She scowls. “If you’re serious about this girl, you’re going to have to deal with her brother eventually.”
“I know. I’m not a complete idiot. But I need to make sure Lexi’s ready for him to know. He’s likely to give her extra grief if he knows that we’re involved. Not to mention, I have no idea what she told him about last night.”
“Just say you didn’t see anything,” she grumbles.
“And that’s a fucking lie. I don’t want to do that.”
“This is not a way to start a relationship, Benjamin,” she hisses. “You are not fucking Romeo and Juliet.”
“God, I hope not. They both died at the end.”
Reed has been standing at the counter for several seconds, and although I’m certain he hasn’t heard us, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s pissed about waiting.
“Go take care of him and I’ll go in the back and check on…”
“Shut up.” She scowls. “Go.”
I hurry in the back and find Lexi’s purse on the desk where I left it. I wish I could enter my number into the contacts on her cell, but I have no idea what her password might be. I consider putting a note with my number in her purse, but I’m worried Reed will find it. I wasn’t lying when I told Britt I didn’t want him to know about me before Lexi tells him. The fact that he’s here and she’s not is telling enough.
Britt comes back in a couple of minutes with an exasperated look on her face and snatches the small bag from my hands.
“That bad?” I ask.
She shakes her head and disappears down the hall.
I go out a few minutes later, checking first to make sure the coast is clear. Reed is gone and Britt is busy making a drink.
“Well?” I ask.
She tilts her head to the side. “He doesn’t seem that bad.”
“What?”
She glances over her shoulder at me. “He’s a big brother, worried about his little sister. He knew her purse was here. He produced ID to prove he’s her brother. She told him that she came here with friends and then left and went to a party. He asked if I remembered her.” She pauses and doesn’t continue.
“And? What did you tell him?”
“I told him that I remembered her dancing with a guy, but I didn’t see her leave.” She makes a face. “Both the truth.”
“I owe you.”
“You’re damn fucking right you do.”
We get slammed shortly after our conversation and I don’t have time to think about Alexa until we’re close to last call. I know she’s not coming to see me tonight. I hope it’s because Reed has grounded her in some way—though it’s crazy to think her brother would have that power—and not because she’s changed her mind.
When she doesn’t come Sunday night, I begin to worry.
Scarlett’s quieter than usual when I show up at the math lab on Monday. When Reed comes in, he ignores her. In fact, he ignores everyone, heading directly for his office and shutting himself inside.
“Is it just me or does he seem frostier than usual?” I ask.
“It’s not your imagination.” She pauses. “It’s bound to get worse. His fiancée left him this weekend and moved in with me and Tucker.”
“Fuck,” I whisper. Now I’m really worried about Alexa. “Is Lexi okay?” I ask.
Scarlett gives me a curious glance. “When I talked to her on Friday night, she seemed upset that Caroline was leaving, but she understood.” She pauses. “I didn’t realize you and Lexi had become friends. You didn’t even know who she was when she was here last week.”
Shit. How can I explain this one? “She seems like a sweet girl. I just know Reed has a temper… I’d hate for him to take it out on Lexi.”
She releases a low laugh. “You don’t have to worry about him hurting Lexi. He wouldn’t touch a hair on her head. The only problem between them is that he smothers her to death. And though I understand why he does it, he can’t guard her forever.”
“Why does he treat her like that?”
Her face pales and she gives a nervous shrug. “Oh, you know. He’s just a typical protective big brother.”
She’s lying. Scarlett’s the last person I’d expect to lie. What doesn’t she want me to know?
“So why did his fiancée leave?”
Scarlett bristles. “That’s a personal question.”
“I can wait and ask Tina. I’m sure she’ll tell me.”
“Fine,” Scarlett grumbles. “I’d rather you hear the truth. Not Tina’s whacked-out version. Caroline suspects that Reed is seeing someone else. So she left him and moved in with me.” She lowers her voice. “Lexi is devastated. She loves Caroline like a sister.”
I remember Scarlett and Tina talking about how Lexi got the Monroe Foundation involved with the fashion show to get Reed and Caroline together. My chest tightens as the pieces fall into place. “I bet she’d do anything to get them back together,” I whisper.
“Yeah. She probably would.”
Oh, Alexa. Tina must have offered to tell her who Reed was seeing. She was trying to help her brother and Caroline. I suspect that Tina doesn’t even have a name, but I plan to find out the truth.
The realization follows that Reed is the person she was trying to help last night, the one for whom she risked everything.
She’s not in love with someone else.
Relief and something like happiness flood through me, but more questions than answers storm through my head. Before I have time to give it more thought, several students pour into the math lab at the same time to look for assistance. While Scarlett and I help the first two students, the others wait in chairs against the wall.
Reed comes out and waves a student over, ignoring Scarlett and me. We all stay busy answering questions and helping the students with equations.
Tina saunters in about an hour later, a wicked look in her eye. She sucks on the tip of her finger then drops her bag and takes a seat.
My heart thuds against my ribcage. She could easily rat me out. Of course, she’d implicate herself in so doing. She has much more to lose, but she acts like someone who doesn’t give a shit. And that makes her dangerous.
When Reed’s student leaves, Tina leans away from the kid she’s tutoring, an ornery grin on her face. “Say, Reed. I bet you can’t guess what I was doing Friday night.”
My breath becomes shallow and it’s hard to concentrate on the student I’m helping.
Reed scowls. “Your personal life is none of my concern…or interest.”
She rolls her chair closer to his table, stopping on the opposite side. The student she was helping is watching with confusion. “I hear Sweet Caroline has flown the coop.” She rests her elbows on the table, folding her hands underneath her chin. “After hearing the nightly Reed and Caroline sex show in my apartment for weeks, I decided I made a mistake by cutting you loose so soon.”
I can’t hide my shock. Reed and Tina dated? I mouth to Scarlett.
She cringes then holds up one finger. One time, she mouths
That’s one date more than I would have expected.
“This is neither the time nor the place, Tina.”
“The things you say in the bedroom, Reed Pendergraft.” Her eyes twinkle. “You are a very naughty boy.” She laughs. “I suspect little Caroline is too sweet for you.”
I shake my head. I can’t believe she’s saying these things. In front of all these students. In front of anyone.
Reed’s body stiffens. “Tina, I suggest that you think carefully about what comes out of your mouth next, or I’ll slap you with sexual harassment charges faster than you can blink.”
She stiffens, then shoots a wink in my direction. “Then I guess you don’t want to hear my juicy gossip about Lexi.”
Reed’s cold gaze doesn’t waver from her face. “No. I do not.”
Tina gives him an exaggerated pout. “That’s too bad. Because it’s all about…” She pauses and winks at me again before turning back to Reed. “The charity fundraiser she
’s organizing. She wants to auction off people for dates.” Her eyes widen in mock disgust. “Auctioning people off as though they’re cattle. What kind of behavior is that?” She tsks. “You should talk to her about sexual harassment.”
Reed’s eyes darken with anger, but he stays silent.
“I hear she wants a representative from every department.” She smiles wickedly. “I was going to suggest Ben, but if you’re really single now, maybe you should climb back on that horse.” She leans forward, lowering her eyelids in a seductive pout. “And some of us horses love to be ridden hard.”
Scarlett gasps and I’m surprised I haven’t gasped myself. Tina is in full-on self-destruct mode.
“Tina,” Reed says in his coldest, most formal voice. “You may collect your things. You service is no longer required here.”
Her eyes narrow. “I don’t think you want to do that.”
His face remains cold. “I just did.”
I find myself in the unique position of cheering Reed on.
Tina rolls back to her table and picks up her bag as everyone stares at her with dropped jaws. “This isn’t over, Reed.” She turns her gaze to me with a steely look. “This is far from over.”
Chapter Eighteen
Lexi
I’m such an idiot. Why didn’t I think to get Ben’s phone number before he left on Saturday morning? Now that I know I might be in actual danger, I’m more understanding of Reed’s paranoia. Even so, I’m tired of being under house arrest by Monday morning. I know Ben works in the math lab. I just need to find out when.
I know just the person to ask.
The problem is that Scarlett doesn’t know that Ben and I have gotten to know each other. Is she going to think it’s weird if I ask her about his schedule? Then I realize I have the perfect excuse. The charity auction I’m organizing. The committee meeting I’ve just left has decided to move forward with the auction. We’re putting it on an accelerated track, with the goal of making it happen in two weeks. Right before spring break. We’ve received permission to use the student union on Thursday night and we plan to auction off thirty students, equally divided between men and women. Now we need to get attractive students to take part. It makes me feel shallow to even think about that, but we’ll make more money if the participants are cute.
I don’t get a chance to contact Scarlett until later in the afternoon. I know she’s working, so I text instead of calling.
How’s Caroline?
I haven’t contacted either of them since Friday night, partly because I’m worried I’ll confess Reed’s secret. I hate to admit that I understand his reasoning, even if it hurts Caroline. I spent all of Sunday trying to get him to tell me what his illegal plans are, but he just pressed his lips together and refused to answer. I pleaded with him to stop, to realize that revenge wasn’t worth the risk, but his eyes turned cold and hard.
“This isn’t about revenge, Lexi. It’s about ensuring that you’re safe and that you remain that way.”
I need to figure out a way to stop this madness before he ruins his life, but I’m at a loss. The one person who loves him even more than I do can’t know any of it. I have no idea who can help.
I watch my phone for ten minutes before Scarlett answers.
As well as can be expected.
That tells me precisely nothing. Caroline’s probably a distraught mess and all because of me. I text back.
Can you call me when you get a chance?
It takes her another minute to answer.
Yes, I need to warn you about something that happened today.
My heart jolts and I force myself to take a breath. I can think of half a dozen things she might need talk to me about and none of them are good. Did Tina tell Reed I went out with her on Friday night? Does he know about Ben? Reed didn’t mention anything when he came home with my purse the other night, thank God, but Tina might have blabbed. I won’t be able to deal with the guilt if Reed fires Ben because of me.
The only thing I can do is wait.
I go back to our apartment and it feels lonely and sad. Reed has a late class on Mondays and Caroline is usually here when I get home, keeping me company while I make something for dinner. My heart is heavy with the loss of her cheerful smile. I’ve spent so much time thinking about moving out that I never gave any thought to how much I would miss my brother and his fiancée.
My phone rings as I’m making myself a sandwich. I answer on the second ring, relieved to see that it’s Scarlett.
“Hey, Scarlett. How’s Caroline really?”
“She’s a mess. She went to classes today, but she’s barely functioning.”
“Reed’s not cheating on her,” I say, hoping my words are emphatic enough to convince her. “I know it.”
Scarlett sighs. “Lexi, I know you mean well, but your insistence isn’t helping Caroline. So unless you have actual proof, please let it go for now.”
I do have proof—Reed’s word—but I know that won’t mean anything to Scarlett. And I can’t tell her about Ms. Pembry’s real identity. It would only lead to questions I can’t answer right now.
“I was going to call to give you a warning,” Scarlett says, an edge to her voice. “Tina went nuts when she came in to work today.”
She pauses and my stomach knots. “What did she do?”
“She knew that Reed and Caroline were on a break, although I’m not sure how she found out. In any case, she told Reed she was sorry she let him go after one date—as though he would have gone out with her again anyway,” she says in disgust. “He only went out with her that once because he was upset that Caroline wouldn’t date him.”
Her words only make me sadder.
“She told him about your charity auction and how you want to include someone from each department. She said she was going to suggest Ben until she heard that Reed was single again. She made some very rude and inappropriate statements. Reed warned her to stop or he’d file sexual harassment charges against her.”
“Oh no.”
“Tina seems determined to commit academic suicide lately, but I still wasn’t prepared for what happened today. She said something else disgusting and Reed fired her. Ben and I spent the next hour giving statements to human resources to back up Reed’s claim that he was harassed.”
I hesitate. “Did she say anything else? Anything about me?” I worry about piquing her curiosity, but I’ll be sick with worry if I don’t find out.
“No…wait, she did. Tina said she had some juicy gossip about you, but Reed said he wasn’t interested.” She pauses. “What does she know about you?”
Crap. “She saw me out at a bar getting drunk on Friday night,” I say. “She probably wanted to tattle on me.”
“Be careful, Lexi.” Scarlett’s voice lowers to a whisper. “I know you want to break free of Reed’s overprotection, but don’t swing too far the other way.”
Scarlett would freak out if she knew I was out with Tina that night. I know Caroline would. But Tina seems to have kept my secret. For now. I suspect she will use it to her advantage somehow. How could I not foresee this? Especially since Tina didn’t get what she wanted. “I won’t, Scarlett. I was just being a college student. Caroline is always saying she wants me to have the full experience. Getting drunk and partying is part of it.” Little does she know that I spent Friday night doing everything in my power to avoid getting drunk.
“We’re still your friends, you know,” Scarlett says softly. “Caroline misses you.”
My throat burns. “I miss her too.” I swallow the lump that’s become lodged in my throat. “Say, do you happen to know Ben’s math lab schedule? Or maybe his phone number?”
She’s silent for a moment. “Why do you ask?”
I take a deep breath, hoping I sound convincing. “Tina was right about the charity auction. I want to ask Ben if he’s willing to participate.”
She goes quiet again. “I’m not sure that’s his kind of thing.”
“You never know.” I
try to sound cheerful. “He might be willing to do it since it’s for a good cause.” I stop myself from telling her that he seemed interested in the expansions to the charity’s summer program when I told him about it at the bar.
“Don’t get your hopes up. Ben doesn’t seem the joiner type and he’s pretty busy with all his jobs.”
“We’ll see.”
She laughs. “You don’t like hearing no, do you? I don’t have his phone number, but I can tell you his work schedule. He works Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from two to five-thirty. And Tuesdays from ten to noon.”
“Thanks, Scarlet.”
Now that I have his schedule, I just need to figure out a time when Reed won’t be there. Tomorrow morning will be my first opportunity.
But after class the next day, my advisor sends me a short e-mail saying that he needs to see me right away. I’m nervous when I show up at his door. Am I in trouble?
“You want to see me, Dr. Tyree?” He looks up and smiles and I let myself relax.
“Yes, I have some great news. We almost have enough funding to start accepting applications for courses from instructors. And this has all happened in less than a month. Great work, Lexi.”
My face stretches into a grin. “Thank you.”
We discuss more logistics of the program—the actual applications process for both the instructors and the students. When we finish, I promise to drop by the charity to tell the director the great news.
When I leave his office, I realize it’s after noon. I’ve probably missed Ben, but I decide to stop by the math lab anyway in case he’s running late. He’s not there when I show up, but Reed is in his office, staring at the wall.
“Reed?”
He blinks before turning to look at me. “Oh, Lexi.” He offers a smile, but it’s forced. “What are you doing here?”
I sit in the chair across from him. “Checking on you.” I feel badly about lying, but seeing him like this has me worried.
He sighs and leans back in his chair. “I wanted to talk to you anyway. I’ve set up a document that will take effect if something happens that prevents me from staying with you.”
Business as Usual (Off The Subject) Page 17