Avoiding Temptation (24 page)

By the look on his face, he had a pretty good idea. She wasn’t very good at masking her emotions, holding back, not reacting. She couldn’t lie well with her body any more than with her words.

The speeches ended to a round of applause. Lexi forced herself to clap along with the crowd as the Ramsey, his father, and Parker stepped down from the podium and walked over to the ornate shovel. A series of pictures were taken with each of them scooping a bit of dirt into the hole. Lexi didn’t see the point since construction was already well underway, but it was a press release, and she didn’t get anything about that. The press took a few more shots of them all together and then split them apart for interviews. Ramsey and Parker turned to speak with one reporter, and Lexi just stared.

She felt the presence behind her before he spoke.

“You all right?” Jack asked.

“What do you mean?” She kept her voice light and airy. She wasn’t sure why she was even trying to fool Jack. It was pretty useless.

“So, no?”

She sighed. “I’m all right. Don’t worry about me.”

“You looked pretty sad for a minute during that speech.”

“You weren’t even looking at me,” she said. She didn’t even know why she was defending herself like this.

Jack smirked at her, and those blue eyes lit up. “I could feel your panic a mile off, Lex. I only needed a peripheral look to know what you were feeling.”

Lexi just shrugged. If he knew, then she wasn’t going to explain herself. There were too many eyes and ears around at the moment. For all she knew, Bekah was going to barge over and confront her any second—except Lexi knew that probably wouldn’t happen. Bekah cared for her reputation more than anything else, and she wouldn’t risk losing her sugary-sweet persona in front of the press and a long list of prestigious Bridges associates.

“What do you think of all this?” Lexi asked, gesturing to their surroundings.

“Pretty lame party if you ask me.”

Lexi giggled and shook her head. “No, the medical wing.”

“Ah. I’ll probably still go to Grady,” he said with a shrug.

Lexi crinkled her nose. Grady Memorial was not a well-liked hospital in Atlanta, known primarily for being in a bad part of town and being good at saving gunshot victims. She had been there most recently when her father had had a heart attack. She didn’t really ever want to go back again.

“Only if you have a bullet wound. I’m pretty sure you’d die from anything else there.”

“Right. Forgot about that,” he said, shooting her a smile. “What do you think about it all?”

Lexi opened her mouth to tell him, but she didn’t know what to say. On the surface, it was brilliant. A full-service medical facility would help put a more positive spin on the Bridges brand. It would make them look compassionate, like they were providing a benefit to the community. It added another layer to their motto,
Bridge the distance between you and your troubles
.

Yet, she had a terrible feeling about it. She was sure it had something to do with who was standing right before her eyes and a whole hell of a lot less to do with the actual medical wing.

Ramsey and Parker were standing side by side, facing the reporter. Both seemed relaxed and comfortable with what was going on. Lexi wasn’t that far away, so she could pick out what they were saying if she concentrated. They were just doing some introductions, and she could tell the reporter was trying to keep them relaxed even though he didn’t really need to. Ramsey was never uncomfortable, and Parker seemed at ease by his side.

“We should probably find something else to occupy your mind,” Jack whispered.

“What?”

“You’re staring.”

“I’m his girlfriend,” she said, breaking her attention and looking back up at Jack. “I’m allowed to stare.”

“They’re not together, Lexi.”

Lexi’s brow furrowed at Jack’s words. “I know!”

“Just thought you needed the reminder.”

“Well, I don’t.”

Jack touched her elbow softly when she turned away from him to stare at Ramsey again.

“Ramsey’s not stupid. He won’t fuck up, Lexi,” Jack said. “Trust me…he told me.”

Lexi’s mouth went dry. Instead of reacting, she closed off. She couldn’t hear that. It made her insane, like she literally wanted to hurt someone…primarily Bekah but just because she was a bitch. Lexi should like the fact that Ramsey had said he was never going to fuck up, but the audacity irritated her. He had already fucked up. He had fucking lied to her over and over and over again. He had built their relationship on a foundation of lies, and the worst one was currently standing at his side, giving an interview with him.

“This is a huge achievement for the two of you and at such a young age. What was the catalyst that triggered the decision to open a new hospital in the Atlanta area?” the reporter asked Ramsey and Parker.

Lexi listened from a distance.

“It’s something we’ve always talked about doing,” Ramsey said, “but after Parker graduated from medical school and started working as a surgeon, we knew that there would be no better time.”

Wait, wait, wait—Parker was the catalyst behind this endeavor? That was the story they were going with?
Of course, in the back of her mind, Lexi knew that it was a better story to sell to the press. But the rest of her wanted to stomp right over there and give them the
real
story.

Lexi’s eyes narrowed as Ramsey placed his hand on the small of Parker’s back.

“She’s the mastermind behind the project. It’s all her.” Ramsey didn’t move his hand.

It was just for the press. It was just for the press. It was just for the press.

“Uh…maybe we should take a walk,” Jack said, grabbing her elbow.

“Did you fucking hear that?” she blurted out.

“Yeah. It might be best for you to walk off the steam blowing out of your ears right now,” he said.

“Fine,” she grumbled, still glaring at Ramsey as he easily chatted with the reporter.

She had stopped listening. It clearly wasn’t healthy for her to do so.

They turned together, Jack leading her farther away from Ramsey and Parker. He was right. She needed to get away from that. It was just a show, and really, it didn’t matter.
Just a dumb ceremony—that was all.

“Lexi,” someone called as they veered away from the groundbreaking area.

John came into view, and she almost groaned. As far as she knew, he hadn’t met Jack yet.
This was going to be fun.

“You aren’t leaving, are you?”

“No. I was just going to get some water,” she lied through her teeth.

Jack looked away and tried to hide a smile.
She must really suck at lying.
Well, after being out of practice for a couple of years now, that tended to happen. It was a good thing as far as she was concerned.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” John said, holding his hand out to Jack. “John Ward. I’m one of the leads on the medical wing project through Global.”

Jack took John’s hand in his and squeezed. “Jack Howard. I’m a senior accounting executive at Bridges.”

Worlds collided.

Lexi wanted to run as fast as she could until her lungs burned, her legs shook, her breathing came out in gasps, and she literally couldn’t carry herself any farther. That would be better than standing here in this moment.

They released hands, but something had shifted in John. She didn’t know what it was, but she was sure she wouldn’t like it.

“Come on, Jack. I really need that water,” she said, pushing him in the opposite direction.

“Is this the guy?” John asked before she could run off.

Jack’s features screwed up at the question, and Lexi wished she could just keep walking.

“What?” she managed.

“The one I don’t compare to?”

Lexi groaned
. Great. Her words were getting thrown back at her.

Jack’s head snapped to the side to look at Lexi, but she couldn’t even meet his eyes.

“Huh. I thought he’d be a little…bigger,” John said, sizing Jack up.

“John, just cut it out.”

“Lex, what is he talking about?” Jack demanded.

“I could take him,” John said offhand.

He smiled at her with that insufferably arrogant look on his face, and she just waited for a fucking fight to break out.

Christ! Neither of these guys were even her boyfriend! Her boyfriend was currently with his ex-girlfriend. Perfect.

“Jack is married,” she told John, surprised that she managed to say it without wincing. “In fact, he’s married to a Bridges vice president. Jack and I are just friends, and
you’re
acting like an asshole.”

“Oh, wait,” Jack said, like something had clicked into place. “You’re Adam’s brother.”

“Adam is my younger brother.”

“He’s the dick you fucked when you went back to New York?” Jack asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

John actually laughed at that.

Great! She was a big fucking joke right now.

“That is none of your business. None of this is either of your business,” she said, smacking John for laughing and then smacking Jack just as hard. “Both of you can fuck off.”

Lexi stormed away. As if she wasn’t already angry enough with Ramsey, those two had to have a fucking dick-measuring contest right in front of her.
She couldn’t believe John had brought that stuff up about Jack right in front of him, and then Jack had laid out her dirty laundry where anyone could fucking see!

Jack caught up to her easily. “Lex, Lex, slow down. Come on, I’m sorry,” he said, reaching out for her to stop her in place. “I was surprised, that’s all.”

She slowed to a walk, and Jack fell into step next to her. He didn’t say anything else, and she didn’t really want to know what he was thinking. She wanted to get the fucking water she had said she was going to get and then get back to Ramsey.
Maybe he would be done with Parker by then!
She almost growled in frustration at the thought.
What the hell had her world come to?
She knew that this groundbreaking ceremony was going to be a bad idea. Too many people in one place.

Lexi sauntered into the conference building and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge. She took a long swig with a sigh. Jack was staring at her, and she didn’t even care at this point. Maybe she should have just refused attending. That would have been the smart thing even though Ramsey would have likely objected to that.

“Hey, what was he talking about back there?” Jack finally asked.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You told him that he doesn’t compare to me?” He looked surprised by the admission.

“Please just drop it. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Jack stood there silently for a minute. She wasn’t sure if he was pissed or just curious, but she didn’t care.
Ramsey was out there with Parker. John had brought up all that bullshit with Jack. And Jack…why the fuck was she even angry with him? For laying out her dirt in front of everyone? For even just being here when he was fucking married to Bekah?

She shook her head and stared away from those blue eyes.

“Should I just leave?” he asked.

Lexi nodded, still looking away.

“You know,” he said, grasping her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him, “just because you’re pissed at Ramsey doesn’t mean you have to shut me out.”

“I’m not shutting you out,” she grumbled.

“Liar.”

“Just stop it, Jack,” Lexi said, shaking him off. “What do you want me to say anyway?”

“I just want you to stop acting like you have to go through everything alone. And, Jesus, I don’t think one question should set you off.”

His blue eyes were heated, and she just wanted to punch him…or maybe…

Nope. It was just Jack. Breathe in. Breathe out.

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“Do I need to call you a liar again?”

“You need to shut the fuck up.”

“I’m not the only one. You’re acting like an idiot when I’m trying to help you.”

“So, now, I’m an idiot?” Lexi asked.

“You are if you don’t calm down.”

Lexi swallowed and held her breath. She was angry and all riled up—not a good combination around Jack. He wouldn’t do anything about it, but damn, if she didn’t stop herself…she didn’t know if he would hold to that.

She was angry with Ramsey, not Jack. She didn’t need to take this out on him. It wasn’t fair to him. She had been taking out her frustrations on him for long enough.

As if he could sense her shift in mood, he chanced his luck. “Are you going to tell me what he was talking about or leave me wondering?”

“I broke things off with John last August after your…” She swallowed
. She could say it.
“After your wedding. He didn’t take kindly to it.”

“He seems like the type,” Jack said with a smug smirk.

She was going to smack it off his face if he didn’t keep it together.

“I told him that he reminded me of you but that he couldn’t compare…you know, with all of our history,” she ended softly.

Jack nodded. “Very few people can compare with our history…and maybe that’s a good thing.”

Lexi realized they were still standing close together, and she took a step back. She didn’t really want to breathe him in and fall back into that history. She wasn’t even sure how to interpret that last comment.
Was he glad because so few people had ever been this affected by someone else like this or glad that others didn’t have to go through so much bullshit? She certainly wasn’t going to ask him.

“We should probably head back outside now that I have my water. I’d hate for people to come looking for us,” she whispered.

Irritation flashed in his eyes, but then it was gone, and he was ushering her out of the conference office. She didn’t even have a second to wonder what that was about because as they stepped outside, it was clear that people were already looking for them. She hoped no one got the wrong impression since, clearly, absolutely nothing even remotely sexual had happened between them. Even though Ramsey was supposedly becoming more and more comfortable with the fact that she had the beginning of this strange friendship with Jack, he still wouldn’t be okay with her wandering off with him. It made everyone look bad.