Chapter 28

 

Lexie

 

By the time we’ve made it to the venue and had our coats checked, my body has calmed down. Ugh, why did I let him get all sexy in the car?  I swear I was about to combust. I need to get a dang grip. This isn’t real, Lexie. This is for show. The fact that we’ve got sizzling, hot chemistry is just that, chemistry. This isn’t going anywhere. He said so himself, I’m not ‘really his girlfriend’.

It’s just… I like his attention and his apparent desire for me. The good girl in me knows I’m doing things that are very uncharacteristic of my usual behavior and even my rational thought processes but damn it, ladies, the struggle is real. Gabriel Parker is the hottest, sexiest, most interesting man I’ve ever met and the fact that my garters on my rather thick thighs turn him on is exciting. Ugh. There’s no hope for me. I’m a goner. I know it’s fake, but I can’t help wondering if it could be more.

I continue to give myself a mental head-slap as Gabriel guides me, his hand on my lower back, into the awards event. We follow a series of signs that lead us to the event. They each tell us the way to the AIA Chicago Design Excellence Awards Banquet.

When we step into a huge ballroom on the top floor of the Chicago Cultural Center, and I gasp. “This place is amazing.”

“It is. They've completely restored the glass dome above us and all of the intricate tile work, chandeliers, and the gold leaf that you see around the decorative pediment.”

Okay, I only understood a few things in that last sentence but I don’t want to look completely daft, so I just nod. “It’s beautiful.”

“Like you,” he says leaning down to kiss my forehead.

“You can cut it with the beautiful stuff. You’re forgiven.”

He gives me a sexy smirk. Leaning down to my ear he whispers,  “I mean it. Your sexy as hell, babe.”

I turn to face him. Looking up into his intense green eyes I say, “I know.” Then I giggle.  I’m not one of those people that believes they are anything other than ordinary.  It’s just fun to tease him. “Okay, I see about a million tables around here. Where do we sit?”

“Right this way.” He takes my hand in his and leads me through the throng of people. Everyone is dressed to the nines in mostly black. The difference between the black dresses tonight and the ones at the gallery opening is that many of these black dresses sparkle.  That’s something. The fact is, however, that I’m the only one not wearing a dark colored dress. I stick out like a sore thumb.

As we walk, Gabriel nods, waves, and says hello to almost everyone he passes.  I smile but say nothing.  Pulling up to a table, I look around the room. “We’re at the head table?” I squeak. We’re at the table that faces all the other tables. Up front. Facing everyone else. Did I mention I’ll be looking out at the sea of people and they’ll be looking at me?  Well, that makes me sound pretty full of myself but the fact is, I’ll be eating dinner and they’ll all be able to watch me do it. My stomach drops and flips as nervousness overtakes me.

“Drink?” Gabriel asks pulling me out of my mini-freak out.

“Whiskey. Neat.”

“Oh, no. Not tonight. No whiskey for you.”

“Party-pooper.” I have no idea what to drink since I can’t have whiskey. “Just surprise me.”

  “You sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

    I stand near the front table and fidget as I pretend to be searching for something in my tiny clutch. It’s about big enough to hold a credit card and a tube of lipstick. Heck, it’s not even large enough to fit my phone. I left that at home. 

    “My dear. What are you wearing?”

    I look up quickly at those words and see Pamela, the nice woman I met at the gallery. “Pamela?” I give her my biggest smile. “It’s so nice to see you again.” And I mean that.

    She wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug. “I feel the same. I’m so glad Gabriel has gotten some sense.”

    “About?” What is she talking about?

    “About you. He usually only takes a woman out in public once. But, I’ve seen you twice now.”

    “Oh, I hadn’t realized.”

    “That he’s a player?”

    I laugh because Pamela is close to seventy, I’d guess.  When she said ‘player’ it sounded so hilarious. “Well, I don’t know about all that.”

    “I do. So, tell me who made your dress.”

    “It’s Oscar de la Renta.”

    “It’s fabulous, Lexie. I love your taste. You bring a quirky style to these boring events.”

    “I don’t think Gabriel appreciates my fashion sense.”

  “Oh, poppycock. The man needs someone to put some pizazz into his life. Just look at his ties. I think they’re all gray or black.”

  I giggle as I see Gabriel approach. He heard her.

  “I heard that. I'm not wearing a boring tie tonight.”

  Pamela turns and looks first at Gabriel's face, then at the tie. “Well, I’ll be damned.” She turns to me, “Lexie, you’re a good influence on Gabriel. I hope he appreciates it.”

  I raise my brow as I sip my glass of wine.  “Me too.”

“Alright, I’m off. Lexie, stop over and visit in a bit. The girls and I are parked over in that far corner over there.” She points to the opposite corner of the room from where we are now. “I’ll save you a seat.”

“Okay. Thank you, Pamela. See you later.”