Alexis recognized one of Tyler's songs, Goodbye Girl, as his melodic voice filled the air. The images were all of Alexis. Baby Alexis. Alexis and Betsy at the park. Alexis and her family at the beach. She wore a huge smile in every photo.
"I am going to assume you had some help with this or you have scary skills I would rather not know about."
Tyler expressed an inch with his fingers. Maybe a bit of help.
The photos moved to Alexis in high school. Alexis running a yearbook committee meeting. Alexis on the soccer field, even one where she'd posed with Paige and two other girls. Alexis on the front steps of school, writing in a red notebook. When a more recent photo flashed onscreen of a professional-looking Alexis, she shot him a quizzical look.
Tyler shrugged. "Your LinkedIn profile shot."
The film finished with a photo of Alexis's head superimposed on King Kong's body at the top of the Empire State Building. Without waiting for her disapproving look,
Tyler offered, "Your Facebook profile shot."
She crossed her arms and eyed him suspiciously. "You know I'm not on
Facebook."
The music faded. Alexis remained fixed on the screen, her mind flooded with all the old images. Tyler turned off the projector and patiently awaited a response.
Emotions flowed through her. "When did you have time for this?" she asked in a small voice.
"You make time for the things you love," he said. Slowly, he traced her jawline with his finger. "And the people."
She gazed up at him, her hazel eyes shining with tears. "Did you write Goodbye
Girl about me?"
He nodded. "Years ago. And Mermaid's Kiss. You inspired a lot of my music."
She shook her head in disbelief. "But why me? You didn't know me, not really.
What if you only love some high school boy's idea of me?"
He sat down beside her and cupped her chin in his hand. "I am in love with you,
Alexis MacAdams, the woman with a hard shell exterior, but a soft, gooey center."
"So, basically, you think I'm a Cadbury egg," she remarked, managing a smile.
"I do love chocolate."
After a brief moment of silence, Alexis decided to take the plunge. Tyler deserved to know the truth and she was ready to tell him.
"I told you I was married," she said and inhaled deeply. "What I didn't tell you, what I couldn't bring myself to say, is that he died."
She stared at the floor as the entire story tumbled out. Mark's accident on their anniversary, her miscarriages, her inability to make the people in her life a priority. She didn't sob this time, the way she had when she told her mother. This time she felt more nervous than sad, worried what Tyler would think of her. When she finally gathered the courage to look at him, she saw only concern and sadness reflected in his azure eyes.