She gestured to the walls, and I noted that there were architectural drawings covering every surface. Lexi grinned. “Thanks. I’ve been working on this project for years so I have plenty of renderings in various degrees of completion.”

“Maybe you could loan some to Nick. He has no art on his walls. As in none.”

“That’s not—” I began to protest but stopped. Her statement wasn’t entirely accurate, but if I corrected her, I’d have to explain what art I had, and admit that I’d had her drawings framed and they were now hanging in my bedroom. Yeah, awkward.

“See?” she said to Lexi. “None. He doesn’t have any in the guest house either or he didn’t before I moved in. How does a person not have any art on their walls?”

More curls had sprung free from her bun. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. Now she was rocking the sexy librarian look, because of course she was. A hot spear of desire, something I hadn’t felt in forever, made my brain blink out. All I could do was stare at her while she talked art with Lexi. I felt as awkward as a middle school boy with a crush on his hot math teacher. Toenail fungus, soap scum, a fly found in an ice cube, I tried to think of things to squash the lust rocketing through me like a pinball. It was a struggle.

When they finally wound down from their love of every artist from Monet to Haring, I had myself under control although it took me a second to realize they were both staring at me. Shit, was I supposed to answer a question?

“So what is it?” Lexi asked.

“What is what?” I shifted in my seat.

“What are you thinking about that has you looking so—” Annabelle began but Lexi interrupted.

“Weird,” she said.

I sent her a look and she grinned. Same old Lexi. It made my heart clench in my chest.

“Brussels sprouts,” I said.

They both made expressions as if they’d just tasted something bad.

“Why?” Lexi asked.

“Because there has to be some way to make them taste good,” I said. I almost laughed at their matching expressions of confusion. I clapped my hands together and glanced from one to the other. “Okay, so are we done here?”

“If you’re in, I’m in,” Lexi said to Annabelle.

“Oh, I’m in!” Annabelle beamed, and even though it wasn’t directed at me, I felt it shoot through me all the way down to my feet. But then she turned to me, still grinning, and I forgot how to breathe. “And I’ll stop by your place after work and we can come up with a plan.”

“Plan?” I asked, utterly bemused. I had no idea what she was talking about and I didn’t really care.