“Yoohoo,” Eve then teases, waving a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Adam.”
“Sorry.” Adam blinks his eyes repeatedly before he turns her head to meet Eve’s luminescent blue orbs. “Zoned out. Anyway…I’ll see you next week?”
Yvonne tips her head. “Yes.” Then, she stands up from her seat, and Adam follows suit to give a proper ‘goodbye’. He stretches his arm out for a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. He leans forward and wraps his arm around Eve’s neck when the woman turns and gives him a hard kiss on the lips.
Adam’s too surprised to do anything the first few seconds, and so, he stands there, eyes open and thinking ‘what the fuck just happened’. It takes him a few seconds too long before he pushes Yvonne away.
Lexi, the name floods his mind. She’s all he can think about despite the burning feeling on his lips. When he turns his head towards the window, he sees the weather is suitable for a walk in the park. He needs exactly that – fresh air and the sight of trees and flowering shrubs against the city skyline. His fingers close around the handle of his briefcase.
“I’ll have to rethink your proposal,” he then says to Eve after what just happened. He pushes the kiss to the back of his mind. “I’ll see you…whenever.”
He pushes the door open and steps into the cool air and under the sun. He takes a quick walk to clear his mind. He knows the right thing to do is separate his business and his personal life. He can still work with Yvonne on the partnership and maintain professionalism, right?
Wrong. If Adam puts himself in that position, he knows that next time, a kiss is the least of what he’ll get from her. He knows Yvonne’s a smart woman and can work her way around things, so he’ll avoid her instead of putting himself in that position. There’s going to be loads more business opportunities anyway from other people. A business is easily replaceable.
But Lexi? He’ll die trying to find another woman like her.
Epilogue
“Let’s meet again next week,” Melissa says, clapping her hands in excitement. “We have to book our hotels! And tours! Should we hire a tour guide to take us around?”
“Of course!” There’s no denying the ear-to-ear grin on Lexi’s face. They’ve just booked their tickets. She can’t believe they’re going on a South American trip a couple months from now. The beach and the mountains – the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. “Shit. Now, I have to work on my beach body. I feel like a whale”
Mel lets out a chuckle before she puts her fork down on the plate. She cocks an eyebrow up at Lexi and sends a mischievous smirk her way. “You’re kidding, right? I’d love to have your ass!” And then, “I bet Adam slaps that every night.”
“Mel!” She exclaims. The wink Mel gives riles her up all the more. Lexi shakes her head, laughing at the same time. “You’re hopeless.”
“But you love me,” answers Melissa, who pops a mini-macaron in her mouth. “Or you wouldn’t be spending two whole weeks alone with me.”
“I hate you.” But of course, Lexi loses her resolve quickly. “Can’t we just fast forward and get on that plane?”
“I wish…how’s Adam by the way?” Mel then asks. “Still the overprotective boyfriend?”
“Worse.” Lexi rolls her eyes. She loves and hates that about him. “When I told him our travel plans, he said he’s going to send a bodyguard or two our way. Just to keep us safe.”
Melissa opens her mouth and lets out a laugh which causes a few heads from nearby tables to turn. She shakes her head, still chuckling, and runs a hand through her hair.
“That’s Adam for you,” she says. “That just means he loves you. I’ve honestly never seen him act like a lovesick puppy until you two got together.”
That silences Lexi and sends a warm feeling throughout her body. She still doesn’t know what poison she fed Adam to make him fall so in love with her. There are some days she wants to question it – how a romantic gorgeous billionaire can fall in love with boring, normal her – but most days she just lets it be. She’s trying not to let her insecurities get in her way this time.
“The next time we meet,” Lexi starts, looking at Mel with a sly smirk. “I’ll be teasing you on your love life. I can’t wait for that.”
“Ha. You’ll be waiting a long time.”
After Mel and Lexi separate ways, Lexi makes her way to the nearby train station. She passes through a number of shops and cafes and takes the time to relish the cool air. In the coming months, winter will set in, and it’ll be quite a wait before she can take a leisurely stroll again without worrying if her face is about to fall off from the cold.
A head of black catches her eye. She knows that mop of hair and toned back from anywhere. It’s Adam. Lexi is about to walk into the café to send him a quick ‘hi’. That is until Lexi sees Adam wrapping one arm around Yvonne’s neck. Then, Yvonne closes the distance between them by pressing a kiss on Adam’s lips.
Lexi suddenly feels her heart plunge to her stomach as she quickens her pace and almost sprints to the train station. She’s trying to hold it together. There’s no way she’s going to cry in public. She gives herself a small pep talk, just so she won’t break down out in the open. The waterworks will have to wait until she gets home. She decides to take the rest of the day off. There’s nothing left to do in the office aside from packing since she’s starting her new job next week. She sends a quick text to the HR manager and then heads home…until she suddenly realizes that they live together.
She fishes her phone out of her bag and her fingers fly over the screen. In a second, her phone is up against her ear.
“Miss me already?”
“Mel…” Lexi’s voice starts to crack. “I need your help.”
To Be Continue...
Bliss
EVA
My mother knew how to buy the best coffee. I took a sip and closed my eyes, enjoying the bitter sweet aroma inebriating my senses.
“You’re up early,” Mum interrupted my moment.
“Morning.”
“Good morning, dear.”
She leaned and kissed my forehead, her delicate perfume enveloping me like fine silk on my skin. I suddenly felt like crying.
“Why didn’t you sleep in? You’re home, dear, you can spoil yourself,” she said, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
“I know. I just couldn’t sleep.”
She watched me for a while, sipping her coffee in silence.
“Is everything alright, honey?”
I smiled. “Yes, Mum.”
“You’ve been home every weekend this past month. Having trouble at school?”
“No, school is fine.”
“I can understand how difficult freshman year can be.”
“College is fine, Mum. Really.”
She squinted at me, incredulous. “Then, what is it?”
I couldn’t suppress a sigh.
“Speak,” she demanded.
“Mum, it’s nothing…” I started to defend myself, when my phone buzzed. I glanced at it and saw Alex’s name. He was calling me but I didn’t feel ready to talk.
Mum picked up on my hesitation.
“Trouble in Paradise, then?”
“I… I don't know.”
“Look, honey, if you need to talk, I’m here to listen. Just keep in mind that, if you like this guy, you can get through a lot of crap.”
I nodded, uncomfortable to be reminded of Alex’s favorite argument. “If you like me, like you say, you’ll do this for me,” he liked to say whenever he needed me to do something.
“You know, your father and I went through a pretty rough patch too. We were in college, just a little older than you are now.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. We almost broke up.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No, honey. We made it, got married and had you.”
She came to my side and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. I smiled, trying not to think too much of my relationship
with Alex. I was home, I didn’t have to deal with anything.
“So, what is it?” Mother asked again.
“It’s nothing really. Probably just in my head.” I couldn't just tell her something I didn’t even know how to describe. Maybe it was just in my head after all. “Enough about me. How was last night?” I changed the subject.
Judging by her smile, Mum had a good time. The idea cheered me up.
“It was nice. George is a good man.”
“A good man? That’s it?”
She laughed. “Oh, honey. It’s not easy to see anything more than that for me. But it’s a good start for now.”
Her smile faded as she rested her eyes upon the old framed picture of my father and her adorning the fireplace mantel.
Pulling her silk robe around her waist, she approached the picture slowly, as if not to scare the memories it held, and lifted it off the mantel. She gingerly caressed the picture, a sad smile curling her lips as she looked at the man she had loved all her life.
I watched her sit on the living room couch, hugging her knees protectively as her eyes welled up with tears.
“Mum,” I murmured and stood up.
“Yes, dear?”
The sun lit her auburn hair in a thousand shades of red. My mother was the most beautiful woman in the world.
“Dad would be alright with you dating again, you know?” I said, walking towards her.
“I know,” she answered, sniffling. “I know, honey. I just miss him so much.”
“I miss him too.”
We remained quiet, as I curled next to her, thinking about past times we had shared together.
I had the best childhood anyone can hope for, and parents that loved me like the most precious thing. Then, Father got sick.
If it weren’t for my mother’s strength, I would’ve been lost from the pain. She had not only taken care of him until his last moments, but had supported me through the hardest time of my life.
It had taken me a long time to realize she needed the same support I did. She had been strong for me, but I didn’t know she was crying by herself every night, after she put me to bed like you’d tuck in a small child.
I remember hearing her sob one night, and feeling ashamed for my selfishness. I had gotten in bed with her then, and had promised I will be there for her the same way she had been for me. From then on, we had gotten closer every day, helping each other through mourning and back to a normal life.
It had been four years now. Lately, I had encouraged her to go out more, maybe even start dating, since I was away for college and I didn’t want her to feel lonely.
I wrapped my arms around her, and rested my head on her shoulder.
“It’ll be OK, Mum,” I said, settling better in my seat.
She leaned against me, and we sat in silence for a while, until I heard my phone buzzing on the kitchen counter again.
I sighed, frustrated. I knew it was Alex calling.
“It’s alright, honey. Don’t let the boy wait, he might worry.”
“He’s not the type to worry, Mum,” I said bitterly, and rose.
He had hung up by the time I got to my phone, so I dialed him back. I knew he would be upset so I pulled myself out of earshot for this conversation. I didn’t want Mother to hear this.
“What the hell are you doing?” he said without preamble.
“I was talking to my mum.”
“You know I don't like you not picking up. You’re my girlfriend, you pick up when I call.”
“I know, Alex. But I was talking to my…”
“You’ve been visiting you mum a lot lately. What can you possibly have to talk to her that’s so important you can't answer my call?”
I sighed. “Look, I’m sorry, OK?”
“Yeah, right.”
“Did something happen?”
“I need you here tonight. I got a last minute invitation to a fund raiser that the fraternity is sponsoring and I need to be present.”
“But, I only got here last night.”
“So, what? I need my plus one this evening. Make sure you wear something pretty, this is a black tie event,” he said and hang up.
I pursed my lips, forcing myself not to cry. I doubted this was the sort of rough patch my parents had been through.
Drawing a deep breath, I emerged from my temporary hiding place and braced myself to tell Mum I had to leave.
“Would she feel better if she knew that I had to go because Alex was keeping me at his beck and call?” I doubted it.
***
I had never been a fan of big gatherings of people, especially if I didn’t know anyone around. On top of that, the dress that Alex had finally approved made me feel naked, as it was strapless and really low cut. It felt as if my breasts would spill out any minute and it inhibited movement.
As per Alex’s request at the beginning of the evening, I kept following him around, forcing a smile for everyone to see. Unless he told me to stay.
Leaning against the ornate pillar where Alex had left me, I watched the other guests who seemed to be enjoying themselves. I couldn’t. Not only had I been forced to leave my mother in a state of emotional distress, but I had to put up with Alex’s ignoring me all evening. Even when I was at his side, apart from presenting me as his girlfriend when he needed to show off, he didn’t pay much attention to me.
I checked my wristwatch, I had been alone for more than ten minutes. “What is he doing?” I asked myself, looking around for him.
I decided that the open bar was a much better vantage point so I went there. I needed a drink anyway.
Before I could order anything, I saw him. My heart sank.
He was entertaining a small group of people, probably students from other Greek houses, and seemed particularly friendly to a girl I had never met before.
I couldn’t take my eyes off them, the anger rising inside me was hard to settle.
“Hey, pretty. You seem lonely over here, all by yourself,” some random guy said, standing a bit too close for my liking.
I frowned and stepped back, unsure of how to respond. I didn’t want to be rude, Alex had warned me that anything I did had repercussions on his image. He didn’t want anything staining his stellar fraternity house president reputation.
“Want a drink?” the intruder insisted.
I glanced in Alex’s direction at the same time as he leaned onto the other girl and whispered something with a flirtatious smile. I couldn’t take that.
“I’m fine, thank you,” I said to the guy, my eyes still Alex. He looked my way and squinted. It was his thing whenever he was unhappy about something.
“That’s rude,” the guy said, visibly offended by my lack of attention towards him.
“No, it’s not. If you’ll excuse me.”
Breaking eye contact with Alex, I started for the door. I wasn’t going to take any more crap, that was enough. Having to deal with Alex’s demands and general fussiness was one thing, but watching him hit on other girls while being left alone in a crowd of strangers was unacceptable.
The cold night air hit me as soon as I stepped on the patio. Before I could reach the worn stone steps I was shivering so bad, I knew I needed to go back and take my coat. Deep down, though, I didn’t want to, like suffering the cold would’ve helped with the confusion in my heart.
“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Alex shouted behind me. It made me stop in my tracks. Maybe the thought of him coming after me gave me some unexplainable hope.
“Back to my dorm.”
“No, you're not. We came together, we’re leaving together.”
“But we’re not staying together, right?”
“What?” He had caught up with me now. “I am busy, you know that.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Busy flirting with Miss Longlegs back there?”
He shook his head and tsked at me with disapproval. “She’s the president of a big sorority. I need her on my side. And you know what you did with your li
ttle tantrum? You screwed with my plan.”
Pursuit: A Bad Boy Romance Page 22