“I’m sure I can handle it.” Maybe. I’m not that domesticated. When you grow up with a housekeeper who takes care of everything for you, you don’t need to be. “How hard can it be?”
She grows solemn. “You have to watch out for steam burn.”
Steam burn? That sounds scary. “Um…”
“If you’d rather I do it, I understand.” She smiles at me. “You can watch the store for me while I’m steaming.”
And that’s how I found myself with a job—my first job. Susana kept calling in sick and she was tired of it. “You sell one of your own dresses, your commission percentage is bigger,” Sandie informs me and my imagination runs wild at all the things I can bring in here and sell on my own, especially when she lets me know exactly how much my percentage will be.
I worked for four hours and then modeled my dresses as Sandie took endless photos with her iPad for another two. By the time I got home, it was almost dark, I was tired and Conrad and Jeff were playing video games in the living room, the volume turned up so loud I could hear gunfire and screams down the street.
Oh, and Steven was with them.
“Alex.” His face brightens as he smiles at me from his perch on the couch. “Hi.”
“Hey.” I shut the door and lean against it, contemplating this new situation. I’m worn out. I definitely don’t want to go out tonight—and definitely not with Steven. He’s nice, I like him a lot but I came to the realization around two in the morning that he is not the guy for me.
It’s not right to go out on a date with one guy while thinking of another.
Steven says something to Conrad, who pauses the game while Steven stands and heads in my direction. I push away from the door and slip my coat off, draping it over my arm as I wait for him to approach. He somehow looks better today. Maybe it’s because his hair is a bit of a wreck and it looks like he hasn’t shaved. Plus, he’s wearing glasses, which is kind of hot in that Clark Kent/Superman way.
Rough around the edges Steven definitely has appeal.
“You having a good Saturday?” he asks when he stops directly in front of me.
“I am.” I smile despite my exhaustion. I could probably collapse in bed right now. “I got a job.”
“You did? That’s awesome. We should celebrate.” His smile grows and I feel bad that I’m about to disappoint him.
“Let’s get pizza,” Conrad calls from the couch.
Steven makes a face as I say, “That sounds perfect.” It does. I don’t want to go out and make small talk. And what if he tries to take me back to the casino, gambling house or whatever that Tristan runs? I don’t want to see him again. Not now.
Not yet.
He frowns at me and lowers his voice. “Really?”
“Since I’m a working girl now, I’m kind of tired.” I step closer and touch the edge of his frames, my index finger grazing the skin just beneath his eye. “What’s up with these?”
His cheeks go red and I let my hand drop. I shouldn’t touch him or lead him on. That’s messed up. “I wear contacts most of the time but they were bugging me.” He looks sheepish. “I fell asleep wearing them last night and my eyes felt gritty when I woke up. So out come the glasses.”
“You look good in them,” I say truthfully.
“You think?” Steven looks surprised.
I nod, wishing I could like this guy. He’s so nice. Humble. Modest. Polite and sweet and cute—all words I could never use to describe that sexy jackass Tristan Prescott.
Here I go again, thinking about him. When can I not?
“You don’t mind that I’m here, do you?” Steven asks worriedly, endearing himself to me even more. “Conrad texted earlier and invited me over.”
“I don’t mind. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go change and then I’ll hang out with you guys.” I smile, trying to be nice but not too nice. I don’t want to lead him on.
“You will?”
“Well, yeah.” I normally don’t hang out with Conrad and Jeff and their friends. But it’s different tonight. Steven’s here and I want to get to know him better. Maybe spending time with him more will help drive Tristan out of my system once and for all.
I’m mentally contradicting myself. This isn’t good.
“What kind of pizza do you like, Alex?” Conrad asks as he gazes at his phone.
“Whatever. I’m easy.” I smirk at Steven. “Just don’t let that get around,” I tease him, making him blush even further. Jeez.
Conrad hesitates a little before he says, “Got any friends you want to invite over, Alex?”
Not really. Well, there’s Kelli, but will she want to hang out with these gamer nerds? Anyone else I know would be through Kelli and they have boyfriends already…
“Let me see what I can put together,” I tell Conrad, offering Steven a quick smile. “Be right back,” I tell him as I turn and head for my bedroom.
Well. This ought to be an interesting night.
After driving aimlessly for over an hour, I ended up at Gabe’s because I had nothing else better to do on a cold Saturday night. When I left the house, Shep was with Jade locked away in their bedroom—and we know what’s happening in there. I decide to go to the casino because why the hell not. It’s Gabe’s night to work but the minute I walk through the door, I see he’s got Lucy with him, sitting on his lap for God’s sake, her arms looped around his neck as she stares at him lovingly.
Of fucking course.
“What are you doing here?” Gabe asks as he shifts Lucy off his lap and rises to greet me.
“Bored,” I mutter, shoving my hand through my damp hair and pushing it off my forehead. It’s raining out, the drops like ice and so fucking miserable. What else am I going to do? All I can think about is fucking Alexandria. Alex. Ali. Whatever the hell her name is.
I need a drink.
Gabe tries to keep his expression neutral but I see the surprise flare in his eyes. “You’re bored? But it’s Saturday night.”
“Yeah. So?”
“Go to a bar. Find a girl. Buy her a drink. Take her home. The end.” Gabe shakes his head. “Isn’t that your normal mode of operation?”
“I don’t want to go to a bar.” Only if it’s a guarantee that Alexandria will be there. Otherwise, fuck it.
“Say what?” Gabe clutches his heart and stumbles backwards, the asshole. “Are you sick? Or maybe my hearing’s going on me.”
“Shut up.” I shrug out of my jacket and hang it on the coat rack by the door. “I thought I’d come help you.”
“It’s dead.” Gabe waves a hand at the near empty tables. “I think it’s the weather. No one wants to go out in this rain.”
Yeah. Me either. But here I am, with nowhere to go. I guess I have options, girls I could call, text, whatever. Ask them if they’re down to fuck.
Just thinking those words make me think of her. And I refuse to text Alexandria. She never answered my text from last night so forget it. I’ll just suffer through alone.
It sucks. What the fuck is wrong with me? I should go to a bar, pick up a hot blonde with small tits and long legs and fuck her until sunrise. Or maybe fuck her for only thirty minutes. Just enough time to come and get out of there before she sinks her claws into me too deep. That’s what they all seem to want. Except her.
Hell. I don’t want another blonde with small tits and long legs.
I want her.
“Where’s Kelli?” I ask Lucy.
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her all day. Why do you ask?” Those dark brown eyes are watching me closely. Too closely.
“You shouldn’t lead her on, Tris,” Gabe warns. “That girl used to like you.”
And here we go. Can’t a guy be friends with a girl he made out with for all of five minutes? “Thanks for the advice, Dad, but I’m a big boy and Kelli is a big girl. And besides, she used to like you,” I remind him.