Tell Me Lies (16 page)

They drove back to New York City in the rental car, and were lucky enough to find a spot less than half a block away from Reid’s apartment.

“I’l bring you upstairs,” he said, “and then I’l go return the car.” He cut the engine and looked at her. “Unless you want to go with me.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’l be fine.”

“You sure?”

She nodded. “Yes. You’re not going to be able to be with me every second. I’m going to have to try being on my own sometime.”

They got out of the car and walked into the building. When Reid opened the door to his apartment, there was a man sitting on the couch. He had shaggy gray hair and he was reading the New York Times.

“Dad,” Reid said, sounding surprised. He dropped his keys on the table by the door and his posture stiffened. “What are you doing here?”

“Reid,” his father said, standing up. He tossed the newspaper onto the couch. “Do you want to tel me what the fuck is going on?”

“How did you get in here?” Reid asked.

His father held up a key. “Jack gave me the key.”

“Of course he did.” Fucking Jack. What the hel was wrong with his brother?

He knew just as wel as Reid did that their parents were completely nuts. So why would he give his father a key to Reid’s apartment?

“So what the hel is going on, Reid?” his father said. There was a finger of Scotch sitting in front of him on the table.

Apparently not only did his father think he could barge into Reid’s apartment, he thought he could drink Reid’s alcohol as wel .

“Thomas said you quit.”

Reid nodded. “I did.”

“Why?” For the first time, his father’s eyes flicked to Alexis, who was standing in the doorway looking uncomfortable.

Reid moved toward her. “I’m sorry about this,”

he whispered. “I’m going to get rid of him, okay?”

She nodded.

“You want to go wait in the bedroom?” Now was not the time to introduce her to his father. Reid had a feeling it would only make things worse.

Alexis nodded again and then moved past him and down the hal .

“Dad,” Reid said. “I should have cal ed you, I know. But – ”

“But nothing.” His father shook his head. “You need to cal Thomas back and apologize.”

“No.” Reid shook his head. “I’m not doing that.”

“Wel , I’m not getting you your job back.”

“I don’t want my job back.”

His father gaped at him. “What do you mean you don’t want your job back?”

“Just what I said. I’m starting my own company.”

His father tipped his head back and laughed. “Starting your own company?

That’s ridiculous.”

“No, it’s not.” Reid shrugged. “I have great contacts, a great portfolio, and enough money to last me for a long time. It actual y makes a lot of sense.”

Reid’s father’s eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. He was pissed. Not because Reid quit his job, but because now people were going to be talking. Everyone in the industry would be wondering what had happened to make Reid leave. And if his new company was a success, the advertising world would be buzzing.

“Is this because of that girl?” his father raged. “Please tel me you’re not throwing everything away because of some doe-eyed blonde.”

“Dad,” Reid said. “Can we please talk about this downstairs?”

“You only just met her!” his dad yel ed, and began pacing around the apartment.

“You can’t seriously be thinking of giving everything up because of this girl!”

Reid shook his head. “Dad,” he said, his voice calm. “Let’s go downstairs. We can have a drink and talk about this.”

Inside, Reid was furious. If his father said one more thing about Alexis being the reason that he was leaving the company, Reid was going to kick his father out of the apartment. It was ridiculous. He wasn’t leaving the company because of Alexis, he was leaving because he’d realized he could do better.

He would try to explain this to his father, but not in front of Alexis. He didn’t want her to hear any of it. But if his father insisted on trying to talk about it here, he would kick him out.

“Fine,” his father said, practical y stomping out of the apartment like some kind of toddler.

Reid took a deep breath and tried to stem his anger. And then, after a moment, he fol owed his father out the door.

***

Suddenly, she began to feel like the wal s were closing in on her. It was that same feeling she’d had on the street the other day, when she’d ended up in the hospital. It felt like everything was spinning out of control.

She dropped her head between her legs and took deep breaths, listening as Reid and his father left the apartment.

What the hel was she doing here? She knew she couldn’t go back to Philadelphia, but wasn’t she just repeating the same mistakes? How could she expect Reid to take care of her? Wasn’t it time for her to stand on her own two feet?

Besides, did she real y think she had a future with Reid?

They were from two different worlds. And besides, to hear his father talk, she was some kind of hussy who had already ruined Reid’s life.

She felt claustrophobic, like she needed to get out of there.

She grabbed her bag and headed outside.

The fresh air instantly made her feel better. She didn’t know where to go, so she started wandering and after a few minutes, she came upon a bar. She went inside and ordered a glass of wine, and sipped it while she people-watched.

Half an hour later, she was on her way back to the apartment when Reid found her.

“Alexis!” he cal ed.

She turned around, and there he was, loping toward her down the street. There was concern etched on his face, and her heart clenched.

“What are you doing?” he asked. “Where were you going?”

“Nowhere,” she said. “I just…I needed some air.” She knew it sounded lame.

But what other explanation did she have?

“Did you freak out?” Reid asked, looking at her with concern. “Because of what my dad said? I told him not to pul that shit anymore. It won’t happen again.”

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” She looked down at her hands.

“This is just a lot.

Leaving Philadelphia, being here with you… it’s overwhelming.”

He led her over to a bench and sat her down. “I get that you’re scared,” he said, taking her hand. “But you don’t have to be.”

“How can you say that?” She shook her head. “How can you say I don’t have to be scared?”

“Because.” He shrugged. “I’m going to take care of it.

Whatever it is you’re scared of, I’m going to make sure it’s okay.”

“You keep saying that. And I want to believe it, Reid, I do.

But, God, we just met a few days ago!”

“I know.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then ran his fingers through his hair.

He hunched over and shook his head. “It doesn’t make sense, but I just know. I know I want to be with you.” He looked right into her eyes. “I’ve never felt this way about anyway, Alexis. Ever.”

She shook her head. “I’m not sure I believe it.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to believe it. Let me prove it to you. Give me a chance.”

“I might run.”

“That’s okay.” He grinned. “I’l chase you.”

“What if you can’t catch me?”

His grin widened. “Alexis,” he said, “I’m in training for the marathon. I’l catch you.”

He tilted her chin toward him, and her eyes fil ed with tears.

“Give us a chance,” he whispered. “And I’l prove it to you. I promise.”

She nodded, and leaned into him. And when he kissed her, Alexis final y started to believe that everything was going to be okay.

The offices of Invigor were buzzing with life. Secretaries answered phones, creative executives huddled in meeting rooms, and the sound of printers and computers whirled through the building.

Alexis walked through the front door, her bag slung over her shoulder, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor.

She was getting a drink from the vending machine in the hal when she felt Reid’s hands on her shoulders.

“Hey,” he whispered into her ear. His voice and his touch sent a warm shiver down her spine, and she marveled at the fact that he could stil have this effect on her even after they’d spent almost every second together for the past six months.

“Hi.” Alexis turned around and Reid brushed his lips against hers. “Stop,” she laughed. “Someone’s going to see us.”

“See what?” Reid teased. “This?” He kissed her again, deeper this time. Alexis let herself melt into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“What wil people think if they see the boss kissing?” she asked.

“They’l think he’s extremely in love with his fiancé.” He grinned. “How was school?”

“It was good,” she said, turning around to grab the bottled water the machine had dispensed. “I have a lot of work to do tonight, but it should be okay.” Alexis had been enrol ed at New York University for the past three months, working on getting her PhD

in psychology. So far, she was loving the coursework. In the afternoons, she worked with Reid at his agency, helping him come up with pitches. So far, they’d scored accounts with JetBlue and were this close to landing a deal with Disney.

“Good, we’l order in and make a night of it.” Reid shook his head. “God, listen to me. ‘We’l order in and make a night of it?’ Who says that?”

“You, apparently.”

“I love you,” Reid said, pul ing her close.

“I love you, too.”

Alexis closed her eyes and thought about al she’d been through these past six months. She stil had times where she freaked out, but they were becoming fewer and farther between. And Reid was always there to talk to her and make sure she knew it was okay. He was her rock.

She hadn’t heard from Leo since the permanent restraining order had been issued, and he faded a little more from her mind every day.

New York was her home now. She kissed Reid again, not caring who saw. She was happy, so why should she try to hide it?

The most important thing she’d learned since being in the city was how to feel.

Happiness, sadness, fear – there was nothing to be afraid of, as long as she had Reid by her side.

She was final y finished running. And she couldn’t have been happier.

Don’t forget to look for Locklyn’s other books: HEAT

OF

THE MOMENT, CAN’T TAKE THE HEAT, NO GOOD

FOR

ANYONE, and FOOL ME TWICE, all available now!