True believer - Nicholas Sparks [106]
When Lexie looked perplexed, Jeremy leaned toward her. “He’s talking about my agent,” he said.
“Is he coming down, too?”
“No. He’s too busy dreaming up my future career. And besides, he wouldn’t know what to do outside the city. He’s the kind of guy who thinks Central Park should be developed into condos and retail outlets.”
She flashed a quick smile.
“So what’s with you two?” Alvin demanded. “How did you meet?”
When Lexie showed no inclination to answer, Jeremy shifted in his seat.
“She’s a librarian and she’s been helping me research the story,” he said vaguely.
“And you two have been spending quite a bit of time together, huh?”
From the corner of his eye, Jeremy saw Lexie glance away.
“There’s been a lot to research,” he said.
Alvin looked at his friend, sensing that something was off. It seemed almost as if they’d had a lovers’ quarrel and gotten over it but were still licking their wounds. Which was a lot to have happen in a single morning.
“Well . . . good,” he said, deciding to drop it for now. Instead, he looked over the entries as Rachel came sauntering toward the table.
“Hey, Lex, hey, Jeremy,” she said as she approached. “Hey, Alvin.”
Alvin looked up. “Rachel!” he said.
“I thought you told me you were coming in for breakfast,” she said. “I’d just about given up on you.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said. He glanced at Jeremy and Lexie. “I guess I slept in.”
Reaching into her apron, Rachel pulled out a small pad and retrieved the pencil she kept behind her ear. She dabbed the tip with her tongue. “Now, what can I get y’all?”
Jeremy ordered a sandwich; Alvin asked for the lobster bisque and a sandwich as well. Lexie shook her head. “I’m not that hungry,” she said. “But is Doris around?”
“No, she didn’t come in today. She was tired and decided to take the day off. She worked late last night getting things ready for the weekend.”
Lexie tried to read her expression.
“Really, Lex,” Rachel added, her voice serious. “There’s nothing to worry about. She sounded fine on the phone.”
“Maybe I should go check on her, anyway,” Lexie said. She looked around the table for confirmation before rising. Rachel moved aside to make room.
“Would you like me to come with you?” Jeremy asked.
“No, that’s okay,” she said. “You’ve got work to do, and I’ve got things to do, too. Would you like to meet up at the library later? You wanted to finish looking through the diaries, didn’t you?”
“If that’s okay,” he said, stung by the nonchalance in her tone. He would rather have spent the rest of the afternoon with her.
“How about if I meet you there at four?” she suggested.
“That’s fine,” he said. “But let me know what’s going on, okay?”
“Like Rachel said, I’m sure she’s fine. But I’m going to grab her notebook from the backseat, if that’s okay.”
“Yeah, of course.”
She looked at Alvin. “Nice meeting you, Alvin.”
“You, too.”
A moment later, Lexie was gone and Rachel was on her way back to the kitchen. As soon as they were out of earshot, Alvin leaned across the table.
“Okay, my friend, spill it.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. First you fall for her. Then you spend the night together. But when you show up at the jail, you both act like you barely know each other. And just now she makes the first excuse she can to get out of here.”
“Doris is her grandmother,” Jeremy explained, “and Lexie worries about her. She’s not in the best of health.”
“Whatever,” Alvin said, clearly skeptical. “My point is, you’ve been staring at her like a lonely puppy dog, and she’s been doing her best to pretend you aren’t. Did you two have a fight or something?”
“No,” he said. He paused, glancing around the restaurant. At the corner table, he saw three members of the town council, as well as the elderly volunteer from the library. They all waved at him. “Actually, I don’t know what it was. One minute everything was great, and then later . . .”
When he didn’t continue,