Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(43)


"So, just out of curiosity, are you in any way related to Matt Hammond?" Bekah nosily asked.

"We got married last winter," Krista told her showing off her massive ring.

"Ahh," she said admiring the crystal clear cut. "Well this is a small world, isn't it? I've known Matt since childhood. He's actually used to be a pretty good friend of my brother's even though he spent the majority of his time in Las Vegas. I'd heard he was in town running his father's business, but now I understand why." Bekah smiled sweetly. "Will you tell him that I said hello and that he needs to visit."

Krista had one eye arched. "Sure thing. Hey, Lexi I've really got to be going. It was great seeing you. If you're in town for long, you'll have to stop by the gym," Krista said wrapping her in a hug. Just as she got close, she whispered in her ear, "How is Jack with her?" Lexi giggled finding it hard to believe herself. Krista slipped her a business card, grabbed her brown paper cup, and made her way towards the door.

"Well that was interesting," Bekah said rubbing her finger around her pearl earring.

"Yeah I guess," Lexi said standing awkwardly now that the comfort of Krista's presence had dissipated.

Bekah turned and face her. "I heard what she said you know."

Lexi stared at her; her mouth hanging open a little. She wasn't sure which part she was referring to, but with her luck it had to be the part about her and Jack. "Uh...what?"

"That she figured you and Jack would be married," she stated simply.

"Uh huh." Lexi wasn't sure what Bekah wanted her to say. She hadn't seen Krista in years, and after all, Jack was the reason that she knew Krista in the first place.

"I just want you to know that I don't think any less of you."

Lexi gawked at her. "Um what?" she asked again.

"I mean, that girl was so vulgar. I have no idea how Matt...you know what? Just never mind. Let's not go down that road," she said running her French manicured finger nails through her pin-straight hair. "I just want us to be open and honest with each other. I heard what she said about you and Jack. I felt a little uncomfortable."

Lexi could tell Bekah was waiting for her to say something, but she still had nothing to say. So she had eavesdropped on a conversation? Lexi didn't give a shit. She had told Krista that they weren't together. Her and Jack had never been together together, in fact. So it hardly concerned her.

"Well now that that's out of the way," Bekah chirped. "I found us a table."

Lexi had no idea what to think of this girl. She was all over the charts. She wanted to be completely honest one minute and then her best friend the next. Lexi wasn't sure if she could handle this anymore. This girl needed to chill out. Maybe smoke a blunt or something to relieve the tension. This couldn't be good for her sex life. Lexi cringed at the thought. She hadn't even considered that Bekah and Jack were sleeping together. She knew it was ridiculous, but even though she hadn't talked to him for two years, she couldn't picture him with another woman. Sure, they were together in public. They visited her family. They held hands. She refrained from gagging. But the intimate side, she hadn't really considered until just that second.

Lexi plopped down in the booth trying to push away the details that were forming in her conscious. She twirled her hair around her finger several times before shoving it carelessly behind her ear.

Bekah sighed heavily, and then turned to look at Lexi. "I think we got off on the wrong foot."

Lexi forced a smile. "Why do you say that?" Though Lexi could have given a million reasons why she could never...would never like this girl. She still wanted to hear what she thought on the subject.

"It's just...we were supposed to get this over with in the morning, and then I half-dragged you to meet my family. I mean, God, Jack didn't meet my parents until a couple months ago. I just don't want those things to cloud your view of me," Bekah said twirling her earring again.

"Oh...um ok," Lexi said noncommittally. Sure the Country Club experience had made being around her more difficult. However much that bothered her, nothing bothered her more than just the plain fact that she was dating Jack. This girl who seemingly had nothing in common with Jack, this girl who he hadn't even wanted to date to begin with, this girl who was practically forcing him to marry her so she wouldn't be cut off from her parents was who he had picked over her. Somehow, she just didn't think Bekah could recover from that. It almost made her want to giggle...in a sadistic sort of way.

"Well either way, I suspect you know why Jack asked you here," Bekah said smiling sweetly.

Lexi fixed her with a blank stare. Was this girl serious?

"But I just…I really don't want this to be awkward, you know?"

Lexi didn't know. She already thought this was awkward enough.

"So, I thought we could just get to know each other a little bit. I mean, I know I wouldn't confess…or tell a perfect stranger about my past, especially not my love life."

Lexi wanted to tell her that she didn't much care who she told about her so-called relationship with Jack. That love life probably wasn't the best word to describe what they had gone through. He had chosen Bekah. It shouldn't matter who Lexi told now. And she'd really rather just get this over with. But she could tell that Bekah wasn't finished talking yet, so she held her tongue.

K.A. Linde's Books