Chapter 14
Fourteen
“Wow. You found a pair of jeans,” Dax jokes, clapping his hands.
It’s the next day and my driver has dropped me at the strip mall, where Dax is ready and waiting. My jaw almost hits the floor when he’s out of his usual uniform.
“Where’s the leather jacket?” I ask, stopping by his motorcycle.
He laughs, perched against the motorcycle in ripped black skinny jeans that only make his legs look more muscular. The white T-shirt he wears serves as the perfect canvas to highlight the pendant hanging from his neck.
Dax pats the denim jacket hanging over the handlebars. “I thought this was less of a walking advertisement.” He looks me up and down and whistles. “How do you still look like a million bucks in regular clothes?”
I had Claudia snoop through Christie’s wardrobe for something I could wear. The blue jeans are a great fit. The lilac T-shirt has a nice cut, although loose fitting. I even snagged a pair of white sneakers, and didn’t bring a purse. Instead, I have only my phone, which sits in my back pocket.
“I borrowed them from my brother’s girlfriend,” I admit. “We’re not allowed to dress casually at home, but Christie’s parents aren’t as strict. Unfortunately, their nurturing vibe hasn’t rubbed off on my dad.”
“Are they over at your place a lot?”
I nod, twisting my bracelet around my wrist. “Yeah, they live at the manor with us.”
Dax’s eyebrows raise, and surprise releases in his laugh. “Wow. Your brother has his girlfriend under the same roof? Bet you don’t see a lot of them.”
“Dad made him move into another wing, but yes, they’re inseparable.”
Dax tilts his head, gauging my emotions. “Are you jealous of them?”
I look down pensively and shake my head. “No. I’m just surprised my brother started dating. He was never the type. It was a shock when I came back from Switzerland. We used to stick together through all the family drama, but now he has her to lean on.”
“Aww.” Dax throws an arm around my shoulders. “Well, I don’t mind if you lean on me.”
I rest my head on his chest. “Thanks.”
“Okay, should we get this tux fitting out of the way?”
I lift my head and tug on Dax’s hand. “Yes! Come with me.”
“Wow. You’re way too excited.”
I giggle, leading this gorgeous hunk inside the building.
I made an appointment with Ralph, the best tailor in the mountains’ area.
He greets us with his trademark slight nod and barely visible smile.
His gray hair is slicked back, and oversized, black-framed glasses frame his eyes.
He wears a maroon velvet suit with a navy dress shirt and a polka-dotted tie.
“Vanessa Ashworth.” Ralph’s arms glide into the air. “Lovely to see you again, my dear.”
I kiss his cheek. “You too. Dax, this is Ralph. He makes all my father and brother’s suits.”
Ralph kisses my hand. “It’s always a pleasure doing business with the Ashworth family.” He then turns to Dax and shakes his hand. “Looks like this is your first tailor fitting.”
Dax looks Ralph up and down. “What gave you that impression?”
I place my hand on Dax’s upper arm. “Yes, Ralph, it’s his first fitting. Plus, we need your top-shelf materials because he’s escorting me to the upcoming gala for St. Mark’s Hospital.”
Ralph flings a measuring tape over his shoulder and turns on his heels. “Let’s not waste another moment then.”
Before entering the fitting area, Ralph gives Dax a pair of dress pants to try on for size. He then frowns, remarking, “I see you’re already wearing an undershirt.”
I cup a hand over my mouth, muffling my laugh as Dax pulls at his white T-shirt.
“This is my best shirt,” Dax mutters. “See, no stains or rips.”
I pat his arm. “Just get into the pants.”
After Dax changes trousers, I follow into his fitting area where Ralph has Dax stand on the podium in front of the three-way mirror.
Ralph cuffs the bottom hem of the dress pants and takes the rest of his measurements.
He then measures Dax’s waist, chest, shoulders, and arms. Afterwards, he pins together shaped materials over Dax’s shoulders and down his back, showing me some different options.
When I greenlight the materials for Ralph, he gives Dax a dress shirt to try on.
Dax buttons down the crisp white shirt, and Ralph frowns, looking at him sideways.
“Hmm. Wrong size,” Ralph mutters.
I shrug. “It looks good on him.”
I catch Dax’s reflection grinning at me.
Ralphs turns on his heels. “No, I shall find a better size.”
With Ralph gone, Dax leans closer to the mirror and lightly plays with his hair. I catch him smiling and have to ask what he’s thinking. He turns to me with nervous enthusiasm.
“Do you know anyone who could fix my hair?”
I step closer to him. “What do you mean?”
“For the gala,” he says, angling his head in the mirror. “Might be a good idea if I got this mop actually styled.”
“I didn’t think you’d care about that.”
He shrugs. “It might be nice. Especially when I’m on the arm of the most beautiful girl in town.”
I blush. “I don’t know about that.”
He reaches for my hand, and then recoils, inspecting his fingernails. “I should probably get rid of the grease under these.”
I place a hand over his. “I have a good manicurist.”
He laughs. “Why not do this right?”
“Are you really into this?”
He shrugs, unable to hide his smile. “Maybe this is my glow-up moment?”
“Does that mean you’ll stay styled after the gala?”
“I doubt it. I spend too much time riding and tinkering with the bike.”
I lift onto my toes and peck his lips. “Good, because I like you just the way you are.”
As I run my hands down Dax’s shirt front, the good feelings bubble inside me. That is, until a voice sounds behind me.
“Vanessa, darling, I didn’t expect to see you here.” .
His voice cuts through me like shards of glass. Tension seizes my back as I turn, knowing who belongs to the voice.
My teeth grit as I fake a smile. “LJ, hi.”
“Wait,” Dax lingers on the word before LJ has a chance to respond. “This is LJ?”
A cheesy grin stretches across LJ’s mouth. “Aww. You’ve been talking about me, sweetheart?”
Dax shifts beside me, uncomfortable at hearing LJ’s pet name for me.
I blow out a tired breath. “LJ, what are you doing here?”
“Well, when we discussed the gala at dinner on Friday night, I thought it made sense to get my new tux ready,” LJ says, straightening the cuffs of his shirt. “Have you started looking for a dress, sweetheart?”
“LJ, I never said we were going together,” I say, hating having these two guys standing off in front of me.
LJ puffs a laugh. “Oh, darling, I’m used to getting your last-minute invitations. Heck, it happened at the last school dance.”
“So, what?” Dax cuts in. “You just sit around waiting for the phone to ring?”
I rub my lips together, hiding the laugh bursting to escape.
As Dax fiddles with the collar of his shirt, LJ fixates on Dax’s hand tattoo.
I can only imagine the assumptions running through LJ’s mind.
I also hope he notices the veins on the back of Dax’s hand, which show how powerful it becomes as a fist. Knowing LJ, he’ll mouth off something snarky.
And I really don’t want Dax getting into trouble in a place my dad and brother often visit.
Ralph returns with another crisp dress shirt for Dax to try on. “This will be a better fit.”
Dax hesitates. “I think I’m good.”
Superiority flashes in Ralph’s eyes. “Trust me. You’re not.”
“Just try it,” I gently suggest to Dax.
Dax’s eyes slide in LJ’s direction. From the side of his mouth, he mutters, “Are you okay being here?”
“Mm-hmm.”
When Ralph places the hanger on a nearby hook, Dax undoes the buttons on his shirt and tugs it off. As if he’s locked on target mode, LJ zeroes in on the scorpion tattoo. Thank goodness the undershirt hides Dax’s other tattoos, or LJ’s eye might pop out of his skull.
I’m relieved when Dax tries on the new shirt.
“Ralph,” I say, straightening my posture. “You can move on to helping LJ if you like. We can wait until he leaves.”
“I’m happy to wait,” LJ interjects.
Ralph brushes his hands over Dax’s shoulders. “No. I never stop midway through a fitting. Besides, Felipe is working with Mr. Prescott.”
“Oh,” I say, scanning the room for Felipe.
LJ smirks. “He’s out back looking for a high-grade material for the lining of my jacket.”
“Well, we won’t keep you,” I say, nudging my head toward the other fitting area.
“Trying to get rid of me, sweetheart?”
Dax looks over his shoulder, glaring at LJ. “You gotta stop calling her that.”
LJ folds his arms, sporting a smug smile. “Is that so?”
“Yes. She hates it.”
LJ smirks. “I think I know what Vanessa likes a little more than you do.”
“You really are deluded,” Dax says as Ralph folds his collar, which I can only imagine is steaming right now.
LJ sees red. “Excuse me?”
Ralph steps back, admiring Dax’s frame, seemingly oblivious to the fight about to break out in the fitting area.
“Ah, see, I told you it’d be a better fit.
” He then pats down his shirt front, looking for his measuring tape.
He excuses himself to find it, leaving the three of us to stew in the awkwardness.
LJ gives me a shrewd look. “What’s really going on here?”
I recoil. “What do you mean?”
“I got a panicked text from Hope…”
I cut him off. “You what?”
“She’s worried about you. I thought for sure she was lying when she said you had a new date for the gala.”
My eyes narrow with confusion. “So, if you knew I had a date, what is this all about?”
“My concern about you will never vanish.” LJ turns to Dax with contempt. “This is obviously a cry for help.”
Ugh. He’s using Hope’s exact wording.
Dax’s knuckles crack, and he steps forward. “You’d better watch your mouth.”
My heart squeezes. There’s the mouthing off I predicted. I push between them, hoping to lower the testosterone-fueled rage.
Dax wraps an arm around me, and I gladly lean against him.
“I don’t know what kind of charity scheme you’re running here, Vanessa,” LJ says, motioning at Dax, “but it won’t last long. You know it only makes sense to be with me.”
“Why don’t you let her make up her own mind?” Dax says. “Instead of telling her how to think.”
“Oh, look who thinks he’s so progressive,” LJ says, thick with sarcasm. “Learned that on the streets, did you?”
I pull away from Dax and step forward, forcing LJ to step backward. “LJ, give it a rest. He hasn’t done anything to you.”
LJ grimaces. “He offends me by standing next to you.”
“Then get ready to hurl,” Dax blurts, clutching my hand and giving it a gentle swing.
LJ stares at our hands, and then his eyes wander upward to meet mine. “Is this really how you want to be seen? What happened to what we talked about?”
I give him an incredulous look. “There’s no we.”
LJ looks at me pointedly, lowering his voice. “You always told me that your reputation is your number one priority. Do you really want this getting out? Do you really want to ruin everything you’ve worked for? What your family has…”
“All right, LJ!” I snap, dropping Dax’s hand as I stomp my foot. “Just cool it, will you? It’s no big deal.”
“Hope promised not to tell anyone else about this.” LJ glances at Dax before sending his attention back at me. “We’re hoping you come to your senses, and that’s when I’ll get your call.”
LJ walks away, and I let my frustration billow out like a steaming kettle.
“Are you okay?” Dax asks, stepping away from me.
I sigh, smoothing a hand over my hair. “Yeah. I tried not to let him get to me, but I just broke.”
“You dropped my hand pretty quick.”
I lift my head, and his mood is down. “Are you okay?”
“He was right, wasn’t he?” Dax asks, avoiding my eyes. “You’d stop seeing me to save your reputation.”
“What? No!” I step forward and place my hands on his forearms. “I want to be with you. I’m so excited to walk into the gala with you.”
“And after we do that and piss off your parents, then what?”
My gut tenses. “I don’t know.”
“That’ll be the end of this. Won’t it?”
I run my hands up until I reach his jawline. I move his head so his eyes meet mine. “I don’t want this to be over. I’m alive when I’m with you.”
“But what about your…”
I shake my head. “None of it matters. I’m in this.”
A tentative smile flashes across his lips. “Really?”
“As long as you’ll have me.”
“Well, that’s a no-brainer.” His smile springs to life. “I’m totally hooked on you.”