Avoiding Responsibility (22 page)

"I mean okay if you really think so."

"I do," Adam reassured her.

"Call if you need anything," she called to Adam as she let Ramsey guide her away. When they reached the elevators, Lexi murmured, "That's so strange."

"What?" Ramsey asked stepping into the elevator.

"That he thinks he can take care of her. That he thinks she will let him take care of her. That he thinks he knows how to take care of someone like Chyna. I mean yeah he's nice, but Chyna doesn't go for
nice
," Lexi told him.

"Maybe she does," he said smirking.

"No," she contradicted.

"If he thinks he can handle her craziness, than by all means let him. I just want to have some fun with you tonight, Lexi. And I think I can handle
your
craziness," he told her playfully.

She smiled up into his handsome face. Raising onto her toes, she reached up and touched her lips gently against his own. Moving swiftly he pushed her body back against the elevator wall and began to kiss the breath out of her. By the time the door dinged open, she was so hot for him her mind had completely forgotten what had occurred downstairs.

"Are you sure you want to stay?" she asked him wiping her puffy lips.

"Oh no, you dragged me here. It's time to party," he told her pulling her into the massive room Chyna had transformed into a New Years Eve bash. Even when Lexi had gone over dozens of plans for the event, she had never anticipated what was in front of her.

The black marble flooring opened up on three sides to floor-to-ceiling glass panes with a view of the city below. Fireworks already lit up the night sky in anticipation of the huge display that would occur at midnight when the Big Apple dropped in Times Square. There were several bars which were overflowing with alcohol. Half-naked waiters and waitresses were wandering around the premises carrying trays of champagne. Dozens of people that Lexi had met while out with Chyna were in attendance; several dozen more Lexi had never seen before. Some waved at her as she passed by obviously recognizing her as well. Lights were dimmed low, and pulsing techno music filtered into the room. A majority of the enormous space had been crafted into a dance floor where people were already bumping and grinding to the beat of the music. All in all the night was already appearing successful.

Ramsey snagged them two glasses of champagne, and made a toast over the increased volume of the music. "To our first New Years together." Lexi clinked her glass against his and went to drink her drink, but he stopped her. "I wasn't finished." She looked up at him as if to encourage him to continue. "May we have many more to celebrate."

Lexi beamed from ear to ear at the implications in his statement. Taking a large gulp of the champagne, she motioned for Ramsey in a come hither motion. He leaned forward and she captured his lips once more. "If you keep this up, we're not going to make it to midnight."

She winked at him, before shimmying seductively out to the dance floor. He followed her, and they spent the next couple hours lost in each other's embrace. She had completely forgotten Chyna when she caught a glimpse of her long black hair which had been pulled out of her elegant hairstyle. She motioned to Ramsey, and he nodded saying he would follow her.

As she approached, Lexi realized that she wasn't alone, and she looked much more like herself…drunk. Just before Lexi reached her, Chyna began furiously making out with the guy who was standing in front of her. Gulping hard, Lexi realized that the person she was sucking face with was Adam. Guess he had worked things out with her after all. Lexi cleared her throat causing Chyna break away from her make out session.

She turned around smiling brightly at Lexi. Her eyes were slightly glazed over, but she looked happy drunk which was a step up from sober angry. "Alexa!" she cried throwing her arms sloppily around her. "Are you having fun?"

Lexi giggled into Chyna's ear as she helped her stand straight again. "Yeah C. You feeling better?" Lexi knew it was a pointless question. Chyna was obviously already better. She had probably drank enough in the short time that she had been gone that she couldn't feel anything. She would have to deal with everything that had happened at some point, but right now was not that moment.

"Don't even know what you mean chica. But I'm so glad you came over here," she gushed leaning into Lexi again for support.

"Oh yeah?" Lexi asked eyeing her apprehensively as Adam righted her again.

"Soooo you know how I've been sketchy lately?" Chyna asked her smile widening. She looked like a little kid in a candy store when her eyes refocused on Lexi. She wasn't certain what Chyna was getting at, but she did know what she was talking about. Chyna had been doing all sorts of strange things lately. Not only was she forgetting things, but she had been skipping out on plans and calling her at random hours to find out why she hadn't made it to their meeting when nothing had been planned. It had all been a little off for Chyna.

"Yeah," Lexi acknowledged.

"Well I actually do have a reason," she admitted. "I wanted it to be a surprise which is the only reason I haven't told you so don't be mad."

"Why would I be mad?" Lexi asked her curiosity growing.

"I have a boyfriend!"

Lexi jaw dropped open in surprise. Of all the things Chyna could have told her that was not what she had been expecting. She had never known Chyna to have a boyfriend…ever. This was just not something that Chyna did. She dated…a lot. She would go out with dozens of guys, but none of them were ever good enough for Chyna. And now suddenly she had a boyfriend? "What? Who?" Lexi asked incredulously.

Chyna glanced over at Adam and smiled seductively up at him. "Who do you think silly?" she asked wrapping her arm around his waist.

Lexi looked between Adam and Chyna in shock. She couldn't even formulate words. She hadn't even known that Adam and Chyna were still speaking let alone that they had been dating long enough for Chyna to consider him her boyfriend. How had she missed putting those pieces of the puzzle together? Had she been so lost in her own relationship that she had missed that her best friend was now in one?

Luckily, Lexi didn't have to articulate her thoughts, because Ramsey broke in, "Congratulations. Adam told me at the wedding, but don't worry I didn't spoil the surprise for Lexi." He reached forward and wrapped Chyna in a quick hug.

"Thanks! Isn't this awesome Alexa? Now we can double," Chyna squealed acting girlier in that moment than Lexi had ever seen her.

Lexi found her eyes drifting back over to Adam. He stared at her his expression a mask to his true thoughts. She wondered what he was thinking about all of this.

"Alexa, snap out of it. Aren't you happy for me?" Chyna asked her voice increasing in pitch.

Lexi sputtered trying to come up with the appropriate response. "Oh my God, C! I'm so happy for you. I can't believe you have a boyfriend." Chyna looked at her warily, but she was too drunk to recognize Lexi's true thoughts.

As midnight approached, the foursome distracted themselves with booze, dancing, and other the pleasure of each other's company. Lexi was gradually getting over her shock, and was realizing that she actually really liked that her friend had a boyfriend, especially one that Lexi got along with. It was still surreal to her, but it did make it easier to keep up with Chyna. Usually by this time, she would be off with some stranger with no hope of Lexi finding her again until morning, but now she actually got the pleasure of enjoying her company up until the clock struck midnight.

With only fifteen minutes left on the countdown, Ramsey got a phone call that he had to take. Lexi followed him off of the floor in desperate need of a break from the dancing. Her feet were killing her in the high heels that adorned her feet. Ramsey angled for the outside patio despite the frigid temperatures and high altitude. She waited just inside for him to finish his phone call taking a seat to give her feet a break. She couldn't wait for him to come back inside so they could complete their evening which had been easily the best New Years she had ever experienced.

When Ramsey did finally walk back inside though, he wore a look of panic. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately terrified that something had happened. She wasn't sure what, but she was instantly concerned that something might have happened to his family. He looked so distraught, she couldn't help her mind from jumping to that conclusion.

"The club is being raided," he barely muttered. She had to strain to hear what he had said, but when it sank in she looked back at him in horror. She was glad that everyone was alright, but this…this could be devastating to him.

"What does that mean for you?" she asked uncertain as to what he was going to be able to do about it. He was hundreds of miles away, and no one was going to listen to the owner over the telephone.

"It means I'm out thousands of dollars, Lexi. It means I'm out. It means I might have to close the place down," he said his tone dead.

"What are you going to do?" she asked her voice reflecting all of the panic that was on his face.

"I have to get the fuck out of here. I needed to be in Atlanta tonight. What the
fuck
was I thinking? Fuck!" he cried. "I can't believe I listened to you. I can't believe I thought everything was going to be fine. Things don't run without me. They need me there, and I wasn't there. I don't fucking know what I'm going to do Lexi, because I'm in New York City."

Lexi stared up at him as if she had never seen him before. This was not the Ramsey that she knew. This was not the Ramsey that she cared so deeply for. He was taking out his anger on her, and she knew that. She knew, but it still hurt. She tried to keep the tears from welling in her eyes as his words sliced through her. "I…I didn't know."

"That's right you didn't know. God, how could I have been so stupid to let this happen?" he crowed. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair and turned his gaze to the ceiling.

"You had no way of knowing this was going to happen either," she muttered defensively. This was not her fault. He couldn't blame this on her even in his anger. She knew that there was no way that he could have known that something like this was going to happen to his club. This had never happened before. Even if he wanted to claim that it was because he had always been there, she knew better. This had been chance…a fluke. It just happened that he had been out of the state, but it could have happened to anyone.

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't have happened if I'd been there," he growled refusing to hear reason.

"I'm sorry Ramsey," she said weakly unable to process anything else. There was nothing left for her to say. It wasn't her fault, but she did still feel bad about what had happened to him.

"Sorry isn't going to save all of this. I just…I just need to get back into town. I'm going to go catch the red eye or find a private plane," he said beginning to meander through the now crowded room as everyone prepared for the final countdown to take them into the new year.

"You're leaving
now
?" she asked flabbergasted rushing behind him.

"The sooner I get there, the sooner I can piece this all together."

"But you can't fix anything tonight," she reminded him. Her panic level was swiftly increasing the farther they traversed the room. She couldn't have him leave. There was no reason to leave yet, especially since he couldn't do anything about what had happened. By the time he caught a flight everything would be over with.

"I can't wait until the morning," he grumbled pushing aside a couple that was lost in each other's eyes.

"But Ramsey, it's almost midnight," she said as they stopped in front of the elevators. She knew she sounded desperate by now. He was going to leave her before the clock struck twelve. She could feel it in her bones. She understood his urgency to get out of town, but she couldn't process him leaving with only a minute left before New Years.

"I can't be here any longer. Just…understand," he said stooping low and kissing her cheek. The kiss was rushed. It barely brushed against her skin before he pulled back and pressed the button for the elevator.

"Just a kiss on the cheek?" she asked her face stricken with concern. She couldn't figure out how the night had changed so dramatically that he wouldn't even kiss her. The elevator door dinged open and he stuck his hand out to keep it from closing.

She stepped forward into him not letting him leave without a proper good bye. She knew he was obviously directing more irritation at her then was necessary. Grasping her more tightly than usual, he pulled her flush against him and planted a kiss on her lips. She came up gasping, her hips already sore from his forcefulness.

"I'll call you in the morning," he told her stepping into the elevator; his eyes already distracted.

"Good bye," she called as the doors closed between them.

Lexi walked helplessly back into the crowded room to the chanting countdown. As the clock struck midnight, she glanced around at all the happy couples moved forward to receive their first kiss of the New Year…a kiss she never received.

Making a beeline for the bar, she downed the first drink that was put in front of her, grimacing at the taste of Jack Daniels on her tongue. Pouring the remainder of the contents down her throat, she returned the glass to the bartender and wandered over to a vacant table. Several minutes later, she felt a presence next to her and a voice spoke up asking her, "Is this seat taken?"

Glancing up sullenly, Lexi noticed Adam. "Nope."

He sat down next to her and waited a minute before saying anything. "Where's Ramsey?"

"He left."

"Where to?" he asked mirroring her short sentences.

"Home."

"To your place?"

"To Atlanta."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"No need."

"Lexi," he asked drawing her attention back to his face. "Are you going to be alright?"

"My boyfriend just left me before I got a New Years kiss, and I don't know if we're going to be alright. How would you be?"

"Good point," he reasoned. "Personally, I think you'll be just fine. He'd be an idiot to leave you."