Avoiding Temptation (Avoiding #3)(27)
Author: K.A. Linde

He chuckled and squeezed her hand. “You look a little pale.”

“Press,” she murmured softly.

“Don’t worry. They’re just here to take pictures and maybe ask a few questions. You won’t even have to be around them.”

“That’s good.”

“We’re about to start,” he said before bending down and kissing her cheek. “I’ll find you after.”

“Okay. Good luck.”

“I don’t need it,” he said with a confident smile.

“I know. Take it anyway.”

“From you…I’ll take anything,” he whispered.

She believed him.

Ramsey left her side and walked up to the podium, followed close by his father and Parker. His father did some quick opening remarks, thanking everyone for being in attendance. Then, Ramsey gave a speech on the progress of the project, the vision behind the development, and the future of Bridges Enterprise.

Parker chimed in with perfectly timed delivery of her lines. She looked a bit nervous up there in front of all those people. She had clearly taken the time to put herself together though. Lexi normally thought that Parker had a bit of a thrown-together appearance, like she didn’t care about much more than the next surgery ahead of her. Someone must have convinced her otherwise today because she looked great—even Lexi could admit that. Parker’s dark brown hair was blown out, and she had on shimmery makeup that brought color to her naturally pale skin. She was wearing a fine-cut coral dress and nude heels—both designer if Lexi had to guess.

Ramsey’s suit was black, but his shirt and tie complemented what Parker was wearing. They looked good up there. Lexi’s heart constricted at the thought, and she wished to her very core that she could unthink it. Someone had dressed them. It hadn’t been an accident. It absolutely had not been an accident—not when they were going to be on TV and in pictures and going to be broadcast.

Fuck.

She turned away from the speech because, truthfully, she didn’t want to get choked up in front of anyone, especially not the people here. Thankfully, no one was looking at her. Everyone was trained on Ramsey and Parker talking about what they had created together.

She wished these kinds of things would hit her at more opportune moments. She had been trying not to care about the fact that Ramsey and Parker were working together. To begin with, Ramsey had only given in to the idea because of Lexi. Of course, if he had asked her, she would have told him not to even consider the idea. How ridiculous was it that she preferred him around strippers and club whores all day than to being near Parker?

But Ramsey wasn’t in love with Parker anymore. At least, there was that. They were just friends…coworkers. Lexi could get through that.

Schooling her features, she turned back toward the stage and stared up at her handsome boyfriend. He was the only one looking at her. He was speaking to the crowd, but he was looking directly at her. She wondered if he knew what she was thinking, what emotions were roiling through her chest.

By the look on his face, he had a pretty good idea. She wasn’t very good at masking her emotions, holding back, not reacting. She couldn’t lie well with her body any more than with her words.

The speeches ended to a round of applause. Lexi forced herself to clap along with the crowd as the Ramsey, his father, and Parker stepped down from the podium and walked over to the ornate shovel. A series of pictures were taken with each of them scooping a bit of dirt into the hole. Lexi didn’t see the point since construction was already well underway, but it was a press release, and she didn’t get anything about that. The press took a few more shots of them all together and then split them apart for interviews. Ramsey and Parker turned to speak with one reporter, and Lexi just stared.

She felt the presence behind her before he spoke.

“You all right?” Jack asked.

“What do you mean?” She kept her voice light and airy. She wasn’t sure why she was even trying to fool Jack. It was pretty useless.

“So, no?”

She sighed. “I’m all right. Don’t worry about me.”

“You looked pretty sad for a minute during that speech.”

“You weren’t even looking at me,” she said. She didn’t even know why she was defending herself like this.

Jack smirked at her, and those blue eyes lit up. “I could feel your panic a mile off, Lex. I only needed a peripheral look to know what you were feeling.”

Lexi just shrugged. If he knew, then she wasn’t going to explain herself. There were too many eyes and ears around at the moment. For all she knew, Bekah was going to barge over and confront her any second—except Lexi knew that probably wouldn’t happen. Bekah cared for her reputation more than anything else, and she wouldn’t risk losing her sugary-sweet persona in front of the press and a long list of prestigious Bridges associates.

“What do you think of all this?” Lexi asked, gesturing to their surroundings.

“Pretty lame party if you ask me.”

Lexi giggled and shook her head. “No, the medical wing.”

“Ah. I’ll probably still go to Grady,” he said with a shrug.

Lexi crinkled her nose. Grady Memorial was not a well-liked hospital in Atlanta, known primarily for being in a bad part of town and being good at saving gunshot victims. She had been there most recently when her father had had a heart attack. She didn’t really ever want to go back again.

“Only if you have a bullet wound. I’m pretty sure you’d die from anything else there.”

“Right. Forgot about that,” he said, shooting her a smile. “What do you think about it all?”

Lexi opened her mouth to tell him, but she didn’t know what to say. On the surface, it was brilliant. A full-service medical facility would help put a more positive spin on the Bridges brand. It would make them look compassionate, like they were providing a benefit to the community. It added another layer to their motto, Bridge the distance between you and your troubles.

Yet, she had a terrible feeling about it. She was sure it had something to do with who was standing right before her eyes and a whole hell of a lot less to do with the actual medical wing.

Ramsey and Parker were standing side by side, facing the reporter. Both seemed relaxed and comfortable with what was going on. Lexi wasn’t that far away, so she could pick out what they were saying if she concentrated. They were just doing some introductions, and she could tell the reporter was trying to keep them relaxed even though he didn’t really need to. Ramsey was never uncomfortable, and Parker seemed at ease by his side.

“We should probably find something else to occupy your mind,” Jack whispered.

“What?”

“You’re staring.”

“I’m his girlfriend,” she said, breaking her attention and looking back up at Jack. “I’m allowed to stare.”

“They’re not together, Lexi.”

Lexi’s brow furrowed at Jack’s words. “I know!”

“Just thought you needed the reminder.”

“Well, I don’t.”

Jack touched her elbow softly when she turned away from him to stare at Ramsey again.

“Ramsey’s not stupid. He won’t f**k up, Lexi,” Jack said. “Trust me…he told me.”

Lexi’s mouth went dry. Instead of reacting, she closed off. She couldn’t hear that. It made her insane, like she literally wanted to hurt someone…primarily Bekah but just because she was a bitch. Lexi should like the fact that Ramsey had said he was never going to f**k up, but the audacity irritated her. He had already f**ked up. He had f**king lied to her over and over and over again. He had built their relationship on a foundation of lies, and the worst one was currently standing at his side, giving an interview with him.

“This is a huge achievement for the two of you and at such a young age. What was the catalyst that triggered the decision to open a new hospital in the Atlanta area?” the reporter asked Ramsey and Parker.

Lexi listened from a distance.

“It’s something we’ve always talked about doing,” Ramsey said, “but after Parker graduated from medical school and started working as a surgeon, we knew that there would be no better time.”

Wait, wait, wait—Parker was the catalyst behind this endeavor? That was the story they were going with? Of course, in the back of her mind, Lexi knew that it was a better story to sell to the press. But the rest of her wanted to stomp right over there and give them the real story.

Lexi’s eyes narrowed as Ramsey placed his hand on the small of Parker’s back.

“She’s the mastermind behind the project. It’s all her.” Ramsey didn’t move his hand.

It was just for the press. It was just for the press. It was just for the press.

“Uh…maybe we should take a walk,” Jack said, grabbing her elbow.

“Did you f**king hear that?” she blurted out.

“Yeah. It might be best for you to walk off the steam blowing out of your ears right now,” he said.

“Fine,” she grumbled, still glaring at Ramsey as he easily chatted with the reporter.

She had stopped listening. It clearly wasn’t healthy for her to do so.

They turned together, Jack leading her farther away from Ramsey and Parker. He was right. She needed to get away from that. It was just a show, and really, it didn’t matter. Just a dumb ceremony—that was all.

“Lexi,” someone called as they veered away from the groundbreaking area.

John came into view, and she almost groaned. As far as she knew, he hadn’t met Jack yet. This was going to be fun.

“You aren’t leaving, are you?”

“No. I was just going to get some water,” she lied through her teeth.

Jack looked away and tried to hide a smile. She must really suck at lying. Well, after being out of practice for a couple of years now, that tended to happen. It was a good thing as far as she was concerned.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” John said, holding his hand out to Jack. “John Ward. I’m one of the leads on the medical wing project through Global.”

Jack took John’s hand in his and squeezed. “Jack Howard. I’m a senior accounting executive at Bridges.”

Worlds collided.

Lexi wanted to run as fast as she could until her lungs burned, her legs shook, her breathing came out in gasps, and she literally couldn’t carry herself any farther. That would be better than standing here in this moment.

They released hands, but something had shifted in John. She didn’t know what it was, but she was sure she wouldn’t like it.

“Come on, Jack. I really need that water,” she said, pushing him in the opposite direction.

“Is this the guy?” John asked before she could run off.

Jack’s features screwed up at the question, and Lexi wished she could just keep walking.

“What?” she managed.

“The one I don’t compare to?”

Lexi groaned. Great. Her words were getting thrown back at her.

Jack’s head snapped to the side to look at Lexi, but she couldn’t even meet his eyes.