“Stop … worrying. Give up that control you mentioned.” Because that’s what scared Kade the most. Letting himself go into a freefall over a woman and having his heart ripped out of his chest. Although, he had to admit, he was pretty far gone for Lexie already.
“Who says I did?” Ian asked. “I said to stop worrying about things and just enjoy life. But when it comes to your woman, even if you don’t have control, always, always maintain the illusion.” Ian laughed, and Kade joined him because he’d seen Ian with Riley, and it was clear she had him wrapped around her finger. He just wouldn’t be surprised if that changed inside the bedroom. A place Kade had no desire to go.
The waiter walked over, and Kade snagged the billfold before Ian could do the same, determined to treat his friend, considering he’d made the trip out of concern for his financial stake in Kade’s company.
Ian scowled but let it go.
He left the lunch knowing he had to deal with the Julian situation sooner rather than later. But for the moment, he wanted to see Lexie.
* * *
Lexie had expected an enjoyable lunch with her sister, but she’d forgotten the cardinal rule of living with Kendall. Never get too comfortable. No sooner had they left Kade’s apartment than Kendall became agitated. She was unable to sit still, wouldn’t look Lexie in the eye, and kept rubbing her hands on her thighs anxiously. She bailed on lunch, claiming she had a headache and wanted to go home and lie down. Lexie was skeptical but she’d agreed.
She also stayed close to home, her gut screaming that something bigger than a mere headache was going on, a hunch that was confirmed when Kendall bounced out of her room, grabbed her keys from the counter, and yelled, “Be back! Have to meet Jay.”
Lexie blew out a long breath and settled on the sofa with a book and Waffles by her side, to wait for her sister’s return. She read and she dozed off. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, so she pulled out her phone, surprised to see it was late afternoon and she had a text from Kade.
Pleasure filled her at the sight of his name. She knew he had a lunch meeting with an old friend who was also a major investor in Blink. The timing worked perfectly because she’d had lunch with her sister, or she was supposed to.
Come by tonight?
Everything inside her wanted to see him. She wanted to lock the door and close them in alone, not just in his apartment but his bed. When she was alone with him, his big body covering hers, nothing existed but them.
With Kendall gone, there was nothing she could do to find out what was bothering her twin or help her at all. She lifted her fingers to respond to Kade with a big YES, I’ll see you soon, when her sister barreled into the apartment, an anxiety-ridden mess.
“Hi,” Lexie said, dropping her phone to the couch, putting her own wants on hold for the time being.
“Hi. Do we have any ice cream?” Kendall asked, opening the freezer and peering inside.
Lexie narrowed her gaze. “Where were you?”
“Out.”
“I know that,” Lexie said, her jaw clenched tightly. “You mentioned seeing Jay.”
“Yeah. Oh! Mint chip. Yum.” Kendall grabbed a spoon from the drawer, opened the container, and began to eat from the pint.
Lexie wrinkled her nose. “Can’t you use a bowl?”
“No,” she said, pacing as she ate.
Waffles, who had jumped off the couch when Kendall walked in, ran to her side. And as if sensing Kendall’s distress, the dog began barking and dancing around Kendall’s feet, as agitated as his owner.
“Is everything okay with Jay?” Lexie asked, pushing harder for answers.
“Yep. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because one minute you were calm, happy, and we were set to go out for lunch. The next thing I knew, you canceled because you had a headache, but a few minutes later, you ran out of the apartment like it was on fire.” Lexie pushed herself up from the sofa. “Kendall, what’s wrong? I want to help.”
“You’re nagging me because I canceled lunch?” she asked in what was surely feigned disbelief. “How selfish can you be? I didn’t feel well. Then Jay called and I was feeling better and I wanted to see him. Do you really have a problem with that?” Kendall rocked on her heels and looked everywhere but at Lexie.
She blew out a long, frustrated breath. “I have a problem with you ruining my day too if you weren’t really sick, but that’s not the point. You’re suddenly agitated and—”
“Oh! We’re back to me being crazy?” Kendall asked, her voice rising. “I’m going to my room. Waffles, come!” She spun around and stormed toward her bedroom, leaving Lexie alone in the kitchen.
She grasped the counter, dizzy from her twin’s mercurial mood swing. Especially since she’d been doing so well. A few weeks ago, this was behavior she’d have expected and was used to living with. Since she’d adjusted her meds, Kendall had seemed better, with fewer highs and lows. Today’s had come out of nowhere.
God, she wanted nothing more than to escape by going over to Kade’s, but if her sister truly was suddenly spiraling and she left her alone, there was a good chance she’d walk out of here later and head for a bar. Pick up a guy for quick, meaningless sex, despite having a boyfriend. Though it had been awhile since she’d exhibited such reckless behavior, Lexie wanted to be able to talk her out of it or join her and play buffer to her destructive tendencies.