ALEXANDRA gasped in the main floor hallway a few minutes later. A thunderous dash down the stairs and toward the front door landed her right in Sebastian’s arms.

He let out a surprised grunt. “I heard a noise and was coming up to see if you fell. What’s the big hurry, bud?”

“I can’t talk right now,” she answered, clutching the box from Rick even more tightly.

Alexandra pulled away from him and stepped closer to the front door. She had to get outside. Eva would be pulling up any second. Throwing the door wide open, she jogged down the steps, looking up and down the street. She sped along the winding walkway to the sidewalk in front of the house, and only then noticed Bash was following closely behind.

She turned and pressed a hand on his chest to stop him.

Dammit. Those sparks are still at it again.

She tried to focus. “Look, something just came up and I have to take care of it. A driver will be here to pick me up in a few minutes. I’m fine out here. Why don’t you go back inside.”

She heard the anxiety and panic in her own voice. Maybe it was over the top, but she had her reasons.

“Cool. Where are you off to?”

“I’m meeting a friend.”

“All right. Was it that person who called?”

She didn’t have time for his game of twenty questions right now, and didn’t want to lie to him anymore. She also couldn’t afford to introduce Bash to Eva just yet. It would be a disaster.

“I’ll talk to you later.” Her eyebrows came together in a pained expression, and Bash finally got the hint. He backed away from her, and turned to go back into the house.

“Should I cancel with Clint and Beth?” he asked over his shoulder. “It’s fine if you’re busy for the rest of the evening.”

“No, don’t cancel,” she replied, feeling guilty.

She thought about it for a moment. It was cutting it close, but maybe there was enough time to get Eva settled at her hotel and still make it back in time for dinner. She still could barely believe her impetuous best friend had touched down in Arizona without giving her a heads-up that she was on the way. Suddenly, a brilliant idea formed in her mind. She could capitalize on Eva’s surprise visit and make it to dinner to meet Bash’s friends.

With more certainty, she said to Bash, “Let’s all go out to dinner. Do you think your friends would mind?”

“Um, I don’t think so.”

“Great. I’ll phone you within an hour and tell you where to meet me in the city. I won’t be too far away.”

“No problem,” Bash muttered. “Do you even have my number?”

“Oh! Probably not. What is it?” Before he answered, she fished out her smartphone and unlocked it before handing it to him. “Here, put it in my contact list so I don’t lose it.”

“Sure,” he said, taking the phone. “I’ll put it under Bash.”

“No problem.”

When he was finished, she practically grabbed the phone from his hand. “I’ve got to go.”

“Talk to you later, Alex.”

A sleek black limousine eased around the curb the minute Bash got inside and closed the front door. Thanking her lucky stars, she hurried back down the sidewalk to meet the car as her plan began to take shape.

Things are coming to a head.

In one move, she could make it so Alex Roberts wouldn’t need to fade into obscurity, Bash wouldn’t have to be kept in the dark, and her true fans would know she had a heart where her family was concerned.

Lexxi Rock is going to show up at dinner with Evangeline Reese!

It was perfect, actually. She would make the time to pull Bash aside before dinner and tell him what she had been doing all along—dressed as Lexxi—and let the chips fall as they might. He was bringing his friends, so it wasn’t likely that Bash would be upset or cause a scene. Plus, he had mentioned they were Lexxi Rock fans, so they would be thrilled to meet her. They’d probably see Bash as their hero for introducing them. On top of all that, the media was sure to show up the second she presented herself in that purple wig, and with Eva, no less. It was a win-win-win all round.

The limousine stopped, and Eva leaned out, shouting a hearty hello as the driver came around to open the passenger door. “I thought you’d let me meet the sexy firefighter, Lex,” she exclaimed with a cheeky grin.

“You will!” she told her, stepping inside. Alexandra chuckled breathlessly, relieved at escaping Bash without a mishap. She set the box aside and had a good look at Eva. Reaching across the wide seat. She gave her a warm hug. “I’m so happy to see you, hun.”

“Me too, love.”

“You could have given me a heads up you were coming!”

Eva laughed. “What fun would that be? There’s no flair in the predictable, dear. You know how much I love making an entrance.”

“I forgot who I was dealing with,” Alexandra teased. “On the topic of being unpredictable, I just had the most brilliant aha moment!”

“Good God. More unpredictable than cutting your hair, dressing like a guy for a month and falling for your neighbor? Oh my God, look at you! Your hair! I absolutely love it, Lex. It’s so you.”

“Thanks hun.”

“Tell me all about it,” Eva bubbled. “I want to hear everything.”

The limo smoothly accelerated away, with Alexandra looking back to see Sebastian’s house shrink in the growing distance. She returned her attention to Eva, and self-consciously ran a hand through her unruly curls.

“Do you really like it?”

“I do. Maybe I can do something like that too. I’d need a perm for sure, but we would be twinning around Tucson! That would create a media frenzy for sure, love. The paparazzi would forget all about your time in France.”

“God. I can’t imagine. Anyhow, guess what’s in the box?”

Eva looked down at the parcel sitting between them. “I have no idea.”

“Rick made me a purple wig! He said it’s exactly how my hair was. I can be Lexxi Rock again. It’ll come in handy now that you’re here.”

“Excuse me for following your orders to fly out and save your ass, darling,” she said, giggling.

“I know, I know. I told you I wanted you here, and God knows I need you. Anyhow, before we get too far, you and I have got to talk strategy.”

Alexandra filled Eva in on the ride downtown to her hotel. On the way over, she sent a message to Rick, letting him know Lexxi Rock would be stepping out sooner than she had told him. Rick replied by the time Alexandra and Eva entered the hotel lobby. Eva checked in at the reception desk. Just as expected, the desk clerk recognized Eva, but not Alexandra. She was still dressed as Alex Roberts, with a baseball cap pulled low over her face, so the recognition and fanfare Eva received didn’t extend to her. It was perfect.

She hovered behind Eva like a member of her entourage, smiling secretly at the irony of hiding in plain sight. This alone made her feel better about having gone to such lengths. The female clerk turned up the hospitality, and a moment later, a smartphone camera flashed behind them, followed by a flurry of more flashes. A few people in the lobby called Evangeline’s name. It started with a soft buzz and grew to a large crowd clamoring for her attention. People even came in from the street.

“Sometimes it’s such a bother, don’t you agree?” she whispered to Alexandra, raising her eyebrows high.

Alexandra grinned and gently threw out an arm, shielding her from the building crowd and more voracious picture takers who came out of nowhere.

“Eva! Eva! Let’s go this way!” she shouted, turning to face the elevators in the distance.

A part of her got a thrill from the crush of people, the noise and the excitement around her as she pulled the baseball cap even lower down her forehead. Together, she and Eva forced their way through the lobby area. It took them an extra five to ten minutes to cut off signing autographs and smiling for fan selfies. They dashed inside an empty elevator before anyone could join them.

“Yes! We made it!” Alexandra said.

“I’m just happy I came, dear. I still can’t believe how much you’ve changed! This is going to take some getting used to.”

Alexandra chuckled. “Don’t get used to it yet. Rick tells me it might be a while before Lexxi Rock can rock this short hair look publicly.”

Eva hugged her close. “I’m so jealous, darling. I wish I could go incognito like that.”

“No doubt.”

The two stared at their reflection in the wall of mirrors around the elevator. It was an impressive contrast, with Eva dressed to the nines in a designer dress, salon-styled hair falling over her shoulders, perfect makeup and stilettos that could kill. At her side, Alexandra felt like she looked drab in comparison, in her casual t-shirt and cargo pants, running shoes, no makeup, and her black, messy head of curls.

Yet, these were superficial differences. She was the same Lexxi Rock, but no one down in the lobby gave her a second look without the carefully crafted rock star glamour. She laughed at the thought that with a snap of her fingers, Eva could probably do the same and pull it off with ease if she wanted, and that Alexandra could transform back into the rock star princess the world knew and loved. They stepped off the elevator on the top floor and walked to the suite, discussing her intentions of doing exactly that.

Eva’s ornate hotel suite instantly wooed Alexandra. “God. Now, this is what I call a penthouse!”

They went into Eva’s bedroom. Alexandra fell back on the plush oversized king bed with an appreciative moan of pleasure. “Yes…I forgot how luxurious this life can get,” she groaned.

Eva stood at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed, a speculative expression. “Now, about this idea of yours. I thought we agreed Sebastian Sullivan needs to meet you the way you are, Alexandra Storme. Don’t tell me you’re insecure about being yourself after meeting his ex?”

“This plan has nothing to do with that life-size Barbie doll.”

Eva’s smirk deepened.

Alexandra sat up defiantly. “Bash needs to see me at my best. God knows he’s already seen the lows.” She pulled out her t-shirt to illustrate, imagining the adorable shoes, dresses, and accessories she hadn’t been able to wear since she made it into Tucson. “I’m talking skinny jeans, a nice off-the-shoulder blouse and stilettos, Eva. The very idea of getting dressed up in something other than baggy shorts and button down shirts is enough to make me dance. Is it possible to have a fashion-gasm?”

Eva laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t know about that, but I bet Bash will get a thrill of his own when he finally sees you all girl-ified.”

Eva opened the box with the Lexxi Rock wig. “Wow.” She lifted it out with a soft gasp. “This is exquisite. After you try it on, I want a chance too,” she joked.

Alexandra took it gently from Eva’s hands and walked with it to the mirror in Eva’s ensuite bathroom to try it on. It took a few minutes to tuck her unruly curls underneath, but it worked. She looked just like her old self again.

Eva looked over Alexandra’s shoulder in the mirror. Lifting one eyebrow, she pursed her lips and nodded slowly. “Wow. This is definitely you.” She stood there, assessing. “Where’s my makeup bag? I may not be a makeup artist, but I know how to work the mascara and lipstick. Let’s get you dolled up and see if we can find Lexxi Rock something to wear from the stuff I brought. Are you sure this is what you want?”

She glanced at the mirror again. “Yes. Let’s do this. I can’t wait to show up at dinner and surprise him. After that, it won’t take too long to come back over here and change back to my Alex Roberts stuff.”

“Change you back? You never said anything about changing you back. Christ, Lex.”

“Of course I have to change back. I still have to get around this city to make sure the repairs to the house get started.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe you, but okay. As long as you tell Bash the second you see him, maybe he’ll let it slide.”

“I will.”

“You’d better,” Eva said, and disappeared outside the bathroom to get her luggage.

She hurried back to Alexandra holding up two knee-length cocktail dresses. One was a frothy pink, and the other a glimmering black sequin mini-dress. Alexandra tapped her chin with her forefinger, wondering which one to try.

“What happened to skinny jeans and a blouse, Miss ‘Be Yourself’?’”

Eva grinned. “I didn’t bring anything casual, honey. Work with me here. By the way, you had better not stall tonight with Bash, or I’ll tell him myself.”

“I won’t…I’ll definitely try…crap. I’m scared out of my mind, hun!”

“Dammit, Lex. All it takes is a few seconds to pull him aside and tell him. He’ll know what’s up, and you can go back to his place with him in the loop. Why go through all this and still stall?”

Alexandra let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t understand, hun. I’ve dug myself a shallow grave, I think…I don’t know where all this hesitation and second guessing is coming from. It’s complicated.”

“You’re certainly making it that way.” Eva gave her a knowing glare.

“Do you think he’d mind if we made it a couple of drinks instead of a full sit-down dinner? I doubt I can sit through that much time without telling him, if that’s how the evening goes.”

“Christ. You can’t be serious, woman.”

“Please?”

“Whatever, darling. Drinks alone is fine with me. I’m here for you, and will get a front row seat to the fireworks, so go ahead and cave.”

“That’s some encouragement, bestie.”

“Sorry, love. You’re doing this to yourself.” Eva held each dress up in front of her. “Which one will it be?”

“I’ll go with the pink.”

“Excellent. Now, have a seat and let me get your face painted on.”

* * *

When Alexandra and Eva strolled through the lobby an hour later, they were both recognizable celebrities. People shouted for Alexandra’s attention this time, asking her to turn to the camera. The impromptu fans from earlier had been supplemented by reporters and paparazzi. Alexandra suspected that was thanks to Rick.

Damn, he works fast!

She climbed into the limousine with Eva, undeniably back to the life she had temporarily left behind, with all the pressures back on her shoulders.

“I thought I could easily slip back into things, Eva. This is harder than I imagined,” she confessed, out of breath. “Did you hear the guy in the back who asked if I suddenly grew a conscience?”

“He was an ass, honey. Besides, if you’re going back into hiding as Alex for a few days, you need to make tonight count. Any publicity is good publicity.”

“I guess.”

“You said Rick spun it that you just arrived in Tucson to be with your father, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re here. You don’t have to try to be the doting daughter, love. You already are. Don’t let the bright lights stop you from being yourself.”

“I feel like a bit of a fraud,” she whispered.

“That’s because you have been, but for good reason. You don’t owe the public any explanation. There’s only one person you have to talk to so you can set things right. Let’s go do that.”

Pulling her phone out of her clutch purse, Alexandra got ready to phone Bash.