Connections (5 page)

And it only grew more grim at Alex’s words.

In the background, the band ended a song.
 
There was a brief pause as they adjusted their music sheets in front of them, but it made the uncomfortable tension between father and son more pronounced.
 
When the soft lure of violin and bass notes started back up again, Alex’s father smiled, but it wasn’t comforting.
 
It was harsh.

“I see you haven’t lost that tongue of yours,” he said lowly.

Olivia could feel the fury building in Alex.
 
She thought that the others must’ve sensed it too.
 
It was so transparent.
 
But then she remembered his words to her in the car.
 
That he was worried they would fight.
 
And it was clearly about to happen.

Olivia reached out to touch Alex’s hand, before he said something he’d regret.
 
He didn’t respond at all.
 
He didn’t even look at her.
 
But the action seemed to interest his father because he drew his gaze away from his son and pinned her to the spot.

“And who is this?” he asked, his tone deceptively light.
 
Olivia wanted to break his gaze, but he held her eyes.

Olivia waited a few moments for Alex to introduce her, but he remained silent.
 
Swallowing her hurt, Olivia was about to respond to the intense man who only stood a few feet in front of her when an older woman appeared next to him.

She smiled softly at Alex and came forward to embrace him.

His mother
.

Olivia recognized the older beauty straight away.
 
She had the kind of beauty that made people stare, but Olivia noticed the hesitant, almost timid way she held herself, almost as though she was expecting those around her to strike.
 
But, despite her timidness, she was made up and dressed flawlessly.
 
There wasn’t a hair out of place, nor a wrinkle on her skin.

Alex’s mom whispered something in his ear that Olivia couldn’t make out, but his arms came around her much smaller frame a second later, returning her tight embrace.

A lump lodged itself in Olivia’s throat as she watched Alex.
 
Something about it was truly heartbreaking.
 
It was in the way he clutched his mother to him and breathed her in.
 
He’d clearly missed her.
 
One of the few photographs in his house was of her.
 
Yet, he felt that his relationship with his father didn’t allow him the rightful amount of time with his mother that he deserved.

Olivia realized the tension had almost dissipated.
 
It seemed his mother had a calming influence.

Turning her head slightly, she smiled at Olivia and simultaneously broke away from her son.
 
She leaned forward to kiss Olivia’s cheek and said softly, “And you must be Olivia.
 
Welcome to our home.”
 
Olivia didn’t know how Alex’s mother knew her already.
 
As far as she knew, Alex hadn’t spoken to his mother in a while.
 
She figured Beth or his aunt must have told her.

“Thank you,” she murmured, searching for something to say, all too aware that everyone around her was silent.
 
“Your house is very beautiful,” she finally settled on, glancing at Alex.
 
She added, “And I’m glad I get to see where Alex grew up.”

His mother smiled kindly.
 
“Alex will give you a tour later, won’t you dear?” she asked, turning to her son.
 
He nodded, still silent, but Olivia wished he’d help her out a little.
 
Everything was too overwhelming already and they’d only been here for fifteen minutes.
 
A feminine voice rang out loudly over the lawn and his mother turned her head and delicately waved at a couple just arriving.
 
“Please excuse me, I have to go say hello.
 
You two will be staying though?” she inquired, glancing at Alex for confirmation.

Alex stepped closer to Olivia…finally.
 
Nodding his affirmative, he said, “Yes, we’ll be here.
 
Go be hostess, mother.”

She touched his arm before turning to her husband, “Come on, dear, let’s go greet the Hutchinsons.”
 
And with that, they both retreated from their small group.

But not before his father gave some parting words.
 
“Alexander, make sure to say hello to Julia.”
 
And then he showed them his back.

Recognizing the name of Alex’s ex-girlfriend, Olivia tensed and quickly looked up at Alex to gauge his reaction.
 
His lips were pressed tightly together as he watched his father retreating and his jaw was so strained that a muscle began to tic.

He returned her stare a moment later and brought his hand to rest on her lower back.
 
Leaning down, he whispered, “I’m sorry, darling, I didn’t know she’d be here.”
 
Olivia realized that he was trying to comfort
her
.
 
He must think that she felt threatened by the ex’s presence, and while that may be true, she was more worried about how he would react.

Behind them, Beth said loudly, “Well, that was awkward.”

* * * * *

That fucking asshole
, Alex fumed silently, trying to fight the rage swimming in his veins.

He
had
to calm down.

Olivia felt uncomfortable.
 
He could see it plainly on her face and that was the last thing he wanted her to feel.
 
Yet, he couldn’t blame her.

And Julia.
 
Fucking perfect.
 
Just what he needed.
 
His cheating, vindictive ex and the woman he was realizing he loved together at the same party.

And Luke
, his mind reminded.
 
Luke would be here any moment.
 
God only knew what he would do when he saw Julia.

Feeling a massive headache come on, Alex was suddenly reminded why he never attended family functions anymore.
 
Seeing his mother was the highlight of his evening, but he wished they could leave now.
 
Immediately.
 
The only thing preventing him from taking Olivia and never looking back was supporting Beth and Derrick.

But he needed a break.
 
Already
.

He turned back to his aunt, uncle, Beth, and Derrick.
 
“I’m going to give Olivia a tour.
 
We’ll be back before dinner starts.”
 
He had just enough time to register the sad expression on his aunt’s face before he turned from them, tugging on Olivia’s hand so that she fell in step next to him.

He made a determined path to the back doors of his parents’ house, stopping only to nod and attempt to smile at people who clearly recognized him and called out their greeting.
 
But his only objective was to get them to his room, so he could climb out his window and try to gain back some semblance of control.
 
In some ways, he was no different than who he was as a child, or a teenager.

Alex burst inside the back doors, which led into the dining room.
 
Past that was the kitchen and out the side door was the entrance to the foyer, where guests were continually wowed by the impressive marble staircase and the low hanging chandelier that his father had inherited from a late aunt.
 
Alex had always hated it.

His heart was racing.
 
He tugged on Olivia’s hand more firmly as they went up the staircase to the second level.
 
Expensive art and a ridiculous black and white family portrait of the three of them lined the walls of one side of the landing.

But he pushed on, not giving Olivia time to process any of it.

“Alex,” Olivia said softly.

He ignored her.
 
They were almost there.
 
Just one more hallway and three doors down.

She tried again, “Alex, slow down.”
 
He didn’t.
 
His head gave a painful throb and his brow furrowed.
 
“Alex, stop.”

Two doors.
 
A few more steps…

Alex grappled with the doorknob of what was once his room.
 
He pushed it open and then flung it closed once they were both inside.
 
Silence.
 
He pinched the space between his brows, squeezing his eyes tightly together, trying to make the pain disappear.

He finally braved a look at Olivia.
 
She was both pissed off and concerned.
 
“Alex, that was rude downstairs.
 
And I’m not some rag doll that you can drag around.”

Another painful throb.
 
“Olivia, don’t fucking push me right now, okay?
 
I’m not in the mood.” he growled.
 
She leaned back against the door in surprise and he immediately felt guilty for snapping at her.
 
“Shit,” he breathed in frustration, running a hand through his hair.
 
He took a step towards her until there was only a few inches between their bodies.
 
“I’m sorry, I just can’t do this right now.”
 
Her eyes softened.

He could smell her.
 
Her light lavender scent drifted up to him as he found her large blue eyes.
 
His chest squeezed.
 
So beautiful.

“I’m sorry, too,” she whispered, gazing up at him.
 
“I know how difficult that was for you.”

He needed to feel connected to her.
 
Needed to feel her.
 
Taste her.
 
Slipping her dress up to her waist and taking her against the door was ideal, but he figured she wouldn’t appreciate that.
 
At all.

Instead, he dropped his head towards her, hesitantly.
 
He dragged the tip of his nose softly against her neck, breathing her in, memorizing her scent.
 
His lips followed the path.
 
She made a noise—a combination of a surprised squeak and a breathy gasp—and her hand came up to cup the side of his face.
 
Taking it as an invitation, he nibbled his way up to her earlobe, bringing his body closer to hers, pressing her against the door as his hands came around to grasp her ass.

But just as he was about to kiss her, she murmured, “Alex, don’t.”

At her tone, he stopped.

Instead, he dropped his head in the crook of her neck.
 
Her arms came around his body and she simply held him, while he pulled himself together.

“I think I hate him sometimes,” he admitted quietly to her.
 
“I think it’d be easier if I actually did.”
 
Not waiting for her to respond, he backed away quickly, releasing her from his grip.
 
“Come over here, there’s something I want you to see.”

Alex’s words continued to run through Olivia’s head, but she followed him to a window, trying to take in the bedroom at the same time.

She wasn’t surprised by what she found.
 
Judging by his current tastes, Olivia had already anticipated the lack of decor and knick knacks in his room.
 
It was almost spartan.
 
Just a full sized bed tucked in one corner and dark wood furniture.
 
Yet, across the room, on his dresser, Olivia spied little action figures but she couldn’t make out much and stacks upon stacks of CDs piled high in a bookcase.
 
She itched to nose around, but Alex was already unlatching a large window situated over a window seat.

The window was hinged so it swung outward and before Olivia’s mind could catch up, he was stepping over the sill.
 
“Alex, what the hell are you doing?” she yelled, alarmed.

He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled genuinely for the first time this whole evening.
 
Laughing, he said, “Relax, darling.
 
I’m not making a jump for it.
 
Come here and I’ll show you.”

Olivia blinked when he swung his other leg out the window and hopped down to a ledge she hadn’t noticed.
 
She hurried to the window and peered outside.

“You’re such a jerk.
 
You scared me half to death!” Olivia chided when she saw that there was a small private balcony down below.
 
A small iron railing enclosed it, but it was the view that caught her attention.
 
“Oh, it’s so beautiful,” she exclaimed.

It was sunset and from this high up in the Napa hills, she could see all of the surrounding land.
 
Vineyards and two-lane highways stretched beyond her sight and the Californian hills were bathed in a soft golden light.
 
The town of Yountville to her right was just beginning to light up for the evening.

But what Olivia noticed most was how quiet it was.
 
She couldn’t even hear the party in the backyard.
 
If she concentrated, she could hear the faint notes of the violin from the band, but that was it.

“Swing out,” Alex ordered her.

Olivia eyed the two foot drop down to the balcony and then looked at Alex, biting her lip.
 
“Are you sure it’s safe?
 
Was this even meant to be a balcony?”
 
Alex grinned widely, careless strands of hair dusting his forehead.
 
Olivia almost choked on a breath at how handsome he was.
 
And he’s mine
, she thought.

“The previous owners originally meant for it to be decorative, but they made it sturdy enough so that it could be used.
 
You just have to know how to get back up,” he said, winking at her.
 
That
didn’t reassure her at all and she told him so.
 
“Liv, it’ll be fine.
 
I won’t let you fall, I promise.”