Chapter 7: Chapter 7

LEXI

Just a few steps away from their apartment building, Lexi stood under the bus sign, waiting. The heat that rocked the city was so crisp she was tempted to turn her big T-shirt into a crop top. Miami was one of the few places where you felt hot even before the sun rose.

Lexi scanned her surroundings. On a Sunday morning, it was quiet; barely any cars drove by. Her best friend’s new BMW was parallel-parked across the street.

Lexi admired Reece for her hustle and drive, but despite being glued to her side since they were teenagers, she knew only a little bit about her best friend’s past. Reece would always say the same thing every time Lexi got curious: ~“The past doesn’t matter. Only where we’re going holds merit.”~

To the ear of a teenager obsessed with reading, it sounded Shakespearean. But Reece took such good care of her that Lexi wanted desperately to return the favor.

On that thought, the bus arrived.

The ride to Maker’s was a short one, but it was so cold that Lexi felt her lips cracking. She spent the nine-minute drive staring out the window and hoping she didn’t miss the correct stop. No matter how often she licked her lips, they wouldn’t soften completely.

When she got off the bus, Lexi speedwalked to the café, the breeze from the nearby ocean blowing tendrils of her auburn hair into her freshly washed face. It was as though her legs knew something her mind did not.

After opening the doors to Maker’s, Lexi checked her bag for lip gloss, but there was none to find. She was never one to carry something like that.

She grabbed her cell instead and sent a text to Reece.

Lexi

I made it safely. Love you. See you soon.

Then she switched on the lights.

Lexi was instructed not to lift the shutters, or customers would come rolling in along with the man who paid to have the place exclusively to himself for an hour or two.

Lexi looked around for the aprons and found them behind the bar. She tied one around her waist and washed her hands at the sink. Ready to begin, she felt giddy. Happy. Free.

Her first real job.

It was an empowering feeling—one she’d never had before. Not even while watching her favorite characters on screen.

There was a note on the counter addressed to Reece.

~Hi Baby. The blender is behind you, the bagels are in the mini fridge, toast two pieces, the ingredients for the smoothie are in the freezer. Cups, plates and glasses are under the bar, utensils and straws are in the drawer next to the blender. Use kale, spinach, ginger, peach 10 cubes of ice and a ¼ cup of orange juice.~

Lexi got to work immediately.

Maker’s was a triple threat: restaurant and café after 12 p.m., nightclub after 10 p.m. There was a stage for nightlife performances, and on a flyer, Lexi saw professional dancers dressed in carnival attire. The flyer advertised Caribbean and Latin music, promising that tourists and locals could enjoy themselves there every night.

The sound of the front door closing caused Lexi to look up just as a tall, sweaty man walked in. He made his way through the stack of tables and chairs toward the bar.

~That must be him.~

Lexi couldn’t see his face from where she was standing, but his body looked fit and toned. He wore jogging pants, sneakers, earphones, and a snapback hat covering half his face. A white T-shirt hung over his shoulder, exposing eight-pack abs.

~Jesus.~

“Good morning, sir.” Her voice was so low and soft that Lexi barely recognized it.

He didn’t look up or respond. He only claimed a seat at the bar and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

Lexi grabbed a plate and set two freshly toasted bagels on it. She placed it in front of him with a packet of jam, cream cheese, and butter. Still, he paid no attention to the meal…or her.

Lexi cleaned a glass and poured the man’s smoothie into it. She placed the glass carefully beside the plate, close enough for him to reach.

He finally spoke. “Straw.”

At first, she had the urge to correct him. ~Where is the ‘please’?~ But she held her tongue.

~First, he didn’t say “good morning,” then he didn’t say “thank you,” and now he didn’t even say “please” when making a request. Reece was right; customers really are rude.~

Annoyed, Lexi reached for a straw and practically threw it at the man. But it was so light that it just landed gracefully next to the glass.

Lexi felt awkward just standing there. She had already placed the blender into the massive dishwasher, along with the utensils she had used. Once the man was done eating, she would place what he had used into it as well and set it to wash before she left.

After about five minutes of waiting while the man fiddled with his phone, he finally removed his earphones. Lexi could hear the music coming from them, and then he removed his hat.

~Oh shit!~

Never had she felt her own heart speed up at such an alarming rate.

The man looked like an actor from one of her favorite shows. The only difference was, all the princes had manners in those stories. All of them were perfect gentlemen. Clearly this guy was not.

He had yet to look up, but he didn’t need to. Even the way he chewed his food and licked the cream cheese from the side of his mouth seemed sexy.

Lexi stood there frozen, staring at his light-brown nipples. She’d never seen a man’s chest up close before. She wasn’t prepared at all for the view in front of her.

Lexi was unable to move. Unwilling to speak. With nothing else to do, she stood there awkwardly.

The loud ringing of the man’s cell made her jump.

“Yo,” he said, placing the phone on speaker and taking a bite of his bagel.

“Are you ready for tonight?” another man’s gentle voice said through the phone. “I just went by Lux, and your tuxedo is still there. Mario told me you didn’t make arrangements to pick it up yet.”

“Mario talks too much. What do you want, Josh? I’m eating.”

Lexi listened uncomfortably.

“I’m calling to warn you not to bring any drama to my party. Your women have no self-control. I don’t want any of them making a scene.”

Lexi was not surprised that he said “women” and not “woman.” Even someone as inexperienced as she could tell that a guy like him would be a playboy.

“Who I bring is none of your business. I’m writing you a check that has enough zeros to buy your discretion. You can just turn a blind eye, as you’ve always done.”

“I don’t care if you’re writing a check for ten million. It’s a fundraiser, not a hoe-athon.”

Lexi had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

“You know what? I wasn’t going to tell you this, but I met someone…someone different from all the girls you’ve seen me with. She’s a good girl. That’s who I’m bringing. Are you happy now?”

Lexi felt sorry for whoever that girl was.

“I’ll have to see it to believe it, Dani.”

The man in front of her rolled his eyes before abruptly ending the call. For about eight minutes, he didn’t move, just sitting there staring at his plate.

Lexi felt her knees burning from the lack of movement, so she decided to speak again, using the voice that always worked when she wanted something from Reece. She prayed the man wouldn’t get upset for her breaking the silence between them.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?”

Lexi was shocked when he suddenly met her eyes.

It took every cell in her body not to smile at him.

The man stared at her for so long that Lexi’s body felt tight and tingly all over. She thought she was in trouble for sure, but then he said, “What else do you want to give me?”

Said by someone else, this eight-word question wouldn’t have had a deeper meaning, but the man smirked after he asked it.

~Is it just me, or is he flirting with me?~

Lexi banished the thought quickly. ~No. There was no way a guy like him would flirt with a girl like her. As awful a person as he seemed, he was still wildly attractive, and attractive guys never noticed her. Ever.~

~I must be imagining things.~

She mumbled something about the menu and slid the printed copy toward him.

He didn’t accept it or reject it. For a long time, he just stared.

Lexi was about to offer to clear his plate, but then the man spoke again. “What are you doing tonight?”

She nearly toppled over from shock.

Like an idiot, Lexi pointed to herself. ~Me?~

Stuttering way too much, she heard herself tell him she would be working there. She hoped that he would pity her and give a good review to the manager—surely that was the only reason he asked.

~What else could it be?~

Lexi’s heart was beating so hard that she had to hang on to the counter just to keep the vibration from knocking her back a few steps.

“So, here’s the thing…” The man paused for a second. “I need a date for a black-and-white fundraiser tonight.”

Instinctively, she looked behind her to ensure there was no one else there.

“Sweetheart, before you freak out, just listen,” the man began, and then went on to explain the terms of his date proposal.

When he was done, Lexi stared at him. She forced herself to blink, but even after she did, she still did not know what to say.

The man was harsh—certainly not someone she would enjoy spending any amount of time with. So why did she feel inclined to agree? To prove that she could be ~his type?~ She had no idea why emotion suddenly gripped her by the throat.

The asshole didn’t deserve even two words from her, but without thinking, Lexi replied anyway. “What…what do you mean, ‘a girl like me’?” She knew exactly what he meant, but a part of her wanted confirmation. Wanted to hear the disgusting words that would soon come out of his shamelessly attractive mouth.

“A girl that’s not exposed to certain lifestyles and luxuries,” he said, going on to explain that his friend thinks he’s incapable of commitment and a bit shallow.

~Did he just say “a bit”?~ Lexi had to pinch her thigh to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

“Are you?”

~Keep talking, asshole, so I can find the right words to turn you down.~

His brows furrowed. “Am I what?”

“Are you incapable of commitment?”

“Yes,” he answered plainly.

No surprise there. Lexi knew he would say “yes.” She planned to decline at that moment, but instead, she said, “I don’t need your money; I don’t need anything from anyone. If I agree to this, it will be because I want to go, not because you’re paying me to. But why do I have to change my wardrobe anyway?”

The man didn’t even look like he was listening. Impatient, Lexi asked, “Did you hear me?”

“I’m sorry—what?”

“Why do I have to change my wardrobe? Won’t that make me look like the girls you’re accustomed to?”

~Why the hell am I agreeing to do this? I should’ve said “no” three minutes ago.~

“Smart girl, and good point. I only suggested a new wardrobe because I assumed you wouldn’t have anything to wear to this sort of event. There’s going to be snobby rich folks and uptight housewives. I guess I wanted you to be comfortable and fit in.”

Finally, he sounded human.

Lexi battled with her thoughts for a long time, going back and forth between “yes” and “no.” She could not come up with a strong enough answer.

While she was thinking, something touched her hand. She looked down and saw his fingers rubbing against her own.

It was like something had shocked her. Bolts of electricity surged into her bloodstream and traveled directly to her groin. A sudden wetness seeped onto her underwear.

~What the fuck?~

Lexi yanked her hand away so fast she almost broke her wrist.

The man stared at her, wide-eyed. “Uh… I didn’t mean to startle you.”

When she didn’t reply, he unlocked his iPhone and slid it toward her.

“Put your full name and number in. Think about all I’ve said, and I’ll give you a call at seven thirty p.m. to find out your answer. I have to go now.”

Lexi had no idea what answer she would give, but she wanted the man to get the hell away from her.

She had never felt that kind of surge down there without some form of visual encouragement. Porn usually worked for her, but she had never felt anything like that in public.

Careful not to touch the man again, Lexi typed her number in and slid his phone across the counter. Her heart stopped beating when he called her by her last name and then fucking ~smiled~ before leaving.