by Malone, Nana
“Abbie, all I’m asking from you is to cut me a little slack.” He sighed and let his head hang. “Gemma is not my fiancée obviously. At least not in the traditional sense of the word. We’ve been tossed together so often, but we’re no more than friends really.”
Abbie sighed. “She came to see me yesterday. She told me she’s a lesbian. Is that the truth?”
He shifted from foot to foot and looked like he wasn’t going to tell her, but then he pinched the bridge of his nose and started talking. “Gemma is a lesbian. I’m not sure if you noticed the blonde that was at my party, then at the club that night? She’s Gemma’s girlfriend, Jacinda.”
Hope bloomed quickly, rooting in her heart and refusing to let go. “She’s seriously gay?”
He sighed. “Yes. We’ve been pretending to be together for years. Mostly for appearances and her parents. When they find out the truth, they’ll cut her off.”
“So you lied for her.”
He leveled a gaze at Abbie. “Yes.”
A million questions swirled in her mind, forming a tornado that threatened to short out her brain. “Wait, what happens when you want to date someone?”
“I never met anyone I wanted to be with until I met you. Until you, I’ve had a fling or two, but mostly a series of meaningless encounters.”
“And she just dates who she wants?”
“It’s all a little complicated, but yeah. Her father is a conservative arse. When he’s home, she stays with me or at a hotel. Most of the women she dates aren’t out of the closet yet. Or because of their careers they need to keep things private. Jacinda is different. She’s out and wants Gemma to be too.”
Too tired to think, Abbie sat down in one of the folding chairs by the printer. “She dates, and you don’t?”
“Honestly, it wasn’t a problem until two months ago. I could just float along. When I met you, my relationship with her started to feel like a noose. I didn’t want to do it anymore.”
“I wish you would have told me.”
“At the time, it wasn’t my secret to tell. I didn’t know how much trouble I was in with you until it was too late. I thought I could keep you at arm’s length. But I couldn’t. And I still had to protect her, but I didn’t want to lose you.”
“You were so busy protecting Gemma, you forgot to protect me.”
“Abbie, I was trying to protect you. I did everything I could do to find that photographer. You’re right. I have no idea how to love someone. I honestly didn’t think I was capable. Until that night on the roof. I wish I could fix this.”
She had to steel her heart against his words. Otherwise, she’d fall back into his arms. “You can’t fix it, Alexi. I have to fix my own life. Do you know my parents refuse to pay for school now?”
He paled, his normally tan skin going ashen. “Fuck. I’m so sorry, Abbie. Look it’s my fault, I can—”
Furious, she pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare offer to pay my way. I can do this on my own. I can just see the headlines now. Billionaire Sugar Daddy.”
He strode over to her, his mouth tight and his dark eyes intense as he kneeled at her feet. “I’m not a billionaire. At least not yet. Not until I come into my trust fund. None of it matters if I don’t have you, anyway. I don’t want to lose you.”
“I don’t know where we go from here.” Exhausted, Abbie slumped against the printer.
From his kneeling position, he pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her rigid frame. “I want you in my life. I…” He inhaled deeply. “I need you in my life.”
He smelled so good. Minty and clean and fresh. It made her think of waking up in his arms with him nuzzling her neck. Like she’d found someone to love her and see her for her. “You can’t just say the words, Lex. I need you to be open with me.”
He pulled back slightly and met her gaze. “I promise. I’ll tie everything up. I can give you what you need. Just please give me a chance to not fuck up.”
It would be so easy to fall into him again, to just let him take care of her. But she wanted to stand on her own. She was falling for him, but after everything, she wasn’t sure if she could trust the feelings. “I.. I’m not sure.”
“Look, why don’t we go out on Friday? I’ll pick you up. You can ask me anything you want then. I’ll give you the complete truth.”
Abbie met his gaze. At the end of the day, she wanted him in a way she’d never wanted Evan. She craved him. But she would walk away if she had to. She wasn’t going to be that naive girl again.
“Just say yes.” He kissed her hands and held them tight. “I promise, I will not fuck this up. Just believe in me.”
And just like that, her heart broke in two. “Okay. Dinner. Then we’ll see.”
“I’ll take it.”
Chapter 34
At least things on the job front were looking up. Abbie was able to get Angel’s photos taken. Then Jasper asked her to take some promotional photos of him for DJing gigs. He was willing to pay her a thousand pounds.
She was on the verge of refusing, because she didn’t want charity gigs. But then she’d found out Xander charged ten thousand pounds for such work. Shoot, hadn’t Julia Roberts been offered less in Pretty Woman?
Angel also recommended Abbie to some of the new models in his agency. Max had come through, asking her to take real estate photos of some of his recently rehabbed houses that were up for sale.
But as loving as the model house was, she longed for the peace and relative quiet of Chiswick, so on Friday morning, she grabbed the rest of her things and headed back. By the time she got a ride back home and skirted the paparazzi hoard in front of the flat, she only had an hour and a half to get ready.
Luckily, Tamsin was there at the ready. “Your bathwater’s been drawn, and I picked out the top four date outfits with shoes and jewelry. Your perfumes have been narrowed down to two, and I made you something to eat, just in case you get preoccupied and don’t get to dinner right away.”
Abbie stared at her perfectly organized bed with clothes shoes jewelry. “How did you have time to do all this? Why did you do all this?”
Tamsin’s eyes watered. “I told Liam I snogged Angel, and he dumped me.”
“Oh, shit, wait. When did you kiss Angel?”
“A couple of nights ago, when you stayed in Jasper’s bed. We were up late and it just sort of happened. I told Liam, and he dumped me.”
“Tamsin, I’m sorry.” How had she missed her friend was hurting? Because you’ve been a self-involved little brat. “I’ve been a totally shit friend. I had no idea you were going through this. I should have been here.”
Tamsin shook her head. “No. I only told him today. I’ve been feeling rotten about it. I’m not sure why I even did it. Except that Angel was beautiful. And there. And so saucy. I just wondered what it would be like. Anyway. I’m not really ready to talk about it. Still too raw, so I kept myself busy today. I skived from work and decided to help you get ready.”
“Tams, I can’t possibly go now. You n—”
“If you even think about backing out, I will disown you, and you’ll be forced to move into the model house. And let’s face it, as pretty as they are, you know that world isn’t real. They are transient. You are going on this date. I’ve been waiting for a week for you to go on this date. Please let me live vicariously.”
An hour and fifteen minutes later, Abbie tried not to fidget as Tamsin did up the straps on the slinky sandals.
“There, stand up, let me look at you,” Tamsin said as she stood back and stared.
Abbie rose and went over to the mirror. “Wow.” Tamsin had pinned back her braids in the front, giving her a swoop bang, but had let the back go wild and free and tumble down her back. It did a great job of showcasing her eyes. Her mocha skin seemed to shimmer at all the highlight points: her cheekbones, forehead, chin. The dramatic cat eyes made her look like a movie star. Tamsin had gone for a neutral matte lipstick.
“Now listen, Abbie, the lipstick wi
ll hold. I layered and mixed the shades together, so no matter what you eat or drink it should stay put. But if you start making out, you’ll have to reapply. Those false lashes should also stay put at least three days, so when you wake up in his bed, you’ll still have a good smoky eye look going on. I also packed make up remover towelettes in your bag as well as a couple of condoms for the night.”
“Tams!” Abbie gave her a sharp look. “I will not be sleeping with him.”
Tamsin raised an eyebrow. “Let’s face it, honey. We are all capable of doing things we say we don’t want to or would never do. Just be prepared. Besides, he’ll answer all your questions tonight. It’ll finally be like it was meant to be. You guys all loved up and happy.”
Abbie dropped her gaze. “I meant to say this earlier, but I never properly said it. Thanks for all of this. Thank you for not judging me, not berating me for lying and stuff. Just thanks for the overall support. I appreciate it. You’ve been more like family to me than my own, and I wouldn’t have made it here without you. Tomorrow, you and I are going to have a good and proper sit down and talk about your situation with Liam and what the hell went wrong there. Okay?”
Tamsin gave her a sad smile, and her eyes shimmered, but she nodded. “Yeah, okay. Just as long as you promise that you won’t skip over any of the good parts with Lex.”
“Done.” Abbie seriously doubted there would be any good parts, but she wasn’t telling Tamsin that. Her friend had gone out of the way to have her look like a million dollars, including busting open a dress she hadn’t worn. Tams deserved to believe in the fairytale that life had momentarily become. She’d burst that bubble tomorrow.
Abbie did one more twirl in the mirror, enjoying the feel of the soft jersey material of the backless silver dress. It really was beautiful. From the front, it was more demure in a classic scoop neckline, but the back was the daring portion, being completely backless. The material started again just before the top of her ass. If she moved wrong, there’d be crack for the whole world to see.
The door buzzed, and her lungs froze. She didn’t remember to breathe again until Tamsin jumped up.
“I’ll get it. You should make an entrance.”
Abbie waited thirty seconds before going out to meet him. When he caught sight of her, Alexi stared. He swallowed, and she watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down.
“You look beautiful.”
Her skin flushed. She bit her tongue and murmured, “Thank you. Let me get my jacket and purse.”
When Abbie trotted into the living area, Tamsin fanned herself. “Wow. That man knows how to clean up. Hell, even scruffy, he’s pretty. Don’t forget. Tomorrow, I get to live vicariously.”
She grinned. “Okay, okay. You’re sure I look all right?”
“You’re perfect.”
They bumped fists, and Abbie tried for nonchalance as she went back into the foyer. “You ready?”
Lex nodded slowly then helped her put her coat on. “I hope you told Tamsin not to wait up. I have a full night planned.”
“Oh, do you now?” She smirked.
He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I actually have a long date planned.”
“Sorry. I couldn’t resist teasing.”
He grinned. “Oh, don’t be. I also have high hopes.”
“So where are we going?”
“Well, I promised you a proper date out on the town, so that’s what we’re going to do. I’ve taken some precautions so we don’t have to deal with the paparazzi tonight, but just be aware anywhere that’s not private will be open season, so you’ll have to wait to jump my bones until later when we’re alone.”
“You’re incorrigible, you know that?”
“It’s the oddest thing. I feel like I’ve been told that before.”
She chewed the inside of her lip as she thought about the one thing that could ruin her night. She didn’t want to spoil the evening before they even got started, but she needed to know what she’d have to face tomorrow. “Will it cause problems for Gemma? I know they’ve been pretty relentless with her too, the news hounds.”
Abbie had seen the coverage on Sky One as the paparazzi had dogged Gemma coming out of the gym, asking what she thought of her boyfriend’s new paramour. She’d been more gracious than she had to be, stating that she didn’t own Mr. Chase, and who he chose to spend time with was none of her business.
“Gemma’s okay. She actually encouraged that I do this right and not take you to some pub. Not that I would have. But she said every woman deserves to be treated like a princess.”
“She’s nicer than I gave her credit for.” Abbie tucked a braid behind her ear.
“Yeah, Gem’s great. There’s a reason we’ve been friends for years. But she’s not the woman I’m into. Tonight, all my focus is on you and making you comfortable.”
She nodded. “Sorry. Just one more question, and we can let this go.”
“It’s okay, Abbie. Tonight, I have no secrets from you.” He took her through the back door that led into the garden. Through there, they escaped though the opposite garage, into the neighbor’s driveway. Tamsin had already spoken to them about starting to park her car there for the time being.
Lex led her out to the waiting silver BMW sports car and opened her door. She slid in and once again couldn’t get used to the plush interior. The soft leather immediately enveloped her in warmth. He’d heated the seats for her. She hated to admit it, but she could get used to this kind of treatment.
“So what happens with Gemma now?”
The engine purred, and he bypassed all the paparazzi with a small smile as he merged smoothly onto the M1. Abbie tried not to look out the window at the cars whizzing past. He drove like a demon from hell, but also in a controlled manner that said he knew exactly what he was doing.
“It will likely be in the papers either tomorrow or the next day that she’s come out as a lesbian. She’s telling her family tonight.”
Abbie winced. “I feel like the catalyst that pushed her into this. No one should have to do something like this until they’re ready.”
“It’s not your fault, Abbie. She knew this day was coming eventually. She and Jacinda have been getting closer, and Jacinda is out. She wants a full-on relationship. Plus, Gem and I have acted as each other’s crutches for so long it was time to sever that. Neither one of us could live a full life while we depended on the other like we did. She’s stronger than she thinks. But even if her parents won’t stand by her, she has me. As a friend, of course.”
“Of course. And what about you? I’m sure your parents were counting on an Alexi and Gemma union.”
“Well, I’ve been telling the old man for years that I wasn’t going to marry her. He just chose not to listen. My mother, on the other hand, knew something was off. I think she thought I was the one who was gay. She’s always asking me if I have passion in my life. It’s really awkward.”
Abbie covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh no. She doesn’t.”
“She stopped asking the day we hung out in Brixton. She knew I’d met someone. I tell you she has a sixth sense about these things. She stopped thinking I was gay as soon as the pictures came out.”
Abbie blushed. “I’m mortified.”
He took his hand off the gear shift and patted her hand. “Don’t be. She’d love to meet you.”
Her eyes darted to his. “Uh, okay.”
He grinned. “You know. When it’s time.”
“Right.”
Lex cut off three cars to pull off the M1 and slid onto the surface streets of central London. His driving became even more haphazard, and she closed her eyes so she didn’t have to watch.
“Abbie, do you feel sick?”
She shook her head. “No. Your driving just scares me.”
Alexi chuckled. “Remind me not to take you to Italy or Germany then. I drive slow here in comparison.”
Her heart leapt at the idea of traveling together, but her brain t
amped it down. Just because he no longer had a fiancée didn’t mean they’d be riding off into the sunset together. They still had a few things to work out.
Suddenly, Lex swerved into an alley and stopped the car.
Abbie looked around. “Are we hiding from paparazzi?”
He laughed as he shook his head. “No. This is the VIP entrance. I’d still like to keep tonight about us and not the side show, if I can.”
Out of nowhere, a tall Asian man in a dark suit appeared and opened her door for her. Abbie stepped out, and her breath caught as she stood next to him. He was huge. Not just tall, but also massively wide.
When he spoke, his voice was all polished Brit. “Good evening, Miss Nartey, Mr. Chase. I trust you’ll have a pleasant evening.”
Lex led her through the side door, and immediately the aroma of delicious food assailed her. Ginger and garlic were the first scents to make her mouth water. “Wow. I want whatever smells that good.”
“You’ll have to be more specific,” Lex said with a smile. “It all does.”
The hostess appeared in the candlelit hallway and led them to a private table. There were no other patrons in the room, but when Abbie leaned back, she could see into the main restaurant, and the place was packed. She also had a view to the street, and there was a small hoard of people waiting outside. “Where are we, exactly?”
“It’s this new Vietnamese fusion place call Pho. I know the owner, so I called in a favor.”
Once seated, she leaned forward. “I know it’s uncouth or whatever to ask this, but sometimes you just gotta know. Just how do you know all these people? And how many favors do they owe you?”
He laughed. “My mate, Andrew, from University is the owner. He spent a summer trekking through Vietnam and fell in love with the culture and the people. Eventually married a Vietnamese woman. They moved back here and opened the restaurant.”
“Wow. It’s a beautiful place. Is he your age?”
“No, he’s a little older. We used to play cricket together.”
Cricket. Right. She shifted uncomfortably at the thought of just how little she knew about him.