Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
LEXI
With everything going on this past couple of weeks, I haven’t had a chance to even think about decorating for Christmas, even though Christmas cheer has been everywhere for weeks now, I’ve kinda been oblivious to it.
But I decided I’d better pull the seasonal decorating boxes out of storage and put the Christmas tree up since it’s only three and a half weeks until the big day.
I love this time of year, I always have. Spending time with mom and my friends over the holidays, even if it’s a quieter time of year for me, is something I’ve always loved.
And I’m super excited to be spending it with Josh this year. They’re having a big Christmas feast over at his dad’s place and Mr. Snuggles and I have both been invited, my mom too if she wants.
“Where do you want this one, honey?” Mom asks, walking into the lounge with a long white box which has been re-taped together over the years every time I’ve taken the fake Christmas tree down and tried to get it back on the box again.
I smile, knowing exactly what I’ll find inside; my white and silver optical tree I’ve had for the past four years.
I’ve got the most beautiful baubles to hang off it, including glass snowmen with silver accents, rose gold angels playing the trumpet, harp and violin, little sparkly Christmas trees in red and green and every round bauble you can imagine in so many colors from pink to white, gold, silver, dark green and deep red.
“Here’s just fine, Mom.” I’m going to place the tree where it usually is; to the left of the fireplace, right in the corner.
“Are you sure you have enough decorations?” Megan hollers from the hallway before appearing, carrying a big plastic bag filled with tinsel.
The remnants from last year are sticking out the top.
Every year it’s the same when I have any helpers decorating at my place, they kindly remind me I don’t need any more stuff.
Mom and Megs know only too well how I kinda overdo the whole holiday Christmas displays all over my house, but it makes me so happy to see it all come out of storage that I try and use every last item, including all the baubles.
I giggle. “Actually, I was thinking of grabbing a few more things after work tomorrow, just in case I don’t have enough.”
Megs tucks a dark curl behind her ear and, if I’m not mistaken, rolls her eyes at me. “You know we ought to give Josh the heads up about your Christmas decorating obsession, just in case he’s not aware,” she says. “Let him know what to expect.”
“Hey, I wonder if he has a tree?” I muse, tapping my fingers lightly on my chin.
“Why, so you can take some of your extra blingy Christmas decorations around there?” Megs laughs.
Mom joins in on the act. “Poor guy, he clearly has no idea what he’s in for.
” But she sends a wink my way and I can’t help but laugh.
Mom is yet to meet Josh, but she’s heard all about him since we got back from Lake Haven, and I can’t wait for her to see him in person. Hopefully, before Christmas day.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, you two.”
“Any time,” Meg chimes. She’s ecstatic for me that I’ve found such a great guy in Josh and how we must have been fated to meet. I had no idea years ago when I first started working for Ali that it would lead to more.
I had no idea he’d be interested in me. But interested he is, we both can’t get enough of each other.
I’m heading over to his place with Mr. Snuggles after dinner, and I’ve no doubt that it’s going to end up with us staying the night and me cozying up to him in his giant king-sized bed. That’s after he placates me with his king-sized cock.
Josh already texted me to say we have the place to ourselves tonight since Noah, who sometimes stays over and lives between Josh’s house and his dad’s, won’t be there.
Life honestly couldn’t be sweeter right now, and I wonder what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as Josh. Though I’m constantly reminded by those closest to me that I deserve every minute of happiness. And I believe it, but I still have to pinch myself sometimes.
“I’m going to get back to some serious hot chocolate making,” I tell the both of them. “Then we resurrect the tree, how does that sound?”
Meg slings an arm around my mom casually, the pom-pom on the end of the red sequined santa hat bobbles around. “We get it, butter us up with hot chocolate and cookies so we’ll partake in turning your house into a Christmas grotto? Bring it on!”
“I’ll drink to that,” Mom chimes as they both laugh and I shake my head, walking to the kitchen to get the treats ready.
“Can I have extra marshmallows in mine?” Meg coos after me.
It’s become a bit of a tradition every year, and I’m so lucky to have such a great mom and a best friend like Megs, they always have my back.
Even if they jibe me about my love of too many Christmas decorations.
I always say there’s worse things you could be doing than buying more tinsel and putting up mistletoe.
My phone pings as I’m frothing the milk and humming a Christmas jingle to myself, all the while wondering if Mom is going to come with me to meet Josh’s family at Christmas.
It’s usually just the two of us and a couple of family friends, so this year is going to be a lot like stepping out of our comfort zones having the Lucas family in the picture.
But it’s a good kind of new, the kind I’ve been vying for and hoped I’d have one day.
I wasn’t kidding when I said I could see my future with him, a wedding, kids and the works. It makes my heart flutter every time and I feel it deep into my bones.
The way he looks after me and makes me feel safe and loved, it’s more than I ever knew possible. He really is the most decent man I’ve ever met, and I’m so glad his family is on board.
I glance down at my cell, expecting to see a sexy message from Josh because we’ve been teasing each other for most of the day.
His last message read:
Josh
Bring the tinsel baby, wrap yourself up in it
To my reply:
Me
Yes and that’s all I’ll be wearing
But I’m surprised to see an unknown number flash up on the screen.
Unknown
Lex, we need to talk
My heart immediately hammers in my chest. Clearly, someone has my number and I don’t have theirs. It’s definitely not my ex, I mean, unless he changed his number?
Curiosity gets the better of me, so I type back.
Me
Who is this?
I set my phone on the counter while I prepare the mugs and grab the marshmallows and the drinking chocolate out. I see the gray bubble appear as I look down while I work. The person typing back.
Unknown
It’s me. Julia
Oh god no. My heart rate thunders at an alarming rate at the sight of her name, my pulse skyrocketing.
It’s my ex-best friend that cheated with Rick. Of all the freaking nerve! She wants to talk to me now? The time for talking was last year when they both pulled the rug out from under me.
Rick has made several attempts to contact me since the incident, one not so long ago, but I always ignore him. What could there be to say?
I don’t even know if they’re still together. And I don’t care.
Me
There’s nothing you could say to me that would make any difference. Leave me alone!
Unknown
Please Lexi. There are things to say
I huff. Unable to even contemplate who the hell she thinks she is. And popping up out of the blue like this is clearly some kind of pathetic attempt to get back into my good graces.
That’s never going to happen.
Me
I have nothing to say to you, goodbye
I click out of the message and close my phone, not wanting to see anymore.
I don’t want anything upsetting my time with my mom and Megs, and I honestly don’t see what could be so important now.
No one from my past is going to unravel what I’ve worked so hard for over this past year to get over what happened.
The unorchestrated attempt to get back into my life — for whatever reason — mainly to unrattle me, is pathetic.
Instead, I take a breath and continue the hot chocolate making.
Putting it to the back of my mind and focusing on the task at hand; if I have enough tinsel to get through Christmas, is all that matters right now.
And Julia is not going to disrupt it.
I’m meeting Josh for drinks downtown after work tonight.
Hopefully, it will be another repeat of last night, which involves laying with a relaxing glass of wine in his soaker tub, his body wrapped around me as we talked about our day.
He has a two bedroom town house with a loft and it’s close to his father in Brentwood.
It’s all soft furnishings, wood floors, high beams and masculine textures, but it suits him.
He’s definitely made it his own, and I’m enjoying being in his space, getting to know him even more.
When I glance around the wine bar, I quickly see Josh hasn’t arrived yet, so I walk to the ladies’ room to straighten out my hair from the wind that almost blew me in.
I also have to make a quick call to Ali about a couple of things we didn’t get to discuss before she left the office.
We’re listing a beautiful place in Malibu and I’ve organized the photoshoot and staging.
After I touch up my lipstick, and deciding there’s not much I can do about my crazy hair, I walk out the adjoining side door to the undercover alfresco area while I wait for Josh. I flick him a text that I’m here and I’m just outside calling Ali while I wait for him.
Nothing like multitasking while I wait.
It’s only ten minutes later when I walk back inside and I see Josh coming in the side entry. He’s on his cell and mine immediately pings with a text.
Josh
Sorry babe. I’m here now
I smile, watching him walk up to the bar, looking dapper in a dark blue suit and a green tie with Christmas trees all over it. I bought it for him when I stopped off for more tinsel the other day. Contrary to what my mom and Megs believe, I didn’t have nearly enough.
My smile quickly falters though when I see a beautiful brunette sitting on a bar stool right next to where he stands. My heart hammers like a warning bell in a freaking storm. Oh, no. This can’t be happening.
It’s Julia. Freaking Julia!
Her dark chocolate eyes widen with interest as she watches my boyfriend. Her lips move as she says something, and it gives me some satisfaction that he barely spares her a glance as he looks down at his phone.
What the hell is she doing here?
It takes me a few moments to register, and even though I feel sick to my stomach and a little weak at the knees, I know what I have to do.
I purse my lips and straighten my back, then stride towards the bar.