He shook his head. “We were ready to leave, but the flight was delayed. Jade had a tantrum at the airport, and then there was no point in going. So, we came over here instead. I’m glad we did.” He nudged her with his leg and smiled.

A beautiful smile spread across her face. “I’m glad you’re here too.” As they stood together in comfortable silence, a camera clicked and Lexi’s head whipped around to find Erik, grinning from across the deck. “Does he always do that?”

“Snap covert pictures at family functions? Yeah. You’ll get used to it after a while.” Vincent held up two fingers behind Lexi’s head and gave her bunny ears as Erik snapped his next shot.

Lexi glanced over at Jade and saw her snarling in their direction. “You better go sit with The Mummy. She looks a little testy.”

Vincent leaned over and whispered in her ear, “She’s always testy,” and then walked away.

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly. Madison took Lexi on a walk through Anna’s garden, pointing out all the vegetables they had planted and which ones she liked and which ones she didn’t. Erik continued lurking, snapping pictures now and then. Vincent and Jade sat in the shade, Vincent reading the newspaper and Jade reapplying her many layers of makeup and perfecting her hair.

Finally, it was time for dessert, and Lexi and Hope went inside to help Anna with the pies she had made.

“Here, can you cut this one and then just put them onto these plates.” Anna handed Lexi a large knife and a serving piece to scoop out the pie. “i made a cherry, an apple, and a blueberry.”

“Are you sure you want me to do this? I tend to be all thumbs on these things.” Lexi cautiously picked up the knife and plunged it into the cherry pie.

“It’s pie, not brain surgery,” Erik teased, his camera at the ready to get a clear shot when Lexi made a fool of herself.

“I want a big piece,” Sean yelled as he strode into the kitchen with a picture perfect Jade and a hungry Vincent following close behind.

Lexi cut the pie and put a generous piece onto a plate for Sean. She grinned triumphantly as she handed it to him, ridiculously proud that it was still in one piece and not on the floor.

“What’s this?” Sean wrinkled his nose at it. “That’s a mouse-sized piece. I need nourishment, woman.”

“Glutton,” Jade hissed from the corner, loud enough for Hope to hear it.

“Why don’t you go forage around the backyard for some sticks or something healthy to munch on, Jade?” Hope glared at her, daring Jade to say another word. When Jade opened her mouth to reply, Hope took a step toward her and she shut it with a squeak and grabbed Vincent’s arm for support. “I’m watching you,” Hope snarled in her direction.

“Here, I’ll get you a man-sized piece.” Hope grabbed the knife from Lexi and quickly cut a huge hunk of pie for Sean. As she tried to balance it on the tiny serving piece, it flipped up into the air and splattered onto the floor at her feet. Lexi and Hope threw back their heads and laughed. Erik

rapidly snapped pictures of the entire incident.

“Oh my, let me get something to clean that up with,” Elizabeth said as she reached for the roll of paper towels.

“I got it, Elizabeth, but thank you. I’m the idiot who dropped it.” Hope blushed and grabbed the towels from her so she could get the mess off of Anna’s floor as soon as possible. “Quit your laughing, Sean, and help me.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him onto the floor.

“Tell me you got a shot of the pie in the air,” Vincent said as he came over to see the pictures Erik had shot. Everyone except Jade stood huddled around his camera for a peek.

“Let me just put them on my laptop,” Erik said as he pulled over his computer and slipped the memory card in. The pictures quickly downloaded and had everyone in stitches again. “I’ll blow this one up for you, Hope.” Erik pointed to one where Hope’s mouth was hanging open in shock as the pie sailed past her.

“Gee thanks.” She rolled her eyes and grabbed a plate of pie that Anna had cut up for them. “Maddie, let’s go eat our pie on the porch!”

“Can I come too?” Sean asked, trailing behind the pair.

“I’m not sharing my pie, Uncle Sean,” Madison teased. When he playfully growled at her, she ran out the door laughing.

Jade’s phone chirped, and she vanished again, leaving Vincent to his pie, which he enjoyed so much he began cutting another.

“Tsk, tsk,” Lexi offered from across the kitchen as she caught him slipping the generous piece of apple pie onto his plate.

“Pie makes me happy.” He shrugged unapologetically.

“Mm-hmm.” Lexi watched him savor every bite while keeping one eye out for Jade. “Chicken,” she whispered at him as he hid the pie when Jade glanced in the window.

“Erik, dear, these pictures are lovely,” Elizabeth said loudly from across the room as she kept flipping through them on his computer.

“I got some good ones of you and Dad by the pool. They’re a little further back, let me show you.” Erik went over to help Elizabeth.

“So, any brilliance on Marradesi?” Vincent asked as he put his empty plate in the sink. “Sean said you went into the office today.”

“I did, but no. I just feel like we’re missing something, you know? Something right in front of our faces.” Lexi folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the counter, looking at Vincent.

“Do you think we should scrap what we have and just start over?”

“Again?” Lexi asked in surprise. “I don’t think we have enough time to do a floor-to-ceiling revamping of this one. Don’t forget we have Julian’s fashion show coming up. We need to finish his last minute stuff before then.”

Vincent sighed. “You’re right. It’s just so frustrating because I know it’s not there yet.”

Lexi put an encouraging arm around his shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it. I have faith in you.”

They both seemed to pause and savor the brief physical contact until they were pulled from their spell by Elizabeth’s cheerful squeal. “Do you see it?” She smacked Erik in the arm.

He pointed at the screen. “The carefree smiles, the background figure, one adoring, one furious. I see where you’re going with it.”

“And look, everyday beauty wins out over this.” Elizabeth flicked her finger at the screen and was giddy as she waved Vincent and Lexi over. When they were standing behind her, she moved her hand and unveiled the picture.




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