I knocked gently on the Anderson’s front door. Lexi and Asher were still unwed. The arrival of their twins had put a pause on their wedding plans.
In my opinion, it was the best reason to delay a wedding. Those little ones were just too cute for words.
“Hey, buddy,” Asher greeted me, stepping aside to let me in.
He shut the door behind me and extended his hand for a shake.
I accepted it with a wide smile.
Asher and I didn’t exactly hit it off at first. We were both vying for Lexi’s attention, which sparked an immediate rivalry.
But Asher turned out to be a stand-up guy and a fantastic dad. If Lexi couldn’t be with me, I was glad she was with him.
I looked around. “Where are the little rascals?”
“They’re finally asleep. Both of them. At the same time!” Lexi whispered with a hint of triumph as she descended the stairs.
I feigned disappointment. “Really? Well, maybe I’ll just sneak a peek,” I teased, starting up the stairs.
“Dylan Rochester, if you dare wake those babies!” Lexi warned, her eyes daring me to take another step.
I raised my eyebrows at Asher.
He held up his hands in surrender. “Don’t look at me, man. It’s never a good sign when she uses your full name.”
I mimicked his hands-up gesture and retreated back down the stairs.
“Let’s head to the kitchen. The pizza just arrived.” Lexi looped her arm through mine, clearly not trusting me to resist the temptation of the twins.
Asher opened the fridge and handed Lexi a bottle of water.
“Dylan, can I get you something to drink?” he asked.
He peered back into the fridge, listing off the options.
“Water’s fine, thanks.”
I followed Lexi’s lead and took a seat at the kitchen table.
“So, what brings you here?” she asked.
“I had a meeting with Harvey’s assistant attorney this morning. It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped.”
“What do you mean?” Lexi’s face clouded with worry.
“It’s not directly related to the case. It’s more personal, and I was hoping to get some advice.”
Lexi practically jumped in her seat. “Yes! Gossip! It feels like ages since I’ve heard any juicy news.”
I frowned in confusion. “The twins aren’t even a year old.”
Asher snorted. “Nine months without gossip feels like nine years to Lexi.”
She grinned and nodded in agreement.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I took a big gulp of water and began my tale. I told them about my night with the mysterious woman, keeping it PG-13, of course.
Then, I described the shock of discovering that my mystery woman was actually the assistant attorney.
At this revelation, Lexi choked on her water and burst into laughter.
“It’s not funny!” I protested, half laughing, half scolding.
She wiped up the spilled water with a napkin. “It’s a little funny. You’ve fallen for the enemy.”
“I haven’t fallen for her.”
Lexi waved her napkin at me. “You know what I mean.”
I glanced at Asher, who was struggling to suppress his laughter.
I rolled my eyes. “Go ahead. Laugh it up.”
He didn’t outright laugh, but his chuckle betrayed his amusement. “I mean, shit, what are the fucking odds?”
“Language!” Lexi chided, throwing her napkin at him.
“Lex, the babies are asleep. They can’t understand us.”
“Not now, but they will!” she retorted.
“Hello? Can we get back to my problem?” I interjected, waving my hand for attention.
Lexi giggled. “Sorry.”
“I promise I won’t let this mess up the case. But I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Lexi shook her head. “I’m not worried about the case. You’re a great lawyer. I trust you.”
I wished I shared her confidence.
“Do you think you’re just attracted to her because you can’t have her?” she asked, taking a bite of her pizza.
I slumped back in my chair. “I wanted her before I even knew she was off-limits.”
She nodded knowingly. “Well, there you go. If you wanted her before, you should go for it.”
When she didn’t elaborate, I looked at her, puzzled. “That’s your advice?”
Asher laughed.
He walked over and clapped me on the shoulder. “Why don’t we go grab a drink? I’ll tell you what I think.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “Asher, you hate gossip. You’re just using this as an excuse to escape.”
Asher dramatically clutched his chest. “Ouch. That hurts, Lex. Dylan’s our friend and he needs our help.”
“Mmhmm.” Lexi stood up. “Just remember this the next time Harper calls for a girls’ night.”
“Deal.”
They shook hands as if sealing a business agreement.
A faint squeak came from the baby monitor on the table.
“Are they awake? I can go get them!” I was eager to see the little tykes.
“Oh no.” Asher grabbed my arm before I could move. “You’re as bad as Lex. We’ll never get rid of you.”
“I’ll tell them you said hi,” Lexi winked at me.
She then gave Asher a kiss so passionate I thought he might change his mind and stay home.
I turned away, pretending to be disgusted. But in reality, I envied what they had.
If Evelyn wasn’t the one for me, it was better to find out sooner rather than later.
But I really hoped she was. This is exactly why they say never to mix business with pleasure.
