Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(50)
Author: K.A. Linde

Brad and Jason stood off to the side badgering their respective dates. Lexi recognized Brad’s date as Katie who she hadn’t seen since their karaoke performance in March. She was surprised to see that she was still hanging around Brad since Lexi was pretty much uncomfortable around him at all times.

Jason had a flavor of the week at his side, and Lexi was sure she would never see her again. Jessie’s fire red hair was piled high on her head and not-too-surprisingly she wasn’t paying attention to the festivities around her. Her eyes were glued on a rather handsome man standing to her left. Lexi wanted to just laugh. She had never done anything to the girl, but she certainly hadn’t taken a keen liking to Lexi by any means.

Then Lexi saw someone she really hadn’t been expecting. Parker stood off to the side smiling brightly at Lexi as she entered the room. Again, Lexi was struck with how similar they looked, but maybe the more time they spent together the more she would be able to look past that. Though at the same time, she hoped that she wouldn’t be spending a significant amount of time with her.

Lexi noticed that Jack and Bekah were strategically absent. That was likely the best thing they could have done for her. And behind all of her friends were a group of other people who it appeared were here for the free booze.

"What’s this?" she gasped shocked beyond belief. Her eyes traveled the large crowd against before resting on Ramsey’s shining green orbs. He seemed to be enjoying this immensely.

"It’s a graduation party silly," Chyna announced coming up next to her and kissing her on the cheek.

"You were just on the phone with me," Lexi cried staring at Chyna in disbelief.

"Yeah someone had to find out where you were," she said knowingly.

"But you sent me off on the plane," Lexi said trying to make sense of Chyna’s appearance.

"Private plane doll. Takes you way longer to get here what with security and boarding and all that," she explained rather diplomatically.

"And you," she said rounding on Ramsey. He looked at her his smile waning for the first time. He seemed to realize for the first time that she might not actually enjoy a party the first thing after flying from New York. There could be…other things on her mind. "You did all of this for me?" she demanded.

"I missed your party and needed to make it up to you," he said simply setting the cake down on a platter and walking towards her. He looked spectacular that day. He wore a green polo that matched his eyes and a snug pair of jeans.

"You’re a wonderful man Ramsey Bridges," she whispered flying into his arms.

He chuckled as he caught her and pulled her against him. "Don’t you forget it," he whispered back kissing her shoulder as he held her close to him. She breathed in the familiar peppermint scent and nuzzled into his muscular chest.

"Alright, alright get a room," Chyna chimed in breaking up the happy couple. "Oh wait you have one." Her eyes drifted to the stairway.

"There will be plenty of time for that later," Lexi mumbled pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Really all she wanted to do was grab Ramsey’s hand, pull him up those stairs, and have her way with him. But he had gone through all of this to surprise her, and she was going to revel in her party until she could weasel her way out of the festivities.

"I’m sure there will," Chyna muttered under her breath.

"Oh my luggage," Lexi cried realizing she had been too stunned when she had come in to go back and fetch it.

"No worries. I’ll get it. Enjoy the party," Ramsey said kissing her forehead and exiting his apartment. As if on cue, as soon as Ramsey left the apartment, everyone broke off into groups and began chatting up their neighbors. The party had officially begun with her entrance.

"So how does it feel?" Adam asked extracting himself from the group. He stood just behind Chyna and draped his arm over her shoulders.

Lexi eased into her new environment. As everyone made the apartment feel more like a party atmosphere, she centered her attention on the friends in front of her. "Pretty damn good. Now I just have to pass the bar and I’ll be a real lawyer," she said a big smile on her face.

"That’s so great!" Chyna cried.

"And Ramsey," Adam added his golden brown eyes staring into her. Her smile faltered at his intense look. For some reason, she wasn’t certain of the way he said that. Was Ramsey a good thing or a bad thing?

Lexi quickly broke his penetrating gaze and looked over to where her boyfriend was pulling her luggage through the door. There was really only one answer to that question. Ramsey was definitely a good thing. She wasn’t even sure why she got a bad impression from Adam’s statement now that her sights were set on Ramsey.

"Yeah exactly," she agreed hesitantly shifting her eyes back to Adam. He always seemed able to look straight through her. She gulped a little uncomfortably as their eyes met. His smile was light and friendly, but there was just something in his hazel eyes that she was never certain of.

"Well I’m…we’re proud of you chica," Chyna said grabbing her for a big hug.

"Thanks. I just can’t believe you guys put this all together for me," she said in awe.

Chyna shook her head and threw her hands up. "Don’t give us any credit. This was all Ramsey."

Lexi turned back to stare at her handsome boyfriend dragging her suitcases across the room so he could put them up in the guestroom…her new room. She doubted she would spend much time there, but it was good to have nonetheless. She just couldn’t believe him. She knew he threw parties for a living, but this just felt different. He had done this for her…just her. And he had completely surprised her. She had had no clue.

Of course, she had been disappointed when he had left New York so quickly after graduation. This was so important to her. She had spent three years working towards this. And she had wanted him to be there the whole time.

She had tried to understand. He had a business to run. Sure she didn’t much approve of his job, but what woman would. He was surrounded by gorgeous women all day long. Not to mention they were all too eager to throw themselves at him. These women got nak*d and turned men on for a living…and she was a million miles away.

But those were her own insecurities talking. If he wanted any of those women, he could have had them when he used to sleep around. He was hers now though, and she trusted him to stay that way. After all, he had asked her to move in with him, and he had never done that before with anyone else…he had never even had another girlfriend.

Then this surprise party really topped it all off. He sure did know how to make up for lost time. "I’ll give credit where credit is due," Lexi acknowledged tracking Ramsey’s movements until he disappeared upstairs.

"Congratulations!" Parker cried coming up to Lexi from amongst the crowd. "I’m sure you’re so proud."

"Whoa!" Chyna yelped. "You two are surreal similar."

"Uh…" Parker murmured awkwardly.

"Chyna!" Lexi gasped staring at her wide-eyed. "Don’t be rude."

"You must be Parker," Chyna said extending her hand.

"Um…yeah. That’s me," Parker said ducking her chin to her chest uncomfortably, and placing her hand lightly in Chyna’s grasp.

"Sorry about Chyna," Lexi quickly apologized. The last thing she wanted to do was make Parker feel anything but welcome. Lexi had to admit that even though she had her suspicions and she knew some of their history, Parker had never actually done anything wrong. She had been perfectly nice to her at the beach. And if Ramsey said there was nothing going on, then there was nothing going. Despite the fact that Lexi didn’t particularly want to get to know this girl, Lexi just figured she would be around now that she was back in Atlanta.

Parker looked up at her through long black lashes. "No it’s fine. We do kind of look similar."

"Yeah. Yeah we do," Lexi agreed hesitantly. "And hey thanks for coming to my surprise party. I see you made it safely back into town," Lexi said deftly changing the subject.

"I did," she said beaming. "I just got back two weeks ago. I’m working the ER at Grady until some other plans I’m working on fall into place."

"Well Grady’s a great hospital. I’m sure you’re doing great," Lexi told her though she was curious about her rather vague comment about other plans. Hopefully, whatever her plans are take her out of the city. That would be ideal.

"Oh let’s not talk about me," she said shaking out her long hair as she started to relax with the group. "Ramsey tells me that you got an associate position at a firm around here."

"He did, did he?" she asked apprehensively. So they had been talking.

"Yeah. You must be thrilled what with such a great opportunity just unfolding at your door like that," Parker said smiling sweetly.

"I know," Lexi couldn’t help but gush. "It’s almost too good to be true."

"Almost…" she murmured. "I know that these positions are nearly impossible to get lately."

"They really are. I couldn’t believe it when I was accepted," Lexi gushed.

"Hello ladies," Ramsey said coming up next to them and interrupting the conversation. Both girls could see that he looked slightly uncomfortable finding them talking to each other, but it was clear that he was trying desperately to hide it.

"Ramsey," Parker said bobbing her head in welcome. "You’ve done a wonderful job here. I’m sure Lexi is very pleased with the result."

"Yeah I am," Lexi agreed letting her eyes drift to the beautiful party thrown in her honor.

"Good I’m glad and thanks," he said with a boastful grin.

"Ramsey I was just telling Lexi how happy I was for her to get the job at the law firm," Parker said, "and how proud you must be of her."

Lexi couldn’t decipher the look that passed between them. She knew Ramsey. She had spent the better part of the year with him, but she just didn’t know what he was thinking. Parker had known him their entire lives and it was obvious that something secret was being spoken between them.

"I am very proud," he agreed.

Lexi did notice that his uneasiness only intensified the longer they stood together. Yet, there was nothing about this conversation that should have made him uneasy. He was very very proud of her for securing such a good job for the summer and so wonderfully close to him. The only thing that could be a problem was the fact that it was coming from Parker. Their long lost fling clearly had something to do with the situation. Lexi just didn’t have the strength to dig deeper. Even though in the pit of her stomach she knew that she should try to figure out the source of the uneasiness, she just let it slide.

"Obviously he’s proud. He threw me this whole party," Lexi said as if it were commonplace.

"Obviously," Parker repeated, her words hollow.

"How about we get you to cut the cake," Ramsey diverted quickly. Parker smiled sweetly at the two of them and then quickly excused herself. She had only been able to get away from the hospital for a short while and she was sure that they would be needing her again. Lexi waved her off happy that she was gone and would no longer muddle her party, but also curious as to where their strange friendship might take them. After all, she had seemed truly happy for her and it had taken a lot of guts to come out to her party.