"Listen, I can be finished in an hour. Do you want to hang around and take a walk after? Catch up. I'd love to hear about your life in the real world."
There was no way he was letting her walk out of the bar without trying to make an impression. He was older and wiser and had known enough women to realize that, for him, Alexis MacAdams remained the gold standard.
Alexis took a deep swig of her whiskey and, to her own amazement, found herself agreeing. It wasn't like her to participate in idle chit-chat, certainly not with a guy from high school she couldn't remember. On the other hand, the more hours she spent here were fewer hours she'd have to spend feeling uncomfortable in her parents' house. A win-win as far as she was concerned.
Under a moonless sky, Alexis and Tyler strolled through Costa Azul, deep in conversation. Talking to him was easy and pleasant, a far cry from the type of conversations Alexis had with her family.
"London sounds incredible," he told her. "I'd like to go someday."
"If you like New York, then you'd definitely like it. Parts of it, anyway. New
York and London are soul sisters, I think."
"Then London is the much cooler, much older sister."
"I think New York would be happy as the hipper, younger sister," she said.
"Ha! As far as I can tell, New York's never happy about anything," Tyler joked, recalling a particular visit that involved an angry Mets fan and a dislocated jaw.
"It should sample a grim London winter and thank its lucky stars and stripes."
"You seem to like New York," he remarked. "Why did you move across the ocean? You could have been a three hour flight from your family instead of a transatlantic one."
Alexis shrugged. "Opportunity knocked and I answered." She didn't want to get into details, especially not with someone who never moved off the island. She doubted he would understand her need to escape.
"Do you like being a lawyer?" he asked. "I can't imagine myself at a desk all day. Too constraining." His broad shoulders twitched uncomfortably at the thought.
"It has its advantages," Alexis admitted.
"Like what, a fat paycheck to cover an inflated mortgage and a pricey foreign car?" Tyler scoffed. "No thanks, I live in paradise without signing my life away. The cost of living is decent. I own my home. I surf, kayak, and play music every chance I get. It's a damn good life."
"Don't you want to make it big, though? Is playing in bars on Mangrove Island enough for you?" Alexis asked.