Enjoy ~
-d-d-d-d-
Alexis stepped out into the small garden overlooking the lake and listened to the rush of the water as it crashed over the falls. It was so far a mild winter so the water over the falls had yet to freeze.
"Ms. Rodgers," the housekeeper approached her, "You have visitors."
Alexis turned around and looked at the housekeeper questioningly, "Who is it? I'm not expecting anyone. Is it someone trying to buy Irish Castle again?"
"No, ma'am," the housekeeper shook her head, "They have badges."
"Okay, I'll be right there," Alexis nodded.
"Mama," her daughter ran towards her as fast as her little legs were able with her arms stretched out.
"Hey there, Kitty-Cat," Alexis smiled and hugged her daughter tight, "Where's your brother?"
"Master Colin is in the nursery," the housekeeper said.
"Okay, thank you," Alexis handed her daughter over, "Will you put her down too? It's nap time, Little Lady."
Catriona gave her mother a tiny frown as she was carried away. Alexis laughed and made her way to the front hall to greet her visitors.
"You again?" Alexis recognized Javi as one of the men in her entryway.
"Yeah," Javi nodded. "I'm sorry about this, but I knew you wouldn't listen without some proof."
"Proof of what?" Alexis stood self-consciously in the entryway. There was something about how the other two gentlemen were looking at her which made her uneasy.
"You are the Alexis I said you were."
"That's impossible," Alexis replied, "You said Alexis Cas...something. I'm Alexis Rodgers."
"Who told you that?" the taller of the other two men asked her.
"My grandfather," Alexis stood defiantly.
"Jackson Hunt," the name was said as a curse.
"You know him?" Alexis asked.
"He's my father."
"That's not possible," Alexis shook her head.
"Why is that?" Rick challenged her.
"Because that would make you my father," Alexis said.
"That's what the test proved too," Javi produced the DNA results Lanie had provided earlier, "I had your DNA run against his."
"How did you get my DNA?" Alexis asked before she took the papers.
"The hairbrush in your bathroom," Javi explained.
"You had no right to invade my privacy," Alexis hissed at him.
"You're right, I don't," Javi nodded, "I needed to be sure you were who I thought before I brought this to your family."
"Right," Alexis rolled her eyes. "Are we all related?"
"It's a bit complicated," Rick replied, "You and I are father and daughter, yes. This is Kate. She's my wife, your stepmother."
"But I couldn't love you more if I'd given birth to you," the woman spoke up.
"And you?" she turned to Esposito.
"Friends," Javi replied, "Very good friends."
"Which leaves you," she turned to look at Kevin, their eyes meeting for the first time causing her to gasp as they registered. He had the same eyes as Colin.
"We were engaged," Kevin stepped forward, fighting back tears, "We were going to be married soon when your accident happened and you disappeared."
"That means you're…," Alexis looked over her shoulder towards the nursery before back at Kevin. "Grandpa said their father left me."
"No," Kevin shook his head, "I never would have. We were in love. We were so excited to start the next chapter in our life together."
"Why would Grandpa tell me such a lie then?" Alexis asked.
"I've got an idea. Let's ask him," Rick spoke up. "Where is he?"
"He's out of town for a few days," Alexis replied, "He travels a lot for his work."
"And you live here?" Rick looked around them.
"Yeah," Alexis nodded. "Our stables are across the street."
"How long have you lived here?" Kate asked.
"For two years," Alexis said. "Grandpa said we were moving when I had the accident."
"What do you remember before the accident?" Kate asked.
"Nothing," she admitted, "Doctors say it was because of the trauma I suffered in the accident."
"You have no memories at all?" Kevin asked.
"No," she shook her head slowly.
"Oh," Kevin said quietly.
"What's your name?" Alexis asked.
"Kevin Ryan," he replied.
"And we were engaged?" Alexis asked.
"Yes," he replied.
Alexis nodded, "I have no idea why, but I believe you guys."
"We'd like to take you back to the city," Rick announced.
"Can we wait?" Alexis asked. "I'd like to be here when my grandfather comes home. I think we all need to talk."
"When is he due back?" Kate asked.
"Monday," Alexis said.
"We can wait a few days," Kate replied.
"Will you excuse me? I need some air," Alexis pulled open the patio doors and went into the backyard.
"Should we go after her?" Javi looked to the other three.
"Let me," Kevin said.
"Maybe I should," Rick countered.
"Rick, please," Kevin asked.
Rick nodded in understanding.
Kevin followed Alexis out the door and found her sitting at a picnic table.
"It's a lot to take in," Kevin began as he sat next to her.
"No kidding," Alexis shook her head, her breath causing the air around her to cloud. There was a chill which told her there would be snow falling soon.
"We have children," Kevin prompted her.
Alexis looked at him and nodded, "Yeah. Colin looks like you."
"His name is Colin?"
"Yes, and my daughter is Catriona."
"That's a beautiful name," Kevin smiled.
"I call her Kitty Cat."
"I'd like to meet them," Kevin replied.
Alexis nodded, "They're napping right now. Can you wait an hour or so? I'd like them to be awake."
"Okay," Kevin agreed.
"Colin's middle name is Joseph and Cat's middle name is Margaret."
"We talked about that."
"We did?" she looked towards him with tears welling in her eyes.
"I had a friend growing up. We went through school and the academy together. He was murdered. His name was Joe."
"And Margaret?"
"My grandmother," Kevin smiled.
"If I don't remember, I wonder how I knew to use those names," she replied.
"Instinct," Kevin posed.
"Must be it," she agreed.
Kevin studied her, "You are still so beautiful."
"Thanks," she felt herself blush crimson.
"Your skin is darker than your hair," Kevin smiled.
"Stop it," she shoved at his shoulder.
Kevin smiled at her, "Are you hungry?"
"A little," she nodded, "I was going to wait until the twins woke up to have lunch."
"None of us have eaten in a while. Is there a take-out place that delivers?"
"Do you like Italian?"
"Every true New Yorker does," Kevin replied.
"Good. Come on, Santino's is on speed dial."
"Lead the way," Kevin nodded.
They went into the house and found Javi, Rick, and Kate sitting in the living room staring at each other.
"Hi," Alexis stood awkwardly before them.
"Hi," Rick stood up quickly.
"We were wondering if you were hungry,"
"I could eat," Javi nodded.
"What does everyone want?" Alexis asked.
"Depends on what's cooking?" Javi replied.
"I was going to order Italian," Alexis stated.
"Sounds good," Kate smiled.
"I'll order a bit of everything. They're known especially for their eggplant parmesan," Alexis turned towards the phone to put in their order.
"Here, I'll pay," Rick reached for his wallet and fished out a credit card.
"You don't have-"
"Please let me," Rick said.
"It's best just to go with it," Kate chimed in, "It's what Rick does."
"Okay," Alexis said, taking a card. She picked up the phone.
"Get extra eggplant."
"Will do," Alexis nodded and then turned to place their order.
Kate got closer to Kevin and whispered, "Names?"
"Colin and Catriona," Kevin glanced towards the mantle where pictures of his kids were on display.
"He looks like you."
"Alexis said he has my eyes," Kevin swallowed hard.
"He does," Kate said.
"How are you doing, Bro?" Javi asked his partner.
"I don't know to be honest," he said.
"One step at a time," Kate advised him.
"Yeah," Kevin looked around and his eyes fell on the bookcase. "They have the Heat Series."
"Yeah, I'm a big fan," Alexis joined them after putting in the order.
Rick smiled, "You always did have good taste."
"I think Grandpa said the writer is from New York," Alexis replied, "He said he'd even met him."
Kate snorted in reply.
"Yeah, he has," Rick smiled.
"Wait a second," Alexis started to put things together and looked at Javi. "You said my last name was Castle when you were here."
"Meet Richard Castle, the mind behind Derek Storm and Nikki Heat," Kate motioned towards her husband.
"You dedicated your last book to your daughter."
"Which is you," Rick smiled.
"Holy crap!" Alexis gasped.
"I based Nikki on a certain detective," Rick looked at his wife.
"You're Nikki Heat," Alexis smirked.
"She's a highly fictionalized version of me," Kate amended.
"She works with two male detectives," Alexis eyed Javi and Kevin. "Raley and Ochoa, I presume?"
"Guilty," Javi and Kevin responded in unison.
"Huh," Alexis said after a moment of thought. "Well, now I'm a little flattered."
"How do you mean?" Kevin asked.
"You didn't read the last book, did you?" Alexis asked.
"Haven't gotten around to it," Kevin responded.
"Raley was given a love interest in the last book. Younger, red hair, with a son Raley coaches through the department baseball team," Alexis smiled.
"Completely based on you," Rick replied.
"Why didn't you say something?" Kevin asked.
"Didn't want to open any old wounds," Rick shrugged.
"Appreciate the concern," Kevin replied.
In the mean time, Alexis had pulled the latest Heat book off the shelf and flipped through it before handing it to Kevin, "Page 37 if you want to read the description of how Cara Adams enters the scene."
"Mind if I borrow this?" Kevin asked.
"Be my guest," Alexis smiled.
Kevin marked the page and set it aside when the doorbell rang through the house.
"That will be the food," Alexis went to the door to retrieve the food.
Rick followed, knowing he'd need to sign the receipt.
Kate wandered into the kitchen in search of plates.
"Second time in three days, Alexis," the delivery person addressed her, "You really do like the eggplant parmesan, don't you?"
"It's the best, Tony," Alexis smiled.
"I'll pass along the praise. I need a signature from Richard Castle," he looked at the receipt.
"That would be me," Rick took the slip and signed, making sure to leave a generous tip.
"Thank you," Tony said. "Enjoy."
"We will," Alexis replied.
Rick helped Alexis carry the food to the kitchen.
"Wow, smells almost as good as the stuff in New York," Javi replied.
"Good," Alexis smiled. "We need drinks. I have soda and iced tea. Sorry, I'm not a drinker."
"Soda and iced tea work just fine for this crowd," Kate assured her.
"Good," Alexis grabbed the bottles and set them out. "Glasses."
"Where are they?" Kevin asked.
"Cabinet-"
"Next to the sink," Kevin smiled.
"How'd you know?" she asked.
"Same place I keep them at my place," he replied.
"Ah," Alexis nodded. "Can you get them?"
"Sure," he went to the appropriate cabinet and pulled them out.
Soon everyone was at the table trading their easy banter back and forth as they ate.
Alexis leaned back against her chair as she chewed, studying her father, debating about a question in her head.
"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" Kevin asked her.
"The bio in his books," Alexis said. "The earlier ones say he lives with his daughter and mother. I'm assuming she's my grandmother."
"Correct," he nodded.
"Is she still alive?" Alexis asked softly.
"Yes," Kevin nodded as he looked to Rick. "She's alive and well."
"She misses you like crazy," Rick added.
"Why didn't she come with you?"
"We didn't want to get her hopes up," Rick admitted. "We wanted to make sure this wasn't all Javi's imagination."
"My imagination ain't that good."
"Even so," Rick responded, "She's been a bit lost with you gone...we all have been."
"I don't understand how my grandfather could do this," Alexis said quietly.
"I'm sure he thinks he has good reasons," Rick replied, "He simply goes about things in the wrong way."
"I can't imagine he has a good enough reason to explain why he lied to me for two years and made you believe I was dead."
"We'll ask him when he returns," Rick stated.
Alexis was about to reply when she heard her son call out for her.
"That's my cue," she got up. Just as she got to the hallway she turned to look at Kevin, "You coming?"
"Only if it's okay with you," Kevin put down his plate.
"It's okay," Alexis nodded. "Come on."
Kevin was hot on her heels.
"Hey Buddy," Alexis scooped up Colin from his crib. A quick look told her Cat was still sleeping, so she tilted her head towards a small hallway, "Follow me."
Kevin chanced a quick glance at his daughter and then followed Alexis out.
They ended up in Alexis's bedroom. She sat on her bed with Colin her lap and motioned for Kevin to sit with them.
Colin was most curious about the new person in the room, continuously pointing to get his mother's attention.
"Colin, I want you to meet someone very special," Alexis smiled.
"Mama," Colin poked at her cheek.
"Yes, I'm Mama," Alexis giggled. "This is Daddy."
"Mama," Colin repeated and clapped his hands together.
"And Daddy," Alexis motioned his attention to Kevin.
Colin finally stopped to look at Kevin. He studied the new person in front of him and reached out trying to touch him.
"Hi, Buddy," Kevin reached out with his hand. The little boy immediately latched onto his fingers.
"Nose," Colin pointed.
"We've been identifying things."
"Smart boy," Kevin laughed.
"Yes, he is," Alexis said. "Oddly enough he doesn't like the typical children's books."
"What kind of books does he like?" Kevin asked.
"He settles right down when I read him The Old Man and the Sea. He'll actually listen when I read that. Cat, on the other hand, has some kind of Hemingway-narcolepsy. Every time I start to read them, she falls asleep."
Kevin chuckled in reply, "Puts me to sleep too."
"Cat likes to look at the pictures in fashion magazines," Alexis smiled.
"Sounds like her great grandmother," Kevin replied.
"What's she like?"
"Martha's an experience," Kevin smiled.
"You make her sound like a twister or something," Alexis laughed.
"She can be," Kevin smiled.
"I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. All this time, Grandpa has told me it was just the two of us, until Colin and Cat arrived. Now not only is there this entire family in my living room, but they'd thought for two years I was, at best, missing, at worst, dead."
"When Javi told me they'd found you, I thought they meant your body," Kevin admitted. "It was like the final nail, and I literally felt my heart break all over again."
"I'm sorry," she reached for his hand.
"It's not your fault," Kevin shook his head and held her hand gently.
Alexis felt a flood of emotions course through her as they continued to hold hands.
After a few moments, she heard Cat call out.
"Here," she passed Colin to him. "I'll be right back."
Kevin was taken aback, but did his best to get comfortable with the little boy in his lap.
"Nose," Colin pointed to Kevin's nose.
"That's right. Where's your nose?"
Colin's fingers moved to his own nose.
"And your eyes?" Kevin asked.
Colin managed to point them out without poking himself in eye.
"Very good," Kevin smiled.
"Ears," Colin pointed to his lobe.
"That's right," Kevin smiled before looking up to see Alexis and Cat in the doorway.
"She's always a bit grumpy when she wakes up from her naps," Alexis stepped into the room and took her seat on the bed.
"Sounds familiar," Kevin smiled.
Catriona hugged her mother's neck tight while Colin continued to point out various features of his body.
"We haven't gotten to the private parts of the body yet," Alexis admitted when Colin wiggled his foot.
"He's very good with what he's been taught already," Kevin replied.
"Cat loves the song 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes'," Alexis tickled the little girl's tummy.
The little girl giggled and curled in on herself to avoid more tickling at her mother's hand.
Kevin watched with a smile.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, you're reminding me of the time you used to spend with my daughter," Kevin explained.
"You have another daughter?" Alexis asked.
"Her name is Sarah Grace," he nodded.
"How old is she?" Alexis asked.
"She's five."
"And her mom?"
"Jenny died about three years ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Alexis frowned.
"Thank you," he said. "That's about when you crashed into my life."
"How do you mean?" Alexis asked.
"I downward spiraled after Jen died. You overheard your dad and Kate talking about it and decided I needed a wakeup call."
"So I just barged into your life," Alexis gasped, "How rude!"
"Maybe, but it was what I needed and after a while, appreciated."
"Cat, can you say hi to Kevin?" Alexis asked.
Catriona studied the man holding her brother for a moment before saying a soft, "Hi."
"Hi," Kevin responded.
"She's a bit shy," Alexis explained.
"That's okay," Kevin smiled. "We can work on her being more comfortable with me."
"Yes, we will," Alexis agreed.
"Hungry," Colin patted his belly.
"Okay, then let's get you some food," Alexis smiled. "What about you Kitty Cat? Are you hungry?"
Catriona nodded her head slightly.
"Then it's time to eat," Alexis declared as they all got up. "Do you want some yummy pasta?"
"Pasta," Colin nodded.
"Sounds like a yes," Kevin followed Alexis while carrying Colin.
"And you Kitty, I bet you want some lasagna, huh?"
Catriona nodded her head vigorously.
"She loves her cheese," Alexis smiled.
"Sounds kinda like the cartoon cat, Garfield," Kevin replied.
Alexis giggled as she sat Cat in her highchair, and Kevin did the same for Colin.
"I wonder where everyone went."
"Probably went to take in the view. Javi said it was quite spectacular," Kevin replied.
"Yeah, it is beautiful up here," Alexis smiled. "Of course when it snows, it can get a little hairy getting down the mountain."
"I can only imagine," Kevin responded.
-d-d-d-d-d-
Rook had often wondered if Raley had any kind of romantic life. He never mentioned anything or brought anyone to the department functions. Just as Rook was ready to think his friend was in the closet, a woman showed up at the precinct one day. She walked across the squad room with a coy grin and kissed a smiling Raley full on the mouth, causing Ochoa to grin broadly.
Kevin smiled as he put the book aside and leaned his head back against the pillow of his temporary bed.
There was a knock on his door.
Kevin was surprised to see Alexis standing on the other side when he went to answer.
"Hey, I was just checking to see if you needed anything," Alexis fidgeting nervously.
"No, I'm good, thanks," he said quietly. "I thought you went to sleep."
"Couldn't manage it," she admitted.
"Everything alright?" Kevin leaned against the doorframe.
"I guess my mind's on overload," Alexis admitted.
"I know the feeling," he nodded, "It's been a lot to take in on my end too."
"Can I-" Alexis pointed to the room behind him. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," Kevin stepped back to allow her in, "Wanting to talk?"
"Yeah," Alexis nodded and took a seat in the arm chair. "Do you have any questions for me?"
"Dozens," he cleared his throat after taking a seat on the edge of the bed, "When were the twins born?"
"July eighteenth," Alexis smiled. "You passed a diner in town, right? It's called Joe's."
"Yeah, probably," he nodded, "Wasn't exactly paying a lot of attention to the surroundings."
"I was eating there and my water broke in the middle of my meal," Alexis smiled.
"Oh, wow," Kevin rubbed at his neck, "Quite dramatic. Were you in labor for long?"
"Cat took her sweet time, and she had to be first," Alexis smiled. "Colin was pretty fast."
"Dramatic from the beginning," Kevin chuckled, "Cat sounds more and more like Martha, your grandmother."
"R-uh Dad mentioned she was an actress."
"Is an actress," Kevin amended, "She's very talented. She runs an acting school at her studio."
"Did I ever want to act?"
"Not seriously," he replied, "You tried out for a production of 'Grease' in high school, but didn't get it. You were relieved."
"Grandpa told me my mom was never around," Alexis said. "Is that true at least?"
"Yes," Kevin nodded, "She left when you were about a year old. She had dreams of making it big in Hollywood. She's still dreaming."
"She's an actress too?"
"She tries to be," Kevin chuckled.
"No good?"
"Not even a little," Kevin smiled.
"Oh," Alexis frowned, "Did we have a good relationship?"
"You do when she's around," Kevin nodded. "She's a little flighty."
"My dad's current wife, Kate?" Alexis asked, "She seems the opposite of flighty."
"Kate's down to earth and driven," Kevin nodded. "She grounds your dad."
"Does he need it?"
"Yeah," Kevin nodded with a smile. "He can be a big kid a lot of the time."
"What's Javi's story?" Alexis pulled her legs up and hugged them.
"He's a player, but he's also a solid guy. He's my best friend."
"He seems like a guy you want to have in your corner," Alexis nodded.
"Always," Kevin nodded. "He gave me hell when he first found out about us."
"He didn't approve?"
"He didn't find out about us in a great way."
"Oh?" she raised a brow, "Did we sneak around for awhile?"
"A bit," Kevin nodded. "We wanted to make sure we were going to stick, and we were both a little gun shy."
"I get why you were gun shy, but why was I?" Alexis asked.
"You and Sarah Grace had gotten pretty attached to each other by the time I started showing interest in you," Kevin said. "You didn't want to hurt her if we didn't work out."
"Oh," she frowned, "She must have been crushed when I went missing."
"She was, yeah," Kevin nodded, thinking about all the nights Sarah Grace had cried herself to sleep when she thought Kevin couldn't hear.
"I came in here to answer any questions you have, not ask you more. What else do you want to know?"
"It's okay," Kevin smiled. "Do you want to know anything else?"
"Do you have a picture of her?" Alexis asked.
"Of course," Kevin reached for his wallet and pulled out the few pictures he carried.
"Oh wow," Alexis smiled. "She's beautiful."
"The first picture is with her mom. She's pretty young there," Kevin replied, "The second is with you."
"What was your wife's name?"
"Jenny," Kevin nodded.
"She was pretty," Alexis commented.
"She was an amazing woman," Kevin responded, "I still miss her."
Alexis looked at him, "I wouldn't expect anything less, especially since you have such a powerful reminder."
"What were the twins' first words?" Kevin asked.
"Colin's was badge," Alexis admitted. "I think it had something to do with all the cop shows my grandfather watches with him."
"And Cat?" Kevin asked.
"Horse," Alexis smiled. "She loves being in the barn with me. There's a picture of her and me sitting on Irish Castle."
"I'd like to see it when we have some time," Kevin replied.
"I'll pull it out first thing in the morning," Alexis smiled.
"Good, thank you," Kevin nodded.
"You don't have to ask. There are albums all over the house. Just pick one up."
"I'll remember you said that," Kevin replied.
"Cat is a little princess, and she knows it. She poses for the camera any chance she gets," Alexis laughed.
"That's so your grandma," Kevin laughed.
"Is it?" Alexis smiled, "Glad to have solve the mystery. I was pretty sure it didn't come from me."
"What's Colin's personality like?" Kevin asked.
"He's easy going, but he always sticks up for Cat. We go to this park down the road. Sometimes one of the little boys bothers Cat, so Colin steps in."
"Even at eighteen months, he's protective of his sister," Kevin smiled, "Definitely has a bit of Ryan in him."
"What's your family like?"
"Big," Kevin replied, "Typical Irish Catholic. Lots of girls, not so many boys. Sarah Grace has a lot of cousins to play with."
"She must like that," Alexis smiled.
"Oh yeah," he nodded, "Dress up is a regular activity at Ryan family gatherings."
"Your parents? What are they like?"
"Dad was a cop," Kevin smiled.
"So law enforcement is a family business," Alexis concluded.
"Yeah, something like that."
"You said he was a cop. Is he retired?" Alexis asked.
"No, he's gone. He died a year before Jenny and I got married."
"I'm so sorry," Alexis responded.
"Thank you," Kevin nodded. "It was pretty sudden."
"What happened? If it's not too painful, that is," Alexis asked.
"Heart attack," Kevin studied his hands.
"Wow," Alexis frowned.
"Yeah," Kevin nodded. "You sent me a card."
"Seems a bit cold," Alexis replied.
"We weren't really friendly then, but you sent me a card and said you were sorry."
Alexis nodded in understanding.
"It's-"
"Did I ever witness an explosion?"
"Uh, yeah, you did," Kevin was taken aback by her question, "Your father and grandmother were held hostage at a bank. The robbers accidentally set of the explosion too soon and blew themselves up...Your grandmother and father were perfectly safe in a different part of the bank. Why do you ask?"
"I've woken up a couple of times from dreaming about that."
"It was quite traumatic," Kevin responded, "You used to have nightmares about it occasionally when you slept over."
"Did I ever have nightmares about anything else?"
"Yeah, there were a few other traumatic moments in your life," Kevin nodded slowly, "Not sure we should get into them right now though."
"Are you tired?"
"Not really."
"Then can we keep talking?"
Kevin studied her face, "What else do you dream about?"
Alexis looked down at her hands before Kevin reached out to tip her face up.
"I'm locked up in a cage," her voice waffled with fright.
Kevin nodded as he remembered that time, "You were kidnapped several years ago."
"By who?" Alexis asked.
"I never got the name," Kevin shook his head.
"The creep locked me in a cage? Did he hurt me?" she felt tears welling in her eyes.
"No," Kevin shook his head. "You weren't abused at all. We talked about it one night."
"Good," she looked away for a moment to compose herself.
"What else?" Kevin asked after a moment.
"Locked up in some strange room," Alexis stated.
"I think that was when you were kidnapped. Before the cage there was a room. You escaped from it at one point."
"Must have been quite a traumatic experience," Alexis replied.
"For everybody," Kevin nodded. "We were all wrecked."
"I've had some happy dreams too," she smiled.
"Tell me about them."
"I was in a green room with a little girl and a man with...your eyes," she realized.
"Might it have been this little girl," Kevin pulled out pictures of his daughter again.
"It might have been. I could only see the top of her head. The hair's the right color."
"A green room, huh," Kevin searched his brain for what she could possibly be referencing.
"I could hear the ocean," Alexis smiled.
"Awe, yes," Kevin suddenly remembered, "We took a trip to the Hamptons for a weekend."
"And the hotel room was green?"
"No, the bedroom we used for Sarah Grace at your dad's was green."
"My dad has a Hampton's home?" Alexis asked, "Is he rich or something?"
"He's a best-selling author," Kevin reminded her.
"Right," Alexis nodded. "You and he are good friends, I take it."
"Yeah," Kevin nodded. "It was a little touchy for a while after he found out about us."
"I bet," Alexis snorted.
"Well catching your daughter in bed with someone isn't exactly the best way to find out about a relationship."
"Oh God, really?"
"Oh yeah," he nodded, "You and me, covered by nothing put a couple of sheets and blankets."
Alexis flushed darker than her hair and looked at the floor.
"I forgot how beautiful you looked when you blushed," Kevin smiled at the sight.
"Stop," Alexis glanced at him.
"Sorry," Kevin quickly apologized, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"You didn't. It's just- you have all this knowledge, and you know how to make me blush and smile. I kind of feel a little inadequate."
"I'm more than willing to even the playing field a bit," he offered.
"And how would you do that?" she asked.
"By telling you want makes me blush," he smiled.
"Oh boy. You really want me to know that?"
"Yeah, I do," he smiled.
"Do tell," she baited him.
"Mentioning anything having to do with our sex life does the trick most of the time," Kevin admitted.
"Really?" Alexis nodded. "Okay."
"Anything else you want to ask me tonight?" Kevin asked.
"How do you like your eggs?"
"Scrambled with a lot of cheese," he replied.
"Okay," Alexis nodded. "I will see you in the morning.
"Alexis," he called after her when she turned to leave.
"Yeah," she turned towards him.
"Sleep well," he smiled.
"You too," she smiled. "Sweet dreams."
After leaving Kevin's room, she stopped in the nursery to check on the children. Both were sound asleep.
After she went to her own room, she dropped onto her bed and looked at the ceiling, thinking of a smile and blue eyes. The smile and blue eyes had been haunting her dreams for years without a name or face to put with them. Now that she had a name and a face, she had so many more questions.