Chapter 16
Max
I’m supposed to be working, but I can’t think clearly.
How can I after having lunch with Lexi? Watching her eat is one of the sexiest things I’ve ever witnessed.
I spent my lunch hour with a raging hard-on.
I walked back to the hotel with a tent in my pants, blue balls, and a fucking pain in my heart.
It hasn’t got any better since. I’ve floated through meetings, Zoom calls, and interviews.
Now, sitting here with nothing to do, I want to scream, shout, smash something, anything to let go of this frustration I’m harbouring.
Why can I not just forget about the past and live for the here and now with Alexa, plan for a future with her, be the person she wants me to be?
Because I’m a fucking idiot, that’s why.
When I think about my life, I have everything, or so I thought.
Now, without Lexi, I feel like I’m missing a piece of myself.
Is it one woman who is making me feel this empty? Can Lexi complete me?
I take out my phone and dial my mum’s number. Instantly, I’m sure my mum sits with her phone in her hand all day long, she answers. “Hi, sweetie, how are you?”
“Hi, Mum. I’m good. I thought I’d check in.”
“Uh-huh, I know that tone. You’re not happy. Does this have something to do with that lovely young woman, Alexa?”
“What? How?” I sigh down the line.
“You don’t get to my age without picking things up. I saw the way your eyes lit up when Alexa walked into the lounge. I saw how you reacted to her when you introduced her to us. Is she giving you a hard time about the bitch that shall not be named?”
My mum always hated Victoria. She was civil because of me, but there was never any love lost. “She believes me. I told her everything.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“I can’t give her what she wants, Mum. She wants to settle down. I’m not boyfriend material.”
“Now you listen to me, and you listen well. You’re an amazing man.
All of my boys were brought up the right way.
Okay, you’ve had your heart broken in the past, you were made to look like a fool, but look at how far you’ve come.
Never give up on the opportunity of love, son.
Life can be very lonely on your own. If Alexa could be the one for you, make sure you grasp her with two hands. ”
I let my mum’s words sink into that thick skull of mine. “I love you, Mum.”
“I love you too, son. Let me know how things go.”
“I will. Speak soon.”
I hang up my phone, bring up Interflora, and place an order for a large bouquet of flowers to be sent to Lexi, here at the hotel, tomorrow.
I’m keeping those lines blurred, but I honestly don’t give a flying fuck anymore.
I need to show Lexi that I can be the man she needs and wants, that I can be like one of those characters she reads about, that I’ll do whatever she wants, because a life without her doesn’t seem very interesting anymore.
***
Opening week is always all go, but we’ve run into a few teething problems with maintenance issues.
Silly things, but things that guests will notice and look for some kind of reimbursement for.
I’ve been talking to a sweet old couple at the reception desk, offering them an extra night on the house with a free three-course meal.
You’d think I’d offered them the world. It’s people like that I love to help and make their stay a memorable one.
It’s the people who book a hotel stay just to find fault in everything that bother me, and ‘the customer is always right’. My arse.
“That was a nice thing you just did, Maxwell.”
I look over my shoulder at the voice I’ve been missing like crazy. Just the sound of Lexi’s sweet voice makes me smile. It’s the first time she has broken breath to me since the lunch disaster.
“They’ve had no hot water all day. It’s the least I can do.”
“I saw them this morning, a dear old couple. Been together fifty years. This is their anniversary week.”
“They never said. I’ll send them up a bottle of fizz compliments of the house.”
Lexi beams at me. If I knew it was only going to take me being nice to my guests to get her to like me again then I would have done it already.
“I was going to come and see you later. I think from Monday, I’ll be back to working from my head office. Kate is more than capable of taking over things, and I’m just being a hindrance.”
I wasn’t expecting that. I don’t know how to feel about not seeing Lexi float around the hotel. Even if we’ve not been on good terms the last couple of days, just the sight of her here and there was enough to keep me happy.
“Okay. If that’s what you want. I’ve not had much interaction with Kate, but I trust your judgement.”
Lexi rocks back on her heels and looks down at the floor. Her unease is palpable, and I hate that she doesn’t know how to react around me anymore. Her confidence is one of the things I love about her, but right now she seems very far away from that person I originally met.
“Alexa.” Lexi looks over at Jess the receptionist. “This delivery is for you.”
Shit. I forgot about those. I didn’t want to be in the vicinity when Lexi got them, but now that I am, I’m intrigued to see the look on her face.
“For me? Are you sure?” Lexi walks over and takes the bouquet from the delivery guy and smells them. She smiles the brightest smile I’ve seen on her face in days. The twinkle in her eye is magnificent. “Thank you.”
“Someone’s a lucky girl,” says Jess.
Lexi puts the bouquet on the desk and takes out the card. I know what I wrote on the card.
To Lexi,
We don’t need blurred lines; we just need to adjust our focus. I don’t know if I can ever be the man you need, but I’m willing to try if you’ll give me a chance. Let me show you that the spice of life is only the beginning for us. Meet me tonight at seven p.m. in the spa.
Yours always,
Max
“Well… who are they from?” asks Jess.
Lexi looks up at me through her hooded eyelashes. “Just an admirer.”
Just an admirer. Really? I guess I should be grateful that she didn’t call me something horrible, because let’s face it, there are plenty of derogative terms that I deserve.
“Well, he’s a keeper if you ask me. Any man who sends flowers that size is something else.”
Lexi clears her throat, smiles, and puts the card back inside the flowers. “It’s not the size that matters, it’s the thought that counts. However, you’re right about one thing. This man is something else. A strange breed.”
I roll my eyes at that comment. I don’t know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult. One thing is for sure, she’s going to make me grovel for her forgiveness. The sadder part is that I will grovel at her feet and beg. The mighty have fallen, and I’m not afraid to admit that.
I clear my throat because I feel like I’m just in the way. I don’t need to hear what the girls are saying. “I guess I’ll see you ladies later. Some of us have work to do.” I wink at Alexa and walk off towards my office.
“Hold on, Max…” I look over at Lexi and she’s jogging to keep up with me. “I’m not finished with you yet.”
I continue walking towards my office because out here there are too many eyes and ears. “What can I help you with Alexa?”
“Don’t play games. Games are what got us into this mess. You’re giving me whiplash. What do you want from me?”
I manoeuvre Lexi into my office, close the door, and click the lock in place. With my back up against the door, I have a bird’s eye view of the frustration oozing from Lexi’s pores.
“I’m sorry, okay.”
“What for?” She puts the flowers down delicately on my desk and turns her steely gaze onto me.
That look right there is enough to make my dick rock hard and tent my pants.
“No, wait.” She holds up her finger. “Is it for being a dick? Playing with my emotions? Making me fall head over heels for you? I can continue…” For every point she makes she puts up another finger.
“I can’t do casual, Max. I’ve told you this. ”
“Did you read the note?” She nods. “I’m not saying I’m going to be any good at being your partner, Lex, but all I do know is that not having you around isn’t worth the pain and misery I’m feeling.
” I take a few steps closer to her, testing the waters, and when she doesn’t back away from me, I continue until I thread my fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to my body.
“Meet me tonight in the spa. Please. If after tonight you still want me to back off, I will. I promise. I know I don’t deserve this chance, but at least let me try to put things right between us. ”
Lexi sighs. I can feel the weight of her body getting heavy between the palms of my hands. I lean in and kiss her eyelids, her nose, her chin, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. The feel of my lips on her delicious skin is amazing. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed this woman.
“This is the last chance, Max. I can’t keep doing this dance with you. It’s all or nothing. What we have between us…” She shakes her head. “I’ll meet you tonight. You have one hour.”
“Thank you. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
“I’m not convinced, but I have nothing else to lose.
You’ve stolen my heart, shredded it to pieces, and now you either piece it back together or leave it broken.
The ball is in your court.” She smiles weakly, pulls away from me, grabs the flowers, and leaves me standing in my office like a spare part.
I need to make tonight magnificent.