The Avoiding Series Boxset

by K. A. Linde

  Lexi wondered if Parker could get any nicer. Lexi wanted to hate the woman, but she just couldn’t. She didn’t like the history between Ramsey and Parker, but she would give Parker the same chance that Ramsey had given Jack.

  Parker moved to stand next to John, and then something crossed Parker’s face that Lexi hadn’t noticed before. Parker looked happy…happier. Normally, when Lexi was around her, Parker had this dejected, aloof expression about her, but it was missing.

  “Wait,” Lexi muttered, her head spinning. Could she be imagining it?

  “What?” John and Ramsey asked at the same time.

  “Are you seeing Parker?” Lexi spat out in shock. She really hoped that she was wrong. Honestly, for Parker’s sake, she hoped that she was wrong.

  Parker’s cheeks colored immediately, and she looked down at the ground. John just looked smug.

  Shit! Oh God, the girl that he had been talking about…or at least one of them as far as Lexi was concerned…was Parker.

  What had he said to Lexi about the girl he was seeing? She’s nothing like you. That’s why it’s not serious. As much as she looked like Parker, they were absolutely nothing alike. Lexi was strong where Parker was weak, confrontational where Parker skirted around arguments, emotional where Parker was stoic.

  “Oh my God, you are,” Lexi whispered.

  “You’re seeing John?” Ramsey asked, clearly surprised.

  “Um…not exactly,” Parker said, averting her gaze and looking back at John. “I mean…it’s not serious or anything.”

  No, of course it wasn’t serious—because John didn’t care about Parker. John was using Parker. Lexi couldn’t believe it when it hit her. She had always assumed that John had gotten all his information about Lexi from Adam, that it had trickled down from Chyna to Adam to John. She had thought that John was just nosy, and Adam was too good of a brother to deny him anything.

  But now…

  “She’s been the one feeding you information,” Lexi gasped.

  “Feeding him what information?” Ramsey asked.

  Lexi had never told Ramsey about John always knowing things about her. Every time it had happened, she hadn’t been with him, and then she had tended to forget that it had happened until the next time.

  Parker looked genuinely confused for her part. “What are you talking about?”

  “All this time, John has just magically known so much about my life. It’s Parker, isn’t it?” Lexi asked, unable to stop. Answers to the nagging question she’d had for the past year and a half were so close that she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She should have chosen another time and place, but she had to know.

  “Have you been telling her stuff that I said to you?” Parker gasped.

  John just shrugged, all nonchalant like.

  Lexi’s eyes widened. He didn’t care. He had no shame.

  “How long has this been going on?” Ramsey asked. His face was still a mask of disbelief.

  Clearly, this had come out of left field for him as much as for Lexi.

  “He’s known stuff since last October,” Lexi reasoned. “So, at least that long.”

  “September,” Parker murmured softly. She actually looked scandalized by the whole thing.

  “You’ve never said anything,” Ramsey said, shaking his head.

  Lexi could see what he was thinking. How could he be around someone every single day for a year and a half and not know that she was hiding something? Then, Lexi had a terrible thought that she wished she could hold back. He had gotten a taste of his own medicine.

  “It didn’t come up. And like I said…it’s not serious,” Parker said with a shrug and then looked away from Ramsey quickly.

  “A year and a half isn’t serious?” Ramsey asked before he could stop himself.

  “Just stop it,” Parker said. “Of all people, I’m the last person who needs your judgment.”

  The group stood very still at that comment.

  Lexi didn’t know what had happened, what had shifted. But Ramsey just nodded and then reached out for Lexi to try to get her to leave. John turned to go, encouraging Parker to follow him. Parker looked like she had more to say, but she couldn’t form the words. Then, Parker jerked out of John’s grasp and stalked down the hallway, far away from them all. Lexi stared after her, wondering if she was hurting more from John or Ramsey in that moment.

  “I would just finish up your report and go,” Ramsey said to John viciously. “You’ve done enough damage here.”

  John cracked a smirk and looked Ramsey up and down as if measuring him up. “I understand why you two are together now,” he said, his eyes shifting between Lexi and Ramsey. “You’re equally oblivious.”

  PRESENT

  Chyna wasn’t even nervous.

  How was it possible that Chyna wasn’t even nervous one bit about her own wedding? Most people were excited, but nervous jitters would usually set in about now. They were only minutes away from Chyna walking down the aisle, and the girl wasn’t even drinking. Chyna drank for everything.

  Maybe she was freaked out enough that Adam had struck her sober.

  “Are you sure you don’t want something to drink?” Lexi asked, staring at the unopened bottle of champagne. She was really considering opening the expensive bottle herself and downing the contents. She could walk in her heels slightly tipsy, um…drunk, right? Was it normal for the maid of honor to be nervous for the bride?

  “No, Alexa, I’m fine. I don’t need alcohol today,” she said with a bright smile on her face.

  Chyna looked positively stunning. Lexi had seen her modeling pictures, and nothing compared to her wedding day. She was glowing.

  The makeup artist, who Chyna had fallen in love with on one of her last photo shoots, had artfully applied her makeup. The girls had hit it off during the hours of makeup sessions they had spent together, and Chyna had acquired her for the wedding. She managed to set off Chyna’s natural beauty without making her look overdone or even like she was wearing much makeup at all. Her eyes were lined, and her lashes were coated in thick black mascara that made her green eyes pop. Her lips were a gorgeous natural pink to match the glow of the blush and bronzer.

  Chyna had been going to the same hairstylist for years now, and even though the man never left for private jobs, he had agreed to work on Chyna’s hair. Lexi was sure that Chyna had coerced him into it, but he seemed to be a miracle worker. Her long, pin-straight black hair had been turned into gorgeous curls. The front had been parted to one side and swept gracefully back into a half-up do, and her long bangs were tucked loosely behind her ear. Lexi couldn’t believe how insanely beautiful her already supermodel-gorgeous friend was. It was enough to make any other girl green with envy.

  Still…Lexi couldn’t believe Chyna wasn’t drinking.

  “I’d say something was wrong with you if you weren’t drunk by this time of night already, but it’s your wedding day, so I guess I’ll let you be right for once,” Lexi said with a laugh at the end.

  “I appreciate it, chica,” Chyna said, rolling her green eyes skyward.

  “Thanks for letting me be a part of your big day,” Lexi said.

  Chyna smiled even bigger and shook her head. “Please. I didn’t let you. It was a necessity.”

  “Well, either way, you look gorgeous.”

  “That was also a necessity.”

  “Not a necessity. An inevitable. You’re always gorgeous. I think marriage is going to look good on you,” Lexi said. If she kept talking, she was going to start crying, and crying was not an option with her makeup like this.

  “Are you telling me I’m going to get fat?”

  Lexi burst out laughing. “No! You couldn’t possibly be fat. Look at you! Adam is one lucky man.”

  “Damn right, he is,” Chyna said with a wink. “I mean…I’m the lucky one. He’s worth it all.”

  “He’s your knight in shining armor,” Lexi said with a giggle.

  “Oh God,” Chyna groaned.

  “Co
me on, he slayed the dragon and saved you from your evil stepmother.”

  “You’re ridiculous. So, now, Adam is suddenly Prince Charming?”

  “He is to you, isn’t he?” Lexi asked. Seeing her friend just beam back at her at the silly comparison gave her the best feeling.

  “All that and more,” Chyna admitted.

  Chyna moved forward and pulled Lexi into a hug. “You mean the world to me, chica. I’m sorry about yelling at you when you were last here.”

  “Really…it’s okay. I needed to hear it,” Lexi admitted. “And you don’t need to rehash it on your wedding day. Today is your day. All smiles. All congratulations. All about you. Just the way you like it.”

  “Can’t even keep you from being snotty when you’re saying nice things,” Chyna said, rolling her eyes.

  “You wouldn’t want me any other way.”

  “Ladies,” the wedding planner said, popping her head into the room. “Are we all set?”

  Chyna didn’t let go of Lexi, and they stood together as best friends, practically sisters. They both nodded because speaking might result in tears. Lexi knew Chyna wasn’t nervous, but happy tears were equally as likely as jitters.

  “Lexi, I’ll take you first,” the wedding planner said, opening the door wide.

  Lexi turned to face her friend. “Next time I see you, you’ll be walking down the aisle, making everyone jealous. I love you. You’re my best friend. Try not to cry. I can’t promise I won’t. The only thing I have to say is…I’m really glad it’s Adam. Of all the guys I would want to share my best friend with, I think he’s the best.”

  “Thank you,” Chyna whispered, her voice stuck in her throat at the words.

  Lexi kissed her powdered cheek before turning and walking out of the dressing room with the wedding planner. She took in a shuddering breath and held back her tears. She couldn’t cry. Nothing had happened yet.

  They walked up a small flight of stairs to the landing area where Adam and John waited. Lexi turned to look out the double doors leading to the rooftop location Chyna had selected. While seeing the backdrop of the entire New York City skyline, her breath caught in her throat. She had been up here before with Chyna to see the venue, but this was something else all on its own. The sun was setting high on the horizon, casting a beautiful glow across the rooftop.

  The entire rooftop was decorated in an elegant burgundy and gold color theme with a bit of extravagance that only Chyna could pull off. There was no altar, only a small platform before an old-fashioned brick fireplace. Chairs were filled with friends and family on either side of the aisle. Each chair was draped in a burgundy cloth with individual gold bows on the back. Floral arrangements with burgundy and gold flowers paired with white roses were tied to the end of every row. The aisle was littered with dark red rose petals and a shower of gold flecks that reflected off the ebbing sunlight. The officiant stood at the end of the aisle, patiently waiting for the wedding to begin.

  “Wow,” Lexi whispered. “It’s gorgeous.”

  “You look gorgeous,” John whispered.

  Lexi took a deep breath and then turned to face him and Adam. “Thank you,” she said softly.

  “I agree with my brother,” Adam said. “Gorgeous.”

  “You two look great yourself,” she said cordially.

  And they did.

  Both were in tailored made-for-their-bodies black suits with pressed white button-ups. Adam’s tie was burgundy and gold, diagonally striped, while John wore a solid burgundy tie. They looked so much alike in that moment even though John was a few years older. John still carried himself with that staggering confidence that melted girls’ panties, but this was Adam’s day. He was as excited as Chyna, and so…today he had won. Plus, he got Chyna, and she was the real prize.

  “That’s your cue, Adam,” the wedding planner said.

  He walked through the double doors and took his spot next to the officiant. They shook hands and exchanged a few words. Adam had the biggest smile that hadn’t left his face practically since the proposal. He was a man who appreciated the person he was with and would never take advantage of their relationship. He knew how lucky he was today.

  “You should wear gold more often,” John said.

  That was when Lexi realized that the moment had finally come where she was alone with him again.

  “It highlights your skin tone and brings out the gold in your eyes.”

  Lexi sighed softly. She had been debating how to approach this situation for a while now. She had never been able to figure it out. She wanted to be okay with all of this for Chyna, but John was walking her down the aisle. The only people she ever wanted to do that was her daddy and her husband. Lexi glanced down at her engagement ring and stopped moving when she realized that her thought hadn’t been Ramsey. It had been on her husband. Granted, they weren’t one and the same…yet.

  “You’re lost in thought,” John said.

  “Oh, yes. Just thinking about Chyna and how we got to this moment,” she said.

  “Right.”

  He sounded disbelieving, but she couldn’t care about that.

  She brushed down the front of her dress in anticipation of the upcoming wedding ceremony. When she had first caught a glimpse of the dress that Chyna had had designed for her, she had been stunned. It was beautiful. Chyna hadn’t tried to make the dress a little ugly. She knew there was no way she would be outshined on her big day, and the bridesmaid’s dress she had chosen would only make Chyna look more beautiful. It would cast her in the spotlight, not out of it.

  The form-fitting dress was a knee-length gold and burgundy number with hand-sewn gold sequins swirled into a pattern on the top. It was strapless and cut into a sweetheart neckline. The bottom half was several layers of pleated sheer burgundy material over a burgundy silk slip that dropped to her knees. She had on matching burgundy high heels, a thin gold chain with a knot resting between her collarbones, and matching gold knot earrings that she had received as a bridesmaid gift.

  “Are you all right?” John asked.

  “What?” Lexi asked, brushing her palms down her dress again and again.

  “You look a little nervous, and you’re kind of pale.”

  “Am I?” she gasped, her face blanching further.

  “Yeah, you are. Do you need some water? Or do you need to sit down?”

  “No, I’m fine. Just…weddings make me nervous,” she admitted.

  “Right. Not the marrying type,” he said without any humor in his voice. “Funny since you have the huge ring on your finger.”

  “Ramsey’s different,” she said softly.

  There was no point in having this conversation with John. It had never ended well in the past. She doubted it would get any better in the future.

  “Right,” he repeated.

  He smirked at her, but it was equivalent to him just rolling his eyes.

  Infuriating man!

  “Seriously though. Water?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

  “No. Seriously, I’m fine.”

  She wasn’t. She felt like she might hyperventilate while walking down that aisle with John. It wasn’t even her wedding, and she was acting like this. She needed to get a handle on herself.

  The wedding planner rushed back over to them and smiled through her stress. Lexi didn’t know why the woman was stressing. This had to be one of her easier weddings. It was so small, no more than fifty people in attendance. It was probably even less if Lexi had to guess. They could get through this.

  “All set? Just link arms there,” the wedding planner said.

  Lexi slipped her hand into the crook of John’s elbow, and he pulled her in a little closer. She took a deep breath and promised not to let it get to her.

  “Once you guys are out there, remember to turn at the same time to your places. Chyna will follow once you’re in your spots.”

  “Ready?” John whispered in her ear.

  Lexi nodded.

  And then, the doors were whisked
open, and music played a soft classical song. John took the first step, urging her forward. They walked across the rose petals, and she was careful to keep her balance.

  Her eyes drifted to Ramsey, who was seated in the middle of the bride’s side. He was in a suit and tie. His green eyes were locked solely on her. He didn’t even blink at the fact that another man was walking her down the aisle. He just continued staring up at her adoringly.

  Why wouldn’t this bother him? John was anything but platonic toward her. He never had been. Not that she wanted Ramsey to be irritated with her, but did he just not care?

  She was being irrational again. Why was it upsetting her that he didn’t care? Wasn’t that what she wanted? Wasn’t that what she had fought for with Jack?

  And now, Jack was getting divorced…and he had told her that he loved her…and he wanted to take her home with him. She wondered if Ramsey would still be okay with it.

  Her mind flashed back to the night when he had proposed. She had walked through that restaurant and seen the cookie-cutter wives and the cookie-cutter husbands and the couples who barely cared about each other. She had wondered then if she was headed on that path, if she was going to end up sitting around in nice restaurant because that was what they did rather than truly enjoying each other’s company. How had she swept that under the rug? She still didn’t know if that was where she was heading.

  She loved Ramsey. She needed to stop her mind from wandering. This was just a walk down the aisle with John. This had no reflection on her relationship…on her fiancé.

  “You remember that conversation we had in the hospital?” John whispered as they neared the platform.

  “Yes,” Lexi whispered, intuitively knowing where this conversation was going.

  “You’re regretting not taking that out right now.”

  Lexi breathed in sharply. She had known it was something like that, but it didn’t stop it from hurting. Was she regretting that?

  No…

  She never would have taken the out that he had given her. She hadn’t wanted to come back to New York. She had been set on Ramsey…still set on Ramsey. That was the life that she had chosen. It was the life she wanted to lead.