Читать книгу A Touch Of Love - Sheryl Lister - Страница 14

Chapter 5

Thursday morning, Lexia wrapped up her meeting with the contractor hired to repair the broken windows and hurried over to where Brandon stood near the cash register. From the navy tailored suit he wore today, she assumed he was on his way to work. When he stopped by yesterday, he had on sweatpants and a long-sleeved tee. He’d told her that Khalil had a rough first night and hadn’t taken the news about his hearing well. She couldn’t imagine what he felt, but remembered the same thing happening to Elyse. Her friend had cried for weeks, became depressed and withdrew from everyone and everything.

“Hi, Brandon. How is he?”

Brandon shook his head. “Same. He won’t eat and is pretty much ignoring everybody except our parents. He may be pissed off, but not enough to risk Mama’s wrath,” he added with a wry chuckle.

“This is going to be a huge adjustment for him and he just needs a little time.” She wanted to go see him so badly, but held back from asking.

“I guess.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Maybe you should take him a piece of that coffee cake he’s always raving about. I bet he’d eat that.”

Lexia smiled. “If you’re visiting him today, I can put a slice aside for you to pick up on your way out. We close up at three, but I’ll be here until about four thirty or five.”

Brandon angled his head thoughtfully. “I think it would be better if you delivered it yourself.”

“I...um...” True, she wanted to see Khalil, but what would he think about her showing up at the hospital?

He smiled. “Yeah. That would be perfect.” He glanced down at the expensive gold watch on his arm. “I have a couple of meetings this morning, but I can leave around one thirty to make a quick visit. The lunch rush is pretty much over by then, right?”

“For the most part, yes,” she answered slowly.

“Is there a problem with you being gone for an hour or so?”

Her eyes widened when she realized where the conversation was headed. “Well, no, but—”

“Great. I’ll stop by and drive you over. That way you won’t have to worry about figuring out where to go once you reach the hospital.” He took another quick peek at his watch. “I’ll see you around one thirty. And thanks.” He spun on his heel and strode out the door toward the elevator.

Lexia stood there stunned, wondering what just happened.

“So should I go cut that piece for you, Lexi?”

She spun around and met Sam’s smiling face. “I am not talking to you.”

Sam laughed and brought a hand to her heart. “Why? I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Something like what?”

Lexia threw up her hands. “I don’t know...something. Since you were over here eavesdropping, I’m sure you heard what his brother said about Khalil ignoring everybody. Besides, I can’t just up and leave.”

Sam folded her arms. “Sure you can. You do it all the time to pick up supplies or run some other errand. And, yes, I did hear what he said. But, like Brandon—that is his name, right?”

She nodded.

“Like Brandon, I believe you’re exactly the person Khalil needs to see. One, the man is clearly interested in you. Two, you make the best guilt-free coffee cake anywhere. And, three, you know precisely how to deal with someone who’s lost their hearing.” She smiled and shrugged. “And if you don’t know what to say, I’m sure Elyse will be happy to help you.” She sighed. “Look, I know you’re nervous about starting up with another man, but just think of this as helping a friend for now.”

“I guess,” Lexia mumbled. Sam was right. It was just helping a friend. Although, she wouldn’t really say they were friends since she’d only known him a couple of weeks. “Well, I need to get some work done before then.”

Her smile widened. “You can save all the hot stuff for when he’s better.”

She ignored Sam, rounded the counter and started toward the back.

“So, are you going to cut his piece, or shall I? There isn’t very much left.”

Lexia groaned, dug out a to-go container and filled it with a slice. She held it up for Sam’s approval. “Happy?”

“Khalil will be.”

“I’ll be in my office.” Once there, she placed the container on her desk and dropped down into her chair. Brandon had flipped the conversation and handled her with such finesse she didn’t realize what happened until it was too late. “The man is probably ruthless in a boardroom,” she muttered, and rotated her chair to her computer.

After two hours, Lexia leaned back and thought about how to manage the visit with Khalil. No doubt he would still be very angry and frustrated. How would he react to her visit? Would he ignore her as he’d done his family? Maybe she should tell Brandon it might be better if she waited to visit. She drummed her fingers on the desk for a moment then reached for her cell phone to send a text to Elyse. She filled her friend in on the explosion, Khalil’s injury and hearing loss and asked for some advice on what to do. She set the phone aside and turned her attention to the revised menu she had been working on.

The phone chimed with a text a while later and Lexia picked it up.

Elyse: I’m so sorry to hear about Khalil. Don’t approach him like you and Janice did with me.

Lexia: I don’t understand.

Elyse: The ‘oh, you poor thing’ approach. I’m sure he has enough people doing that. Be yourself, Lexi, and talk to him the same way you did last week. He needs to know that he’s still the same, in spite of what’s happened.

Lexia: Thanks. :)

Elyse: Let me know how it goes.

Lexia: I will.

“Lexia, Samantha wants to know if you can come out front for a few minutes. She has to deliver a lunch order upstairs.”

Lexia’s head came up. “Sure, Jayla. Tell her I’ll be right there.” She placed her cell in the drawer, saved the changes on her file and closed it and donned her apron.

She took orders and delivered food for the next forty-five minutes until the lunch rush had passed and only a handful of customers remained. She started back to the kitchen with an armload of empty plates and stopped short upon seeing Brandon entering. “Hey, Brandon. Give me a minute.”

Brandon stepped to the side so she could pass. “No problem.”

Lexia placed the dishes in the dishpan and poked her head around the industrial-size refrigerator to speak to the chef. “Mr. Willis, I’ll be gone for about an hour and a half. If there is something you need to add to the inventory list, just leave it on my desk if I’m not back by the time you leave.”

Mr. Willis stuck his bearded face around the door. “You going to get supplies?”

“No. Visit a friend in the hospital.”

He paused. “That fella you were sitting with that got hurt the other day?”

“Yes.” He scrutinized her with an intensity that almost made her squirm.

He wagged a thick finger her way. “You be careful. I don’t want to see you going through the same mess again.”

Lexia smiled. This man had been a fixture in her life since she was a teen and was another inspiration on her journey to become a chef. She remembered him telling her, “Cooking up something that tastes good always makes you feel better.” Over the years, he’d added some girth around his middle and a few lines bracketed his light brown face, but his warm smile had not changed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “See you in a bit.”

She stopped by her office to get the coffee cake and her purse. As she lifted it from the drawer, she spotted Khalil’s phone and picked it up. She’d totally forgotten about it. On her way out, she passed the small mirror hanging on the wall and realized she still had on the apron and hairnet.