Lex had slept like a baby. She couldn’t remember the last time she had woken up feeling this rejuvenated. If it weren’t for some noisy people walking by her door, she probably wouldn’t have woken up in time for breakfast.
Luckily, she had, and so she’d just taken a seat in the lounge where the hotel served its extensive breakfast buffet. On her way in, Lex had spotted everything from eggs and bacon to French pastries and sushi.
Her mind wasn’t on what she would eat, though. Her focus was on the double doors where the valet waited for new guests to arrive. When they did, he checked their names and guided them to a table.
He’d given Lex his brightest smile as she had requested a table for two. The staff had instantly brought her a pot of coffee and she had taken the liberty to already order an espresso for Mary.
It hadn’t arrived yet, but neither had Mary. Lex wondered why she was late. They had agreed to meet for breakfast at 7 and it had to be at least 7.05 by now.
Lex had already checked the time a minute ago and she refused to take her phone out of her pocket again. Surely, she could entertain herself while she was waiting?
She was a little nervous to see Mary. Or actually, to see how Mary would behave toward her this morning. After last night’s conversation, Lex felt a little insecure.
She had confided in Mary in a way that she had not done with anyone in a very long time. She had told her what had happened 62 days ago.
Lex smiled. “You’ve been counting,” Mary had said. Lex hadn’t even considered how odd that was until Mary had pointed it out to her.
There were a few other things Mary had said that had surprised Lex. Her take on things had been so different from anyone else’s she had spoken to.
While most had focused on the damage Lex had done to her career, Mary had focused on why Lex had done it. And Mary had immediately understood why.
This had made Lex feel like she wasn’t a total idiot after all. No one had been able to do that for her. Not even Hannah, who had been nothing but kind and understanding.
In a way, Lex had even gotten the feeling that Mary was proud of her for standing up for Vicky. Approval had been evident in Mary’s eyes.
It had pleased Lex in a way she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She didn’t feel like investigating this too closely either.
For now, the relief that had flooded over her was all she cared about. Maybe she was naive, but she just wanted to hold on to it for as long as she could.
That’s why she had quickly changed the subject last night. She knew Mary must have had a ton of questions, but Lex hadn’t wanted to get into the specifics.
Not yet. She knew she wouldn’t have an answer to most of Mary’s questions. Or not one she was willing to share right now. Some things really were too personal. For now.
And so Lex had put a spotlight on Mary. She had asked her about her hobbies and her family. She hadn’t found out nearly as much as she would have liked to.
Apparently, Mary lived with her grandmother. She hadn’t mentioned anything about her parents, though. Mary had no pets, but only because she worked such long days.
She liked classical music, but had never been to a concert. This particularly amused and intrigued Lex. When Lex had asked why not, Mary had mumbled something about too much fuss.
And what to think of Mary’s interest in books? She had happily told Lex about the novel she was reading right now and Lex had found herself listening attentively.
Mary was so different in every way. For the first time ever, Lex actually found this appealing. She wanted to know more about Mary. She wanted to understand more.
“One espresso, ma’am?” A young waitress with a friendly face asked, forcing Lex to look up from her empty coffee cup.
“Yeah,” Lex said, gesturing at the empty seat. “It’s for my companion. She should arrive any moment now.”
The waitress placed the small cup on the table. “Of course. Would you like me to bring you something in the meantime?”
“Oh,” Lex said, moving aside the cotton napkin that lay on her plate. “I’ll just have some coffee.”
“Let me pour you a cup then,” the waitress offered.
Lex reached for the pot. “No, no, I’ll do it. I was just distracted for a while.”
The waitress smiled. “All the more reason for me to do it. That coffee is hot, you know.”
Lex chuckled. “Don’t want to get sued after I throw this stuff all over myself?”
“There’s that,” the waitress replied, touching her lips with the tip of her finger. “But it also would be a waste.”
Lex leaned back in her chair, amused. “Of what?”
“Of a blouse that looks absolutely fantastic on you,” the girl replied, meeting her gaze boldly.
A slow grin spread across Lex’s face. “Thanks.”
Mary’s voice interrupted the exchange. “Sorry I’m late.”
Lex sat up with a start. She bumped into the table and the empty coffee cup in front of her nearly toppled over. Mary quirked an eyebrow when Lex looked up in embarrassment.
“See? Told you,” the waitress said and winked. She turned to Mary. “Morning, ma’am.”
Mary tucked both of her hands in the pockets of her pants. “Good morning,” she said coolly.
Lex placed the cup back on its saucer and focused on Mary. She was wearing a different blouse today but had on the same dress pants as yesterday. Her hair was also back in its hairsprayed restraints.
“Your espresso,” the waitress said and gestured at the drink on the table.
Mary’s eyes drifted from the young woman to Lex and back. “Thanks.”
“I’ll be off then,” the girl said, glancing at Lex over her shoulder. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Yeah, we will,” Mary said, abruptly pulling the chair from under the table.
Lex gave the waitress a quick smile and a nod.
“Sleep well?” Mary asked gruffly.
“Yeah, like a baby,” Lex replied.
Mary sat down, moving her chair back and forth until she was comfortable. “Good.”
“How about you?” Lex asked, picking up the coffee pot.
“Woke up too early,” Mary sighed, pulling the espresso toward her.
Lex poured herself some coffee. “How was the gym?”
Mary snorted with her cup in mid-air. “Definitely no gym for me today.”
Lex watched Mary sip the potent brew. She couldn’t help but notice that her movements were brisker than usual.
“Everything okay?” Lex asked.
Mary put her cup down. “Sure. Fine.”
Lex stirred her own coffee with a small spoon. “I overslept. I had to skip the gym too.”
“Oh?” Mary replied. She was aligning her knife and fork so that they lay perfectly parallel to her plate. “Forgot to set your alarm clock?”
Lex brought the cup to her lips. “I never have to set an alarm clock,” she said before drinking.
“Really? Why not?” Mary asked. The frost in her voice was thawing somewhat.
“I always wake up at 5 AM,” Lex explained.
Mary scratched her cheek, absentmindedly. “But not today?”
Lex smiled. “Not today.”
Mary held her gaze and something in the air between them changed. Lex couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was. A sort of understanding maybe?
“Good,” Mary nodded. “You looked like you needed some extra sleep.”
Lex burst out laughing. “Gee, thanks!”
Mary closed her eyes. “Fuck,” she mumbled. “That’s not what I meant.”
“You didn’t mean to say I look like shit?” Lex teased.
Mary’s eyes snapped open, wide and honest. “You look the opposite of shit.”
Lex laughed again. She enjoyed seeing Mary’s cheeks turn crimson. “That sure is one of the weirdest compliments I’ve ever gotten.”
“I’m only making it worse,” Mary stammered, lifting the cup of espresso, but it was empty.
Lex’s lips curved up. Smiling was so easy for her today.
“I need another one of these,” Mary sighed and turned around in her chair while holding the empty cup.
“I’ll order you another one,” Lex said, waving at a waiter in the corner. He didn’t see her.
Mary shifted back and tilted her head. “Wait, where did the first one come from?”
Lex shrugged, a bit shy. “I figured you’d want your beloved morning espresso as soon as you arrived.”
“That’s so thoughtful,” Mary said slowly. She ran her thumb over the edge of the saucer.
Their eyes locked. Lex’s mouth went dry. She suddenly felt incredibly exposed, like she was sitting here naked.
“Hey, I can be nice,” she joked in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
Mary looked up from under beautiful, brown eyelashes. “I think you’re actually very nice.”
Lex raised her eyebrows.
“You just hide it very well most of the time,” Mary winked.
“You’re not pulling any punches today,” Lex responded, chuckling and shaking her head.
“Sorry,” Mary replied, her hands in the air as a peace offering. “I guess I’m a little on edge.”
“Anything I can do?” Lex asked earnestly. She rested her chin on her hand.
Mary pursed her lips, then smiled. “No, I’ll be fine. I’m in good company today after all.”
Lex could feel herself beaming. She quickly said, “And you have a whole day of inspiring keynotes to look forward to!”
Mary picked up her fork despite not having any food on her plate yet. “Actually, I thought we could skip a few and visit some booths.”
“Okay,” Lex agreed, “Anything in particular you’d like to see?”
Mary nodded. “I saw some cool things in the program. New shopping experiences with virtual reality and stuff.”
“Almost sounds like we’re going to a theme park,” Lex said. Her stomach growled and she remembered they were supposed to be having breakfast.
“I guess it should be fun, yes,” Mary grinned. She patted her own belly. “Sounds like we need a good breakfast first.”
Lex laughed. “Yeah, I’m starving. I think I’m going to have a million pancakes.”
“Eats a million pancakes and still looks amazing,” Mary sighed dramatically.
“Hey, you look like you could use a few pancakes yourself, crankypants,” Lex joked back, getting up.
Mary straightened slowly. Her eyes were twinkling with pleasure. “Fair enough.”
“I think they have maple syrup,” Lex said.
Mary quirked an eyebrow and pointed at Lex’s blouse. “Careful you don’t spill. I bet that waitress would love to come over and help you clean up.”
Lex recognized an opportunity when she saw one. “Well, I don’t think I’d mind all that much.”
This clearly startled Mary. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that didn’t need any tucking.
“What?” Lex asked, “Another presumption gone with the wind?”
She winked and headed for the buffet. She could hear Mary’s shaky voice behind her. “I guess so.”