by K. T. Black
It took her about an hour and a half to respond back to everyone. When she was finished, she found herself thinking about Alex, and wondering what she was doing. As her brain was flooded with naughty thoughts, she considered grabbing some things and going back over to Alex’s house. Her big bed felt so empty with only her in it. As much as she wanted to act on her impulses, she didn’t want Alex to be tired on her first day of school. If she went over, they’d end up having sex all night. That wasn’t fair to Alex when she had the freedom to begin her work day at any time.
With her computer still in her lap, Chandler found herself staring at the internet search prompt. Next thing she knew, she was typing Alex’s full name in the box. The mouse pointer hovered over the search button as she hesitated. Was it wrong to check Alex out this way? When they did talk, Alex seemed to be forthcoming about anything she wanted to know.
Before she knew what she was doing, Chandler had activated the search. Several websites came up, along with a few pictures of Alex. As soon as Chandler had opened one website, opening the others was much easier. She sorted through the libraries of Alex’s photos, which showed the men and women she’d photographed as well as the scenic and abstract shots. Alex had a talent for extracting beauty through the lens of her camera, no matter how plain the object was. No wonder they called her The Queen of Beautiful Images.
As she scrolled through the photos, a few stood out. Chandler remembered seeing them displayed in Alex’s home, amongst the other artwork she collected.
When she came to a website that documented Alex’s love life, Chandler found herself obsessed to see who Alex had dated before her. A mix of men and women populated the page. All beautiful people, fashionably dressed, appearing more sophisticated than Chandler pictured herself. The more she looked, the more insecure she felt. When she came across pictures of the woman Alex had been involved with before she left New York City, she became jealous.
Her name was Millie Winters. She was long and lean, at least four inches taller than Alex. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, bright blue eyes and an arrogant smile. It was obvious she was a model. The bitchy attitude was captured in the photo.
As beautiful as the woman was, she wasn’t as pretty as Alex. There was a phoniness that came across in the photo that made her appear to look almost plastic and lifeless. Looking over the picture, Chandler wondered what Alex saw in the woman. No, she told herself. It was foolish to go there. Alex appeared to be with her now. That’s all that mattered.
Shutting down her computer, Chandler glanced over at her phone and considered calling Alex. It was only 9:45 p.m. That wasn’t too late. Maybe if she heard her voice it would calm her mind and settle her fears. Somehow, Chandler resisted the urge. She’d see her tomorrow, and for now, that needed to be good enough.
Chapter 9
Alex sat on the edge of her bed and sipped a glass of wine while she used her mirror to observe Chandler. She’d been disappointed when Chandler decided to go home, but knew she was correct. If Chandler stayed, very little sleep would be had. Alex possessed a good amount of stamina, but she had to admit she was tired from their weekend of marathon sex. As much as she wanted Chandler in her bed, she wanted to look good for her first day of school a tad more.
Staring at Chandler as she worked on her computer, it took the ringing of Alex’s phone to distract her from the other woman. Recognizing the ring tone, Alex reached out her free hand, eyes still glued on the scene in her mirror, and levitated her smart phone into her hand.
Pressing the phone up to her ear, Alex said, “Roger, dear, how are you?”
“I’m doing okay. How are you managing out there in the middle of the wilderness? Ready to head back to civilization yet?”
“I’m doing rather well. Things out here aren’t as bad as you think. They do have indoor plumbing and talking picture shows.”
“Thank bloody God. I’d hate for you to be roughing it.” Roger chuckled.
“I’ve found a thing or two to keep myself occupied.” Alex grinned as her mind filled with risqué thoughts of Chandler.
“If anyone could, it would be you.” Roger paused. “The reason I’m calling you is because I need a huge favor. I know you’re all settled in Mayberry, getting ready to play teacher, but I was hoping to persuade you to come back to New York for a couple of days. And, before you try to turn me down, I want you to know this will be done around your schedule, double your usual fee.”
“I’m listening.” She took a swallow of her wine.
“My client has asked specifically for you. He refuses to consider any of the other photographers we’ve suggested.”
“How soon?”
“As soon as possible.” When Alex didn’t respond, Roger said, “He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get you. Plus, you’ll get the usual perks. First-class ticket, suite at the Plaza, and a car and driver at your disposal. What do you say?”
“Where is the shoot planned?”
“At the studio. Nothing too exotic. I can email you all the details.”
“Only one day?” She swirled the remaining wine around inside the glass.
“Yes, if even that.”
“Sounds easy enough. I could leave here Thursday night and give you Friday or Saturday. I’ll need to head back here by Sunday afternoon.”
“Does that mean you’ll do it?”
“I’ll need two tickets.” She was unwilling to commit until that last detail was agreed upon.
“Two?”
“That’s right.”
“So, you’ve already made a new friend. Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Don’t be an ass, Roger. This one is different.”
There was an awkward pause.
“Okay, two first class tickets. That won’t be a problem.”
“And could you see about getting two theatre tickets? I don’t care to what as long as they’re decent seats. I’ll pay for those myself.”
“No, no. Those will be on me.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a thing. If that’s what it’ll take to get you here, I’m more than happy to do it. You’re really saving my ass on this one.”
“No doubt, but I’m also aware you are more than curious to meet my new friend.”
“Well, yes, especially if this one is different. You haven’t had a whole lot of luck in the romance department.”
“I’d say my luck has started to change for the better.” Alex focused on Chandler and smiled. “I do hate to make this short, but I need to get my beauty sleep.”
“Of course. I’ll have Anna email you everything you’ll need to know first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll call if I have any questions.”
“Thanks again.”
“See you later, Roger.”
“Good night, Alex.”
Alex ended the call. She frowned when she noticed Chandler’s pained expression, and wondered what was troubling her. She was going to wait until tomorrow to spring her news, but decided to let Chandler know tonight.
* * * *
Picking up her smart phone, Chandler’s mood altered when she noticed Alex was calling her.
With a smile, she activated her phone. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself. So, you miss me?”
“What do you think?”
“That I’d like you naked and back in my bed.”
“Don’t tempt me.” Chandler’s body reacted to the suggestion.
“I’m actually calling you for a different reason. I’ve accepted a job to do a shoot this weekend for a friend of mine. It’s in New York and I’d like for you to come with me. Since it should only take a day, I’ve also arranged to get some theatre tickets. I figured you wouldn’t mind if I took you out on a few proper dates.”
“Yeah, that sounds like fun.” Then Chandler paused, and hoped Alex wouldn’t take it the wrong way when she asked something that had been consuming her thoughts. “Alex, I hope this doesn’t make me sound
like a jerk, but would it bother you if we kept everything that’s happened just between us? Only for the time being. I’d like some time to process everything. You and me. This is such a small town and—”
“It’s okay, Chandler,” Alex interrupted. “I understand. I want you to do whatever you need to do to feel comfortable. But I want you to remember something. What others think doesn’t matter half as much as what you think.”
“I know. It’s just—”
“Please, don’t worry about it.”
“Okay. What day do we leave?”
“I was thinking Thursday night. That won’t be a problem for you. Will it?”
“No. I can bring my laptop with me and do some of my work while you’re working.”
“Great.”
“It doesn’t bother you having to go back to New York so soon after leaving, does it? I mean—”
“I know what you mean. And no, because I’ll have you with me.”
“You say that now, but I must warn you that I don’t have a wardrobe full of designer clothes. Maybe the odd dress or two.”
“I think we need to change that.”
“Oh you do, do you?”
“I don’t care how causal your lifestyle, every girl needs at least one little black dress.”
“Maybe in your world.”
“You’re going to be traveling to my world.”
“You’ve got me there. I guess I can agree to dressing up a time or two.”
“It will be a nice change of pace for you.”
“If you say so.”
“Well, if I can’t coax you into coming over, I guess I’ll call it an early night.”
“I will see you tomorrow.”
“Not as soon as I would like.”
“I know. Until then.”
“Sweet dreams, dear Chandler.”
“Good night, Alex.”
Chapter 10
Street lights were turning on when a black town car pulled up in front of The Plaza Hotel. On the drive in from the airport, Chandler had stared out the window, taking in the sights while Alex talked to different people on her phone. Lost in her thoughts, Chandler didn’t hear any of her conversations. All week she’d looked forward to coming to New York with Alex, but now that they were here, she was having second thoughts. Alex was so different from her. She wondered what Alex’s friends were going to think when they met her. Would they be uptight and snobby like her stepmother’s friends? What bothered her even more was what would happen if they ran into Millie Winters, Alex’s ex. She probably should have told her she knew about Millie, but then she would have to admit to looking her up on the internet.
When she felt Alex place a hand on her knee and squeeze, Chandler turned and looked over at her.
“Come on, my dear. Once we get situated in our room, I’ll take you to dinner. Afterward, we’ve been invited to one of the local art galleries. My friend Tore is showing some of his work tonight.”
“How do I need to dress?” Chandler worried she didn’t have the appropriate outfits to be seen out with Alex.
“For this showing, you’ll see everything, but dressy casual is fine. Tore isn’t much different than you. Lives in T-shirts and jeans as well, so you don’t have to worry about him being presumptuous. In fact, I think you’ll really like him and his work. He’s big into graphic art. A real computer whiz. I’d bet he even plays the computer games you design.”
“Good.”
“Besides, if anything we do requires a designer dress, I’ve already got it covered.”
“You must think I’m a real pain.”
“Absolutely,” Alex teased. “Now come on.”
* * * *
The French restaurant Alex took Chandler to was owned by a seasoned and well-known chef friend of hers. When Alex was recognized, she and Chandler were treated like celebrities. They were escorted to one of the restaurant’s best tables and were fed a delicious multi-course meal. Afterward, they headed to the art gallery showing Tore’s work.
Traffic was crazy, and the city was alive with an endless stream of energy. That was something Alex had missed since moving to Castleton. Not the crazy traffic, but its unique diversity and the nightlife.
Boston wasn’t far away from Castleton, but that city possessed a different flavor than New York City. Some would consider her snobby for her opinion, but she’d been raised here, and no matter where she ended up living, this place still felt like home to her.
As the town car weaved in and out of traffic, inching closer to their destination, Chandler talked non-stop about the evening. She was enthusiastic about the food at dinner and the people she’d met.
Alex smiled to herself as she allowed Chandler to dominate the conversation. For an introvert, she could be chatty when she wanted. Alex felt flattered. Chandler didn’t appear to give her trust to too many people, only those she seemed comfortable with.
Feeling the familiar buzz from her smart phone, Alex didn’t want to look at it. She suspected that it was Millie again. She left her phone in her pants pocket and ignored it. Focusing on Chandler, she tried not to let their evening out get spoiled.
When their car stopped in front of the gallery, Alex got the attention of the driver and said, “We’re probably going to be here a few hours. I’ll call you about twenty minutes before we think about leaving. Okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After she and Chandler exited the car, they pushed past the crowd in front and entered the gallery. The sound of eclectic, alternative rock music played in the background. It managed to overshadow the chaotic noise of voices from the people gathered inside, by a decibel or two.
As they maneuvered through the room, Alex took in the artwork they passed by. The majority of it was abstract graphic design photography. The images varied from the familiar to the bizarre, with colors ranging from black and white to a dramatic burst of rainbow colors. She found them interesting, but not something she would put up on the walls in her house. The images represented Tore’s twisted view of the world, whereas in her work she preferred to seek out the beauty, no matter how insignificant the object.
“Do you see your friend?” Chandler asked.
“I think I saw him over in the back corner.” She indicated the far right side of the room by tipping her head in that direction. “Close to the bar. He’s not much for mingling with the public. He likes to have a certain amount of liquid courage when he has to deal with people he doesn’t know.”
“I don’t blame him there. Most people freak me out as well.”
“It’s all how you allow them to treat you.”
“Well, it’s easy when you’re someone like you.”
“I wasn’t born with confidence, my dear. I’ve had to work at it.”
“Nope, I don’t believe that. I bet even as a kid you didn’t take shit from anyone.”
“Too much competition in my family. So you’re right. I learned early.”
Alex felt her smart phone buzzing again. With the shoot tomorrow, she couldn’t assume that every call or text message was only from Millie Winters.
Allowing Chandler to walk ahead of her, Alex stopped and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She woke it up and scrolled through the latest messages. One was from Roger. Six were from Millie. Morbid curiosity compelled her to open the last message from Millie. Sucked into the world of her phone, Alex forgot where she was for a moment until she heard Chandler’s voice. Looking up, she found that she was once again at her side.
“Something wrong?”
Alex closed the screen and dropped her phone back into her pocket. “No, nothing.”
“Are you sure?” Chandler looked like she didn’t believe her.
“Yes.” It was a lie of course, but she didn’t want to worry Chandler about Millie. “Let’s get you a glass of champagne and introduce you to Tore.”
“Okay.”
It surprised Alex when Chandler reached over and took hold of her hand. It was the first time, in public
, that Chandler had visibly acknowledged that they were more than just friends. To anyone else, it was a simple gesture, but Alex knew for Chandler it was a huge step forward.
Alex smiled and risked placing a chaste kiss on Chandler’s cheek. Her mood shifted when she noticed how Chandler’s face pinked in response to her kiss. Alex expected Chandler to release her hand afterward, but grinned when she felt Chandler interlace their fingers.
Chapter 11
Alex woke up early the next morning, well before Chandler. All the voicemails and text messages Millie had sent were weighing heavy on her mind. They’d started before she and Chandler flew out of Boston. At one point, Alex was forced to change her phone setting to the silent/vibrate mode when the number of incoming messages began to border on the ridiculous. If she ever found out who gave Millie her new phone number, she was going to hurt them.
New York was a sizeable city, but Alex had anticipated that she would end up running into Millie at some point. Millie was an in-demand model and picked to participate in most of the local shoots. She’d be surprised if she wasn’t working the one this afternoon. The obsessive behavior was what was unexpected.
When Roger called for her help, Alex felt this would be a good opportunity to allow Chandler to not only meet her friends, but to get to know her better. A day of work, and the rest of the weekend was supposed to be spent having fun. It all became complicated because of Millie.
Watching Chandler as she slept next to her, Alex knew she needed to handle the Millie issue before things became out of hand. She didn’t want to involve Chandler unless there wasn’t any other choice.
She thought about calling Millie. She didn’t want to. What she wanted was a large coffee and a bagel, and a neutral place to sort through some things.
