Chapter 196

Alexi reappears, carrying a large hatbox, distracting me from my thoughts. Sitting me up with intrigue, I put my feet back on the ground to eye him warily.

“You know I don’t wear hats, right?” I point out with a tone that sounds a little condescending. Not sure why in hell he would suddenly buy me one, and despite myself, I feel stupidly disappointed. I don’t want to be ungrateful, but seriously… men don’t buy women hats. It’s plain weird. I thought he had more taste and insight than that.

Alexi carries it unusually carefully and slides it onto the table before me, pushing Lync back, who seems overly interested in it for some reason. Sniffing it rather rabidly and almost breaking my leg with his ecstatic tail wagging. Whatever the hat is made of, it excites dogs, making me even more apprehensive about what the hell it is.

Alexi sits beside me, takes over the couch, removes the tv remote from me, and discards it beside him. Looking cool as a cucumber despite my appa