ALEXANDRA stood back from the front door as Felicia was leaving.

“See you later, Alex.” Felicia waved with a wiggle of her fingers, and stepped through the open door.

Alexandra couldn’t shut it behind her fast enough. It was time for damage control. She had a new problem. She still believed her ‘Alex Roberts’ cover was a brilliant way to hide out in plain sight. That wasn’t the issue. The problem was she hadn’t stopped to think about what a shock it would be to her father, once he became aware of her gender-bending antics. Half-hour earlier, he had asked Felicia where his daughter was. Felicia apologetically explained that Lexxi was in France. Thankfully, Alexandra overheard the interaction. She stepped in just in time to distract Felicia before she noticed Dad’s confusion.

It was bad enough she fell asleep last night when Bash was over. Yes, she was really comfortable around him, but falling asleep like that? She had no idea what came over her. Now that Felicia was gone, Alexandra hurried back to the dining room. Dad was sitting up in bed. He pulled his oxygen mask off his nose and mouth. The scowl on his face was impossible to miss now.

“Before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me explain, Daddy.”

“I’m not judging you, Alexandra,” he said, huffing out a labored breath. “I just want to know what the hell is going on with you. And who is Alex Roberts?”

She asked him to put the oxygen mask back in place. He obliged, still scowling. Alexandra sat on the chair next to his bed.

“It’s really not what you think, Dad. I had to get out of Beverly Hills without the media or paparazzi following me. If I didn’t try to keep them away somehow, coming home would have been a nightmare. They would have been all over us, and I didn’t want that while you were in hospital. It was like a costume at the beginning. It worked so well, I kept it up.”

His eyes lit up. He lifted the oxygen mask again and laughed, shaking his head and cocking it to one side. “That was a smart move, Alexandra. Risky as hell, but very imaginative.”

She smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. He was in on it now, and she was suddenly aware that she needed to bring him completely up to speed before he blew her cover. “When I got the call from Rosa telling me you were in the hospital, I cut my hair and made arrangements to get here. You should’ve seen me, Dad. It took everything in me to let Lilly cut it off. I just couldn’t see an alternative. The media would be camped outside the house, and paparazzi would try to sneak into your hospital room. I don’t regret doing it either, Daddy. It’s been forever since I could walk the mall or pass through an airport without being recognized. My hair will grow back. Plus, I like the look, actually. But you need to help me keep it up. The story is that I’m your nephew, Alex Roberts. I’m here to take care of you while you’re sick.”

“And people are actually buying this?” he asked skeptically.

“So far, so good. I mean, Felicia keeps hitting on me, so, yeah.” She held on to her father’s hands and smiled. “I’m sure it’s hard for you to see me like this, but it’s still all me. And I’m free again, Dad. Who would have known it was this easy to fool the world?”

“It definitely takes some audacity to pull that off.”

She took it as a compliment. Maxwell Storme had always been gutsy.

He grinned at her through the oxygen mask, then lifted it again. “I’ve been a lot more clear-headed the last day or so, Alexandra. Or should I call you Alex?”

“Let’s stick to Alex so you don’t slip up with one of the nurses.”

“Fine. What I was trying to tell you is I’ve watched you. I’m worried about you, Alex.”

“You’re worried about me? Why?”

“I think you spend too much time hovering over me. I’m glad you’re home, honey, but you need some time to unwind. Go on. Reconnect with some of your old friends. Get outside for fresh air. At least enjoy some of your time back here.”

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea, Daddy. I don’t want anyone tipping off the media.”

“I’m better now, kiddo. You should get out a bit.”

She looked away, thinking about it. A crooked smile turned up slightly on her lips. Her mind wandered to Bash, who said something similar when he invited her to that speed dating thing.

She shrugged. “I don’t really know anyone else out here.”

“Probably because you haven’t stopped to get out and see them.”

“I lost touch with a lot of my friends from high school. Besides, I don’t mind being here at home with you. I haven’t spent nearly enough time with you in the past few years. It’s something I realized when…when we were all worried you wouldn’t make it.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know it takes more than a common cold to knock me down.”

“Dad, you had way more than a common cold.”

The pneumonia took a drastic toll on him. She wasn’t about to downplay it now that he was out of the woods. Her eyes scanned him carefully. His complexion was back to its normal medium tone. His salt-and-pepper hair spilled across his high forehead. There was a faint blueness to his eyelids. He needed to keep wearing his oxygen mask. Other than that, he looked so much better than he had when he first came home.

“You know what I mean,” he waved dismissively. “It won’t be long now. Soon I’ll be out of this uncomfortable bed and back on my feet. Just remember this, Alexandra. I’m not looking forward to having you on my heels, treating me like I’m fragile when I’m better.”

“But Dad—”

“Yes, honey. I get it. You were worried. I’m better now.”

He held up his hands, inhaling deeply. Alexandra pulled the mask over his face again, and anxiously gave him a minute to catch his breath. He had used up too much energy trying to have this conversation with her. This was the most he had spoken since he came home, and he was wasting his time and energy. There was nothing Dad could tell her—she wasn’t leaving the house while he was still sick.

She had to be a peacemaker right now. The stubborn man wasn’t going to stop. He pulled off the mask again. This time she didn’t say a word, trying to appear patient. She listened so he wouldn’t have to talk over her, or for too long.

“You were never this clingy, kiddo,” he continued. “And I don’t want you to start that now.”

She nodded, conceding for now.

“I’m fine, Alex. I’m well. There’s got to be something you can do other than dote on me.”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I haven’t been a complete hermit. Your neighbor Bash has been good company.”

“Has he now?” There was a twinkle in his eye, and a quizzical twitch to his lips that she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“In fact…” she said slowly, making up her mind as she spoke, “he invited me to hang out with him this weekend. I might actually go, if it will make you feel better. I can’t say I like the idea, but the nurse will be here. Just know that if I go, it’s because you’re forcing me to.”

She gave him her best indignant smirk.

“And how does the country singer feel about it?”

She grimaced.

Wilkes.

The cheating bastard.

Her father wouldn’t have known a thing about their breakup. Not in the mood to rehash the sordid details, she simply told him, “It’s nothing romantic. Bash and I are just friends…and Wilkes is out of the picture.”

Accepting her ambiguous response, her father’s eyes fluttered shut. He was all talked out. She took that as her cue to end the conversation. She put the oxygen mask on his face again, kissed his cheek and slipped out without saying another word. He needed to get some rest. Before she even made it to the threshold, she heard him snoring gently. She looked back at him with a satisfied smile, happy to finally have her father back. Soon he would be healthier and back to his old self. She couldn’t wait for Rosa to get back and see for herself.

Of course, now that she had Dad’s go ahead—insistence actually—she would tell Bash yes. She was still hesitant about a night of speed dating, though. She was agreeing to introduce herself to women, for starters, going as ‘Alex’, which was worse, and would probably end up eyeing Bash the whole time. She convinced herself that at least she wasn’t telling him no at the last minute.

She stopped in the middle of the hallway past the dining room.

Looks like I have a date.

Kind of.

* * *

What would a guy wear if he didn’t want to be noticed, but didn’t want to look like he didn’t want to be noticed?

Alexandra tapped her chin with her forefinger, arms crossed. She was figuring out what to wear on speed date night. What she really wanted to do was speed date Bash one-on-one.

Too bad that couldn’t happen.

She began to anticipate all types of new hurdles ahead.

Shit. I’ll be watching other women throw themselves at Bash…and possibly at me too.

Felicia’s not-so-subtle advances came to mind, and she shivered.

She had no clue about how speed dating actually worked. She had only seen it in the movies, and they always made it look like the worst, most desperate thing a person could do with their love life. It was strange that such a sizzling hot firefighter like Bash Sullivan had to take such lengths to pick up women. He had said his coworkers set him up. She couldn’t picture Evangeline doing something like that to her. Then again, maybe she could…but just for laughs.