The Bachelor And The Beauty Queen

Stephen did not deny Lexi’s beauty by any means. She made denim overalls sexy. The entire time he stood adjacent to her, his eyes kept falling on the curve of her waist right where the snaps of the overalls and the white T-shirt she wore underneath did not quite meet. His fingers itched to test the softness of her skin.

Typically he did not date women with children. Women with kids—like Lexi and her clients—wanted a father figure for their child and he did not make for a good role model. His job kept him too busy. Nate, on the other hand, liked a woman with kids because the relationship never got any further due to the kids. Given both circumstances, Stephen needed to step aside and let Nate continue to make a fool of himself over Lexi Pendergrass. She was not the woman for him. Despite the way Philly wrapped her arms around her neck, despite the way Lexi stroked Kimber’s hair, despite the way Kimber hung on her every word, there was nothing motherly about Lexi. She didn’t seem to freak out or overreact when Philly’s second candy apple got stuck in her hair. She just smiled and pulled it away.

“Can she come with us, Uncle Stephen?”

“What?” Stephen found himself blinking at Kimber.

Kimber’s eyes blinked back innocently. “Can Miss Lexi come with us to celebrate?”

“Oh, Kimber...” Stephen tried to think of a reason why Lexi shouldn’t come with them. For starters, she was dressed like a farmer’s daughter. He didn’t want to embarrass her by going out to eat at a five-star restaurant. “We don’t want to pull Miss Lexi away from her evening plans, now do we?”

“According to my itinerary,” offered the petite woman from the clothing store, “she’s free.”

Thankfully Lexi tried to decline. She shook her head back and forth, the pigtails she wore flipping over her shoulders. Stephen found himself focusing on the rubber bands securing the ends of her hair. He wondered if he pulled them loose, how soon her hair would untangle from the braids.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Well, it’s settled,” Stephen said cheerfully. “She doesn’t want to intrude.”

Lexi paused for a split second. Her left eyebrow rose in amusement. “Well, if you guys don’t mind?”

His nieces cut her off with cheering and chanting her name. Even Nate chanted along. Stephen willed his brother to shut up. “Apparently, they don’t think I’d be intruding,” Lexi told him.

Women didn’t challenge him. “We’re going to DuVernay’s.” He ignored Nate’s raised brows. The only plans they had discussed were to go to the local Dairy Queen for ice cream. DuVernay’s had come highly recommended by the concierge at his hotel. “I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it...”

“I am from here, Mr. Reyes,” Lexi said through her gritted teeth.

“I’m sure, then, you’re aware of the dress code.” He gave her denim outfit a once-over.

With Philly in her arms, Lexi dramatically clutched her heart. “Oh, my bad!” She gaped, mouth open so wide, offering him a view of the white gum in the back of her mouth, “You think I can’t clean up?”

As she spoke with a snarky tone, he understood she was taunting him. Game on.

“She owns a dress shop, Uncle Stephen,” Kimber volunteered.

“Don’t remind me, Kimber.” Stephen gave a tight-lipped grin.

“On any occasion, I promise you, I clean up nicely,” Lexi said through the thick tension. “Unfortunately, I am going to decline.” She hiked her thumb over her shoulder. “I’ve got to take my friend home.”

“I am not an invalid,” said the elegant woman walking up behind her. “Lexi, dear, may I speak with you for a moment?”

She’d said “friend,” but from the way the woman had leaned in and chatted with Lexi during the pageant, Stephen guessed an aunt or close relative. He cocked his head to the side, hoping for another glimpse of Lexi’s skin. As Lexi spoke with the other woman, she twirled her hair around her finger with one hand while wrapping her arm around the woman’s waist with the other.

Nate stepped into Stephen’s view. “Whatever you did to Lexi, you better undo it tonight,” he warned his brother, then turned around and called out to the two ladies, “Lexi, I insist you bring her along. We’re going to—where’d you say, Stephen?”

“DuVernay’s,” Stephen gritted out from between his teeth.

“What do you say we head over to DuVernay’s to celebrate Philly’s win?” asked Nate. “We ought to all get to know each other, since we’re going to be spending a lot more time together.”

“DuVernay’s?” the older woman said. “That’s—”

Whatever she planned on saying died away when Lexi tugged the woman’s arm. “Well, if you insist.”

“Of course,” Stephen replied.

“I think we should all head home and change into something a bit more celebratory,” Nate went on, looking down at his jeans.

“Lexi.” The larger guy from the shop made his way over; obviously he’d been listening. “I’ll grab your dress you wore earlier. You can change in one of the rooms in the back.”

Lexi gave Stephen one more tart smile before she handed Philly back to him. “I think I’ll at least shower first. What do you say? Plan to meet in an hour? Your reservations are under your name? Or should I ask for Nate Reyes?”

Not wanting to lie to his family, Stephen shifted Philly in his arms and bluffed. “We’ll meet you in one hour.”

* * *

One hour later, the Reyes family was dressed to a T. Keenan opened the backseat door of the car for the clan to step out. A line formed outside the small restaurant located in the center of town by city hall. Well-dressed children played in the last of the daylight while their parents waited for their reservations. People waited in line, dressed in heels, gowns and shawls. Men wore suits and ties, and no one seemed to mind the evening heat. Did everyone decide to celebrate tonight? Stephen wondered if he should have left well enough alone and taken everyone to the Dairy Queen.

“You say the reservations are in your name?” Nate asked, tightening the knot of his paisley tie. They walked on the red carpet, bypassing the waiting guests, and headed inside to the hostess.

“I’m Stephen Reyes,” Stephen said cockily. “I don’t need to make reservations.”

Behind him, he heard a chuckle from Kimber and Marvin. He preferred that over the groans he’d got from them when he’d forced them to dress up for tonight’s occasion. Hell, they needed to give him a medal for allowing Marvin to come along.

Philly couldn’t wait to spend time with Lexi. You’d think the woman walked on water. After the way things had happened between yesterday and today, Stephen admitted there was a slight wave of nervousness flittering in the pit of his stomach from the idea of being with her again. He couldn’t wait to see what kind of attire she concocted tonight.

“I’m sorry, but your name is not on the list.”

Stephen tilted his head to the side as he listened to a maître d’ with a thin mustache and slicked-back inky black hair inform him of his nonexistent reservation. He cleared his throat. “I’m Stephen Reyes.”

“I understand,” the tiny man clipped, “but as you see, we’re swamped. Everyone from the four counties is here tonight. Without a reservation, I can only put you on the waiting list. I will get you in within the hour.”

“The hour?” Nate shook his head, “No, the kids need to get into bed.”

Nate patted Stephen on the back before he had the chance to tell the little man what he could do with his hour’s wait. “Guess you’ll taunt Lexi some other time.”

“Lexi Pendergrass?” the little man repeated.

Both men stopped in their tracks. “You know Lexi?” Nate asked.

The maître d’ smiled widely as he nodded his head. “She is here already.”

“She had a reservation?” Stephen heard himself asking as the man ushered the Reyeses through the ivory-covered white fence.

“No, no, no.” He chuckled with a shake of his head. “Ms. Pendergrass needs no reservation.”

The restaurant’s interior seemed spacious, despite all the full tables. The tables scattered across the black-and-white-tiled floor were each crowded and adorned with white candles and crystal vases with two single-stemmed roses. Somewhere in the background, a live pianist played music over the various conversations and clinking of toasting glasses.

“Hi!”