Business as Usual (Off The Subject) (25 page)

My last class is over at three, but I have a committee meeting for the charity at four that will last at least an hour. “Seven,” I say. “That will give me time to get home and make something.”

“Don’t go to too much trouble.” He kisses me again. “I’m far more interested in the company than the meal.”

“Okay,” I say against his lips. “Any allergies I should know about? Any dislikes?”

He gives me one last kiss and then pulls back and grins. “I’m allergic to penicillin and I hate cold feet on my legs.”

My lips lift into an ornery grin. “Okay, no moldy bread and I’ll make sure to wear socks.”

His eyes darken with desire. “Skip the socks. And you can put your feet anywhere you want.”

He reaches for me again, but I step back. “Nope, you need to go take a test, and I’m not going to be the reason you’re late.”

“You’re a harsh woman, Alexa Pendergraft.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“God, I hope not,” he says as he starts to walk backward to the coffee shop.

I narrow my eyes and smirk. This is the second time he’s walked away from me like this. “Is this a talent of yours? Walking backward?”

He shrugs, still grinning. “How am I supposed to turn my back on such a beautiful woman?”

And just like that, Ben Masterson has slipped his way into my heart.

Lexi

Sylvia and I use our lunch period to go over the logistics for the auction.

“Did Ben agree to take part?” she asks.

I stare at her for a moment before I remember my excuse for talking to him. “Uh…no.”

“You told him why, right?”

It’s a ridiculous question. I’m like a barracuda with this project. I’m about to answer, but my phone rings and I snatch it up quicker than usual. My eyes widen at the name on the screen. “It’s my uncle. I really need to take this.”

Her gaze narrows with concern. “Are you okay? You look nervous.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I get out of my chair. “Excuse me for a moment.” I walk into the hall, trying not to hyperventilate. “Uncle Robert, please tell me that you have good news.”

“I wish I did, kiddo.”

My back sags against the wall as my eyes sink shut. “What happened?”

“I had a devil of a time finding him, for one thing, but I finally tracked him down in Boston. He wasn’t staying with your parents; he was in some hotel. And although he’s left Boston, I have no idea where he went next.”

“What’s he up to?”

“He refused to tell me a damned thing. He swore he knew what he was doing and that it was the only way of handling the situation.”

My throat burns. “I’m scared for him, Uncle Robert. There has to be something we can do to stop him.”

“I’ll keep trying to think of something, but I’m fresh out of ideas. I guess we just hope he comes to his senses.”

To hell with that. I’m going to try to stop him myself.

I hang up and immediately call Reed, but he doesn’t answer. He doesn’t answer my next three phone calls over the next few hours either, but he finally picks up on my fifth attempt, while I’m walking to my car after the committee meeting.

“I wish you’d left Uncle Robert out of this, Lexi. You’re only complicating things.”

“I had to do something. I can’t watch you throw your life away.”

“I know what I’m doing.” His voice is steely.

“Do you?” When he doesn’t answer, I push on. “Reed, come home. Stop this craziness,” I say, my words drenched in fear.

“This is going to take another day. I’ll either be home tomorrow night or the next morning. Is Caroline there yet?”

I want to tell him that I don’t need a babysitter, but I suspect he’d actually call a nanny service and have someone sent right over. Or worse yet, he’d call a body guard.

So I dodge the question. “It’s Wednesday. She has a late class.”

“Oh, yeah. You’re right,” he says absently. He sounds sad and lonely. “Tell her…” His voice trails off. “Never mind.”

“Come home and talk to her. “
Please
.”

“I’m not done here yet.” There’s no hesitation, just his firm response. I know that he’s not going to come home until he completes whatever mission he’s assigned himself. If he’s not thrown in jail first.

“Reed, you’re scaring me.”

“Oh, Lex,” he says with a sigh. “Don’t be scared.”

We’re talking in circles and not getting anywhere. “I love you, Reed. Please don’t try to sacrifice yourself for me. I
need
you.”

“I love you too. I’ve got to go.”

And just like that he hangs up.

I sit in my car for several minutes, letting the engine warm as I think about what Reed could be doing. I need to let myself consider all the possibilities. Reed suggested that whatever he was doing was illegal and possibly dangerous. Is he going to have Todd Millhouse killed or beaten up? It doesn’t seem like Reed’s style, even if he hired a “firm”—Ms. Pembry—to do it. No, Reed seems like a
bring someone down from behind the scenes
kind of guy. Todd Millhouse and his family have money, loads of it, and I suspect that’s Reed’s angle. Maybe he’s using his genius computer knowledge to attack their money, their corporation, or both. Thankfully, Reed is enough of a mastermind to pull it off without getting caught.

Oh, God.

The blood rushes from my head as I realize I have tied Reed and myself to Todd Millhouse with a neatly trimmed bow. My phone number is on his cell phone.

I rest my forehead on the steering wheel. What have I done?

There’s a rap on my passenger side window and I jump, releasing a shriek. Caroline has squatted, and is watching me through the window with wide eyes. I roll it down and she leans into the opening. “Lex, are you okay?”

Tears fill my eyes. I’m eager to tell her the truth. All of it. I need advice. But I can’t confide in her. Reed will be furious and as much as I hate to admit it, I think he’s right to want to keep her away from this mess. I wipe a tear that escapes. “I’m fine. I just want things to go back to the way they were.”

She reaches in and unlocks the door, then opens it and slides into the passenger seat. After closing the window, she turns to me. “Maybe I should come stay with you after all.”

I shake my head, forcing myself to smile. “No, I’m fine.” I shrug. “It’s probably hormones. You know, that time of the month and getting weepy.”

Her brows lower. “Only you don’t get like that.”

Most people dismiss Caroline’s intelligence because of her beauty. She’s always impeccably dressed, and most people would never guess that she makes her own clothes or repurposes thrift-store finds, something she learned to do growing up in a trailer park with little money. With her long, thick blonde hair, blue eyes, and high cheek bones, she’s gorgeous enough to be a model instead of the designer who makes the clothing they wear. Reed and I saw both aspects of her, right from the beginning. “I’ve got a lot going on, Caroline. I’m just overwhelmed.”

My tone is snippier than I intend, but Caroline doesn’t back down. “You’re right. You do have a lot going on and if anyone deserves a meltdown from time to time it’s you. But I know you, Lex. You’re worried about something. I can see it in those beautiful eyes of yours.”

I drop my gaze to my lap.

“Why is Reed in Boston?”

My head jerks up in surprise.

Her face is expressionless. “So you
are
worried about Reed.”

“Caroline…”

“Is he really in Boston?”

Despite the fact that I’ve strutted around with a black wig on my head a handful of times this month, I hate lies and deceptions. “I don’t know. I know he
was
there, but Uncle Robert doesn’t think he’s there anymore.”

“Why did he go? What’s he doing?”

I turn to look out the front windshield. “It’s about me. That’s all I know.”

“You?” She’s silent for a minute. “And the woman he talked to?”

I don’t answer and tears prick at my eyes again.

“She has something to do with you, doesn’t she?” I swing my gaze to her determined face. “I know he’s not having an affair, Lexi.”

“But…why…how…?” A million questions march through my head.

She shrugs. “I doubted him at first. Why else would he take secret calls from a woman and then run off to meet her? But the more I thought about it, the more I realized he wouldn’t cheat on me. He’d break up with me before he ever did something like that.” She wipes a tear from her cheek. “Say what you like about Reed Pendergraft Monroe, but he’s an honorable man.”

“But if you know he’s not cheating, why haven’t you come home?”

“Because he’s keeping secrets again, Lexi. After he finally told me who you two were, he promised he wouldn’t do that.”

“He’s trying to protect you, Caroline!”

“From
what
?”

I suck my lower lip into my mouth. I’ve said too much.

“People in a committed relationship share everything with each other,” she says. “Reed didn’t tell me about your past because he didn’t trust me and I understand that. I had to earn his trust, especially after our rocky start.” Anger fills her eyes and she clenches her hands in her lap. “But why doesn’t he trust me now? What more can I do to prove that I love him and want what’s best for all of us?” Her voice softens. “I almost wish it was another woman. It would be easier to understand.”

I grab both her hands. “Oh, Caroline! He does trust you! He’s trying to protect you.”

“You keep saying that, but protect me from
what
?”

I clench my jaw. Damn my need to fix this.

Her body tenses and her eyebrows rise. “So you’ve known all along and you kept the truth from me too?”

I shake my head emphatically. “No! I didn’t find out until this past weekend.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“Reed doesn’t want you to get hurt.”

She throws her hands up. “Again with the overprotectiveness.” Her eyes narrow. ”I understand his practically caveman need to do anything and everything in his power to watch over the people he loves. But it’s insulting for him to keep this to himself when he knew it was tearing us apart,” she spits. “It’s as though he thinks my feeble brain can’t handle the truth.”

“That’s not it, Caroline. I swear.”

“Then what is it?”

I take a deep breath. I’m losing this argument, but I’m not sure how else to handle it. “I can’t tell you.”

Caroline reaches for the car door. “I thought more of you Lexi. I thought we were a team and that you’d help me just like I’ve tried to help you. But I guess that was stupid of me. Of course you’re going to side with your brother.”

A sob explodes in my chest and I grab her arm. “Caroline, that’s not it!”

My rising hysteria stops her and she turns to me. “I love you, Lexi. You’re like a sister to me. I love you more than I ever loved my brother or my parents. I may rot in hell for that fact, but it’s the truth.” Her lips tremble as tears fill her eyes.

I force myself to calm down.

“But I’m a grown woman and I have a right to know the truth, especially when it’s destroying my life. I can understand why Reed would act this way—as much as I detest it—but I expected better from you.” She tilts her head and sighs. “If either of you are ready to tell me the truth, I’ll listen and consider moving forward, but the longer it waits, the harder that’s going to be.” She swallows. “Surely, you of all people can understand that.”

I nod. “I do.” I just don’t know what to do about it.

“But no matter what, even if Reed and I stay apart, I’m here for you. I meant what I said about you being like a sister to me. Sisters fight, but they make up. You’re stuck with me, Lex.”

I throw my arms around her and press my cheek to her shoulder. “I love you, Caroline.”

She pulls back to kiss my forehead. “I love you too.” She’s getting out of the car when she stops to look over her shoulder. “And I’d appreciate it if you two would get your shit together sooner rather than later. It’s getting a bit crowded at Casa de Lovebirds,” she says in a teasing tone.

She really does want to come back.

A grin spreads across my face. “Now you know how I feel.”

She smiles back. “Which means you really
do
need to move into your own apartment.” Then she gets out and waves before walking away.

I’ve got a lot of work to do.

Lexi

The fact that Caroline is still willing to take Reed back gives me hope. But now I need to concentrate on making dinner for Ben, which produces a whole new level of anxiety. Before I was worried about his reaction to my wig, but now that that’s out in the open, a new worry haunts me. If I look at what we have together, it’s mostly sex. What if his attraction to me is just physical? But I remind myself that he didn’t have to help me after Tina and her friends drugged me. He could easily have called the police or Reed. Surely the fact that he went so out of his way to do me a favor carries some weight. Ben’s a very good-looking guy and I’m sure he wouldn’t have to put so much effort into just getting laid.

I guess tonight will be a good test.

I stop at the grocery store and pick up some chicken and pasta along with a loaf of French bread and a cheesecake. Ordinarily, I’d make dessert, but it’s already 5:30, so I’m running out of time. My cell phone rings as I’m checking out, and I grab it out of my purse and answer, “Hello?”

Silence greets me on the other end and when I look down at the caller ID, terror creeps up my spine. It’s him. I drop the bag of fresh tomatoes in my other hand on the conveyor belt with thud.

“
Lexi?
” he asks in amazement.

I continue to hold the phone to my ear as the cashier asks, “Paper or plastic.”

I need to answer. I need to hang up. Instead, I’m paralyzed with horror.

“Lexi?” he asks again. I press end and drop the phone to the floor.

“Miss, are you okay?” the cashier asks.

I watch her for a couple of seconds.
Get it together, Lexi
. I bend down and pick up my phone, forcing myself to smile as I stand. “I’m sorry. Long day. I kind of zoned out.”