Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(22)

"Lexi, are you alright?" Ramsey asked putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me," she spat venomously shrugging his hand off her shoulder. She didn't care if this wasn't his fault. She needed someone else to blame other than herself for this and he was the easiest target.

"Come on, don't be like that," he pleaded.

"You brought me here!" she cried louder than she had intended. Seth, Luke and Hunter, despite their inebriation turned to look at her along with a few additional patrons and rather unhappy strippers. "So take care of the big emergency!"

"Lexi you're gonna need to chill out," Seth said motioning drunkenly around him. "We're celebrating. Let's do a shot, honey."

"Do I look like I want to celebrate Seth?" she growled.

"You look f**king hot."

Lexi rolled her eyes. She should have known better than to get a straight answer from Seth. He had always been the one to goof off and make everything a joke. Ever since she had known him he had been this way. Nothing should change now…seven years later.

"Come on Lexi," Hunter pleaded his eyes glazed over. "You've gotta celebrate with us."

"Yeah," Luke agreed.

"I think not."

"But it's Jack's bachelor party," Seth told her smiling as if he'd just told her the best news of her life…instead of the worst.

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I had some great reviews last chapter from Cupid's Psyche, total romance., misatok123, and nadinesmith. Thanks you guys rock!

K.A. Linde

Appearances

Happy to lay here

Just happy to be here

I'm happy to know you

Play me a song

Your newest one

Please leave your taste on my tongue

-Joshua Radin "Paperweight

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Chapter 4: September Eleven Months Earlier

Lexi couldn't remember the last time she had been surrounded by so many people when she wasn't out clubbing. It wasn't entirely unpleasant being surrounded by a sea of faces that she didn't recognize, however, the accumulated wealth in the vicinity was astounding. Expensive tuxedos, silk formal dresses, and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of diamonds were just a few of the things that tipped Lexi off to the extravagance amongst the people in the ballroom…if the ballroom itself didn't tip her off.

She knew she should have expected something like this. In fact, Chyna had warned her that her father did everything all out. She had even warned her that it might be more extravagant than normal because it was both a huge event for her father and Chyna was going to be in attendance. Chyna swore up and down that her dad always overdid things when he knew he could rub something in her face. Lexi wasn't sure if she bought that. She didn't have any personal experience with step parents, but she was sure some of this affluence had something to do with her soon-to-be step mom.

Lexi was dressed the part in a floor-length plum dress with tiny spaghetti straps. Her back was almost completely exposed and her new, shorter, hair was swirling around her shoulder blades. Even in a pair of Chyna's Manolo heels, she was a head shorter than most of the people in attendance. This was due in large part to the number of fashion models circulating the premises.

For the first time, Lexi was beginning to realize that Chyna actually held back in her lifestyle. All of the redecorating, clothing purchases, and manicure/pedicures were on the low end of the extravagance that she could have indulged. She had never imagined this possibility.

"You look nervous," someone said coming up behind her and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Lexi twirled around, a little jumpier than she had even thought she was, and stared up into the handsome face. "Adam!" she cried surprising him by throwing an arm around his neck and pulling him into a hug.

"Hey, woah, calm down," he said extracting her arms from around him and taking a step back. "I can't play a convincing boyfriend if you've got your hands all over me."

A blush crept up on her cheeks and she added an extra step backwards just for good measure. "Sorry to pull you into this whole thing," she muttered eyeing him up and down in his expensive tux.

"Hey, glad I could help," he said sliding one hand into his front pocket.

Chyna sure did get lucky with the type of person who had decided to save her from the scumbag who had drugged her. When he had first helped her out, Lexi hadn't even noticed how attractive he was. Now that he was standing in front of her all cleaned up, it was hard to ignore the way his dark brown eyes seemed to light up and his dark blonde, almost brown, hair curled lightly at the edges. He was really tall, but then again everyone was tall in relation to Lexi.

Most of all she liked how put together he appeared. He had the same air that he had while being in Chyna's apartment – cool and confident. Lexi could admit that it was endearing.

"Well you're more than helping," she finally muttered glancing away from him. "And anyway do I really look nervous?"

He laughed at the nervous face she flashed his way and nodded. "Just calm down," he said offering her his arm. She placed her hand gingerly on his black suit and allowed him to escort her to the refreshments table.

"Why are you so calm? Did you see who just walked by?" she asked trying to keep from staring at the platinum blonde celebrity who had just passed them.