nting down a short hallway. "You can take a hot show

for a moment

The walls were adorned with framed photographs-Alexis with an older couple who must be her parents, Alexis w

Alexis and a handsome, smiling man, their arms wrapped around each other

my dad's. They should be big enough," she said, avoiding his eyes as she handed them to him. She

the first time he had thanked her with genuine s

athroom. The click of the lock was foll

sofa, the reality of the situation crashing down on her. What had she done?

er purse, acting on some strange, automatic impulse. Now it sat on her kitchen counter

outside tapered off, leaving a

ing sweatpants hung low on his hips, and the t-shirt stretched across his broad chest. Without the sharp suit, wit

lutter in her stomach a

"I should probably go." Even with nowhere to go, his pride

had to do was agree. She opened her mo

a sound from the front d

ic scrape of a key s

. In the chaos of the night, she had comple

asked, his body tensi

ht with panic. "Oh god, my mom. She think

Judith Atkins stood there, a bright smile o

ade," she announced cheerfully. "You sounde

l, handsome stranger standing in her daughter's living room, wearing cl

thick and still. Alexis's

her daughter and back again, her friendly smile

her voice dangerousl

just broke up with my boyfriend, who was cheating on me with my best friend, so I drove around in the rain

dulterated panic, her brain se

tumbling out before she could stop

the air, absurd

to his credit, his expression barely changed.

-cut man in a suit she'd seen on Alexis's social media. This ma

ighted smile spre

into the apartment, setting the thermos down on the counter. "Well, it's about time

utstretched. Andrew, playing along

e to meet you,

ease!" she gushed, taking his hand in both of hers. "I'm so g

e shot Andrew a frantic, pleading look over her mother's shoulder, a sil