Much to Sawyer's astonishment, Gabby agreed to let Lex stay with him for their last week together. Alexa was sure Gabby was a closet fan girl after their performance and that's the only reason she agreed. Sawyer didn't really care why she had, just that she did. He'd promised Gabby he wouldn't try anything with her niece and so far he'd made good on his word. Rachel had flown home early, Devin and Sadie were becoming attached at the hip so Alexa was pretty much all his. It didn't get much better than that.
The short uninterrupted time they'd spent together was telling about every tiny thing about her. He memorized as many details as he could, storing them in the back of his mind hoping he'd be able to pull them for recall later on those nights when he'd look at the stars and think of her. She chewed on her bottom lip when she watched TV, if she was standing for too long she'd begin to favor her right side, shifting all of her weight to it, how she'd fling her arm out in the middle of her sleep settling only when it stretched across him. All of it was to be cherished for what it was. Simple and honest. And now that their last night together was upon them, he'd learned to appreciate it even more.
Lane didn't mind her presence, in fact he'd gone on another two dates with his non-fan and was keeping himself busy with yoga and God knew what else. He did show up every once in a while to make dinner which Lex raved about. Sawyer guessed he liked the praise, which is maybe why he kept coming around.
Chicken fajitas was the meal of choice and all three of them were in the kitchen, each tasked with something to make a spectacular meal. Lane was tossed chicken pieces in some kind of marinade while Alexa chopped a tomato for fresh salsa and Sawyer was supposed to be slicing bell peppers but was rather enjoying the view of his girlfriends backside.
When she turned around and glared at him, he felt like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “What are you staring at?” she asked.
“You know perfectly well what I'm staring at,” he said.
“Lane told you to slice peppers.”
He smirked. “Since when do I do as I'm told?”
“Since never,” Lane muttered.
“Since now.” Alexa sauntered over to his station at the counter, deliberately swaying her hips in a super exaggerated fashion. She grabbed his knife from him. “It's simple,” she said. “You just slice lengthwise in a fine julienne.”
“I know something that's fine,” he said in her ear.
“Wow. Remind me to be sickeningly sweet with my boyfriend when you meet him.”
Alexa beamed and spun around. “What? Your boyfriend? Did you guys have the exclusive talk?”
Color flushed Lane's cheeks, giving away the answer before he could say it himself. “I guess we did.”
With his confession, Alexa forgot all about teasing Sawyer and spun to face his friend instead. “Lane! Why didn't you say anything before? This is cause to celebrate.” She marched over to the liquor cabinet and got a bottle of champagne Seabass and Charlie had given as a housewarming present. “Can we drink this?”
Lane shrugged. “Don't see why not. Unless you were saving it for something Sawyer?”
“Nope,” he said. “My best friend is finally with someone who deserves him, I'm with a girl light years out of my league and she thinks I'm sexy and is crazy in love with me, my sister is almost normal, the band is making money hand over fist, I think celebrating seems like a good idea.”
Alexa fought with the foil covered top and placed the bottle gingerly between her knees. Gripping the stop with both hands, she pulled upward. The thing shot straight to the ceiling with a loud pop which both startled and delighted her. Another small thing he'd make sure to remember.
