darted a nervous glance at Alexis but then turned to face Noah straight on, and—wham. He felt the impact of recognition like one of Del’s head smacks. Alexis hadn’t been lying. Their eyes were identical.
“This is my friend Noah,” Alexis said to Candi in a voice heavy with reassurance.
Noah had heard her use it a hundred times on angry customers who were pissed off that ToeBeans had run out of cranberry scones or some other stupid complaint.
Candi swallowed. “Hi.”
Alexis stared at him and lifted an eyebrow. He knew that look too. The one that said he’d forgotten his manners and was acting like a brute. Noah swallowed hard and stuck out his hand. Candi stared at it hesitantly before accepting his handshake.
“Nice to meet you,” he mumbled.
Candi bit her lip as if she wanted to repeat the sentiment but hated lying. She looked back at Alexis. “Are you hungry? We can get a table or—”
“The bar is fine,” Alexis said. “This won’t take long.”
“Oh, right. Um, we can just sit here, then. I saved some seats.”
Candi rushed to clear two other barstools of a coat and a purse. Alexis said a quiet thank-you and claimed one of the stools. Noah took the one beside her, and Candi returned to her own on Alexis’s right.
The bartender came back. “What can I get you?”
Noah looked down at Alexis. “You want a pale ale?”
“Sure.”
Noah nodded at the bartender. “Make it two.” He peered at Candi. “Anything for you?”
“Just—Just water for me.”
The bartender wandered off, and Candi swallowed hard. “So have you . . . have you made a decision?”
Alexis lowered her purse to the floor. “Let’s talk first.”
Disappointment tugged Candi’s youthful features into a small frown. “Oh, okay. Did—Did you have questions?”
Alexis pulled in a long breath and let it out quickly. “I found a copy of your parents’ wedding announcement.” Alexis’s fingers absently rubbed the palm of her other hand. “Judging by the date of the wedding announcement, he and your mother were likely together when I was conceived.”
Candi blanched but then recovered. Either that was the first time it had occurred to her that her dear old dad had cheated on her mom, or she already suspected and now had proof. Either way, Noah felt a little sorry for her. It sucked to discover someone you trusted wasn’t the saint you always believed them to be.
Alexis’s tone turned gentle. “I’m assuming that’s why he didn’t want you to contact me when you first learned I existed.”
Candi looked away. “I don’t know.” Her jaw suddenly jutted sideways. “I shouldn’t have listened to him. I wanted to meet you even before he got sick.”
The bartender returned with their drinks, and Noah was grateful for the distraction. It stopped him from saying things he shouldn’t.
Candi sipped her water, looking everywhere but at Alexis. “Things haven’t been great between Dad and me since I found out about you.”
Noah’s fingers tightened on his bottle. If she was trying to make Alexis feel sorry for her, so help him—
Alexis glanced at him as if she sensed his growing anger. Noah sucked down a long drink and looked at the TV. His attention, however, was firmly on the conversation that picked back up next to him.
“I did some research online,” Alexis said. “Everything I read said this process normally takes six months or longer, but you said Elliott doesn’t have that long. How would this work?”
Candi’s expression changed instantly. She sat up straighter, and her eyes widened. “Are you going to do it?”
“I’m just asking what I would have to do.”
Candi opened the purse on her lap and pulled out a well-worn blue folder with the logo for the Huntsville Memorial Transplant Center embossed on the cover. “I brought this for you,” she said excitedly, sounding every bit as young as she apparently was. “There’s two rounds of testing, and it does normally take several months, but since Dad—” Candi stopped and cleared her throat. “Since we don’t have that much time, they can do it faster.”
She handed the folder to Alexis. “We have a transplant coordinator. Her card is in there. If you call her, she can arrange the first blood test.”
Alexis opened the folder. Noah looked over her shoulder. His eyes skimmed what he could see, his muscles growing more rigid with every word.
Candi reached into the pocket of her coat. “I also brought this for you.” She withdrew a folded piece of paper and set it on the bar between them.
Alexis stared at it as