“It’s no trouble,” Lexi assured her. “It is kind of what I do, after all.” She waved her hand at Mary. “Think you can handle some soup?”
Mary nodded and sat down at the table. It did smell delicious, and she was hungry. It was odd to feel like a guest in her own home. Though she was sure she’d heard his voice earlier, there was no sign of Aidan. Maybe he’d left after all.
Lexi placed a small bowl in front of her, along with a glass of something that looked like juice. “Start slow. Let your stomach get used to real food again.”
“You sound like someone who’s been through it before.”
Lexi chuckled. “Honey, you have no idea. Guess Aidan didn’t fill you in at all, huh?”
Mary shook her head and lifted the spoon to her mouth. The soup tasted even better than it smelled. With Lexi on staff at the Goddess, it was no wonder the place was so popular. Mary had never been there, but she’d heard nothing but good things about it.
“I’m not surprised,” Lexi was saying. “Aidan’s very protective that way.”
Yes, Mary could definitely see describing Aidan as protective, especially given the way he’d hovered over her earlier. “Have you two have known each other a long time?”
“Oh, yeah. I used to work at his dad’s restaurant when I was in high school down in Georgia. I wanted to go to culinary school after graduation, and his dad made that dream a reality. Of course, I couldn’t have done it without Aidan.”
Though she was curious, Mary wasn’t sure if it would be too intrusive to ask, so she opted for another spoonful of soup instead.
“I have a rare genetic blood disease, you see. Think hemophilia times a hundred. Not exactly conducive to working around lots of sharp knives and pointy objects, I know. Aidan’s father pulled a lot of strings and got me into some of the finest schools in Europe. Aidan went with me.”
The first question that popped into her mind was “why?”, but that sounded a bit rude. Instead she asked, “Did he study cooking, too?”
“God, no,” Lexi laughed. “The most complicated meal Aidan is capable of is a PB and J. He’s definitely more suited to the business end of things. While I studied under the chefs, Aidan was getting some real life experience in all the other stuff – management, finance, staffing, logistics.”
That was something that Mary could understand. “Kind of like me and Andrew.”
“Exactly,” Lexi nodded approvingly. “Except Aidan and I have more than a business partnership.”
“Oh?” Mary tried hard to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that squeezed around her chest, remembering that Lexi was married to Ian, and by all indications, the two were absolutely devoted to each other.
“Yeah. Because of my disease, I needed transfusions frequently. Aidan’s my very own personal blood bank.” She laughed. “Sometimes I think there’s more of his blood in me than my own.”
The shock must have been evident on Mary’s face, because Lexi said, “Crazy, right? But not only does Aidan have the same uncommon blood type as I do, he also has a genetic condition that makes him susceptible to blood clots. What could be a more perfect match for a woman whose blood can’t clot on its own?” Lexi sipped her tea. “You know, Fate really knows what it’s doing. Sometimes, when things go wrong, we fail to realize the good that comes out of it.”
Lexi’s words caused Mary to recall several “bad” things that happened in her own life. It was hard to find anything good in her father’s debilitating disease, or Cam’s long battle with cancer. What was so great about watching the people you loved suffer? Or realizing that even as a kid, you were more of an adult than your mother? Or in living every day alone because of the ghosts everyone saw when they looked at you?
“I don’t think it’s possible to find good in everything,” Mary said quietly.
“Maybe not,” Lexi said, chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip. “God knows, I used to feel that way. But so much has happened that I can’t help but believe everything really does work out in the end.”
“Like what?” Mary blurted out, desperate for the hope to find something, anything, positive in such seemingly senseless tragedy. Then she apologized for being nosy. “I’m sorry. It’s really none of my business.”
“It’s okay,” Lexi assured her. “I don’t mind sharing. But I think I’m going to need another cup of tea. Want one?”
“Yes, but please, let me get it.”
Lexi looked like she wanted to refuse, but then nodded. “Alright, but don’t let Aidan see you. He won’t be happy.”