“Oh. Well, you just seemed larger than usual.”

Two could play at that game. “Still shopping in the children’s section?”

The old dig got the same old response. Mimi’s button nose scrunched up and she puffed out her cheeks. “Better than shopping in the boys’ section.”

“I’m not as sensitive about my washboard figure as you are about your vertically challenged state.”

“At least I’m not – ”

“This has been such a refreshing conversation, Mimi – ” Lex nabbed her latte as the barista slid it onto the pick-up shelf. “But we do have that mutual avoidance clause in our relationship. We’d better abide by it.” Lex lumbered away.

No, she didn’t lumber, she walked with athletic grace. And her height usually did her a bit of good on her Asian coed volleyball team. She wouldn’t let Mimi bring out that childish insecurity again.

Back at the table, Trish didn’t even turn her laser-beam gaze from Mimi, who still waited on her mocha freeze – which wouldn’t add an inch to her little curvy body…

Stop it, stop it, stop it. “Trish, why are you and Mimi like Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran?”

“Huh?”

She’d descended into SportsCenter cant again. “Never mind. Oil and water. You and Mimi are like oil and water.” Not that Lex got along any better with Mimi, but Lex didn’t have the burning desire to tackle her every time she came into sight.

“She’s a cat.” Trish hissed like one.

“She’s beneath you. You’re being juvenile.”

“I’m being bitter. There’s a difference.”

“So she dated one of your numerous boyfriends. Get over it.”

“Not just one of my boyfriends. It’s become her personal mission to steal every boyfriend away from me. Every time I bring a guy to family events, she’s all over him.”

“Oh, come on. Not every guy.”

“I can list at least six who dumped me as soon as they met her, and then dated her within two weeks of our breakup.” Trish pinned Lex with a challenging glare.

Lex couldn’t really argue against stats. “Well, you forget one small detail. They all dump Mimi too. She still bothers you, why?”

“It’s the principle.”

“It’s your inflated ego. Go lead on yet another boy, revel in your seductive muse power, and move on, sister.”

“Your powers of empathy astound me.”

“Heads up. The brat’s coming back for more.” Why was Mimi approaching them again? Idiot. This time, Lex wouldn’t break up the catfight. Her money was on Trish.

Mimi sauntered close to the glass table and leaned in between the two of them. “So Lex, why does that guy keep staring at you?”

“What?”

Mimi nodded her head toward the other end of the shop.

“The guy with the newspaper?” Trish didn’t bother to keep her voice down. “That’s silly.”

“His newspaper is upside down.” Mimi shifted onto one hip and buffed her glittering extensions against her sparkly top.

Lex squinted. “Are you sure?”

Trish squinted too. “You can see better.”

Mimi exhaled a frustrated sigh. “Trust me, it’s upside down.”

“Well, I can’t see his face.” Lex leaned left and right but couldn’t see around the newspaper.

“If we stare at him long enough, maybe he’ll drop the paper.”

The three of them bored holes into the paper for a whole minute. They probably looked like idiots. Or actors trying out for Cyclops in the new X-Men Broadway play.

“This is stupid.” Lex blinked her burning eyes.

“I agree.” Trish swiveled away. “Mimi, don’t you have somewhere to be? Like Timbuktu?”

Mimi’s tinkling laughter rang out. “Oh, you’re so original, Trish. By the way, I saw your mom putting flowers on Grandpa’s grave yesterday. She came all by herself, poor Aunty.” To belie the dig about Trish’s lack of filial duty, Mimi’s mouth pulled down into a puckering frown.

Trish bristled. “I was working. Not all of us are still in school. Some of us graduated in four years.”

Mimi tossed that annoying ponytail. “Oh, well. That’s good. I mean, after all, unlike you guys, I have plenty of time.”

Trish’s face turned into a persimmon.

An electronic trill broke through the tension. Lex dove for her cell phone like a lifeline. She glanced at the caller ID. “Hi, Kin-Mun!” Lex noticed Trish’s face cooled down a bit as she listened. Except stupid Mimi didn’t move away.

“Lex, I have to cancel for Saturday night. Something else came up.”

Lex could have sworn she smelled something like day-old sushi. “What something?”

“Work stuff.”

“Oh.” Her heartbeat slowed down from frantic to disappointed. “Maybe next week -?”

“Sure. I gotta go.”

“Okay. See y – ”

“Oh, wait, can I talk to Kin-Mun?” Mimi snatched the phone out of Lex’s slack grip.

“Hey!” Lex clawed at her phone.

Mimi danced out of the way. “Just a sec.”

“You don’t even know Kin-Mun.”

“Sure I do. We met a couple weeks ago.” Mimi spoke into the phone. “Hi, Kin-Mun?”

Lex took an angry sip of latte. If she didn’t keep her hand occupied, she might slap her cousin.

“Yeah, it’s Mimi. Are we still on for Saturday night?”

Aiden Young peeked over the edge of the newspaper just in time to see the thin girl spew coffee all over Trish.

“Aaack!” Trish leaped up and flapped her hands. “This is new! That was coffee! Leeex!”

Aiden hid behind the paper again. Trish, the drama queen.

“Trish, you’re such a drama queen.” The tall, slender girl – Lex? -had a deeper voice than Trish, but he heard an uncertain quaver in it that hadn’t been there before. He peeked over the newspaper.

Lex thrust out her hand at the junior high girl. “Phone.”

“But I’m – ”

“Now.”

The young girl jumped at Lex’s bark, but then rolled her eyes as she finished her conversation on the phone. “Sorry, Kin-Mun – ”

Lex snatched the phone away and snapped it shut. Her face was as gray as a thundercloud. With the other hand, she propelled Trish toward the restroom at the far end of the coffee shop.

Now was his chance. Aiden flapped the paper shut, picked up his coffee, and hustled out the door.

From the parking lot, Spenser waved as he activated his car alarm.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Talk about rotten luck. Aiden intercepted him in the middle of a parking stall. “Let’s go to Peet’s Coffee instead.”

“No, I did an extra hard workout today just so I could have a caramel mocha freeze.” Spenser flashed his toothy, little-boy grin as he walked past Aiden and yanked open the glass door.

Maybe Trish would stay in the bathroom with that girl while Spenser ordered.

The junior high girl with the long ponytail passed him as he headed back into the shop, her eyes smoky beneath half-closed lids. Up close, he realized she wasn’t as young as he first thought – she looked about college-age. Her mature gaze seemed appraising, and she looked like she might stop and speak to him. He brushed past her and followed Spenser to the counter.

“Caramel mocha freeze with extra whipped cream.” Spenser rolled the syllables with relish.

Aiden lounged against the drink pickup counter with his back to the restrooms. Hopefully they wouldn’t come out soon, and if they did, he hoped Trish wouldn’t recognize him.

Spenser approached the pickup counter, stuffing bills into his wallet. “So, how ya been?”

“I’m good.” He was still too flustered to spill the news – that he’d seen that spoiled flirt Trish, months after they’d finished physical therapy for her shoulder, and that he’d been instantly floored by the gorgeous girl with her.

He could still see her in his mind’s eye – Trish’s sister? Cousin? With her smooth, athletic grace, that beautiful face. But would she be another hypocritical Christian like Trish?

Spenser gave him a sharp look. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. How’s your son?”

Spenser sighed. “At his mom’s house this weekend.” He tapped a quick rhythm on the pickup counter. “So did you read that article I emailed to you?”