At First Sight - Nicholas Sparks [14]
Everyone’s eyes flashed toward Lexie’s ring. Necks were craning as Lexie held up her hand. A couple of oohs and aahs rose from the throng. Folks began closing in to get a better peek, and Jeremy could feel someone breathing on the back of his neck.
“Now, dat dere’s a purty ring,” Jeremy heard someone say behind him.
“Hold it up a bit, Lex,” another added.
“It looks like dem cubic zircomiums from the Home Shopping Network,” a woman offered.
For the first time, Lexie and Doris seemed to realize they were the center of attention.
“Okay, okay . . . show’s over, folks,” Doris said. “Let me talk to my granddaughter alone. We’ve got some catching up to do. Give us a little room.”
Amid murmurs of disappointment, the crowd tried to back away, but there was really nowhere to go. Mainly, people shuffled their feet.
“Let’s go in the back,” Doris finally suggested. “Follow me. . . .”
Doris grabbed Lexie’s hand and they were off; Jeremy struggled to keep up with them as they headed for Doris’s office just beyond the kitchen.
Once there, Doris peppered Lexie with questions in rapid-fire succession. Lexie told her all about their visit to the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and—of course—the Empire State Building. The faster they talked, the more southern they sounded, and despite Jeremy’s attempts to keep up, he was unable to follow everything they were saying. He managed to decipher the fact that Lexie had enjoyed his family but was less than thrilled when she said the evening reminded her of something “you might have seen on Everybody Loves Raymond, except six times bigger, with in-laws crazy in a different kind of way.”
“Sounds like a hoot,” Doris said. “Now, let me get a better look at that ring.”
Again Lexie held it out, preening like a schoolgirl. Doris caught Jeremy’s eye.
“Did you pick this out yourself?”
Jeremy shrugged. “With a bit of help.”
“Well, it’s gorgeous.”
At that moment, Rachel poked her head in. “Hey, Lex. Hey, Jeremy. Sorry for interrupting, but the hush puppies are running low, Doris. Do you want me to start another batch?”
“Probably. But wait—before you go, come see Lexie’s ring.”
The ring. Women the world over loved to ogle the ring, even more than they loved saying the word fiancée.
Rachel walked over. With her auburn hair and reedlike figure, she was as appealing as ever, although Jeremy thought she seemed more tired than usual. In high school, Rachel and Lexie had been best friends, and although still close—it was impossible not to be close in a town this size—they’d drifted apart when Lexie went off to college. She eyed the ring.
“It’s gorgeous,” she said. “Congratulations, Lex. And you too, Jeremy. The whole town’s been in a tizzy since they found out.”
“Thanks, Rach,” Lexie said. “How are things going with Rodney?”
Rodney, a local deputy sheriff with a penchant for weightlifting, had pined for Lexie since they were kids and hadn’t been all that happy when Lexie and Jeremy became an item. Had it not been for the fact that he started dating Rachel soon afterward, Jeremy was pretty sure Rodney would have preferred that Jeremy stay in New York City.
Rachel’s gaze faltered. “They’re going.”
Lexie watched her, knowing not to push. Rachel brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “Listen, I’d love to stay and chat, but it’s a zoo out there. I have no idea why you let the mayor use this place for these meetings. People get crazy when it comes to hush puppies and bingo. See y’all later. Maybe I’ll have some more time to chat.”
As soon as she left, Lexie leaned toward Doris. “Is she okay?”
“Oh, it’s her and Rodney,” Doris said. She waved a hand as if it were old news. “They had some sort of spat a couple days ago.”
“Not on account of me, I hope.”
“No, no, of course not,” Doris assured her, but Jeremy wasn’t convinced. Despite the fact that Rodney was dating Rachel, Jeremy had no doubt that he was still sweet on Lexie. Crushes, even in adulthood, were never easily forgotten, and the argument seemed to coincide with the news of