Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(50)

In the past, she had been that person for him. And she found it hard to believe that Ramsey was that person for him now. Not with his knowledge of their involvement. Lexi never saw him interact with Jack directly. Then again she had always avoided him as much as she could so that wouldn't have been likely to happen. Yet, it just didn't sit with her right that Ramsey was somehow Jack's confidant. What could be so important that he had to run to Ramsey of all people for advice or confession, whichever it may be?

And however she tried, she couldn't just drop the subject. It was there in the back of her mind throughout lunch. He talked pleasantries about the weather and insignificant things that had occurred over the past month. It might as well have been falling on deaf ears as much as she paid attention. She did her fair share of participating, but her mind was elsewhere and he knew it.

"I think that's the third time you've agreed with me on something that you hate," he said sitting back in his chair and taking a swig of his beer.

Lexi blushed slightly at the statement. "Sorry I'm just out of it."

"Psh," he muttered eyeing her cautiously. "You've been like this since Jack left. Can't you just forget about it?"

A smile touched the edges of her mouth as she shook her head no. She really couldn't forget about it now especially after he had made such a big deal about it. She was desperately interested in what had happened.

"You're incorrigible. You know that right?" he asked taking a deep breath.

"Absolutely. So what was he here for?" she asked leaning her elbows against the kitchen table and resting her chin in her hands.

"I really shouldn't tell you."

"Probably not," she agreed cordially a teasing smile touching her features.

"Then why am I?"

"Because you know I'll never let it go."

He rolled his eyes at her persistence. "Damn you woman," he said standing abruptly. "I gave him my word. If I tell you, what will it be worth?"

"Jack's is worth nothing so I've no idea why you feel the need to protect him," she shot back standing to face him.

"I'm not protecting him," he said carefully, "just the fact that I told him I wouldn't say anything should be enough. You're likely the last person I would want to tell anyway."

Lexi's eyebrows shot up at the last statement. She could tell that he wished he could take it back, but it was too late. Something had happened with Jack and not only did Jack not want anyone to know, but Ramsey had some strong inclination not to let Lexi know in particular. This completely changed things. She had been persistent before, but this was a different story. This was somehow personal.

"And why exactly would you not want me to know?" she asked eyeing him reproachfully.

Ramsey scratched the back of his head thoughtfully as he stared at the beautiful woman standing before him. "You just have a long…history with Jack."

"As if that changes anything," she muttered under her breath.

"But it does," he said closing the distance between them and entering her personal space. She took a step backwards not wanting the force of his presence to sidetrack their conversation. But he followed her movements wrapping a tight arm around her waist securing her in place.

"Personal space," she muttered causing him to smile at their remembered meeting where he hadn't been able to avoid standing so close to her.

"This is where I like to be," he said leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead.

Her eyes fluttered closed at the contact, but immediately opened back up to stare into his sparkling green eyes. "So are you going to tell me what he wanted?" she asked trying to stay on track.

Ramsey groaned tilting his head back to the ceiling. "He's getting cold feet," he said barely louder than a whisper.

Lexi's body froze at his words. The words hit her like a splash of ice water. She could feel everything begin to move in slow motion. She suddenly felt faint, but she couldn't let herself do that…especially not in front of Ramsey. Her hands which were gripping Ramsey's sides began to shake. She dropped them immediately and took a step back. She cleared her throat just so that she had something to do with her hands.

"See I knew I shouldn't have said anything," he said instantly regretting his actions.

"No, no it's fine," she said color beginning to return to her cheeks.

Ramsey rolled his eyes. "If you say so."

"Did you…did you talk him back into it?" she asked hesitantly not wanting to appear too eager on either side.

"I tried not to get involved, but he wouldn't let me. I told him to weigh the options and make a decision from there. He nodded along as if he had done that already, but I don't know what he's going to do. I told him that it's only a week before the wedding and that this is a normal feeling, but I've never been uh," he paused, "in this situation so I might have just been going off what people told me. But that if he thought he had been able to go through with it up until this point that he probably was just spooked."

"Yeah," she coughed to clear her throat again. "That's good advice."

"Please don't think too much into this," he begged and pleaded with her.

"Ramsey I'm not thinking into it at all," she told him giving him a smile that they both knew was fake.