Chapter 24 - Alex

Alex couldn't wait to change into shorts and a tank top so she could curl up in her own bed. During her travels, she dreamt of sleeping in her bed just as much as she dreamt of Jordan. She put her keys and phone down on the counter and rolled her suitcase into her room. Before Alex could slip out of her shoes, she heard a knock at the door.

After checking the peephole, she opened the door to a delivery person holding a large vase filled with four dozen white tulips and a small gift-wrapped box. Tipping the courier, she brought her gifts inside squealing in delight. She placed the vase on the coffee table and proceeded to unwrap the rectangular gift box. Inside of the velvet box was a beautiful sardonyx stone embedded in a larger garnet gem, which hung from a delicate chain. She admired the necklace then tried to undo the clasp to put it on. It took her some time to open the unusually thick barrel clasp, but once she tried it on she realized it was well worth the effort.

She opened the envelope that came with the flowers and smiled at the message inside.

Alex,

I've missed you so much and wish I could have been there to welcome you home. I hope the necklace and flowers are a decent placeholder until I get to you. It's completely up to you, but it'd mean the world to me if you wore this necklace whenever we're apart. I had a bracelet like it made for myself, which I'll wear when I'm away from you. The sardonyx is my birthstone and the garnet is yours, so every time we aren't together, we'll still have a piece of each other. I can't wait to see you, later.

Your man - Jordan

PS- Your boy is clean and he got receipts!

Upon further examination, Alex realized there was another note inside the envelope. Alex laughed out loud when she saw it was the results from Jordan's STI test.

While modeling her necklace in her entryway's mirror, her phone began to ring. Thinking it might be Jordan, she rushed over to her kitchen bar counter to answer the call.

"Hello?" There was no response.

"Hello? Who is this?" The call ended abruptly. She checked the call log and saw the number was blocked. Suddenly a reminder flashed across the phone's screen alerting her that she only had a few hours before Jordan's visit. That should be enough time to make a quick casserole, shower and maybe even take a nap, Alex thought. She opened her phone's music app and went to the kitchen to start on dinner.

By the time Jordan knocked on Alex's door, her casserole sat in the center of the dining table flanked by two taper candles, a bottle of wine and a fresh garden salad. Ella Mai's record played softly in the background and the lights throughout the apartment were dimmed.

"Come in!" she called out twice, from inside of her bedroom, before she heard Jordan walk in and close the door behind him.

"It's not safe to keep your door unlocked." Jordan was saying as he opened her bedroom door. Alex couldn't help but smirk when Jordan stood frozen in the doorway. She was laying on her bed wearing nothing but the birthstone necklace.

"I think this is where you tell me how happy you are to see me," Alex said, smiling expectantly.

"I think I can show better than I can tell you," Jordan responded making his way over to her. For the next several hours Jordan and Alex got lost in one another. They didn't think about work, press tours, media leaks, or even the casserole growing cold on the dining table. They only focused on quenching the desire that had been building between them for weeks. They didn't rest until they fell asleep, their bodies intertwined and satisfied.

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The next morning, the couple got up early for their busy day. Alex had radio appearances and Jordan had an early call time on the set of D.C. Undercover. He invited Alex to visit the set before her first appearance, so she could meet his cast mates and spend time with him.

After a tour and an informal meet and greet, Jordan took Alex back to his trailer.

"Thanks, babe. That was really fun," Alex said, taking a seat on the couch.

"Good, everyone's been pressed to meet you." Jordan handed Alex a bottle of water and took a seat beside her. "So, I hate to do this, but I'm realizing that there's never going to be a good time to tell you. I was planning on telling you last night but..." he flashed his faux bashful grin and she rolled her eyes.

"Quit playing and spit it out, Jordan," Alex smiled.

"Alright." Jordan got up and opened a trunk in the trailer's corner, pulling out a thick manila envelope. He passed the envelope to Alex and waited quietly as she opened it. Alex stiffened when she saw the first few pictures of her mother. After a long moment, she slipped the pictures back into the envelope and held it to her chest. There was a part of her that started to suspect her mother had something to do with the leaks and she started to feel numb towards her mom's constant betrayals.

Hearing a knock at the door, Alex and Jordan both looked up. "Come in!" Jordan called.

"Good morning, Jordan," Darcy said, stepping inside with her clipboard in hand. "We're going to need you on -- is that Alexandra Montgomery?!" Darcy beamed and made her way over to Alex with her hand extended.

"Hi," Alex smiled and shook Darcy's hand, trying to seem pleasant despite having just gotten news that her mother was the devil.

"Alex, this is Darcy. She's one of our production interns. Darcy, as you're already aware, this is Alex Montgomery, my girlfriend. We're going to need a few more minutes."

"Of course! I'll let them know. Nice to meet you, Alex. You're even more beautiful in person!"

"Thanks, Darcy. You're so sweet. Nice meeting you, too."

When they were alone again, Alex put the envelope in her purse. "Ok, I've got to head out now if I'm going to make it on time. You're off this weekend, right?"

"Yeah, why? Do you need me to do something or go somewhere?"

"Yes, I need you to pack your bags. We're taking a trip." She gave him a quick kiss before heading out of the door.

"Alex," Jordan said, following her out, "are you going to be alright alone?" That morning they drove separate cars to the studio and it was Alex's first day back in her own car after the repairs.

"Yeah, I'm good. The drive over was really smooth." She blew him a kiss and headed to her car.

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Alex had several radio interviews with different local and syndicated stations, which were all housed in a large corporate building. By the time she finished, her voice was completely hoarse and she was happy to be headed home.

She walked out of the parking deck's elevator and searched inside her purse for her keys. Scanning the rows of cars, she couldn't seem to remember where she had parked. Alex felt overwhelmed standing amongst a sea of vehicles when she heard something fall behind her. She turned around to investigate but felt silly once she realized she was alone. Thankfully, she found her keys at the bottom of her bag and pressed the key fob button hoping her car was in range, so she could find it more quickly. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

She walked aimlessly holding her key fob out in front of her and pressing the button in anticipation but froze when she was certain she heard footsteps in the distance. Turning around again, she saw no one.

"Who's there?" she tried to call out, but her voice was barely a scratchy whisper. Alex quickened her pace, her panic rising, as she anxiously clicked the fobs unlock button over and over again with no result.

The invisible person's steps grew louder and faster, but Alex was too afraid to look back. When she finally heard her car's "double beep" she broke out into a full sprint. Sliding into the driver's seat and locking herself in the car, she fumbled nervously trying to get the key in the ignition. Turning the key, her heart dropped when the engine didn't start. Alex inhaled deeply, each second feeling like an hour, then held her breath trying the ignition again. She exhaled in relief when the car finally started and threw the gear stick into reverse; her tires screeching out of the deck as she sped off.

The only thing that assured Alex the incident wasn't just a figment of her imagination was seeing the deck's stairwell door close in her rearview mirror, as she left.