’s innocent words. Her assessment was spot on. Even with Vincent’s flaws, Lexi still found him to be the most wonderful man she had ever met, and it was slowly killing her inside.
Madison saved Lexi from her thoughts by launching into her version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. “So let’s skip the beginning. Uncle Vincent is cursed by that mean lady who turns him into the grumpy beast.”
Lexi nearly laughed as she imagined Jade as the mean lady Madison was describing. Vincent propped himself back up and rolled his eyes, still denying he was anything like the beast.