Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(16)



So, no this was nothing like Jack.

"This is exactly like Jack," Chyna muttered under her breath.

Lexi closed her eyes and silently counted to ten. She didn't want to have this argument right now, because she knew she would think about it all night. Ramsey would be picking her up shortly and she didn't need those thoughts on her mind. By allowing him to come visit, she was taking a huge leap of faith, one that she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

But she wholeheartedly hated the thought that he was just another Jack in her life. No matter what had happened between them over the past year, Ramsey was a different man. She didn't completely approve of him or his choices, but no one was perfect. And honestly, she wasn't entirely willing to give up on him just yet.

"Can we talk about something else?" Lexi pleaded opening her eyes and fixing them on the computer screen in front of her. She pulled up a blank webpage and directed it to her inbox. A confirmation email was highlighted at the top of the screen with information about Ramsey's flight into JFK airport. If everything went alright, he would be landing in only twenty minutes giving her just enough time to mentally and physically prepare herself for their evening together.

"Sure," Chyna replied, her tone snarky. "How about the fact that you still haven't given me Mystery Man's name yet?"

Lexi gulped hard, a tentative smile spreading across her face as she looked up at Chyna. "Why are you so desperate to know?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you never hide anything from me. Maybe because I've never met him. Maybe because I have to wrestle information out of you. Do you want me to keep going?" Chyna asked arching an eyebrow. She flipped her feet to the other side of the bed, rested her elbows on the comforter, and leaned over to get a better look at Lexi's reaction.

"Well, it's nothing, that's why it doesn't matter," Lexi stammered out under the intense scrutiny of Chyna's stare.

"Or maybe it's because it's a huge f**king deal and that's why you keep it a secret," she hypothesized her green eyes taking in every movement that might tip her off to what was going on.

"It's not such a big deal," Lexi huffed returning her eyes to her computer to escape Chyna's fierce looks. She wasn't ready to tell anyone about what was going on with her Mystery Man yet. She wasn't even certain if anything was going on with him yet. What had happened between them was a fluke, an accident. She hadn't seen him again, and a part of her felt like that was probably the best choice she could make. She didn't need to get into anything else right now. At least not while Ramsey was still filling her mind…and Jack. Of course Jack.

"You're such a terrible liar."

"No, I'm not," she cried knowing that was a lie too. She had always been a terrible liar. That was why she had never been able to get away with everything that had gone on with her and Jack. She hadn't been able to look someone in the eye and lie to them without giving herself away. The talent had improved some with practice, a fact she wasn't exactly proud of, but she had to admit it did come in handy on occasions. Chyna knew her too well though. She knew when something was up with her.

"Yeah, you really are. So, who is he? Are you going out with him again? Has he called?" Chyna blabbered on asking questions Lexi had no intention of answering.

"I don't want to talk about him alright?" Lexi asked shutting her computer with a bit more force than she anticipated.

"Ohhh," Chyna cooed, "someone is defensive."

Lexi took another deep breath. "Please stop. I really do not want to think about anything while I have this…thing with Ramsey tonight."

"Date is the opportune word chica. Don't think you'll be getting away with not talking about this forever. After your…thing," she said mimicking Lexi's tone of voice, "I want details on Mystery Man. Please, please, please just give me a name," she begged.

"No can do," Lexi told her hopping up off the floor and wandering into Chyna's massive closet.

"You're so incorrigible," Chyna cried following behind her.

"Big words," Lexi said sarcastically her eyes widening and mouth opening in surprise.

"Don't be such a shit," she said smacking Lexi on her arm. "Just because I didn't go to college doesn't mean I wasn't smart enough to go."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Lexi said knowing full well that Chyna was brilliant and succeeded at anything she applied herself to. The only problem was getting her to apply herself. She preferred to live a luxurious life of leisure rather than work for more money. She was in possession of enough money as it was.

If the positions were reversed, Lexi wasn't sure she'd be able to do what Chyna was doing. She would be too bored all the time, and feel like she was wasting her time just sitting around. Studying law was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of her life, and now that the experience was over, she was all but certain she had made the right decision.

But Chyna had never been self-motivated to work. Lexi blamed it on her parents. They had coddled her as a child and never forced her to do anything she didn't want to do. She had opted out of college to pursue modeling like her mother. After a few successful photo shoots, she had gotten tired of the work and quit, turning down an extensive contract with a very prestigious underwear company. She just kept saying she couldn't find anything to hold her interest for long enough to commit to for a career. That was the same reason she didn't hold onto a boyfriend…for the most part.

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