nting down a short hallway. "You can take a hot show
for a moment
The walls were adorned with framed photographs-Alexis with an older couple who must be her parents, Alexis w
Alexis and a handsome, smiling man, their arms wrapped around each other
my dad's. They should be big enough," she said, avoiding his eyes as she handed them to him. She
the first time he had thanked her with genuine s
athroom. The click of the lock was foll
sofa, the reality of the situation crashing down on her. What had she done?
er purse, acting on some strange, automatic impulse. Now it sat on her kitchen counter
outside tapered off, leaving a
ing sweatpants hung low on his hips, and the t-shirt stretched across his broad chest. Without the sharp suit, wit
lutter in her stomach a
"I should probably go." Even with nowhere to go, his pride
had to do was agree. She opened her mo
a sound from the front d
ic scrape of a key s. In the chaos of the night, she had comple
asked, his body tensi
ht with panic. "Oh god, my mom. She think
Judith Atkins stood there, a bright smile o
ade," she announced cheerfully. "You sounde
l, handsome stranger standing in her daughter's living room, wearing cl
thick and still. Alexis's
her daughter and back again, her friendly smile
her voice dangerousl
just broke up with my boyfriend, who was cheating on me with my best friend, so I drove around in the rain
dulterated panic, her brain se
tumbling out before she could stop
the air, absurd
to his credit, his expression barely changed.
-cut man in a suit she'd seen on Alexis's social media. This ma
ighted smile spre
into the apartment, setting the thermos down on the counter. "Well, it's about time
utstretched. Andrew, playing along
e to meet you,
ease!" she gushed, taking his hand in both of hers. "I'm so g
e shot Andrew a frantic, pleading look over her mother's shoulder, a sil
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