pointedly.
Alexis bristled. Now I see why I may have been somewhat of a thorn in my family’s side, she mused.
“They’re decent, hard-working people,” she replied diplomatically.
“So you don’t like them,” he said. “That’s okay. I don’t always like them either, but I do love them.”
He sang a little song to himself as he sat on the swing watching for birds, completely at peace with his feelings on the subject. Alexis wished she could simplify her feelings like that. She’d managed to create such layers of emotional complexity that she could scarcely function.
Alexis ruffled his hair affectionately. “I like you, that’s for sure.”
He grinned up at her and she noticed pieces of chocolate stuck to his small teeth. “You could be my best friend,” he said. “I don’t have one yet.”
Alexis was touched. “I do have a vacancy in the best friend department.”
“What about Tyler?” Owen asked.
Her eyes widened. “Where did you hear that name?”
“Mommy and Nana. And when Mommy mentioned him earlier, she said he was always coming to see you.”
“He’s definitely a friend,” Alexis admitted, “but I’ll reserve best friend status for you.” She stole another cookie from his bag and he clutched the bag to his chest in mock outrage.
“Hey, no more sharing,” he declared.
She lifted Owen out of the swing in a tickly hug. He giggled and wriggled until she was afraid he’d be sick.
“You should have kids,” Owen told her. “Then I’d have someone fun like you to play with.”
Alexis set him down and pressed her lips together.
“I’m generally not the kind of person other people describe as fun, Owen, but I’m glad you think so.” She cleared her throat and forced a smile. “Now finish those cookies before I get you home so I don’t get in trouble.”
After returning Owen to Betsy’s, Alexis made her escape. She couldn’t stop thinking about Tyler and was determined to apologize for running off. She took a golf cart to The Blue Heron in the hope that he’d be working. Unfortunately, he wasn’t behind the bar when she arrived.
“He’s kayaking today,” the younger guy told her. “Try Sandy Point.”
“Thanks,” said Alexis, uncertain whether to track him down. If he was enjoying a peaceful day of kayaking, who was she to ruin it with her presence?
“Are you Alexis?” the bartender asked.
Alexis’s eyebrows shot up. “Yes.”
The bartender grinned. “Okay, now I get it.” He reached across the bar to shake her hand. “Lewis Moore.”
“Nice to meet you, Lewis.”
Alexis suspected that, unlike her, Tyler was in touch with his emotions and not afraid to share. There was, however, the somewhat salient point that he’d never expressed his feelings to the one person who seemingly mattered – Alexis. She may have been blind to his attention in school, but in her defense, he never actually told her how he felt. If he had, at the very least, she may have remembered him.
She hopped in her golf cart and sputtered off toward Sandy Point. She hadn’t been to that part of the island since her arrival and she was curious to see how it looked after all these years. Lots of kids from school went kayaking and paddle boarding there, but Alexis had never been interested. She hadn’t been interested in anything the local kids did. Because she had no desire to be a local kid, she did her best to distance herself from their activities.
When Alexis arrived at Sandy Point, she couldn’t see a soul. She squinted into the distance as a lone figure appeared on the horizon. She watched his sure, fluid movements and knew in an instant that the figure was Tyler. She waved her arms and hopped up and down, hoping to draw his attention without looking ridiculous. As the kayak continued to move closer, Alexis felt confident that he’d seen her.
When he finally came close enough that she could see his face, Alexis felt tiny shockwaves throughout her body. His dark blond
Alexis bristled. Now I see why I may have been somewhat of a thorn in my family’s side, she mused.
“They’re decent, hard-working people,” she replied diplomatically.
“So you don’t like them,” he said. “That’s okay. I don’t always like them either, but I do love them.”
He sang a little song to himself as he sat on the swing watching for birds, completely at peace with his feelings on the subject. Alexis wished she could simplify her feelings like that. She’d managed to create such layers of emotional complexity that she could scarcely function.
Alexis ruffled his hair affectionately. “I like you, that’s for sure.”
He grinned up at her and she noticed pieces of chocolate stuck to his small teeth. “You could be my best friend,” he said. “I don’t have one yet.”
Alexis was touched. “I do have a vacancy in the best friend department.”
“What about Tyler?” Owen asked.
Her eyes widened. “Where did you hear that name?”
“Mommy and Nana. And when Mommy mentioned him earlier, she said he was always coming to see you.”
“He’s definitely a friend,” Alexis admitted, “but I’ll reserve best friend status for you.” She stole another cookie from his bag and he clutched the bag to his chest in mock outrage.
“Hey, no more sharing,” he declared.
She lifted Owen out of the swing in a tickly hug. He giggled and wriggled until she was afraid he’d be sick.
“You should have kids,” Owen told her. “Then I’d have someone fun like you to play with.”
Alexis set him down and pressed her lips together.
“I’m generally not the kind of person other people describe as fun, Owen, but I’m glad you think so.” She cleared her throat and forced a smile. “Now finish those cookies before I get you home so I don’t get in trouble.”
After returning Owen to Betsy’s, Alexis made her escape. She couldn’t stop thinking about Tyler and was determined to apologize for running off. She took a golf cart to The Blue Heron in the hope that he’d be working. Unfortunately, he wasn’t behind the bar when she arrived.
“He’s kayaking today,” the younger guy told her. “Try Sandy Point.”
“Thanks,” said Alexis, uncertain whether to track him down. If he was enjoying a peaceful day of kayaking, who was she to ruin it with her presence?
“Are you Alexis?” the bartender asked.
Alexis’s eyebrows shot up. “Yes.”
The bartender grinned. “Okay, now I get it.” He reached across the bar to shake her hand. “Lewis Moore.”
“Nice to meet you, Lewis.”
Alexis suspected that, unlike her, Tyler was in touch with his emotions and not afraid to share. There was, however, the somewhat salient point that he’d never expressed his feelings to the one person who seemingly mattered – Alexis. She may have been blind to his attention in school, but in her defense, he never actually told her how he felt. If he had, at the very least, she may have remembered him.
She hopped in her golf cart and sputtered off toward Sandy Point. She hadn’t been to that part of the island since her arrival and she was curious to see how it looked after all these years. Lots of kids from school went kayaking and paddle boarding there, but Alexis had never been interested. She hadn’t been interested in anything the local kids did. Because she had no desire to be a local kid, she did her best to distance herself from their activities.
When Alexis arrived at Sandy Point, she couldn’t see a soul. She squinted into the distance as a lone figure appeared on the horizon. She watched his sure, fluid movements and knew in an instant that the figure was Tyler. She waved her arms and hopped up and down, hoping to draw his attention without looking ridiculous. As the kayak continued to move closer, Alexis felt confident that he’d seen her.
When he finally came close enough that she could see his face, Alexis felt tiny shockwaves throughout her body. His dark blond
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