B00BR2BOUU EBOK (32 page)

“He’s too old for this.”

“You try and wake him up, it’s next to impossible sometimes.
He takes after you, Rick.” I turned out the light. Rick closed the door behind
us, and then he followed me to our room.

“You are sleeping in the spare room, remember?”

“Yes, I know. I’m just getting my pillow, is that okay?”

I felt like a bitch. “Sorry, of course it is.” I pulled my
hair tie out and noticed in the reflection of the vanity mirror that he had not
yet left the room.

“What? Did you forget something else?” I smiled ever so
slightly.

“You’re worth fighting for, Alexis. If Henry could make Lucy
fall in love with him every day in that movie we just watched, then surely I
can make you fall in love with me again too.” He walked over and slowly kissed
me, at first I wanted to push him away, but there was something different in
this kiss. It left me feeling strangely uneasy, like I was now cheating on
Bryce.
Fuck!
“Good night, Babe,” he said as he left our room.

***

The next morning, Rick seemed different to me. He wasn’t
moping or shitty, instead he seemed relieved and happy, which I found to be really
strange. He explained to the kids that they were going for a sleep over at
their other grandparent’s house. Nate was not impressed that I would be missing
the sleepover and asked why.

“I’m going out with friends, sweetheart.”

“You always go out!” He had stormed off and sat in the car
with his arms crossed. I blew him a kiss as Rick pulled away, but he turned his
head which broke my heart. He was right, I had been going out a lot lately, and
I felt terribly guilty but I had been cooped up at home for the past nine
years, rarely going out at all.
He’ll get over it, he always does.
I
hoped so, I had a lot to deal with at the moment, and the last thing I needed
was having to sort Nate’s slight attachment issues out. I loved that he was a
‘Mummy’s Boy’, but at times it got a little overbearing.
Right, to-do list:
grocery shopping, vacuuming, bath and defuzzing with a razor.
I grabbed my
bag and shopping list, and headed to the shops.

***

I hadn’t planned on doing a full grocery shop as I was only
going to get just the essentials, but before I knew it, I had piled in enough
food to completely fill the trolley, and most of it was ingredients to attempt
my own gourmet dishes, plus I had to stock up on back to school lunch box
snacks too. I had been having a hell of a time trying to manoeuvre the overly
stacked trolley with a bung wheel, and at first I thought people were looking
at me strangely because of that, but I soon realised the double looks and
whispering as I passed had absolutely nothing to do with the awkward trolley
pushing. I swung the aggravating metal cart around the corner, and I nearly
slammed into Lil.

“Coming through, coming through! Crazy lady with a trolley!”
She stepped back against the shelves, as if to insinuate I needed the entire
isle to get past.

“Shit, sorry, Lil.”

“How are you doing Lex?” We gave each other a quick hug.

“Yeah, not bad, mind you I feel like I have a note stuck to
my head or something. People keep giving me the weirdest looks and are
whispering as I go by.” I pointed out two whispering women near us.

“It’s not a note, Hun, you are somewhat of a celebrity
around here now. The thing is, rumours and judgments go hand in hand with
stardom.”

I looked at her strangely. “What the fuck are you talking
about, Lil? In English, please?”

“The whole town thinks you are having an affair with your
rich boss.”

“What!” I shouted, then lowered my voice. “What do you mean—the
whole town? Why? How?”

“You were on TV, looking very cozy with Mr. Hottie Clark,
Lexi, plus you know how the ‘Mummy Mafia’ works at school.”

“It’s the school holidays, Lil!”

“Since when does that matter? Look, don’t worry about them,
Luv, it’s all lies anyway.” I looked at her sheepishly. “Oh, maybe it’s not
then?”

“Lil, so much has happened in the past fortnight, you have
no idea.”

“I reckon I could have some idea?”

“I doubt that. Anyway, I promise I’ll fill you in tonight at
dinner.”

“You better.” I gave her another quick hug, then took off to
face the rest of the judgmental idiots that knew nothing of my life.

***

After putting the shopping away, a quick tidy up of the
house, a complete top to toe wax session, a long soak in the bath, half a book
read, and a nice cup of Chai, it was time to get ready for my night out. I
flicked through my dresses and came across the navy sequined batwing dress I
had nearly wished I’d worn last time we went to Opals.
Perfect, that was easy.
I stewed over which pair of shoes to match with it, and opted for the navy high
heel Gucci’s, I bought myself for my 30th birthday. I wished Carls were here
because I wanted those beautiful curls back, instead, I went with my natural
wavy locks and pinned some of it back.

Tash pulled up at 6 p.m. and let the entire neighbourhood
know she was here with a rendition of ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’ from her car horn.
I opened the front passenger door and got in.

“Do you freaking mind, you lunatic.”

“What, would you prefer the Minion’s Banana Song?”

“Actually I would.”

“Fine.” She started honking again while singing

“Stop it,” I laughed. She stopped the horn and we sat there
and both finished the singing the song ourselves.

“Okay, glad we both got that out of our system. So, Lex, how
are you?”

I leaned over and gave her a hug. “Good, Hun, much better
now, Minions make everything better!” Tash and I absolutely adored the Minions
in the movie Despicable Me. All four of our kids had been watching it one time
when were away on holiday, and as soon as Tash and I heard the little high
pitched voices coming from the TV, we were hooked. They were hilarious, and now
I believe we have watched it together more times than the kids.

“Yes, that they do, Lex, but seriously, how are things
going?”

“Tash, really, I’m fine. I’ve spoken to ‘Brick’ and...”

“Brick?” She looked at me quizzically. I laughed at my own
stupid collective name for them.

“It’s my collective name for Rick and Bryce.”

She laughed too. “I like it,” but you’re an idiot.

“Thanks, I think? Anyway, I’ve spoken to ‘Brick’ and have
told them that I’m Switzerland.”

“You’re Switz-a-what?”

“Switzerland, you know...neutral. I’ve kicked Rick out, and I
am now single and available to date.”

She glanced over at me, unsure of the concept. “What does
‘Brick’ think about that?”

“It doesn’t matter, Hun, it’s not their choice. Let’s just
say they have both asked me out on a date.”

She choked a little. “Shit, Lex, if it wasn’t so fucked up
it would be funny.”

“I hear ya. Oh, hey I got you a present while I was away” I
reached into my bag and pulled out the spoon I had bought her. She took it from
me and unwrapped the tissue paper. The look on her face at first glance was one
of, ‘oh gee thanks, a spoon.’, but when she figured out why I had bought it for
her she smiled brightly and started laughing.

“It looks like boobs, that’s great! Thanks, I‘ll add it to
my ‘rude bits’ cutlery collection.”

I smiled. “You’re welcome, Hun.”

She happily placed it in her glove box and reversed out of my
driveway.

We picked up Steph, Lil, and Jade and made our way into City
Precinct for dinner. There were over twenty different restaurants in the
complex, we all voted for Thai and made our way into The Green Pearl.

“A table for five, please.” I glanced around the restaurant,
it looked very busy.

“I’m terribly sorry, Ma’am, but we are fully booked
tonight.” I turned round and pulled a sad face at the girls.

“Do you fancy Italian?” They all screwed up their faces.

“You could always drop Bryce’s name.” Tash hinted.

“You’re so funny, Tash.” I said sarcastically.

“No, I’m serious.” She ignored me and started to speak
slowly, like talking to a baby. “Excuse me Sir, this is Mr. Bryce Clark’s
girlfriend. You know, Mr Clark, the owner of the hotel?” I was mortified.
Steph, Jade, and Lil all giggled.

“Tash, stop it.” I pinched her arm.

“What? Call him.”

“No, I’m not going to call him and stomp my feet like a
spoiled brat because I can’t get a reservation.”

“You’re dating him aren’t you?” she blurted out. The girls all
gasped.

“I knew it! I knew you’d shag him, Lex.” Jade seemed pretty
pleased with her prediction.

“Thanks a lot, Tash.” I glared at her.

“When were you going to tell us you’d split with Rick?” This
time it was Steph giving me the third degree.

“Over dinner, it’s very complicated.” I noticed Tash had
disappeared. “Where’s Tash gone?”

“Over there, she’s on her phone.” Lil pointed in Tash’s
direction. I squinted at Tash who was on the phone, except her phone did not
have a silver case, my phone did.

“Hang on a minute, that’s my phone. What is she doing on my
phone? How did she get it?” I quickly rummaged through my bag and confirmed she
had in fact stolen it, then it occurred to me why she might have stolen it.
“You sneaky little bitch. Nathasha Jones, you better not have done what I think
you have!” Her head shot up like a meerkat, and she laughed, trying to get away.
Oh my God, how old are we again?
“Come back here, I can’t run in these
shoes!” She stopped and held the phone out to me with a satisfied look on her
face, so I snatched it off her. “You are going to pay for this, bitch.” She
smiled and kissed my cheek then skipped back to the girls. I hesitantly put the
phone to my ear.

“Hello.”

“Hello, my love.”
Fuck, I knew it.

“I’m so sorry. Tash is going to die for this.”

“Hunny, you look so fucking hot in that short navy dress.”
What?
I looked around, my face already showing my excitement.

“You won’t find me, Ms Summers.”

“Where are you?”

“Not telling. I’ll reveal myself when the time is right.”

“And when will that be?”

“You’ll have to wait and see, you might just feel my hand on
your arse when you least expect it.”

“What if it’s someone else’s hand I feel?”

“Then whoever’s it is. I’ll break it. Your arse belongs to
me, Hunny.”

“It does, does it?”
He is so possessively hot.

“Yes, it does.”

“So what you are saying is? You are going to stalk me all
night?”

“Yes. Now go and have dinner, your friends are all waiting
for you.” I spun back round, and they were no longer standing at the door. Tash
shot her hand up from a table within the restaurant and waved. I glared at her
again and turned back round.

“I didn’t want to bother you with this, it’s stupid.”

“Oh, Hunny, you eat anywhere you want to eat. You go
anywhere you want to go, you got it?”

“No.”

“I’m going to make sure every employee in this complex knows
you by face, so that this does not happen again, okay?”

“Bryce, you wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would. You are dating the owner, after all.”

“Am I? We haven’t officially gone on a date yet.”

“Alexis, stop arguing with me and go and have your dinner,
or so help me God, I will walk over to you now, pick you up, and haul you over
my shoulder.” The idea excited me very much, but I knew not to call his bluff.

“Okay, you win. Oh, and by the way, thank you for this.”

“No thanks necessary, my love.”

“Okay, I guess I will see you tonight sometime?”

“You can count on it, Hunny.” He hung up the phone and I revelled
in his exciting game, quickly scanning my surroundings one more time to try to spot
his hiding place, but there were too many people, and I knew he would not show
himself until he was ready. Suddenly my phone rang, startling me. It was Bryce
again.

“Yes, Mr. Clark.”

“Stop looking for me.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Tash rang me.”

“I know that, but how did you get here so quickly?”

“Who says I’m there?” I looked around again and noticed the
big black domed security camera.

“Are you watching me on your security CCTV cameras?”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“You are so infuriating, Mr. Clark, now leave me alone. I’m
hungry.” He growled into the phone as I hung up, making me both giggle and
involuntarily shiver. I walked toward the girls like I was on a catwalk, hoping
he’d see my arse as I did it. On my way to the table, I received a text.

Fuck, I love your arse. - Bryce

I stopped and quickly typed a
response.

If you’re lucky, I might let you spank it. - Alexis

I’m the luckiest man alive. - Bryce

We’ll see. - Alexis

I love you. - Bryce

I love you too. Now seriously, leave me alone xo. - Alexis.

Never. - Bryce

I decided I wouldn’t respond, or we
would be there texting each other all night. I put my phone back into my bag
and sat down at the table with the girls.

“You, missy, are going to pay for that.” I shot Tash a
daring look.

“What? If you have the connections, use them! Anyway, I’m
sure Bryce would’ve been pissed if he found out you were refused a table.” She
was right, of course, but that was not the point. So, I glared at her again
just as a waitress came to the table with a round of cocktails.

“Four ‘Beautiful Ladies’ for four beautiful ladies,” she
said as she placed the drinks in front of the girls.

“And for you, Ms Summers, a ‘Screaming Orgasm’, courtesy of
Mr Clark.” The girls laughed as she placed it down in front of me. I dropped my
head to the table in embarrassment, but, of course, secretly loving his cheeky
side.
He never ceases to amaze me.