LEXIE SPENT THE MORNING on a call with Claudia, working on implementing ideas for the Hot Zone and the Athlete’s Only sites. In the afternoon, she toyed with ideas for Coop’s author Web page, but she’d struggled with how to approach Coop’s site. Her lack of knowledge about Coop and his work made it hard for her to nail down any sort of theme for the site.
She needed to immerse herself in his world, something she looked forward to doing tonight. Not that she’d grill him, but she needed to learn much more about the author and his work—and the man behind them both.
Lexie arrived at Coop’s on time, only to find that he wasn’t home. Her stomach twisted for a moment. Had he forgotten? Neither of them had spoken this week, but she hadn’t thought anything of it. Holding back disappointment, she knocked on his door one last time.
Sara peeked her head out of her apartment as if on cue. “He’s running late and asked me to let you into his place.”
“Thanks,” Lexie said, relieved that he hadn’t forgotten about her.
“He said he’d tried your cell phone but no one answered, so he called me.”
Lexie frowned and pulled her cell from her oversize work bag, which held not just her personal things but her mini-laptop and notes as well. She glanced at the screen and poked at a few buttons before meeting Sara’s curious gaze.
“Dead,” Lexie explained. “I must have forgotten to charge it. It happens when I get wrapped up in work.” It happened more often than she liked to admit.
Sara nodded. “Interesting. Coop’s the same way. He tends to get involved in a story and forget what time it is. Frankly, I was surprised he remembered to think about his plans tonight. Which means they must be important to him.”
Lexie wasn’t normally the type to get tonguetied, but this woman’s bluntness caught her off guard.
“Hey, why don’t you come in and hang out here until he comes home?” Sara offered.
“Thanks, but I don’t want to bother you. And I really don’t mind waiting by myself.”
Sara waved her hand through the air. “No bother. It’s my day off.”
“Okay then, sure. Why not?” She didn’t want to insult Coop’s friend and neighbor.
Once inside, Lexie glanced around. Sara’s apartment showed all the personality that the woman in uniform had lacked on their first meeting. Lexie stared at the frilly, lace décor, shocked at how feminine Sara’s taste was. Then again, her choice of clothing on her day off, a summer skirt and tank top, which showed off voluptuous curves, should have given Lexie her first clue.
“What’s wrong?” Sara asked, staring at Lexie in that coplike way she had, in a blatant attempt to understand what was going on in her mind.
Suspects probably broke under that stare, Lexie thought, drawing a deep breath. “Nothing’s wrong. I was admiring your furnishings. I’m surprised. I have to admit I pegged you wrong.”
“Thought I’d be a tomboy, huh?”
“Guilty,” Lexie said, laughing.
As if to reinforce the point that she was no such thing, Sara pulled her long blonde hair back and wound it into a knot on top of her head like a true girl. “My AC doesn’t always blow cold enough. I have a call into the super and I’m waiting for him to come up and take a look.”
“I’m dressed lightly enough, so I’m comfortable.” Lexie’s grandmother didn’t exactly keep the apartment like a refrigerator, so Lexie had learned to adjust.
“Can I get you a cold drink?” Sara asked.
“No, thanks.”
“Then just take a load off.” The other woman pointed to a comfortable-looking chair and Lexie did as she suggested, settling in.
Sara chose the sofa across the way. “I’m sorry I was so rude the other day. I’d worked a double shift and I was exhausted.”
“You weren’t rude at all,” Lexie lied.
“Liar.”
“I’m sorry if I’m keeping you from anything,” Lexie said again.
Sara shook her head. “You’re no trouble. Any friend of Coop’s is a friend of mine. Unless you’re really one of those Blogger groupies looking to snag the man and his ring into holy matrimony?” She leaned closer, her defenses clearly up on Coop’s behalf.
Instead of feeling threatened, Lexie was able to laugh at the accusation. “God, no. Anything but.”
Sara visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping low. “Then you can stay as long as you like. I just wanted to make sure if Coop got serious about anyone, it wouldn’t be someone after him for the wrong reasons.”
Lexie and Coop weren’t getting serious, but she didn’t see the need to confide in Sara about that.
Sara stretched her bare feet out onto the couch across from Lexie. “He deserves better than some female looking for the catch of the day.”
Lexie nodded. “Agreed.” Coop did deserve someone genuine and real.
“Just as long as you realize that Coop’s not a guy you can toy with and walk away from, we understand each other.”
Lexie shifted in her seat, straightening her shoulders and looking Sara in the eye. She could go toe to toe with this woman and not back down. “You seem very protective of someone who’s just a friend.”
Sara paused, clearly digesting Lexie’s comment. Then she cracked a grin for the first time, taking Lexie by surprise. “You actually feel threatened by me!”
Lexie opted not to comment.
As if the ice had been broken between them, Sara’s easy laughter suddenly filled the room. “There’s no reason to be worried. I’m just protective of people I care about. Even friends,” she said pointedly. “I know Coop pretty well. Unlike me, he isn’t into revolving-door relationships,” she said, another warning to Lexie. “He’s more the steady kind of guy.”
“What do you have against relationships?” Lexie was more than ready to turn the conversation away from herself and Coop, and since Sara didn’t mind discussing Coop’s personal life, Lexie decided Sara’s was fair game.
“That’s easy. I’m a cop who walks into danger daily and I come from a long line of cops with failed marriages because of the strain of the job. I’m not looking to repeat past mistakes. Then there’s Coop, who likes the idea of one woman, one man. A relationship.” Sara shuddered at the thought.
“Somehow I can’t see Coop appreciating your telling me his secrets.” She held her hands tightly in her lap, determined not to fidget under all this scrutiny.