Loving Alex (The Alexandra Drake Series)

by Sarah Elizabeth Ashley

  I glance at the clock for the hundredth time since I climbed into bed at one this morning, it’s still only four. I look at My James and despite my feelings regarding marriage I still adore him – he’s sleeping deeply, he looks so peaceful, I could swear he’s even smiling in his sleep!

  Carefully, so as not to disturb him, I climb out of bed and creep downstairs. I make myself a cup of tea and grab the biscuit tin, I feel in need of comfort food! Sitting at the island with my mug of Assam and a tin full of chocolate digestives - proper thinking food. I think about how my life has changed. About Lewis, my mum and dad, my Mother – Maggie and Anna, who will be home in a few days but not for long before she heads off to university.

  I love James so very much, but marriage! Huh, I can’t even contemplate it until I know that Lewis won’t mess me around. I decide that I need to speak with Shauna – again. I need to be clear in my head that things will go smoothly, but something doesn’t feel right, maybe its paranoia? I don’t know anything other than Lewis is making life difficult. For now, all I can do is hope that in a little over six weeks a document will be sent to the court, they will process it and I will be divorced, unless Lewis creates waves before then, and I have no doubt in my mind at all that something will happen. What David told me this evening backs up my thoughts that Lewis is after as much as he can get, not happy with £2.5million and a free house, he wants more. Hell, he probably wants the lot!

  I pick up another biscuit and make more tea. My plan of action for later today has to be to speak with Shauna first, before I do anything else.

  My thinking extends to anything and everything, over working my mind. Maybe it’s the mash-up of everything that’s happened over the last couple of months that’s making me feel so uneasy about the marriage thing, about everything. Part of me wants to marry James, so desperately to become a proper wife, a wife that looks after her husband and in return is looked after and protected and yet part of me wants to run away from it all, to bury my head in the sand. I wish I had someone to talk to, my mum or my dad, anyone not involved in this, this drama.

  I hear James walking around upstairs, I glance at the clock, its seven. I’ve been sat here for the last three hours, drinking tea and eating biscuits, at least I’ve got things clearer in my mind, I hope anyway.

  I hear the toilet flush and him walking down stairs, he comes through to the kitchen with that big silly grin all over his mush. “Morning Blossom – God I love you,” he comes towards me, grabbing me around the waist, “you smell of the beach, you always smell of holidays!” He nuzzles my neck.

  “That’ll be the coconuts.” I laugh, reaching up and putting my arms around his neck.

  “I like it,” he kisses my neck again, “I like your smell so very much.”

  “I hope you do, ‘cause after what you did last night you’d better get used to it, even if you don’t!”

  He laughs, “You are so fucking fuckable Alex Drake, no scrub that, you’re going to be Alex Aconi, I like it!”

  “Umm. Hold your horses Bossman, I’m not divorced yet!” I remind him.

  “Don’t piss on my parade!” He looks down at me, the smiling diminishing, just a little. “I’m loving it, loving that you’re going to be all mine,” he gives an evil laugh, “all mine….”

  In one quick sweep he picks me up and puts me on the work surface before heading for the fridge, opening the door he mutters something about it being nearly empty.

  “Groceries being delivered today, this morning!” I defend myself, “Including four punnets of strawberries!”

  “Only four?” He frowns at me.

  “Yes, James only four. We can always get more, if you need them!” I’ll never get my head around this strawberry fetish!

  “Four won’t last long!” He whinges.

  He returns to me with a pot of yoghurt, his precious strawberries, or what’s left of the few that were in the fridge. He swills the fruit under the tap before placing them on kitchen towel to dry off the excess water, then opens the yoghurt pot and reaches for a bowl and small knife which he uses to chop the strawberries into slices and pours the yoghurt over. He reaches for a spoon and scoops up a spoonful of what he’s just made.

  “Open.” He says.

  I do and he feeds me, the fresh taste of the yoghurt cleanses my pallet.

  “I thought there was only one way to eat strawberries?” I ask.

  “Umm, you’re right, that’s the best way, but we’ve only got a few, and no cereal and no champagne, so we’ll have to make do with yoghurt, won’t we!” He nods emphasising his words as he feeds me.

  He puts the bowl down after taking a spoonful of the thrown together breakfast for himself. He puts the kettle on, “Tea?”

  “Please, I’ll have another.” It’ll be my fifth since four this morning, I’ll be on the loo all day at this rate!

  While the kettle boils he walks back to me sat on the counter and stands between my legs, wrapping his arms around me, leaning forward he kisses me deeply, “I meant every word I said last night baby.” He growls to my neck.

  “Ummm. I love you too!” I gasp at his neck.

  “When can we get married Alex?” Oh, so the pressures starting already! The question I was dreading, hoping that he might slow down a little now that he’d popped the question.

  “I can’t even think about it until I’m divorced. I should be free for middle of October, providing that Lewis doesn’t mess me around. All he’s got to do is question one thing, demand more information, anything like that and it will delay the whole process.” I look down, feeling a little sad at the fact that Lewis, the bastard, could destroy everything I now have with one question, one query.

  “So we can’t even plan until you get your final papers.” He mutters as he turns to make the tea.

  “No. And, well I’m sorry James I’m not going to tempt fate by even starting to plan.”

  “I understand.” He mutters.

  “Really?” I say softly, because in my heart of hearts I know that he wants to move on with this, he’s impatient.

  “Yes, really. I do. We can still get engaged though?” He says brightly.

  I think before I answer, “I don’t think it would be right to advertise an engagement while I’m still legally married but, we could do it privately, you know just not tell anyone, well apart from Roberto, Gia and Anna.”

  “Great! Oh, I love you,” he sweeps me up in his arms again, “What have you got planned today?”

  “I need to call Shauna, now that this has happened I want to make sure that everything is on track for the “absolute” to be issued by the middle of October. I have an appointment with my therapist just before lunch and I want to call Anna. She’s back on Saturday remember? Her flight comes in at twelve. Do you think you can nab the Mercedes and drive me to pick her up, I didn’t want to take Archie, I it want to be private – you know, I haven’t seen her for two weeks!” I run my fingers across his shoulders as I speak.

  “Of course, of course I can Blossom. Anything for you, absolutely anything!” I think if I asked for the Hope Diamond right now he’d make efforts to get it!

  Hell, I pinch myself again, is this really, really happening?

  “I need to shower.” Picking his mug up he heads off upstairs. I tidy the kitchen, although there’s not much that needs doing, I’m only making work for myself. I check the time again, Muriel should be here in about an hour, assuming she’s well today and not shopping!

  Once I’ve done what I need to I had upstairs as James is getting out of the shower. He’s standing with his back to me as I walk into my bathroom, a towel wrapped around his narrow hips, his shoulders so very broad, not an ounce of fat on him, unlike Lewis the fat bastard. I watch him as he runs his fingers though his curls, I love those curls, I love everything about him, even the imperfections, not that there are many. I even love his love of bloody strawberries!

  He walks into our bedroom and sorts through his shirts, of course it’s a sea of white
punctuated by the odd colour, but it has to be ninety-eight per cent white in there, he pulls out a pair of black trousers and his black Chelsea boots, next come the black boxers and black socks. He dresses quickly finishing with his new Union Jack cufflinks that I bought him yesterday.

  “What do you think?” He flashes his new cufflinks at me.

  “They look great, but you know James, you’d look great in just about anything.” I flatter him.

  “So do you!” He says seriously.

  I huff, “No, but you’ve got an amazing body. I’ve never seen you exercise or heard you talk about it.” There’s still so much I don’t know about him, and I don’t agree with him, I wouldn’t look great in anything, I can’t show my back for a start!

  “That’s ‘cause I haven’t for the last couple of months, since I met you! I used to go with Roger after work, but well, I’d rather come home now.” He looks at his double cuffs, adjusting them so they’re perfect.

  “Don’t give it up for me, please! Carry on, I won’t mind, so long as you do come home!” I lean on the door frame, just watching him.

  He smiles, “I need to go, I have to get the Audi back.” He starts to move towards the bedroom door.

  “Will you talk to Robbie today, about the General Manager Job, please?” I beg.

  “Alex, you made me the happiest man alive last night – I’ll do anything, and I mean anything you want,” He comes over to me and kisses me gently, “and I mean anything.”

  I hug him tightly. “I’ll call you when I’m finished with the therapist.”

  “You want Archie to take you? I can send him around.”

  “No, no – it’s private. I’ll get a cab, you’re the only one that knows I’m going, I don’t want anyone else to know!” I snap.

  “Okay, okay.” He holds his hands up, “ I’ll see you at lunchtime, maybe we can eat at the hotel?”

  I look him, “Umm, maybe. I call you.” I

  He kisses me lightly on the cheek and he’s gone, leaving me in my robe.

  I tidy our room, pull our bed straight and then think about getting ready myself. I turn the shower on a leave it to warm up returning to our room I pull out some simple ankle grazers and a blouse for today then go back to the bathroom where I shower quickly before drying and dressing for the day, I apply a little make up, no need for much today and as I finish I hear the front door shut and a “Hello!” shouted from Muriel. So, she’s back.

  I finish what I need to do before I go down to meet her. The instant I see her I assure myself that I did see her in town yesterday, there is absolutely no doubt about it, but why lie and say she was ill when she could have just asked for the day off, I wouldn’t have minded. Do I challenge her? Tell her I that I saw her or just let this one go?

  “Morning Muriel. Feeling better?” I play along with her obvious deception.

  “I’m much better thank you, just a tummy upset I think.” She holds her hand to her stomach as if to emphasise where the problem was.

  I bet, I think to myself, so bad that you were able to walk around central London.

  “Would you like some tea Pet?” She asks as she puts the kettle on, “Is there anything in particular you want me to do today?”

  “No tea for me thanks, I’ve had enough already. There’s just the ironing, I’ve done the laundry from our trip, seemed pointless waiting for you to come back when I could do it myself. It’s all stacked in the utility room.” I flap my hand towards the utility room.

  “Umm.” She sounds a little miffed, I’m unsure if it’s because I’ve left her the tedious job or because I’ve done laundry for her. “Okay fine,” she sounds “off”, not her usual bright self, almost like she’s unhappy with me!

  I look at her before wandering through to my study, a room I rarely use because, well to be quite honest I don’t like it but it gives me a little privacy whilst I call Shauna. Picking up my mobile I search for her number and hit the call button. I’m answered quickly by one of the girls in the office, I often wonder if it’s one of Tom Chandler’s team that answers. I’m dragged from my thoughts by Shauna as she enthuses down the phone.

  “Morning Mrs. Drake, how are you?” She sounds very happy, maybe she got it as good as I did last night? “What can I do for you?”

  “Oh, just wanting to see how things are going? I’m keen that we’re all finalised by mid-October, to my reckoning that should be about eight weeks after the Decree Nisi, it shouldn’t drag on any longer, should it?”

  “No, this should be as per the standard procedure, there’s no queries raised, yet, so we’re going for the six weeks. Once we’re at six weeks and one day from the issue of the Decree Nisi, which we have, we can apply for your absolute, then it’s just a rubber stamp you are legally divorced but you will need the Decree Absolute to be able to get married again and to prove your divorce for anything else you might need to do. The only things that can slow it down now are if Lewis starts raising queries, which as of this morning he hasn’t.” She explains, I know how it works I just want to be sure that Lewis doesn’t create any problems.

  “Great, so we’re still on track?” I ask.

  “We are, and as long as there are no further questions it should all go to plan. Do you have any plans?” She asks.

  “Maybe.” I’m deliberately vague.

  “Right, I see. Well, is there anything else I can help you with today?”

  “No, that’s all. I just hope and pray on a daily basis that he keeps his head down and does or says nothing. I had a call last night from his business partner, apparently he’s even told him that my inheritance is his and that he’s going to be wealthy! He didn’t tell the guy that I was divorcing him?” I recount the conversation I had with David last night.

  “Oh, I see and I can understand your concerns. If there is anything I can do to help, please call won’t you?” She sounds concerned, and rightly so. I know what Lewis is capable of, most people don’t.

  “Can you help to get him sectioned, put away for the next few weeks so that he can’t do anything or say anything?” I laugh, knowing full well that would be just too easy.

  “No, Mrs. Drake, we can’t condone false imprisonment!” She laughs, clearly understanding my concerns and my joke!

  We both laugh and end the call on a light note. Before I leave the study I call Nial Redmond, my fifty per cent partner in Henry’s, the nightclub that Maggie invested in.

  “Hi Nial, its Alex Drake. You said to call you about arranging a meeting.”

  “I did. How are you Alex?” His voice is deep, like James’ but there’s a seductive soothing tone to it.

  “I’m good thank you, really good. Are you free tomorrow? I can come along to Henry’s anytime, just to have a natter. I don’t want to interfere with anything in particular, just meet you and see how things are. I’ve very little information on or about Henry’s, I just want to know a little more about it, and you.” I perch on the desk, looking out of the window as I chat to Nial.

  “That would be great. Look, we’ve got a guest DJ tomorrow night D.J ‘B’ he’ll be setting up in the afternoon, or his crew will be anyway, why don’t you come along then? They’ll be doing sound checks and stuff but the office is sound proofed, won’t affect us.” His soothing voice continues to reverberate through my phone.

  “Great, what time’s best for you?” I ask.

  “I’m there all afternoon, well from around mid-day. Shall we say two?” He suggests, I can hear him flicking through what sounds like a book, maybe a diary.

  “Fine. And I want to come along again one night as well, hopefully for a bit longer this time!” I tell him, my last visit to Henry’s lasting only an hour or so, a result of the spat that James and I had.

  “Not a problem, we’ve always got a VIP table spare, house rule, always one spare, we’ll get you pencilled in. Anyway, Alex. You did say you wanted to be called Alex didn’t you?”

  “Finally, someone other than James who’s happy to call me by the name I p
refer!” I mutter.

  He laughs “So Alex, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened last time. I know James, I’ve known him ages, he didn’t upset you did he? I’ll have him if he did!” His tone changes, become firm.

  “No, no, nothing like that! James and I are, well a couple I suppose. When we came along last time we hadn’t been together that long, I didn’t know he was bringing me to Henry’s and he didn’t know that I owned half of it, he apparently pulled “some strings” to get us a table in the VIP area and felt very embarrassed that he had pulled strings to get the owner into her own club! Understandable I suppose, but we had words – no harm done!” I explain, the thoughts of the evening still very painful, the night before I miscarried, something that I will remember for as long as I live.

  “Ah yes. I did hear!” His tone has changed again, becoming concerned.

  “You heard what?” I press.

  “One of his old flames caught up with him I suppose, for want of a better description.” He’s quiet.

  “And?” I hope that James told me the truth about just kissing.

  “Nothing I don’t think, just messing around or so I was told.” He clams up, probably told me too much already!

  “Right. Okay, well I’ll see you tomorrow, at two.” I say.

  “Sure, Alex, and if ever James messes you around again you let me know. From what I hear you’re great and I won’t stand by and let you get hurt, you understand! I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”

  Well, that was a strange end to a phone call, he’s read the riot act about James and hung up! Odd man.

  I look at my phone, confused at the call as the doorbell rings. Leaving the study I walk into the hall and straight into Muriel, she’s got to the front door very quickly considering she was in the utility room, supposedly ironing. There’s something about Muriel today, has she been listening to me?

  “I’ll get it Muriel, it’s only Tesco with the groceries.” I stand whilst she skulks back to the utility room. Once she’s gone I open the door and greet the delivery man with this blue crates full of blue and white stripy bags, good Lord I didn’t realise quite how much I’d ordered, there must be twenty bags of food and other bits and pieces.