A Twist of Fate (31 page)

I wasn’t sure
if I was still sleeping when I heard a loud banging at my door. My
arms and legs were stiff from my contorted sleeping position. I
rubbed the sleep from my eyes as the banging continued. My body
protested as I limped to my door, stubbing my toe on the couch on
the way. I peered out of my peep hole and saw Matt standing
impatiently outside my door. I rubbed my eyes and looked again in
case I was hallucinating, but even on my second look he was still
there. I unlocked the door and let him in, my arms finding their
home around his neck.

“What are you
doing here?” I questioned, my head still foggy.

“Lexi, you’ve
been off the grid for three days. You sent Chris an email saying
you were taking a leave of absence and no one has heard from you
since. You won’t take anyone’s calls, you aren’t answering your
emails, and you have refused to open your door, even for Taylah.
Hannah got desperate and called me, it was either that or call the
cops.”

I shook my
head, it had been three days? How could it have been three
days?

“I’m sorry
Matt, I didn’t mean to drag you into this. I had no idea they would
call you, how did they even get your number? It’s just a
misunderstanding. I just needed a few days to myself.”

He grabbed my
shoulders, “They got my number from your employment contract; you
listed me as the emergency contact. Lexi, what’s going on?”

I sighed, “Sit
down - this is going to take awhile.”

He relaxed into
my sofa as I sat opposite him. I recounted my last few days,
starting with my confrontation with Marcy and meeting Alex’s
family. I told him everything about my amazing nights with Alex and
how we’d reconnected and how neither of us had really addressed
what it was we were doing. I spoke about the day of the funeral and
how Alex’s attitude had change toward me and how I felt rejected,
worrying that it might have been some kind of payback. I told Matt
about the service and how moved I was, the sadness of it spilling
into my own sadness. I told him how foolish I felt. I had tried to
avoid this bullshit - yet here I was. Pathetic. Matt shook his
head,

“Ahhhhh... How
the mighty have fallen! Oh well it’s probably for the best.”

My anger
flared, “What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped.

“Oh nothing” he
sighed as he gave me a loaded glance.

“Bullshit
nothing, you can’t come in here and talk shit to me, explain
yourself!” I spat through my tense jaw. My sadness had turned to
anger.

“And there she
is.” He smiled “There is the Lexi I know, the one I remember, the
one who won’t take crap from anyone. So can you please explain to
me why you are taking this from him?” I blinked at his response, he
was right. I deserved an explanation. At the very least he would
have to face me and admit that he had used me. I hugged Matt
tightly. He knew me so well. He smiled as he realised his “tough
love” tactic had worked.

“You’re lucky I
didn’t kick you out, or kick your ass,” I joked, now resolved in my
decision to face Alex.

“It was a
chance I was willing to take.” He kissed my forehead. “Now go get a
shower, I am going to try and see if you have any decent coffee in
this place!” I practically ran to my bathroom, but not before
picking up my phone.

The first call
I made was to Chris. I apologized for my unplanned absence and
assured her I was ready to come back. She was very understanding. I
guess the fact the band were fairly inactive at the moment meant
there was little for me to do anyway. I told her to email me any
work I had missed over the last couple of days and that I would be
on it. She promised she would and told me she was happy to have me
back. Next I called Hannah who almost cried with relief when she
heard my voice,

“Oh my God
Lexi! You scared the hell out of me. After the way you were at the
funeral, I didn’t know what to think! You wouldn’t talk to anyone!
I hope you aren’t mad I called Matt?” She gushed. I felt bad for
causing her unnecessary worry; Hannah was one person I never wanted
to hurt.

“I’m sorry Han,
I kind of lost myself for a bit but I’m back. No, I’m not mad you
called Matt, I could never be mad at you. Thanks for caring about
me. I’m not really used to people doing that” I volunteered.

“Of course I
care! You’re family.” she sighed. I asked her about James and the
baby and then finally about the band, she told me they had decided
to try and cheer Alex up by having a get together at the house and
they were on their way over. I told her not to tell anyone I was
coming and that I would be there soon. She was excited that I
seemed better and at the very least she would be able to make the
assessment for herself once I got there in a few hours. I ended the
call and climbed into my shower. Yep, it was going to be one hell
of a surprise.

Matt let me
drive his rental when I told him of my plan. I poked fun at the
fact he was driving around in a tiny Ford Festiva. I asked him if
he had left his testicles in Texas as well. “Thanks a lot smart
ass. This is all they had on short notice. Besides - it’s New York
City. There is nowhere in this place to park!”

I had pulled on
my favourite jeans and a long sleeve, black fitted top, throwing on
my leather biker jacket to brave the cold. There was no way I was
going there looking like shit so I put extra time into making sure
my hair and makeup was perfect. I pumped the radio up on the drive
over, singing loudly (and most likely off key) - ready for a show
down. The GPS directed me through the twists and turns until I was
travelling down the familiar long drive way.

I saw Alex’s
Maserati parked out front, as well as Troy’s prized (though
comical) VW Baha beetle, Jason’s Mustang and Dan’s Mercedes SLK
Class convertible. I took a deep breath as I parked the Festiva and
studied my reflection in the mirror. I fixed the smile on my face
as I stepped out of the car and walked to the front door. Hannah,
who’d been waiting for me, opened the door before I got a chance to
ring the bell.

“Lexi, I’m so
glad you came! I’ve missed you.” She squeezed me tightly.

“I’ve missed
you too Han. I’m sorry I worried you. I just needed a few days to
get my head straight.” I hugged her back, glad I finally came to my
senses.

“Come in,
everyone’s in the game’s room! James and the boys are going to be
so excited to see you,” she squealed with delight. Yes I wasn’t not
so sure excited is what Alex was going to feel, but too freaking
bad. One way or another I was walking out of here with answers.
Hannah led me through the house; I could hear the animated
conversation wafting down the hall.

She pulled me
through the doorway and announced loudly “Look who stopped by!” The
five faces turned to face me, James immediately welcomed me with a
massive hug.

“Jesus, Lexi!
Where have you been?” he asked as he slowly released me.

“Had some
things that I needed to take care of, but I’m back and everything
is back to normal.” I smiled as I fielded hugs from Troy and
Jason.

Dan pulled a
face at me before giving me his own “handsy” hug. “Just so you
know, I’m on to you. Ain’t no way in hell you have never played
pool before.” I laughed at the fact the events of the last few days
had had no impact on him and he was more interested in the game at
hand.

Alex stood
fixed in his spot, his hand firmly around the pool cue as his eyes
traced up and down the lines of my body. He shrugged as if
discounting my presence and leant over the table to take his shot.
My courage to gain closure grew as I walked over to where he
was.

“I need to talk
to you.” I hissed as I stood in front of the table, blocking his
view.

“I’ve got
nothing to say.” He mumbled as he tried to move me aside.

“I didn’t ask
you if you had anything to say” I seethed, “I said I NEED TO TALK
TO YOU.” I enunciated each word clearly as it spilled from my lips.
The rest of the room turned to watch our exchange, confused and
intrigued about what was taking place.

“Well then,
there is nothing you can say that I want to hear,” he sneered as he
moved me from the spot which was hindering his progression in the
game.

“Well I don’t
give a shit about what you want to hear and what you don’t want to
hear. Because guess what? You are going to hear it anyway. I don’t
know what those last few days meant to you but they were everything
to me. I know I hurt you in the past and I’m sorry. I was trying to
protect you and protect myself. I fell in love with you and I was
scared and I should have told you but I didn’t. I fucked up and I
lost you but I’ll be damned if that gives you permission to fuck me
like I’m some whore and then discard me when you are done.” I took
a breath as my adrenaline spiked. The room was silent as they
looked from Alex to me with expressions of shock and disbelief.

Alex looked at
me, his eyes wide with surprise “You love me?” he asked searching
my face for confirmation.

“Yes, I love
you Asshole! Against my better judgement.” I snapped forgetting we
had an audience. Alex moved, dropping his pool cue and pulled me
into a passionate kiss.

“Oh baby I love
you, God I’ve wanted to tell you for so long,” he breathed as his
lips covered mine for a brief moment before I pushed him
backwards.

“You don’t just
get to kiss me, tell me you love me and everything is ok. Why did
you push me away? I spent the night with you! Four nights! How
could you walk away from that?” I demanded, desperately searching
for some answers.

“Lexi, I didn’t
know what to think. We never spoke about in the morning and I was
worried I’d scare you off, I knew how the idea of being in a
relationship scared you, and I didn’t want to lose you. I thought
that you only stayed because you felt sorry for me because of my
Dad. Even though I knew this, I was willing to take that, to be
with you. Then the morning of the funeral when I saw your clothes
on my bed... I... I couldn’t do it anymore. I realised that I want
a relationship Lexi. I want to know that the woman who lays her
clothes out on my bed is going to stick around. I want more. I want
what my Dad and Mom had. I’ve loved you for so long and didn’t
realise it, but right at that moment I knew that I couldn’t go on
loving you if didn’t love me back. I thought the only way was a
clean break; I couldn’t face burying my Dad pretending I was
something I wasn’t. I’m done fucking around Lexi.” He gently placed
his hands around my waist. “I’m sorry, I was an asshole, I thought
I was doing the right thing. Every night I spent with you was
amazing, you have no idea what it meant to me, knowing how much you
hated spending the night but you did it anyway. Baby, no woman has
ever done that for me.”

My anger
disappeared as I saw the sincerity in his eyes. He had been scared
too. I guess with the loss of his father he wasn’t prepared to lose
me as well. I shook my head, “I didn’t hate spending the night with
you, I loved sleeping in your arms. I stayed because I wanted to be
with you, not because I felt sorry for you. I hated the morning
when I’d have to let you go.” My hands touched his jaw lightly as
he pulled me closer. “I love you Alex, I don’t want to let you
go.”

He smiled as he
leant into kiss me. “Baby, there is no way I’m letting YOU go. I
love YOU Lexi.” His mouth teased mine.

“Wait a
minute!” interrupted Dan. “You guys were fucking? When was this?
Where the hell was I? I think if anyone should have been getting
action it should have been me, not this moody bastard!” Dan looked
bewildered as Alex peeled his lips from mine.

“Shut up Dan!”
he smiled, as he turned to face a stunned James. “Look man, I’m
sorry. I know she works for us and trust me, I never meant for this
to happen but I’m not giving her up, not now.” He looked at me as
he kissed my hand.

James shook his
head, “I guess I should have seen it coming, you’re both as bad as
each other! No more secrets, either of you! Lexi, clearly you have
no problem separating your private life from your professional
dealings as apart from today no one knew that you two even liked
each other let alone...” he paused “Whatever it was you do
together.” I smiled as he shook his head again. “So I have no
problem with it.”

Alex released
me briefly so I could hug James, Hannah still shaking her head.
“How could I have not have seen this? You guys are perfect
together” she grinned.

“Yeah perfect
pains in the ass,” laughed Troy.

Alex pulled me
back to his body. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered as he kissed my
neck gently.

“You had a
funny way of showing it.” I giggled as his tongue tickled my
ear.

“Get a room!”
hollered Jason as Alex’s hands wandered down my body. Alex rolled
his eyes before pulling me into the hallway.

“Let’s get out
of here, I need you Lexi. I need you in my bed; I need to hold you
all night. I need to make love to you for the first time with no
barriers between us.” I nodded as I too wanted the same things.

We walked back
into the pool room to say our goodbyes. Dan protested loudly “Yeah,
Yeah you’re leaving – go screw each other’s brains out.” He waved
his hand in mock disgust.

“That’s my
girlfriend you’re talking about asshole.” Alex clipped him over the
back of the head. The word “girlfriend” rattled around my head for
a second before sinking in. I liked the way it sounded.

“Relax man, I
was just kidding. And no offense, but if she was mine we’d probably
never leave my bedroom.” Dan winked as he shot me a cheeky
grin.

“Dude!” shouted
Troy, “That is wrong on so many levels.” I laughed harder as Dan
tried to understand why his comment had been inappropriate.