“Alix,” I asked as we sat, “why didn’t you ever go to college?”
“I haven’t yet,” Alix said, “mainly because I knew I had to devote my time to my modeling career. Now that I’m three years removed from high school, though, I guess the idea of going back scares me a little. I wasn’t the student you were from what I remember, and besides, I’ve really gotten a lot of personal education just through my experiences.”
“Still,” I replied, “I’m just saying that you have all the smarts needed to get through college. Honestly the biggest challenge is just working hard. If you can get through what modeling has put you through, college isn’t any more difficult. Maybe a different type of difficult if you want to think about it.”
Alix smiled and looked over at me. “Maybe I could, but I know I couldn’t do it down here in Los Angeles. Way too many people who know me, I’d feel too out of place. When the time’s right, maybe I could go to school up in Oregon. Do you know any universities I could go to?”
“Lots,” I laughed. “Besides OU and OSU, there’s a pretty decent university just half a mile from my place, Portland State. It’s small, and it won’t be winning any NCAA titles in anything, but it’s a good school. They’ve got lots you could study there, and Portland is a super relaxed sort of place. You serious about it?”
“On one condition,” Alix said. “I’d need your help. I’m not saying we have to be roomies or anything, but it’d be nice to be close to someone I know. What do you say?”
I knew my answer even before the words left my mouth. “When you’re ready to retire from modeling, I’ll be there for you.”
The food arrived, and we shared our meal out on the back porch, just enjoying the sounds of what little nature still lived in the Los Angeles area. “This is delicious,” I commented, dipping my naan into my bowl of curry. “How about yours?”
“It’s good,” Alix replied. “I think I like the curry from this place better, but the bread is far superior where I would have wanted to go yesterday.”
“We’ll have to try it another time,” I replied. “Listen, Alix, are you serious about coming to Portland, or are you just jerking my chain?”
Alix shook her head. “I’m not saying I’m packing up and leaving tomorrow. But yeah, when I’m done with modeling I want to get out of Los Angeles. Portland sounds perfect, at least from what Derek says about it. I regret to say I’ve never gotten up there. Been to a dozen different states on shoots and modeling jobs, and five different countries, but not Oregon. It’s pretty far from the centers of the fashion and modeling world, which sounds like just what I’d want.”
I could understand. “And what would you study?”
“Who knows? I don’t really know right now,” Alix replied. “I mean, business, real estate, general studies, all of those sound interesting to me. Do they have a business school?”
“A good one,” I replied. “Also a respected course on urban planning and development, which should be real estate heavy. I’ll be honest though, I’m not an expert on PSU.”
“That’s okay,” Alix said as she finished the last of her curry. “Thank you, Kade.”
“For what?” I asked, curious. “You paid for the curry, remember?”
“For everything, I guess. For not slamming the door in my face when I came in today. For being a pretty awesome guy that I can trust. I know, I know, you’ve got a dark side, you’ve got secrets, yada yada yada. We all do, I’m pretty sure. Still . . . I trust you.”
“You shouldn’t,” I warned her, but I could see in her eyes that she did. And despite it all, despite my misgivings about it, that look warmed me inside.
“Kade, I hate to just eat and run, but I have an early day tomorrow. I should go. When are you heading back to Portland?”
“Tomorrow,” I said. “I’ve got paperwork piling up for me, and a secretary and paralegal that need a boss. It’s actually one of the strangest things about my work right now. Most of my clients and both of my employees are older than I am.”
“Yet they respect you,” Alix commented as she got up, gathering her takeout dishes and putting them in the plastic bag. I went to take it from her, and she shook her head. “No, it’s okay. Let me serve you tonight.”
I couldn’t help it, seeing that angel smiling down at me and saying those words. I shivered, wondering if Alix knew what she was saying to me, but decided that she didn’t. There was no way my little stepsister could know what she was saying to a man like me. Still, I enjoyed the fantasy and smiled back. “Okay. Despite the frustrations and missteps, this has been the best couple of days I’ve spent with you in a long time, Alix.”
“You too, Kade. You too.”
Chapter 9
Alix