Chapter 41
Alex
She’sover at my place midweek as we work through some talking points and film a couple of videos for my socials. Sam and her development officer had gotten together and came up with some ideas they thought we could do that would help us but also get some more attention on the museum. Next week I’m planning to go to the museum for a meet and greet, filming a bit while I’m there with her showing me around, and then I’m going to do another round without her asking people to go to the PAC website Violet and her group had set up in order to get donations and votes. Sam was hoping it would seal the deal on our public relationship with bonus points for “being civically-minded” and Ashley was hoping that my celebrity might help them get the attention they desperately need. A win for everyone, and I get to spend more time with her.
We’ve just finished up and she’s busy editing some of it for me, while we wait on food delivery, when the doorbell rings.
“That was fast.” She looks up at the door skeptically.
“Incredibly fast. Normally it takes an hour, and it’s been what—thirty minutes?” I get up anyway to answer the door.
Except when I open it without looking through the peephole, I realize what a mistake it is. Danica bursts past me through the door frame, tossing her coat to the side wearing a dress that could barely be considered clothing.
“If you won’t come to me, I’ll come to you. Then we can both come.” She laughs and moves to kiss me before I step out of her way.
“Danica, I told you we’re done.” I feel a well of panic in my throat. Saint and I have been good, and I don’t need Danica crashing in and reminding her of all my past sins.
“Yeah, you’ve said that before and then you come around eventually. I just thought I’d hurry the process along,” she answers dismissively, and it riles me.
“I meant what I said. I have a girlfriend.” I flash a look at Saint who’s sitting at the table, eyes wide at the scene playing out.
“The mousy little thing from the gala? She hardly counts. No way she satisfies your appetites. Besides I’m not trying to be your girlfriend. Keep her. We can just fuck when I’m in town.”
“Get out Danica.”
“Oh come on! I know you want to—” She stops mid-sentence when she finally sees Saint sitting there, glaring at her. “Well, you could have told me she was here now. Awkward.”
“I told you to fucking get out!” My temper rises to a simmer.
“Fine. Fine. I’m here for a few more days before I go and do a European leg though. So call me before that?”
“I blocked you, for a reason. We’re done Danica. Please fucking listen and comprehend what I’m saying.”
“Whatever, Xander. You’re going to wear this little hard-to-get game out, you know. You’ll be sorry when you wake up and realize I don’t want you anymore.” She grabs her coat as she heads back to the door.
“I’ll have to learn how to deal,” I mutter, holding the door open for her to leave.
She shoots me a glare as she rounds the corner, and I shut the door behind her, my eyes turning to Saint who is remarkably quiet through the whole ordeal.
“I had nothing to fucking do with that. I blocked her number the night of the gala.”
“I believe you,” she says softly, her eyes on the tablet in front of her still working.
“You’re not pissed?”
“No. You kicked her out. Did what you’re supposed to. Why would I be pissed?”
“You were pissed the other day just for me being pleasant to her and Tobias’s sister. So I just want to be sure.”
“This is your life, Alex.” She shrugs. “I knew that going into this.”
“It’s not my life.”
“She certainly seems sure it is.”
“It’s not. She’s got an ego that’s even bigger than mine. It’s just how she is.”
“And apparently that works for your appetite.” Her eyes finally lift to mine and there’s accusation in them.
“Saint…”
“What appetites is she referring to?” A smug little smile plays at her lips.
“She’s bullshitting.”
“I don’t think so. She’s a lot of things, but I don’t think that’s one of them.”
“Just forget she said anything. She’s just trying to start shit.”
“Okay.”
I don’t like the way she’s agreeing with me right now.
“Why don’t you say what’s on your mind?”
“I don’t love how she just shows up here. How many other women do that?”
“It’s happened a handful of times.”
“Since we’ve been faking this?”
“No. That’s the first.”
“I don’t like that she just came over here like that. That she thought it was no big deal. That she thinks she can have you whenever she wants you and you’ll just be here waiting for her.”
“I told her no.”
“Apparently in the past, she was able to wear you down.”
“I had a moment of weakness once after I said I was done with her.”
“Mmm. And what’s to stop that from happening again?”
“You.”
“I was here tonight. I might not be the next time. Then what?”
“Then it wouldn’t change anything. But you could be here any night you want. Every night, for that matter.” Asking her to move in had crossed my mind several times already. I hate that she still lives in that shell of a house. I want her in my bed every morning. This wasn’t how I planned to do it. But fuck it, it’s as good as any.
“I think you’d get tired of me if I was here more often.” She shakes her head, her attention going back to the editing she was doing.
I reach over and put my hand on hers, bringing her eyes back to mine.
“Move in here. Get out of that house. I want you here.”
“I wasn’t implying that’s what I wanted. I just meant that you can’t exactly blame Danica and them for thinking it’s a thing they can still do if you’ve made it a thing they could do all this time.”
“Yeah. I’ve been that guy. I’m not him anymore though and part of them figuring that out, is them realizing I’m dead fucking serious when I say I have a girlfriend. So serious she lives with me.”
“I’m looking for an apartment.”
“Good news, I have an opening for a roommate in a really fucking nice place with all the amenities. The rent is cheap and there’s room for really steep discounts if you sleep with the owner. Word is you already like fucking him so…”
“Alex…” Her eyes flick up to mine in admonishment.
“I’m fucking serious. Look at me and take me seriously for a minute. Why not?”
“Because we just decided this was real and not fake like… a week ago? Even the fake part hasn’t been that long.”
“We’ve known each other for years. You know I keep the place clean. I put my things away. I play nice with others. Especially when they ask nicely and say—”
She gives a slow eye roll and cuts me off. “I don’t want to feel like I’m a burden on you. And this is already complicated. It would just compound it.”
“Fine. Do a trial run. Just bring some of your things here. An away bag for a few days like you’re on vacation and see what you think. We’ll decide if we like it. If you do this weekend, I’ll even be out of town for half of it so you could see how you like it without me around.”
“I don’t know.”
“If things work out, it’s not far from the museum.”
“That’s true…” she hedges.
“Good. So we’re agreed.”
“Trial run only.” She gives me a pointed look.
I nod but I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. The thought of having her here, another step closer to being mine is too fucking good.