“I’m sorry about the personal call,” Brooke blurted out, knowing she was stalling big-time. “It’s just . . . moms,” Brooke mumbled as she dug around in her drawer for the emergency Hershey’s Kisses she kept stashed.
“I understand. I’ve got one of those, too,” Alexis said, her voice uncharacteristically kind.
“Yes, but do you have a criminal ex-fiancé for your mother to fret over?”
Alexis let out a sharp laugh that hinted at hidden pain. “No. But honestly, I think my mother would prefer me to have a con man than no man.”
Brooke popped a Hershey’s Kiss in her mouth and held one out to Alexis, who shook her head. Of course not. No chocolate for this one.
Still, Alexis’s face looked happier than usual, her body language just a little more relaxed than Brooke was used to seeing. The result of spending time with a certain accountant, perhaps?
Excited to see another side of her boss, however slightly, Brooke smiled and kept up the small talk. “Is she one of those moms that sends you articles about freezing your eggs?”
“Oh, so you’ve met her?” Alexis said with a wry smile. She held out her hand, apparently having changed her mind about the candy. “My comfort food is usually Fritos, but I suppose this will work in a pinch.”
Brooke tilted her head to the side, and tried to picture the delicate-featured, classy brunette eating salty, greasy corn chips. “Nope. Can’t picture it.”
Alexis chewed her Hershey’s Kiss slowly and methodically, the way she did everything else. “Yes, well. Let’s just say that my chip breakdowns are few and far between, and I ensure they happen in private.”
“Do these breakdowns ever have anything to do with a certain sexy Brit?”
Alexis blinked. “What?”
Uh-oh. Too far.
Still, it was too late to backpedal.
“Oh, come on,” Brooke said lightly. “You can’t tell me you have private, early-morning meetings with your accountant and not notice that he’s the sexiest thing since Mr. Darcy?”
Again with the clueless blink. “Are you referring to Logan?” Alexis asked.
You poor, oblivious creature. “Please don’t tell me you’ve completely missed the fact that the man is gorgeous.”
Alexis pursed her lips. “I don’t know. I guess he’s always just been . . . Logan. We’re friends. And he’s my accountant. Not exactly fantasy material.”
“I’m pretty sure I’d forgive the pocket protector because, that accent though.”
Alexis’s smile faded as she chewed and swallowed the chocolate. “Is this what you wanted to speak of? My accountant?”
Brooke swallowed a sigh. Girl talk was apparently over before it even got started.
“Actually, no . . .” she admitted. “It’s about the Tyler wedding.”
Brooke took a deep breath. “I seem to be finding myself . . . attracted . . . to the bride’s brother.”
“Ah,” Alexis said, not looking the least bit surprised.
“You don’t seem . . . shocked,” Brooke said.
“Well, I know him.”
Brooke froze. “You know him.”
“I know of him,” Alexis amended. “I’m actually friendly with an ex-girlfriend of his.”
“Nadia?”
Alexis’s gaze sharpened. “He’s mentioned her?”
Brooke bit her tongue, feeling oddly disloyal to Seth for even going there. “In passing,” she said with a wave of her hand.
“Hmm, yes. They didn’t end well,” Alexis said.
Understatement.
“Well, regardless, I seem to find myself . . . attracted. I haven’t crossed any major lines,” Brooke said, deliberately omitting the fact that she’d crossed a minor one with that kiss, “but I’m embarrassed to say that I’m no longer certain I can be objective where he’s concerned.”
“I see,” Alexis said slowly. “Is he planning the wedding?”
“Well, no, but he’s financing it.”
“And you’re worried that you might comport yourself in a less-than-ideal manner because he’s attractive?”
“No. But I’m worried you might worry that.”
Alexis studied her for several long torturous moments that reminded Brooke uncomfortably of the time she’d brought home a particularly rough report card to her parents in the tenth grade when she’d been spending a whole lot more time on the cheerleading field than in the library.
“You’re a professional, Brooke. It’s why I hired you.”
“I am,” Brooke confirmed quickly. “It’s why I’m coming to you now. Preemptively.”
“Are you asking that the Tyler wedding be reassigned?”
“No.” Brooke was emphatic. “I simply thought it might be prudent to let you know of the situation. I’d love the opportunity to continue working with the bride and groom directly, but because Seth—Mr. Tyler—is very much involved, I was thinking that perhaps either you or Heather could take care of keeping him apprised of the necessary details.”
Alexis slowly reached out and helped herself to another Hershey’s Kiss. “No.”
“Thanks—wait, what?” Brooke said as her boss’s response registered.
Alexis shook her head. “This is your wedding. You need to handle all the parts, including Mr. Tyler. I’m the one to sign off on all of the billing statements, but that’s as far as my involvement goes. I’m confident that there won’t be a problem.”
Brooke’s head was spinning. “Okay, but—”