Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(35)
One minute.
"What do you want Jack?" she asked.
"I just…" Jack began unable to keep from slurring his words. "I'm glad…I g-g-got to s-s-see you." His eyes were half-closed and so the beautiful blue eyes underneath weren't able to focus on her. This gave her a little more confidence
"You didn't expect to see me though," she prompted hoping to catch him.
"No, but it was a g-g-great surprise," he told her.
"Yea at least for one of us," she muttered sarcastically.
"You didn't want to see me?" he asked his eyes popping open and looking at her like a sad puppy. She sighed and tried to resist the urge to kiss him. She couldn't give into his antics. He was gorgeous. She had always known that. She didn't need to let that affect her any longer.
"Jack why did you want to talk to me?" she asked changing the subject away from dangerous territory. She didn't realize that she was actually moving into worse grounds.
"Are you going to be at my wedding?" Jack drunkenly asked stepping into her personal space.
Lexi's mouth popped open in surprise. She couldn't believe he would bring that up. What a terrible thing to do to someone! She had loved him with everything, and now he was just going to throw what she had lost in her face. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to be hurt from his statement, but she was. "Jack, no…" she trailed off not wanting to let him see he was affecting her so strongly.
"But you're not in school."
"No," she confirmed.
"Well then, I'd like to invite you," he stammered. He took another step forward clearing the distance she had left between them. His hand left the wall which was holding him up and he reached out and grasped her hips.
Lexi bit her lip as his head bobbed considerably close to her mouth. She tried to fend him off but he was too drunk to really know what he was doing. She put both her hands flat on his chest to hold him backwards. "Jack, I don't think that's such a good idea. Sober you agreed or else you would've sent me an invitation."
Jack seemed to notice her efforts to get him off her and stood a little straighter. One hand snaked up to rest on her cheek effectively tilting her head up to him. His blue eyes bored into her deep chocolate brown ones. Her breath caught at the sudden movement. "You're drunk," Lexi murmured.
"Yes, but it doesn't change what I said."
"Actually it does," she told him.
"I want you to come to the wedding."
"Why Jack?" she asked shaking her head just slightly. She couldn't think of a reason for her to be there. This was just painful for both of them.
"Lex, I know that you're over me," he began. Lexi tried to hide the shock from her face. "You were my best friend for a long time. You've been at every important moment of my life, and it wouldn't feel right not having you there."
"You think I'm…" she started, but was cut off by Jack leaning forward and resting his forehead gently against her own.
"I'm sorry. You know that right?" he asked his voice full of remorse.
She breathed in the familiar scent that was associated with Jack, and tried to keep her mind clear. This was harder than she had ever imagined it would be. "I know Jack, but like you said," she began taking a step backwards, "it doesn't change anything."
Even his drunken brain could process the fact that she had used the same words as him a year ago. He sighed heavily and nodded. "That's fair. But know that I want you there." Lexi nodded stuffing a strand of hair behind her ear anxiously. "No need to be nervous, love," Jack murmured taking her hand in his own and tucking another strand behind her ear affectionately.
The door clicked open behind them, and Ramsey cleared his throat as loud as he could. Jack gave her a despondent smile as he ran his hand through her silky hair. Lexi coughed uncomfortably taking a step backwards and out of his reach. She allowed him to walk past her into the room and the door to close before she turned to face Ramsey.
He didn't even have to say anything. The look on his face said it all. She sighed heavily hoping that everything would just blow over. She couldn't deal with all of this tonight.
"Can I stay with you?" Ramsey asked choosing to ignore what he had just walked into.
Lexi opened her eyes and stared up at him. She wasn't sure why he was just going to let it go. She probably wouldn't have if she had walked in on that. They hadn't done anything but the emotions were strong between them. "I think you have enough on your plate as it is," she murmured remembering how all the guys were stumbling all over each other.
"I know I just thought it would be nice to get away," he told her taking a step closer to her.
"I wish we could just pick up where we left off," she told him looking up at him her eyes hopeful. But she knew that they couldn't. Too much had happened that they had bottled up.
"Me too," he said glancing around. She could tell he wasn't sure about where to go from here. It was quite clear that he wanted to wipe away the awkwardness of the past couple hours, but that simply wasn't possible. "I know I said that I wouldn't bring up the wedding, so I'm really sorry about all this."
Lexi sighed and nodded her head at him. "Yeah, I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. And Jack kind of just brought up the wedding to me," she admitted cringing slightly at his sudden awareness.