“Why did you even come see me if you were going to leave with nothing but a note?” she interrogated him.
“I was pretty drunk,” he offered.
“Oh, you were drunk?” she asked not keeping the condescending tone from her voice.
“Yeah, look, I had been meaning to come by and talk to you, but I hadn’t been able to work up the nerve. Can we meet up and talk?” he pleaded.
“How long have you been in New York?” she asked her eyes narrowing.
“Come on, just meet me, and I’ll tell you everything,” he promised his voice taking on an almost desperate tone.
“Just answer the question, Jack,” she commanded forcing herself not to break under his sweet talk.
“A couple months,” he mumbled.
“What?” she squealed. “A couple months and this is the first I’ve heard from you?” She couldn’t help but feel hurt. He had known all along that she had been around. And there she had been moping about him and feeling like she was seeing him on every street corner.
“I wasn’t sure if you were…” he trailed off.
“If I was what?” she asked, her anger flaring.
“Single.”
“Oh,” she muttered before she had a chance to stop herself.
“Can you please meet with me so we can discuss this? I can tell you’ve entered full-on freak out mode, and I can’t help if I’m not there.”
“Then why did you leave?” she spat at him. Lexi was pretty sure that whatever had happened last night, he had to have realized that she wasn’t taken. She shook her head furious with herself. There was no way for him to know that. Even if they had done anything last night, past precedent proved that it had never mattered whether or not she had been single. She wasn’t even sure why it mattered to him right now, but she didn’t ask that.
“I had an interview,” he muttered dejectedly.
“For a job?” she asked in surprise.
“Yes, for a job, Lexi. I wouldn’t have left your side for anything else,” he informed her.
Lexi fell silent after that comment, contemplating her next move. She wanted to go see him and find out what had happened, but she knew what kind of distraction Jack offered. Her first semester grades would be all she had when she was looking for internships for the summer and she needed to stay focused. Rachelle wasn’t the only one who had to study in their household.
She shook her head from side to side weighing her option. Biting down on her bottom lip, she realized there was really only one option. “Where did you want to meet?”
*****
Lexi stared up at the mountain of stairs in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She had walked by here on numerous occasions, but had never had enough free time to venture inside. Not that she had ever been a connoisseur of fine art, but she could still appreciate the beauty that lay within the castled walls.
In fact, she had always been intimidated by the outwards splendor that radiated from the building. Chyna had been to a number of benefits and operas at the location, but timing had never been right for Lexi to join her. Now she was stuck staring upwards at the massive construction wondering what she was even doing here.
She felt a light tap on her shoulder from behind. She jerked around caught off-guard by the sudden interruption. “Jack,” she said her voice lowering seductively as she caught sight of him.
Her roommates had been right. He looked damn sexy. The afternoon sun gleamed in his eyes reflecting back to the world a bright ocean blue. His shaggy hair, which typically fell into his eyes, had been combed and perfected to rest across his forehead. A worn pair of jeans, that she recognized, hung loose on his narrow hips. A grey long-sleeve t-shirt fit snug across his broad shoulders. Her eyes couldn’t help but smolder at the sight of his cut arms and chest which showed countless hours of work. She had never seen him look so built before in her life.
A smile broke out across his face when he noticed her checking him out. She blushed slightly unable to control the feeling of embarrassment. She knew that she shouldn’t feel it…after all, it was Jack. He pulled her into him wrapping his arms around her waist covered by a purple sweater and long, black pea coat. Breathing in his musky scent made her head dizzy with more than just a cologne haze, and she tightened her grip around his neck to steady herself. Her heart fluttered as he seemed unable to let her go. After a minute of standing there with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, Jack finally pulled back taking a step away from her. Lexi instantly felt like all the warmth from her body had dissipated with the break in contact.
“Can we go inside?” he asked rubbing his hands up and down his chiseled arms. “It’s kind of freezing, and I forgot a jacket.”
She shook herself out of her trance and nodded, following him up the stairs. Her jaw slackened at the magnificent arched hallway and the crowd of people milling around the entranceway. Jack locked onto her wrist and led her to a more secluded section of the lobby. His hand was hot to the touch despite having just left the frigid outdoors. He gestured for her to take a seat on a hard wooden bench, which she did. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her pea coat and angled her body to look at him where he sat next to her.
He breathed out a few times into his hands. He obviously thought they were cold even though Lexi disagreed. She waited not wanting to be the first to speak. She wasn’t even sure what he was going to say. She was a little scared about what she might find out.
“So,” he began averting his gaze to the sleek marble floor.
“So,” she agreed not letting her eyes drift from his face.
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. She held his gaze, waiting.
“Lex, I…” he glanced up into her brown eyes and then quickly back down at the floor.
“Yes?” she prodded.
“I’m sorry about last night,” he mumbled, but something about the way he said it didn’t sound sincere.
“Jack, why don’t you cut the bullshit, and tell me what you’re actually thinking?” she asked him easily annoyed.
“Ok, ok. I never could get anything past you, could I?”
Lexi shook her head not wanting to take that comment head-on. She could remember a time when he was able to hide many things from her.
He slumped into himself at her reaction. She waited, allowing him to collect his thoughts before speaking again. He straightened up taller than before and met her gaze. “You’re right. I’m not sorry for last night. I meant everything I said, and I don’t know if you are with someone or not, but I guess…I still wanted you to know.”
Lexi blushed at his words. She had been piecing the previous night together in her mind, and could vaguely remember what had happened before she had blacked out. Jack had been there, waiting for her. She remembered his lips against her skin and his voice whispering in her ear. Her heart sped up at the recollection of those three small words they had uttered to each other, and a smile crept to her face.
“You love me,” she whispered. She felt something wet on her cheek. When she reached up to brush it off, she was surprised to see that it was her own tears. She chuckled to herself at the absurdity of what was happening. Jack was here, in New York with her.
“You’re crying!” he exclaimed. “Did I do something?”
“Yes,” she said laughing a little harder.
“Something wrong?”
She shook her head no and threw her arms around him. “Well, yes,” she amended pulling back to look at him, “you left without saying good-bye and left me a note apologizing.”
“I thought it was in your best interest.”
She adjusted her body so that she could get a better look at him. “Did you honestly think I’d ignore your cryptic message?”
He smiled despite himself. “A part of me hoped you wouldn’t.”
“A part of you knew I wouldn’t.”
He nodded agreeing with her. “Then, I’m sorry for the message, but I did have to leave and you were still passed out. How much had you had to drink?”