A Face in the Crowd (15 page)

He leaned in and paused at her sharp intake of breath, but when she didn’t pull away, he took the initiative and did what he’d wanted to do since he’d met her.

One touch. He felt himself go under with one touch of her lips on his. Christ, if he’d known, he would’ve acted sooner . . . although maybe some part of him had known what would happen if he kissed her. Maybe that was why he’d waited so long. He couldn’t risk losing this feeling. Losing her.

She kissed him back without hesitation, her lips warm and soft as they moved over his. He dared a taste of her lips with his tongue, but she instantly welcomed him to deepen the kiss. They stayed where they were as the light changed behind his closed eyes as the sun completed its descent over the horizon. A car horn sounded and the steady hum of traffic flowed, but for Oliver the rest of the world was gone.

He wove his fingers further into her hair and she leaned closer. Her fingers touched his jaw, light strokes carrying the smell of her lotion which was something between clean laundry and the ocean. Desperate to feel more of her, he turned his body so that he was on his knees. Without removing his lips from hers, he crawled to her and pulled her up by her elbows until they were both on their knees clinging to each other.

He could feel the curves of her chest and the slope of her hips as he ran his hands along her body. The only thing stopping him from laying her on the ground and taking her right there was the knowledge the security guard would be by again soon. The lust driving him didn’t give a damn who came by, she felt so good, but she would.

“This wasn’t exactly the dinner I had planned.”

She smiled against his lips, her breaths as ragged as his. “It was perfect.”

Chapter 14

The rest of the week passed quickly, too quickly for Lexie’s taste as it meant Simone was leaving in two days. Lexie couldn’t help but feel depressed every time she thought about it and it was hard not to, standing in Simone’s nearly empty apartment.

“Leave that box at my place. I have enough room in the storage closet.”

“You’re sure?” Simone asked for the tenth time.

“Yes, it’s fine.”

“As long as it won’t be in your way.” At Lexie’s huff, Simone let the subject drop and carried the box out of her room to place it by the door.

Lexie followed her and together they stood and surveyed the empty apartment. Simone’s time there had been erased. Years gone in a matter of days.

“Please tell me we’re going to go out and do something fun tonight. It’s too depressing to stay in.”

Lexie choked back her unshed tears and grinned. “I have a hankering for a black Cosmo.”

“Look at you getting fancy. Must be all that time you’ve been spending with the rock god.”

“It could be.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Maybe he’s rubbing off on me.”

“Tell Bailey that any time he wants to rub off on me to let me know.”

Lexie ignored Simone’s dirty comment. “Leo’s back in town this week. Did I tell you?”

“It must have slipped your mind,” Simone locked her apartment door and joined Lexie on the stairs. “And, here I thought we were friends.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” A common problem she seemed to have anytime Oliver was around. “They’ve been holed up in Bailey’s room all week working on new music.”

They folded into Simone’s car and headed across town toward Lexie’s apartment. As the sun began to set, Simone opened the sunroof to let in the fresh air. Never one to enjoy the extreme heat of the South, L.A. would suit Simone with its perfect weather. Lexie was starting to hate L.A. and she hadn’t even seen it yet.

“So, did you get to hear some of the songs? Or, is it just one song? How did it sound?”

“They’ve written a few, maybe more since Leo arrived. Oliver sang one of them for me early in the week and I’ve heard bits and pieces of others as I’ve gone in and out of the room.”

“Wait, he sang to you?” Simone swiveled her head to look at her.

“Could you keep your eyes on the road? And, it wasn’t so much that he sang to me as he sang it for me. He was looking for a sounding board and I was there.” She shrugged. “That’s all.”

“Um-hmm. So, he sang for you. That must’ve been interesting,” Simone ignored the road again to bore a hole through her.

“Watch the road for Christ’s sake. You’re going to end up under a semi,” Lexie braced a hand against the door as Simone cut across two lanes.

“At least Oliver sang to you before you died. Surely you can die happy after something like that.”

“It was pretty great,” Lexie grinned, but kept her hand in place.

“I knew it,” Simone smacked the steering wheel. “I need details.”

Lexie proceeded to fill Simone in on the experience of Oliver singing in an intimate setting and then they revisited their familiar debate over the best Survival song to date.

“I think he’s onto something with this new song. If the others are as promising as the one I heard, the new album could be the best one they’ve ever had.” Lexie tossed her bag on the kitchen counter on her way to change clothes.

“It would have to be an impressive album. I don’t know if anything can top their first one, Darwin. It put them on the map.” Simone blinked her mascara-laden eyelashes and moved to the other eye. “Every song was amazing.” She checked her reflection in Lexie’s full-length mirror.

“You look good, as usual. You ready?”

“Yes, let’s eat. All that packing and painting wore me out,” Simone dropped her pillow on Lexie’s couch. She was going to spend the next two days tying up loose ends and visiting family since everyone wanted a chance to say goodbye and wish her well.

Lexie was almost glad she was working the following day. She didn’t want to witness all the goodbyes. It made everything real. As long as they were out and busy she could pretend it wasn’t happening. This would be a night like countless others they’d spent going to dinner and enjoying their city.

The parking lot at their favorite dive was packed, but Simone managed to finagle a spot, as usual. As Lexie pushed the glass door open, the smell of oregano and freshly baked bread filled the air. Her stomach grumbled.

Their drinks were delivered and orders taken, not that either of them needed a menu. They had been patrons of the little Italian dive for years. “What day are you starting work?” Lexie stifled a moan when she took a bite of warm bread.

“I have to be there on Monday, ready to work,” Simone said it in a voice Lexie could only assume was an impersonation of her new boss.

A server delivered their food, and they both dove in like they hadn’t eaten in days.

“I’m going to miss this place,” Simone said with a mouthful of pasta.

“Maybe I can ship you some for your birthday.”

Simone laughed, but then her eyes went wide as they focused on something behind Lexie. Turning in her chair, Lexie followed Simone’s line of sight. Mike.

When he caught them staring, he started walking toward their table and he wasn’t alone. Simone mumbled something about where he could go and something else that sounded like asshole under her breath before taking a swig of her drink. No longer hungry, Lexie set her fork down. She had managed to avoid him for years and now out of nowhere he was there in her favorite restaurant.

“Hi, Lexie, Simone. It’s been a long time.”

“Not long enough, if you ask me,” Simone smiled, but it was anything but friendly.

He ignored Simone’s obvious disdain and motioned to the redhead clutching his arm. “This is Brandy, my fiancée.”

Lexie plastered a smile on her face, determined to seem unaffected by his news. She would not give him the satisfaction of getting upset. As she sat staring at her past, Oliver’s face appeared in her mind and her smile became genuine. Oliver. A man who knew the meaning of loyalty. A man who was caring, which he’d shown on numerous occasions including every night this week when he’d insisted on walking her to her car. How would it feel to hang off of his arm?

“Congratulations.” It sounded more sincere than she would’ve thought possible up until this very moment, but there it was. Simone’s baffled expression proved it had come out as she’d intended. She wasn’t surprised he’d moved on. He was perfectly welcome to do whatever he wanted. They were ancient history. But, this was the first time since he’d left her that it didn’t bother her. Huh.

“Brandy, this is Lexie and Simone. They’re old friends.” He eyed Lexie, starting with her chest and working his way up.

Yep, still a pig.

“It’s been what three, four years? I see you guys haven’t changed. Still hanging out together at the same places.” He dislodged Brandy’s hand and draped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. “It must be nice to be so set in your ways.”

“Some of us are just faithful that way.”

“Oh, Simone, always so clever,” Mike earned himself an icy stare.

“Okay, well, we wouldn’t want to keep you two love birds from your dinner. It was nice meeting you,” Lexie fought the urge to wince when Simone kicked her under the table.

“You, too, it’s nice to meet some of Mike’s friends,” his fiancée’s eyes darted from Simone and back to him, no longer unaware of the tension.

“You bet,” Simone said with too much pep.

Brandy pulled Mike’s arm in an effort to get him to follow her. He paused, sneered at Lexie for an extra second and then allowed himself to be dragged away.

“That smug son of a bitch, I should’ve thrown my drink in his face.”

“That would’ve been a waste of a perfectly good drink,” Lexie’s calm continued, earning her another kick under the table.

“Why am I more upset than you?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t upset.” Although, she really wasn’t. Sure, he was a jerk and it would’ve been fun if Simone had thrown her drink in his face, but Lexie was done caring about Mike. “I just said you shouldn’t waste your drink on him.”

Simone tilted her head to the side and studied her. “It’s him, isn’t it? Oliver?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just . . . I don’t know. You’ve been different lately. Happier or something. And, I can’t help but think it’s Oliver who’s changed your outlook.”

“No. Maybe.” Lexie shook her head. “I don’t know.” She debated on telling Simone what had happened between them, but kept it to herself. It was too soon. She feared if she said it out loud it would somehow change things.

“Well, whatever the case, you know you have my blessing. Why not have some fun?”

“Because, I’m just another face in the crowd and he’s Oliver Honeycutt.”

“
Pfft
.” Simone sat up straighter. “Girl, if you ask me, you’re the catch in this scenario. He may sing pretty, but he’s still just a man. If you’re into him, I say good for you. Go for it.”

Lexie shook her head, but smiled. “You kill me.”

Simone grinned. “Is it hard being best friends with someone who’s always right?”

Lexie let out an unladylike snort, but appreciated her friend’s words, nonetheless. Why not reach out to Oliver? Maybe they could have a little fun before he disappeared. The important thing was to walk in with her eyes open.

“I wonder if that poor girl has any idea who she’s about to marry.”

“Probably not. I mean look at me. I made the same mistake years ago.”

“You dodged a bullet.”

Lexie raised her glass for a toast. “When you’re right, you’re right.”

Chapter 15

As the cool morning air whipped around his place on the top floor of the parking garage, Oliver popped the collar of his denim jacket. In any other situation he’d be arrested, or at least run off for hanging around the employee parking area like some kind of stalker, but thanks to his celebrity status, the guard on duty had been more than happy to let him be.

He ran his fingers over a smooth spot in the concrete wall while he tried to remember the last time he’d been nervous waiting around for a girl. Maybe the curvy Amanda Stolz in the eighth grade, but none in recent history. At least back then he’d understood what had drawn him to Amanda. She’d had the biggest boobs of any other girl in their grade back when boobs had been the center of his universe, not that he didn’t appreciate them now, but he liked to think he’d grown as a man since then.

The faint sound of an engine echoed through the structure a few seconds before headlights swept across the area. Lexie.

Unlike Amanda, his appreciation for Lexie went beyond the physical. He was drawn to her in a way he hadn’t been to anyone else and unlike the long line of ladies who’d come before, he wanted to know Lexie: what she wanted, what made her happy, everything. How had this one woman who he’d only known a handful of weeks managed to turn his head in a way no one else had? Because, she’d definitely turned his head.

Oliver pushed away from the wall where he’d been perched and scooped up the two coffees which were sitting on the ground near his feet. The last thing he wanted to do was startle her, so he made sure she saw him approach.

“Good morning, Lexie.” As she climbed out of her car, he held out one of the steaming cups of coffee to her. It’d been less than forty-eight hours since he’d seen her and his heart leapt at the sight of her like she’d been gone for weeks.

“Thanks.” She wrapped her tiny, yet capable hands around the cup and together, they started for the elevator. “What are you doing out here so early?”

“Actually, I haven’t been to sleep yet, so does that make it late or early?” In fact, he’d barely slept at all since kissing her a week ago. It had been spur of the moment, perfect, and ignited a new wave of inspiration. He’d stayed up the majority of the night and all day the previous day transforming his feelings into music.

“You’re insane. How can you not sleep?”

“I’m a night owl most of the time, but don’t worry, I’m headed back to the house soon to crash.” As the elevator music version of an Elton John classic floated on the air around them, he kissed her again and it was like the first time: hot, passionate, electric. Even if he did it every day for the rest of his life, he was positive it would never be enough. He wanted her more and more each day.

“How was your day off?”

“I helped Simone move out of her apartment.”

“So, you basically spent your day off working?” He held a hand out to signal for her to go first when the elevator doors opened. “When are you not taking care of other people?”

She shrugged. “It’s what I do.”

“When’s she leaving for L.A.?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

He didn’t miss the trace of sadness in her voice and the sound tore at him. “Are you working that day?”

“Yes, but it’s okay. She’s leaving really early in the morning. Probably around the same time I have to leave to get here.”

“I don’t know how you early birds do it. Before Bailey ended up here, my idea of early used to be ten o’clock.”

As she moved past him to swipe her ID badge due to the early hour, the slight puffiness around her eyes caught his attention. “Late night?”

“What makes you say that?”

“I’ve seen you almost every day for the last month and I, of all people, know what someone looks like after a late night out. It’s in my job description.”

She grinned. “You caught me. Simone and I went out.”

“What’d you two ladies get into?”

“Dinner, drinks, and dancing. All of our favorite things.”

“Sounds fun.”

“It was,” she leaned against the wall and took a sip of her coffee. “How’s Leo? Did you guys get a lot done? Did he like the new songs?”

“He did, yeah. It’s been nice having him around. At the rate we’re going we’ll have a whole album’s worth of music ready to record when we get home.”

She nodded. “So, Dave liked what you guys have been putting together, too?”

“He’s into it, except for my one brilliant idea to add in a little yodeling. He put the kibosh on that idea.”

“I’m surprised. Who doesn’t like a little yodeling?’

“Right?” he grinned. “But, those guys can be such killjoys sometimes.”

Lexie tilted her head to the side and smirked at him, the look playful and sexy enough to turn him on. He glanced down the hallway and when he found the area deserted, he reached out for her hoodie and pulled her near.

“I’m glad you’re back.” He let his lips convey how much until they were both breathless.

“Me, too.”

As they stared at each other, Lexie’s heart hammered against her ribs in overexcited anticipation he might kiss her again. His mouth was only a breath away. One more inch by either of them and his lips would possess hers again. Her legs threatened to give out. A tremor moved up her arm. Wait, what? As she tried to think through the hormone haze currently flooding her entire brain like a fog, her phone vibrated in her bag, sending another tremor through her arm.

“Do you need to get that?”

The moment lost, she took a step back and dug a hand into her bag. She thought of where she’d left Simone sleeping on her couch, one arm flung over her face. It was highly unlikely she would be awake, but who on earth would be calling at this hour? She turned her phone over in her palm and her stomach sank.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to take this.”

“No problem.” Oliver started down the hall a few steps in front of her to give her some privacy.

She sighed and answered, “Hey, Donna. What’s wrong?” Because something had to be wrong. There was no other reason in the world she would call her at this hour or at any other time for that matter.

“Oh, baby,” she whimpered on the other end of the phone, “it’s over.”

“You mean with John?”

“Of course, I mean with John!” She sniffled again.

Lexie pinched the bridge of her nose. She never should’ve answered the call. “What happened?”

“His tennis instructor. That’s what happened. And, after we bought this house together. I mean what am I supposed to do now?” Her mom didn’t wait for her to reply. Instead, she launched into a rant about the bimbo who’d just cost Lexie another stepdad. “Can you come down to Florida for a few days? I don’t think I can go through this alone. Maybe we could go out and have some girl time, just you and me.”

Her fingers tapped on the edge of her phone. “I don’t know, Donna.”

“Come on, sweetie. I need you.”

“Well, I have work.” Lexie’s eyes focused on the place between Oliver’s shoulders. Would he still be there when she got back? Did she want him to be? She wasn’t stupid. She knew she was one step away from falling off the cliff into love’s oblivion where Oliver Honeycutt was concerned. She shook her head. Who was she kidding? She couldn’t get the time off, problem solved. “I don’t think I can.”

“Just once I wish you could put your own needs aside and think about mine. I didn’t raise you to be so selfish.”

The words stung and churned the guilt roiling in her stomach. The guilt she hated, but couldn’t seem to suppress. Hadn’t she put up with this kind of thing from her mother her entire life? There was only one person who mattered to Donna and that was Donna.

“I’m sorry, D—Mom, but I can’t.” She tugged on one of her hoodie’s strings. “I’m at work. I need to let you go.”

“It’s barely even six a.m. Why are you at work?”

Lexie opened her mouth to launch into an explanation, one she was pretty sure she’d given before, but Donna didn’t let her get started. After another drawn out guilt trip her mother finally hung up.

Lexie inhaled through her nose and exhaled the same way.

“Everything okay?” Oliver asked when she reached his place near the locker room.

“Yeah, fine.”

He reached over and grabbed her hand. Startled, she looked down at their joined hands and then up at his face.

“What’s going on, Lexie?”

“I’m tired and a bit hung over if you want to know the truth.” Her attempt at lightening the mood, failed.

“I call bullshit. I know you, and something’s wrong.”

She tried to pull her hand out of his grasp, but couldn’t. Trapped and unhappy about being called out on her deflection, her temper spiked. “No, actually you don’t know me. Now please release my hand, Mr. Honeycutt.”

“Mr. Honeycutt? Are we back to that now? I’m trying to be your friend here.”

“Don’t bother.” This time she jerked her hand free and ducked into the locker room where he couldn’t follow. As she changed clothes, her anger continued to build, the contents of her brain threatening to implode as though in a pressure cooker. It hadn’t been fair to take it out on Oliver, but he’d been standing there with his perfect life and his perfect family. What did he know about her life? How could he possibly understand what it was like to feel more like the parent than the kid? His mom cared what happened in his and Bailey’s life. She stood by them, protected them, and fought for them. The only people Donna ever fought for were the men who made the mistake of getting caught in her sights.

Lexie dropped her head into her hands and fought the urge to cry. Maybe it was better this way. Oliver could cut out now and save them both a lot trouble. It wasn’t like they could have something meaningful anyway . . .

She’d tried once before for happily ever after and had come dangerously close to following in Donna’s footsteps, the one thing she swore she would never do. Of course, this was different. She and Oliver weren’t together. Sure, they were spending time together, but that was it. They hadn’t slept together or even been on a real date for that matter. So, why did she feel so guilty about how she’d spoken to him? Because, she’d been a jerk, that was why. Her issues were her own.

Lexie pulled the door open to apologize, but Oliver was gone.

Lexie knocked on Mr. Roberts’s door and when she got no response, she entered and found him dozing. As she read through his chart and discovered his body was showing signs of rejecting the latest meds, her heart stumbled. Over the past several months his health had slowly been in decline and now the end seemed too close to bear.

“Hey there, Miss Lexie.”

Lexie blinked a couple of times to clear away her unshed tears and conjured up her best smile. “Hey, sorry I woke you.”

“That’s all right. All I do is sleep these days. I don’t have the energy to do much else.” Lexie moved over and sat in the chair by his bed.

“You look tired, Miss Lexie.”

“You’re not the first person who’s told me that today.”

He attempted to push himself more upright against his pillows, the effort too hard for him on his own. Lexie placed a hand on his arm to help him move, his bones fragile in her hand. Once settled, he smiled. “Were you busy with a special someone?”

Lexie laughed, “Hardly. I haven’t been in here five minutes and there you go, worrying about my love life again.”

“I hate to think of you being unhappy. You’re a sweet, pretty girl and you deserve to be as happy as my wife and I were.”

Lexie reached out and held Mr. Roberts’ liver spotted hand between her own, his touch comforting the way she imagined a grandfather’s would be. Tears sprang to her eyes and she did her best to hide them, but it was no use.

“What’s wrong with you today? I ain’t going anywhere, yet.”

“No, of course not. It’s not that.” She wiped at her cheeks. “You’re right. I want what you and your wife had. I want to be happy, but it’s not as easy as you make it sound.”

“Posh. You just have to find the right fellow.”

“I’ve found the wrong one a time or two,” her voice sounded watery and she hated it. Hated getting upset over silly dreams and what ifs.

“The right one will come along and you won’t even remember those others.” He squeezed her fingers. “Miss Lexie, don’t get caught up in the past.”

She looked into Mr. Robert’s faded blue eyes and wondered how it was he seemed to read the worries of her heart.

“It might make you miss someone better who is right in front of you.”

“You are a wise man, Mr. Roberts,” she kissed his knuckles and laid his hand back on the bed. “I have to go now, but I’ll be by to see you later.”

Lexie made her way back down the hall and stopped by the nurse’s station. “Laura, would you help me with Bailey’s platelets today?”

“Sure, when?”

“I need to stop by and see my other patient and then I’ll be ready. Say, ten minutes?”

“Sure I’ll meet you down there.”

Lexie kept moving and made her way further down the hall lost in her own thoughts. She wasn’t looking forward to facing Oliver again, not after the way she’d spoken to him. Guilt niggled under her skin the way it always did after she let her temper get the best of her. She’d been out of line. Her temper was not one of her better qualities and more often than not it got the best of her. It had always been an issue between her and Mike. Of course, his little infidelity problem was a bigger issue, but he didn’t see it that way.

Though still embarrassed by her little outburst with Mr. Roberts, she meant what she’d said to him, she did want to find someone to share her life with. She wanted to be happy, but she never allowed it to happen. Mike had broken her heart and worse than that, he had taken away her ability to trust. Logically, she knew all men weren’t the same, but she didn’t want to chance being humiliated all over again. It was the path Donna had chosen over and over again and unlike her mother, humiliation wasn’t her style.