Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(83)

"Are Brad and Jason with you?" she asked still not taking her eyes from him. The ease of the conversation on her end was evident.

How did she know his roommates? Not that anyone couldn't know his roommates. But she had never seen this girl. She had never met this girl, for sure. She had never heard mention of her. She certainly would have remembered someone who looked like her.

"Yeah they're inside," he said jerking his head towards the bar.

"That's great. I was fortunate enough to get a stint of my residency down here. The hospital has been keeping me up all hours of the day, but I'm almost finished so it's been cutting back some. But soon I can move back home," she said dreamily.

"Your parents must be thrilled about that," Ramsey said wistfully.

Woah. Lexi's body kicked into overdrive once again. Did he just say her parents? Did he know her parents?

"They are," she agreed a cute smile creeping up onto her face. "Look about the wedding…I'm trying to get your dad to lay off."

Lexi's mouth dropped to the ground at that statement. What wedding? Was she talking about Jack's wedding or had Lexi just lost her mind? And how was she involved in this wedding? Clearly they were acquainted with each other's parents, but Lexi just couldn't bring herself to put pieces together. She had no recollection of a person in Ramsey's past who could have this much knowledge about him. Did she really know that little about him?

Ramsey had the good sense to cut off that line of conversation. "It's fine. I already told him off."

"Maybe we should talk about this," she said reaching her hand forward, then thinking better of it, and letting it drop to her side.

"No really, let's not," he said cutting her off.

The girl's mouth strained around the edges at the abrupt statement. "Well I'm going to be there regardless. So we should figure it out sometime. It's not like Bekah is just going to let this all slide."

There was Lexi's confirmation. She couldn't believe this. This girl was somehow involved in Bekah and Jack's wedding, and Lexi had no idea how. Not that she really had ever wanted to know the details of what was being planned. She hadn't. But she would have wanted to know who this woman was, and how she fit into the whole scheme of things.

Seemingly realizing for the first time, that Lexi was being ignored, she stuck her hand out in front of her. "I'm Lexi, Ramsey's girlfriend. And you are?"

The girl turned her head to the side and glanced at Lexi. She could tell that the woman was having the same wave of emotions flow through her body. The resemblance between them was uncanny. "You're Ramsey's…girlfriend?" the woman asked looking between Lexi and Ramsey in nearly a state of shock. "I didn't realize that he had a girlfriend."

Lexi tried to hide her embarrassment at having that statement repeated to her after the humiliating scene in Bridges Enterprise when dozens of other people had said the same thing. Whoever this woman was…Lexi was pretty sure she wasn't going to like her. "Uh…yeah. That would be me."

The woman slid her hand into Lexi's and seemed to examine her closely. "Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you Lexi. I'm Parker."

* * *

K.A. Linde

Blame

Memories can fade

But my heart has a place

For the smile on your face

And maybe someday

We can be more than friends,

Love will find us again.

-Britney Spears "Autumn Goodbye

* * *

Chapter 13: Present

Lexi couldn't hide the guilt that was written all over her face. She hadn't done anything, but just that fact that she was with Jack was bad enough. Sure she had resisted him this time around. She had told him off and kept him at a distance…well as much of a distance as she could with Jack. However, the knowledge that he still got to her after everything was infuriating. Of course, Ramsey was the last person she had wanted to witness them alone together, but she couldn't think of anyone else who would be happy about the situation either. She could just hear Chyna's disapproving tone if she knew what Lexi had gotten herself into.

She didn't even glance from Ramsey's stormy green eyes to look at Jack. She had known him long enough to understand what was going on in his head right now…to know his expression. It wasn't like this was the first time they had been caught together. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

The reason she had left Atlanta in the first place was so that this would stop happening. How could she let this keep happening? Her heart went out to Ramsey as she searched his face. He had to be in Jack's wedding and it was pretty obvious that if he hadn't despised him prior to this moment…he did now. He looked as if he could rip him to pieces…tear him limb from limb and feel no remorse for his actions.

He was usually so calm and controlled. Only a select few times had she seen him go off on anyone…she was unfortunate to have been one of those people. He had made up for it of course, but she didn't wish the experience on anyone else. Not even Jack someone who probably deserved a good telling-off.

Ramsey cleared his throat as if her and Jack jumping apart hadn't assured his introduction. "Bekah is looking for you." Ramsey could barely contain a growl as he pointedly made the statement. His free hand was clenched at his side. The muscles around his mouth were tight and strained. A deep furrow formed between his eyebrows the longer he stood before Jack and Lexi.