by K. A. Linde
He shook his head as if to show that he would still remain silent, as she had asked. His hand came up and tapped her lightly on the nose. She turned her face back to him in surprise and she watched his eyes roam her face. She knew what he was saying without a word spoken from him. She was the view…not the sunset.
Suddenly, she couldn’t hold back any longer, and she giggled uncontrollably. His eyebrows knitted together as he attempted to understand the joke.
“You think that’s going to work on me? Does that work on other women?” she asked incapable of keeping her giggles to herself.
Brandon gasped and clenched his chest as if wounded. “Of course it works,” he said after a minute his cocky smile returning.
“Well not on me,” Lexi said rolling her eyes.
“Perhaps,” he conceded, “But I almost had you.”
“Not a chance,” she countered. “Anyway, aren’t you here with Jessie?”
Brandon rolled his gorgeous blue eyes to the ceiling at that. “That girl is harder to shake off than anyone I’ve met. Stage five clinger,” he muttered reverting to language from Wedding Crashers. “She invited me here, yes, but I came more out of spite than anything.”
“Ah yes, your dislike of my boyfriend,” she said remembering their earlier conversation at Bridges Enterprise.
“And now people actually know you have this claimed boyfriend,” he said reminding her of the painfully humiliating day when she had stormed through Bridges as Ramsey’s girlfriend who no one knew or acknowledged. “And anyway, he dislikes me not the other way around,” he said with a nonchalant shrug as if he had the world at his feet.
“Perhaps you deserve it,” she said quickly, uncertain of the history between them.
Brandon laughed boisterously at her reply. “He’s got you wrapped around his little finger doesn’t he? Ramsey Bridges can do no wrong,” he said mockingly. “The Golden Boy. I don’t know how he does it so easily…and with brilliant women no less.”
“What are you talking about?” Lexi snapped, quickly becoming serious.
“Oh, nothing,” he said patting her head like a child. “Don’t fret your pretty little head over me. I deserve everything I get, right?”
“Brandon, what are you going on about?” she demanded more firmly this time.
“I’m afraid, love, you’ll find out with time. No need for me to spoil your fun.”
He clearly knew he had done just that by the look on her face. He laughed again at her anger. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re sexy when angry?” he asked leaning forward into her charmingly.
Immediately, all emotion lapsed from her face. She had been told more times than she could count. A chill went down her spine at the similarities between Brandon and Jack. Yet she didn’t feel for Brandon what she had ever felt around Jack. Brandon was a charmer out for one thing, and he seemed pretty successful.
The difference was he wasn’t going to succeed with her.
“Have you been with every woman at this party?” she asked abruptly changing the subject.
“You’re still up for grabs,” he said smirking.
“Besides me!” she cried.
“Enough. The ones that interest me,” he allowed.
“And what interests you? Boobs? Butt? Do you even need that?” she asked insulting his good taste.
“That hurts. I’m hitting on you, and you have both,” he said merrily.
“Well, stop hitting on me. You’re getting nowhere. Go hit on someone easier, because I’m a lost cause,” she told him up front.
“But you interest me,” he confessed.
“Well, I’m spoken for.”
“How medieval!” he cried. “Soon you’ll be betrothed and all that.”
Lexi reflexively gagged at the idea. Not that she was necessarily against it, but all engagements meant to her were headaches, heartbreak, and disappointment. She didn’t even want to think about that.
“Ahh…even more interesting. A woman gagging at the thought of marriage,” he said intrigued. “That’s a new one for me.”
Lexi shrugged not wanting to go down that road. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Anything, doll,” he agreed immediately his face brightening.
“Well, one, don’t call me doll,” she told him.
“Fine, you’re honey to me now,” he cooed.
She rolled her eyes, but knew a lost cause when she saw one. “And two, Pookie, can you not chase me?” she pleaded.
He kept his face neutral as if he had been prepared for rejection. “But Hoooooooney…”
“Now, Pookie, I just got into town, I’m moving in with my boyfriend, and my best friend is going to Milan for the summer. I need a…a friend.”
“A friend?” he asked warily as if he had heard of the dreaded friend zone and was terrified of even the word.
“Yes, a friend. Someone I can hang out with, and confide in, and do stuff with without thinking they’re going to jump me at the first chance. And I think you’re it.”
“I don’t do the friend thing,” he told her.
“Well, there’s a first for everything,” she told him a big smile crossing her face.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” he asked grudgingly.
“Nope…Pookie…”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Honey.”
The back door swung open unexpectedly. “There you are,” Ramsey called as he opened the door. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” He eyed Brandon warily. It was clear by his clenched fists and stiff body that he didn’t trust or like him. He looked prepared to pounce at a moment’s notice.
“Sorry, I needed some air,” she said walking up to him and touching his arm reassuringly. No need for him to freak out about them being alone together. She wasn’t that girl anymore, and anyways Brandon Calloway was no Jack Howard.
“Well, everyone’s heading out, and I thought you would want to say goodbye,” he said finally meeting her sweet brown eyes.
“I would. Thanks for coming to get me,” she said walking past him and through the door. Brandon followed behind her smirking at Ramsey as he walked past. Lexi said good-bye to the crowd and watched as most of them drunkenly stumbled out of the apartment. Brad and Jason had disappeared with their dates upstairs, and Lexi hoped that she didn’t hear from them the rest of the night.
Chyna walked up to her and gave her a hug. “Congrats, girl! We’re going to head back to our hotel now,” Chyna said with a wink.
Lexi shook her head, but couldn’t help but laugh. She had the same thing in mind as soon as everyone else evacuated the premises. “Have fun. You’ll be here tomorrow?” she asked hopefully.
“Nah, we’re going to take the early flight back to New York. He has work, and I have to start packing for Milan,” she told her excitement evident in her voice.
“Oh, come on, Chyna, you know you’re not going to do any packing.”
Chyna just shrugged. “You know me too well.”
“I’m going to miss you,” Lexi said wrapping her up in another hug. “Let me know you’re safe.”
“Will do, chica,” Chyna said kissing her cheek and stepping back. Adam gave Lexi a quick hug. “Take care.”
“I will. Bye,” she said watching the last guests disappear.
She sighed as quiet finally settled over the apartment. Turning around she looked for Ramsey, but realized that he must have disappeared upstairs while she had been talking with Chyna. She hadn’t even realized it.
“Hey you,” she said walking into his bedroom. “What are you doing up here?”
“Giving you some time to say goodbye,” he said turning around to face her.
Lexi saw the same tension in his shoulders as when he had walked outside and found her talking with Brandon. She knew that he must be dwelling on it, and she didn’t want him to feel like that. There was absolutely nothing between her and Brandon.
“Ramsey, you know I’m yours, right?” she asked quietly, after a minute of si
lence.
“Of course,” he said reaching out for her and pulling her into his chest.
“I just…I just don’t want you to feel like you have anything to worry about,” she continued on. “You know my past, but that’s all it is…the past.” The last words were just a breath as she got them out.
“I know, Lexi. I know,” he said stroking her long brown hair.
“I’m serious, Ramsey,” she said a bit more forceful as she pushed back to stare up into his green eyes.
“I know you are, sweetheart,” he said leaning down and brushing his lips against her. “And my uneasiness doesn’t originate from you.”
“So, are you going to tell me what happened between you two?” she asked studying him carefully.
“Look that stuff doesn’t matter. He’s just…not a good person,” he said carefully.
“I’ve heard the same thing about you before,” she reminded him.
“This is different.”
“How?” she asked unable to see a clear distinction.
“I’m not actually a bad guy and he is,” he said as if it were obvious.
“I can’t see that.”
“That’s because you don’t really know him yet. And you shouldn’t get to know him,” he warned. “Lexi, please, tell me you won’t keep talking to him.”
“No, Ramsey. I’m not going to do that,” she said firmly. “You have nothing to worry about from Brandon. Whatever happened is in the past, and I don’t want you to think that there is any reason to hide me from the world.”
“That’s not what I’m trying to do,” he said quickly. “You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“Well, tell me,” she said exasperated.
“Look, it doesn’t matter,” he said shaking it off. “You are what matters. I know Brandon, and the way he operates. He’ll do anything to get close to you. Please, promise to stay away from him?”
“I already told you that I’m not going to do that. I’ll be extra careful around him, but it’s not the end of the world. Promise me you won’t get angry with me,” she begged.
He sighed heavily and dropped his head to her tiny shoulder. “You make things so difficult,” he complained.
“You’re the one imposing rules for who I can hang out with,” she said sharply…a little sharper than she had even anticipated.
“You’re right,” he said straightening. “Of course, you’re right. I have my reservations, but they are my own. You’re free to see whoever you want. But if he lays one hand on you or says one thing out of line,” he warned, “You let me know.”
Lexi nodded solemnly and hoped that she would never have to take him up on the offer.
PRESENT
Alone. All alone with Bekah.
Lexi really wished that she could disappear right then. She hadn’t meant to be left alone with her, but she hadn’t realized that Kersey had left during the discussion about the list.
“Lexi?” Bekah asked, obviously not getting the mental waves of rejection that were pouring off of Lexi.
Not seeing any way to avoid speaking with her, Lexi turned her body back to Bekah. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for coming out tonight,” she said a smile appearing on her face.
Lexi’s danger senses immediately started tingling. She had never been around Bekah when she was drunk, but that didn’t automatically make her a human being. “Okay,” Lexi said, trying to fight the buzz that said to just let it go.
“I mean, since Parker is so busy, it was great to have someone be able to fill in for her on such short notice,” Bekah said. “She has so much ahead of her. She’s really going places.”
Lexi’s hand clenched the edge of the bar. She didn’t need to hear any of this about Parker. She knew she was going places. She knew she was smart and a brilliant doctor, despite being one of the youngest in the profession. She didn’t need Bekah to tell her any of this. And the alcohol was making her feisty.
“So, thanks,” Bekah said.
“Sure,” Lexi forced out.
“And hey, I want you to know that there are no hard feelings about what you told me last year,” Bekah said all smiles and giggles.
Lexi looked at her as if she had sprouted wings and had begun to fly. How dare she ever bring last year up to her! Not to mention claiming she had no hard feelings, as if Lexi hadn’t been the one screwed over in the end by the sack of shit, lying, manipulative bitch in front of her.
“I know you were just saying all of that about you and Jack to get a rise out of me and to make me jealous. But that’s in the past now,” Bekah said reaching out and grabbing Lexi’s shoulder for support, all smiles.
Lexi steeled herself for what she was about to do. She honestly could not let this continue. She had been the bigger person. She had attempted to put the past behind her. She was coming to their fucking wedding, for Christ’s sake. Then Bekah had to go and bring all that old shit up.
Lexi sighed and wished that she hadn’t taken that last tequila shot. “No, I said all of that because it’s true,” she stated as firmly as possible. She hadn’t lied to Bekah about anything that had happened between her and Jack. They really had been perfect for each other once upon a time, and he really did lie to everyone. She had thought she was exempt at the time…so it wasn’t exactly a lie, just a truth that she had come to realize.
“Whatever you like to believe,” Bekah drawled, leaning back against the bar and looking like she was the queen of the universe in that moment.
“You can’t possibly know our history better than I do,” Lexi told her, anger threatening to overtake her buzz.
“I know that you’re second best,” Bekah slurred back, forgetting all semblance of restraint.
That stung and Lexi knew it was meant to. Bekah had always despised her relationship with Jack. No, she had always been jealous of what they had. Any insult would just be coming from a jealous woman, and Lexi reminded herself of that to keep her focus.
“Not with your brother,” Lexi spat back at her. She had been with Ramsey for nearly a year, which Bekah had approved of nearly as much as she approved of Lexi seeing Jack. And even if they were on the rocks now, it didn’t mean that she couldn’t still hold her head high. Their relationship was built on more than Bekah and Jack’s. That much was plainly clear.
Bekah gritted her teeth. “And look at how well that’s going…” she said looking her up and down as if she were some low life tramp.
“You know nothing about my relationship,” Lexi growled getting even more riled up.
Bekah whisked her blond hair over her shoulder. “You think the world revolves around you, which shows how little you really know about my brother. The only thing Ramsey has ever really cared about is himself. You are no different. I’ve been there his whole life. I will always know and understand him better than you ever could. You’re just a fling among many.”
Lexi didn’t even want to touch that line of conversation. Bekah would always think she knew Ramsey better. Arguing that wasn’t going to help her. “Well, I’ve known Jack much longer than you. Does the same logic apply?” Lexi asked a glint of victory in her eye. She knew that Bekah couldn’t come back from that. She had used her own argument against her, and Lexi didn’t care how brilliant Bekah was supposed to be, that was a hard logic to get around.
“Jack’s different,” she answered immediately.
“Of course he is.”
“I’m marrying him,” she growled throwing her left hand out for examination.
Lexi stared at the ring in front of her. Now that she had it so close, she could see that it was, in fact, a duplicate as he had promised. There was just something about the ring that was too…modern. The silver was too polished. The diamonds perhaps a bit too large for the enclosures and the shape just a bit too perfect. It was the delicate simplicity and raw original manufacturing of the ring Jack had given to Lexi that had made it so unique. This was not that ring. That much was finally clear to her.
And th
en she knew what she wanted to say in that moment as Bekah stood with her engagement ring for full display. The ring—the fake ring—was just as much of a sham as their relationship.
“It’s fake,” Lexi said never taking her eyes from the glittering diamonds. She had been thinking it, but had never meant for the words to actually slip out.
“What?” Bekah gasped, pulling her hand back as if it had been burned.
There was no turning back now. “It’s fake,” she repeated.
“I am marrying him,” Bekah said not fully understanding the gravity of her statement.
“No. The ring,” Lexi stated simply.
“What about my ring?” she asked turning her hand over to examine it more closely.
“You heard me. Your ring is fake,” Lexi spat, feeling a release of all the pent up frustration.
“It’s not a fake!” Bekah gasped.
“Are you sure?” Lexi asked arching an eyebrow.
“What? You think I haven’t had it appraised?” she asked, revealing the true depths of her shallowness.
Lexi scoffed at her statement. It would have never crossed her mind to get it appraised. The diamonds couldn’t have been more real. A closer inspection was hardly necessary. It was pretty clear that it was an expensive engagement ring. “For quality and cost, right?” Lexi asked.
Bekah examined the ring on her hand for a second before answering Lexi. “Of course. The ring cost a fortune. Every diamond is authentic.”
“What about the authenticity of the ring itself?” Lexi asked knowing the she likely hadn’t considered that for she had never thought that he wouldn’t have given her the original ring. “Has that ring on your finger been around since before World War II?” she asked grabbing her hand and staring at the ring again. She knew it wasn’t, but her drunken state wasn’t allowing her any discretion. “Has this ring survived Jack’s grandmother as he always claimed it did?”
“Of course,” Bekah said with less confidence than before. She stared forward at Lexi who was still examining the ring.
“No, it hasn’t, because this isn’t that ring. It’s a duplicate,” Lexi told her gritting her teeth against the reality of her statement. Because no matter how much this was going to hurt Bekah, this fact had already hurt Lexi more. It had been her goddamn ring.
