by Roxy Wilson
Lexi nodded. She was acting like a fool. But he was so cute, so kind, so amazing, that she couldn’t help falling in love with him fast. Love! The word made her shudder. Had it come to that so quickly? How?
“It’s the three-month anniversary of their first date.” Janay giggled. “Next thing I know they’ll be celebrating the one-year anniversary of their first kiss, which will be on Christmas Day, the day that was supposed to be Cole’s wedding day.”
“Stop teasing her,” said Brielle with a frown. “You’re just jealous because you don’t have a man and she does.”
“Damn right I am,” Janay admitted. “She’s got an amazing guy while all I got was a lousy commission on that wedding that never took place.”
“Hey! The commission wasn’t lousy.” Lexi grinned. “But you’re right. I did get the better end of the deal.”
Janay sank her teeth into the tart. “Mmmmm…Brielle, this is absolutely divine. But you’ve got to stop making us taste these heavenly creations of yours. I swear I’ve gained ten pounds in the past four months. I’m going to join that yoga class soon.”
“You’ve been saying that for years.”
“But now the time has come to do something about it.” Janay picked up her files. “Okay, girls. I’m off to the bank to talk about that loan we need to buy the warehouse. Wish me luck!”
“Good luck!” Lexi gave her a thumbs up. Their business was doing so well that the sisters decided to invest in a warehouse where they could store their own equipment. Renting it from other suppliers ate into their commission and this way they could offer greater variety to their clients.
After Janay left, Lexi checked her email while Brielle made notes on the food that she was preparing for tonight’s event. “I’ve got to buy more groceries tomorrow,” said Brielle. “It might not be a bad idea to buy another fridge. We’ve got so much work that I would like to save time by not purchasing stuff each day.”
Lexi tapped her pen on the table. “But some of the items are better off fresh.”
“You’re right. And I would like to offer the clients that, but it eats away at my time. What if we hired someone to handle the purchases?”
Lexi shook her head. “I’m sure Janay wouldn’t approve if we hired another hand. We don’t need a full-time person for that anyway. Why don’t I talk to some suppliers and see if they would be willing to deliver every day at a slight premium, of course?”
“Yeah. That would be great,” said Brielle. “I could order on the phone and it would save a lot of my time.”
Lexi nodded. She made a note of it on the yellow writing pad. “I’ll look into it first thing tomorrow. Anything else?”
“No. I’ve got everything under control,” Brielle assured her as she stood.
“Great. I’m going to the venue to check things out and make sure everything is set for the evening.”
“And I’ll be in the kitchen.”
After picking up her purse, Lexi left the building. She strolled off towards the venue. It was only a couple of blocks away, but she still had time. Perhaps it might be a good idea to see Cole first. He said that he’d be home until four in the afternoon. She could thank him in person for the flowers and perhaps even steal a kiss or two while she was there. Things were as smooth as possible with them. Lexi couldn’t believe that she was so lucky to snag a guy who was thoughtful, considerate, and caring. They didn’t come like that anymore. And the way things were going, they would probably tumble into bed soon.
She sure hoped so.
Cole appeared intent on taking it slowly, but she was tired of waiting. She liked him, he liked her. It was time to move on to the next phase of their relationship. Perhaps while she was there, she could nudge him in that direction. Tomorrow she was free in the evening. Maybe it was time to invite him to her apartment for a dinner. Candlelight, some wine, and maybe things would naturally progress in the direction she wanted.
Lexi giggled as it struck her that she was actually planning to seduce Cole. What the hell was wrong with her? Or perhaps something was finally right with her. She’d been without a man for too long. No one interested her. Her work took priority, but finally she’d met someone who made her think there was something else in her life than just the events she planned and the clients she pleased. She wanted more now. Cole made her have greater expectations from her life. What’s more, he made her happy. Being with him completed her on a subliminal level. When she was with him, everything felt right. If this was love, she was all for it.
As she neared his building, Lexi adjusted her dress. Straightening her shoulders, she entered. “Is Cole in?” she asked the guard who was sitting at the reception.
“I’m not sure, ma’am,” he said. “Do you want me to call him?”
“Actually, I would like to surprise him. Would you mind if I went straight up?”
“What’s your name, ma’am?” He took out a register. “I’ll have to see an ID.” She took it out and showed him. Cole’s building’s security was very good. He’d mentioned it once.
“Lexi Riley.”
The guard nodded. “Oh, yes. You can go straight up, ma’am. Cole has written your name in the list of people who don’t need to be buzzed in.”
“Great, thanks.”
As she took the elevator and rode up, Lexi wondered if he’d be surprised to see her. She’d only come here once when he forgot to pick up a packet he wanted to deliver to his friend. Perhaps she should have brought a little present for him. It was so thoughtful of him to send her flowers. No other man would have made such a big deal about their three-month anniversary, but trust him to not only remember but also to celebrate the day as if it was a big deal.
But of course, it was something significant in her mind also. Their romance was going ahead at breakneck speed. Sometimes she was astounded as to how quickly they got to know each other and how time flew each day. As the elevator climbed upwards, Lexi wondered what she would tell him as to why she dropped by. Would she look smitten if she just showed up for no better reason than just to say hello?
And what was wrong if she was doing just that?
People in love did that all the time.
Shit! There was that four-letter word again, swirling around her in her head, making her feel all gooey and soft inside. If she didn’t get a grip on her feelings, Cole would know that something was up and he’d dig it out of her. The man sure had a knack for making her talk. Sometimes she loved that about him, but it made her feel vulnerable too.
As she stepped on the landing, Lexi’s gaze was drawn to the woman who was stepping out of Cole’s apartment. The shock hit her like a bolt of lightning. Cole’s ex fiancée, Arianna, casually turned the key in the lock, ran a hand through her hair, and flounced to the elevator, not even glancing in Lexi’s direction. The elevator pinged open and Arianna dashed in, still seeming to be unaware of Lexi’s presence. The door slid shut, swallowing her.
What the hell was that woman doing in his apartment? She had a key. And it looked as if she was a regular visitor to his apartment. Why was he still meeting his ex-fiancée and why didn’t he tell her that?
The impression that he gave her was that he never met the woman after their wedding drama. In fact, he told her as much. “Good riddance,” were his exact words. Was he lying to her? Was he actually still in touch with his ex? And if so, where did Lexi fit into this threesome?
Of course, there could be an ordinary explanation for this situation. Maybe the woman came to pick up something. In fact, the purse that she was holding looked quite full. Maybe she came to get some of her stuff from his apartment. But then Cole should have told her that he was still meeting her. This wasn’t something that you hid from your current girlfriend. And the fact that she still had a key to his apartment showed that there was a relationship that didn’t end despite the humiliation she put him through.
Man! And she was building castles in the sky while he was probably still canoodling with his ex-fiancée and perhaps even ho
ping to get back with her. She’d always thought that he was too good to be true—and that did turn out to be right. He was probably cheating on her with his ex, and hoping that they both wouldn’t find out about his infidelity. What a loser! What a cunning fellow he is! And here she was, praising him to her sisters and thinking that she had a bright future with him when that clearly wasn’t the case.
Filled with ire and a bubbling temper, she marched down the stairs. She didn’t have the patience to wait for the elevator.
“Was Mr. Davenport surprised to see you?” asked the security.
“Not as much as he’ll be when he next sees me,” she muttered under her breath. Knowing that the guard was confused to hear her statement, Lexi didn’t bother with an explanation. She was too angry and mortified at her own stupidity to pay much attention to anyone else. As she walked to the venue, Lexi rehashed the scene at his apartment door.
There simply couldn’t be another explanation for his ex-fiancée’s clandestine behavior. She was there to meet him, but maybe he left before she did. Did they spend the time in bed making love and discussing how best he could dump Lexi? Or perhaps she didn’t know about Lexi? Briefly, Lexi considered contacting her to talk. Maybe they could confront him together. But then, if she already knew about Lexi, the situation would be embarrassing.
And in any case, Lexi was no coward. She wanted the satisfaction of dealing with Cole Davenport on her own. She wanted to tell him exactly what she thought about his underhanded activities. She was going to teach him a lesson he wouldn’t forget.
Chapter Six
Cole didn’t know what the hell was going on with Lexi. Everything was great until she completely blew him off and refused to take his calls. It had been three days since she’d started behaving like that. He’d thought the white lilies he sent on their three-month anniversary were a great idea. But maybe she took offense at them for some odd reason. He didn’t peg her to be the kind of woman who got irritated at ordinary gestures, but one can never be certain when it came to women. What if she didn’t like the color of the flowers or expected him to send something better?
His ex once threw a tantrum when he didn’t give her the gold necklace she was expecting and instead offered a ring in its place. But then, Lexi wasn’t like that.
Or so he thought.
Well, whatever the reason, he was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. Cole marched along the pavement as he searched for the place she was currently working. Her assistant told him that she was organizing a birthday party at a restaurant today and work or not, he was going to talk to her. When he reached the venue, Cole took a deep breath before he stepped inside. The whole place was festooned with white and silver decorations. Fat, white candlesticks sat on tables along with bouquets of white flowers. In the far end was the cake table which was the picture of true elegance. He saw Lexi as she stood talking to a guy who was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Those three tablecloths need to be changed. I don’t care where you have to go to bring their replacement, but I want it done within an hour,” she ordered in a soft but firm voice.
“No one is going to notice the stains on the borders.”
“I’ve noticed and that’s enough for me,” she said. “Even if no one else sees it, I would know that they are dirty and it would make me unhappy. And also, one of the candles is an inch shorter than the others.”
“It’s…” the guy closed his mouth, probably realizing that there was no point saying anything. “I’ll change it.”
“Good.” Lexi turned, saw Cole, and took a step back. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.” Cole could see the temper rile in her eyes. Clearly, there was something going on over here, but unfortunately, he didn’t have a clue why she was so annoyed with him. And if there was something that set her off, why didn’t she talk to him about it? He didn’t like games, and he had thought she was above them.
Clearly he was wrong.
“I don’t have time to talk.” She turned her back on him. “We’ll meet another day.”
He wasn’t ready to be brushed aside. Irritation coupled with rage rose up inside him, but he curbed it down. “We’re going to talk now. Surely, you can spare a few minutes.”
“I’m afraid I can’t.”
He didn’t budge. “Make the time to do so.”
Lexi turned ever so slightly. Her eyes were now roiling with temper. He’d never seen her look like this. “Bruce, Wallace,” she called while her gaze remained locked on him. “Please escort Mr. Davenport out.”
Cole glanced at the two bouncers. He could have made a fuss and embarrassed her. Perhaps he might have earned a blow or two for his effort, but it was a small price he would have had to pay for the satisfaction he would have gotten out of the act. He considered it. The only thing that stopped him was the tiny tremble in her lips that betrayed that she wasn’t as unaffected by this encounter as she pretended to be. He didn’t want to humiliate her in front of her staff. And he certainly didn’t want to make her cry.
“Fine. But you and I are going to have a talk soon.” He promised, turned on his heels, and walked out. When the restaurant door closed behind him, Cole took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He didn’t know what the hell she was playing at, but he wasn’t done yet.
Far from it!
She made him more eager to dig in his feet and find out what the hell was going on in that convoluted mind of hers. What turned her around so quickly? One minute everything was fine and they were coasting along, happy and content, and next she cut him out of her life as if he was never meant to be in it with her.
Well, too bad! I’m not going to let her go.
Perhaps she thought that since he took the same shit from another woman, he would take it from her. But she couldn’t be more wrong.
And that was why when Lexi came out of the cab at midnight in front of her apartment, he was waiting there.
“Damn it!” she said as she stepped out along with her two sisters. Cole didn’t say anything. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t budging until he got a few answers. If she wanted to remove him by force, she would have to call the cops. “Not again,” she huffed.
Her sisters, Janay and Brielle, stepped inside without exchanging a word. Most likely, they were aware of the reason why she was so pissed off. Well, he would like to know too. “Can we talk now?”
“I’m tired.”
“So am I. Of being treated like a leper for a reason that I don’t know about. So maybe you’ll let me in on it.”
“And if I tell you, will you leave without giving me any more trouble.”
“Honey, I haven’t given you any trouble as yet,” he told her. “You wouldn’t like to see me begin to do so.”
“Don’t threaten me.”
“I’m not threatening you, merely informing you of facts. I don’t like being brushed aside as if I’m no one.”
Lexi looked around. She ran a hand through her hair. “All right, fine. Just come inside. Let’s have a civilized talk.”
“I would like nothing better than that,” he assured her as he followed her inside.
As always, her apartment was neatly organized with not a cushion or a plate out of place. “I would offer you coffee, but really, I don’t think we should have a long discussion. Let’s just get it over with and then go our separate ways.”
Was she planning to break up with him? If yes, he wasn’t going to make it easy for her. He’d never thought she was the kind who would dump a man so unceremoniously. Actually, come to think of it, his expectations from her were probably too high. She was a lady. He treated her like one. And she let him down.
He should have been angry with her for treating him in such a callous manner, but instead, his heart panged with pain. Until this moment when he feared losing her, Cole hadn’t realized that he was falling in love with her. Actually, he was pretty much already there. He loved her. Even though she behaved badly and
was planning to get rid of him for no apparent reason, he still loved her. She was THE ONE. He’d never thought he would feel this way about anyone, but clearly he was wrong. With every other woman before her, he’d never been fully committed. Even with his ex with whom he planned to get married, there were doubts in his head. After she left, he was angry at the humiliation he suffered but glad that he got out of the whole deal before he made a huge mistake. The others didn’t manage to bruise his heart, but Lexi—with her kind smile and her easy demeanor—would probably break his heart in a million pieces if she said what he thought she was going to say.
What she said, however, took him by surprise. “I was going to talk to you,” she began. “In fact, I had a whole speech prepared but then I decided that it wasn’t the right way to go about it. If you have decided to work things out with Arianna, I shouldn’t be the one to stand in your way. Of course, I would have appreciated if you had told me the truth and not…” She waved a hand. “And not have made this all sordid and dirty, but…she was your first love and you did plan to spend your life with her…”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Slack-jawed, he stared at her. She wasn’t making any sense. “Arianna?”
Lexi narrowed her eyes. “I hope to hell you aren’t thinking of denying it.”
If he could understand her weird statements, he might be able to refute or accept her accusations. “Deny what?”
He could literally see the bonds of control slip. Her hand trembled as she pointed it at him. “I saw her come out of your apartment. She locked the door behind her. Obviously, she still enjoys clear access. And God knows how many times you’ve met with her behind my back. If you’d told me that she wanted to get back with you, I would have tried to understand. Sure, you guys have a history. You wanted to spend the rest of your life with her. That kind of love doesn’t just fade with time. But…” She took a deep breath. “What you did was despicable. Why couldn’t you have told me about her?”
“Arianna is not back in my life.”
Lexi narrowed her eyes. “Oh please! So what? She just turned up at your apartment in order to clean it? Is she like cooking for you or something? Are you two best friends?”