Inquisitive Invitations
Once bitten and still not shy
She wanted to return, she so knew why
In meeting, she would seek what she had lost
In inquisition, she would fight with the frost
Vienna
“What are you doing here, in my office building?” The rudeness in Alex’s tone took me by surprise.
I’d expected him to be happy to see me, but instead, he looked shocked and completely taken aback by my presence.
“Actually…” I smiled, trying to dissipate the awkwardness. “I work for your company.”
“What?” he snapped, his voice going up a few decibels. “But didn’t you work in San Francisco?”
“I changed my job last month. Cassie helped. We wanted to surprise you, but you’ve been away.”
“You should’ve told me.” He fidgeted with his tie, his reaction confusing me. I’d thought he would be happy.
I gently touched his elbow, trying to get his attention as he looked all around as if searching for something, or rather buying time to hide the emotions that were apparently starting to take him over.
“You okay?” Concern filled my voice. “Are you not happy to see me?” I looked into his eyes and waited for his response.
“Fu— I am so sorry.” He closed his eyes for a second and composed himself. “Sorry, Vi, it’s just… Don’t worry about it. I’m not myself today. I’m tired and jet-lagged. I had to rush here instead of going home to sleep, and then I saw you, or somebody who looked like you, and it didn’t make sense. Sorry for being such an ass. Of course I’m happy to see you. I can’t believe you’re working for my company.” He came up with a smile that barely reached his eyes. His entire speech didn’t feel right. Something was off. “Do you have a few minutes to grab a quick bite and a cup of coffee? We can catch up,” he asked too cheerily.
“Uh.” I looked at my watch. “I guess I can. I have twenty minutes to spare.”
“Sweet. Let’s go to the café around the corner.”
“Sure.” I smiled at him, silently wondering what was going on in Alex’s head as we made our way toward the cafe.
“What do you want? Still stuck on your hazelnut cappuccino?” Alex looked at me and waited as I pulled out of my thoughts.
“Sure.”
“Anything to eat? A chicken panini?” He turned to the counter to order, oblivious to the stares he was getting from the barista.
I almost laughed, seeing the effect he still had on girls. Even in high school all the girls had wanted to be his special someone and had hated me for being so close to him. I, unlike everyone else, never felt like that for him. I’d never been attracted to him or even thought about him in such light. And neither had he with me.
Well, at least not after the first and last time he’d asked me out when we’d first met.
Alex waved his hand in front of me. “Earth to Vi.”
“No, I had breakfast, so I’m good. I don’t enjoy chicken paninis anymore.”
“You used to love them.” He looked at me with questioning eyes, his card in his hand as he waited for me to respond.
“I used to love and do a lot of things I don’t anymore. Your tastes and requirements change, and so do expectations, I guess.” I wasn’t talking about the sandwich anymore.
“Things do change. I guess the best thing to do is to move on and stop looking back.” Disappointment laced his tone as he turned around and paid.
He was talking about the past too. Did he mean he wanted me to let it go? “But sometimes you have to look back, to know why you’re here, and if what you are today makes sense or not. Sometimes life is lived backward, don’t you agree?”
“Sure, I guess,” he said, avoiding my eyes as he grabbed his bagel. “I’m not much into looking back. I just want to move ahead and forget what happened, leave the past in the past.”
“Why’s that?”
“Sometimes the past has demons you don’t want to face.” He stared at me expectantly. I could sense he was waiting for me to react, to say something, but I didn’t know what he wanted me to say. When had my happy-go-lucky friend turned into a brooding man?
“Why don’t you grab a table and I’ll bring our drinks over.” He nodded at a table, dismissing me just like that.
I wanted to push, but something about his demeanor and the regret in his tone stopped me.
I nodded instead and got us seats at the next table I could find.
Alex and I had both changed, it seemed. Maybe that was why he’d let our friendship go after my accident—something bad had happened to him as well.
Making a mental note of these thoughts, I tucked them away as Alex approached the table with our drinks. Now was not the time.
I smiled at him and grabbed the coffee.
I asked him everything, other than what I truly wanted to ask.
We left the café. “So you’re leaving again in two weeks? Wow, that’s crazy. Work, work, work. Damn, where did my slacker best friend go?” I joked.
“Well, I could ask the same question to you, my long-lost best friend. I mean, come on, look at you.” He nudged me and laughed as we walked back to the office.
“What do you think is different in me?”
“Everything, Vi. I mean when I first met you, I barely recognized you.”
“How come?”
“You were dressed in beige.” He sighed dramatically, and I could see the humor in his eyes.
“So, what’s the big deal?” I playfully shoved him onto the curb.
“You hated beige. You used to say you would never wear that color, even when you were eighty. And I was shocked at how polite and sweet you were.”
He faked a gag at the observation.
“What’s wrong with being sweet and polite, you douche?” I chided.
“Nothing if you’re anyone but Vienna Roy. You were the devil incarnate: loud, opinionated, and anything but sweet.” He laughed, clearly enjoying pissing me off.
“Shut up. That’s bullshit. I was always nice.” I feigned hurt as we walked toward the building entrance.
“I’m just sharing my opinion. You changed, my friend,” he said, his hand on his heart, faking sincerity.
I shoved him once more… “Well, we change, you douche,” I rebuked, avoiding the reaction his words were stirring in my mind, pushing to keep the conversation light. “Look at you! From your almost-dreads and hippie lifestyle, here you are in a freaking suit and your hair cut short. For crying out loud, Alex, you’re getting married. My friend who had a new girlfriend every second month, who hated getting tied up, is effing getting married. No change can be bigger than that, not even my polite, sweet, beige-wearing self.”
“I get your point.” He rolled his eyes as he fixed his jacket and looked away. “We change.” He shook his head and laughed at my argument. He knew I had him here.
“So when are you introducing me to Chloe?” I asked, changing the topic. “I so need to see the girl who pinned you down and made you commit. I bet she’s a firecracker.”
He walked through the revolving door, and I followed in the next section.
“What makes you say that?” He’d stopped right inside the door, uncaring of the fact that we were blocking the way.
“For starters, she made you fall for her.”
“Eh.”
“Stop playing it cool. I can see you’re whipped.” I laughed, and he rolled his eyes and looked back at me. I could see the old Alex standing in front of me. “Secondly,” I continued, undeterred by his lack of enthusiasm, “she’s held onto you for so long. I mean two years, you say. Boy, that’s a big deal.”
“Oh, come on.”
“Prove me wrong.” I poked him in the chest, laughing.
“No comment.”
“And…” I raised my finger to make my last point. “You went down on one knee and begged her to marry you.”
“I did not beg.”
“Ha! But you went down on one knee. The Alex I knew told me over and over again he would never go down on one knee because he would never, ever marry. He loved the way he was—wild and free.”
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
“It so does.”
“Shut up.”
“Wow, is that your argument?” I crossed my hands over my chest and tapped my foot, waiting for his acknowledgment.
“Oh, no, that’s not going to happen. Not this pose. Let it go. You are…” His words trailed off as he looked up. Instantly, his entire body language went rigid. His finger pointing toward me became still, his smile faltered, and his eyes lost their mischief.
What had happened? What did he see?
I almost turned around, wanting the answer to that question, but stopped, arrested by the sudden realization.
The air around me changed in a breath, and even without knowing, I knew. Every atom of my being knew.
My senses awoke in acute awareness as my heart strummed his name.
Kingston.
I exhaled as his name rushed to my lips. In an instant, I became his.
I forgot everything I was, every word I was speaking, everything.
My mind reeled with images of our night together. His touch, his caress, the intensity with which he’d possessed me rushed through my blood, spreading across my skin like wild fire.
I wanted to run away. I wanted to turn around and run into his arms.
But instead, I just stood there while Kingston stood behind me.
I knew it in my bones. There wasn’t an ounce of doubt.
It was him.
Even though I hadn’t turned, I knew it was him.
Wasn’t he supposed to be in England for the weekend?
“Alex?” Kingston’s voice sealed in my surety, his voice washed over my existence and melted me, molding me into the shape of his needs. He took a step forward, and his smell overtook me. I stood there right by the entrance, stiff and unmoving, trapped in the magic of Kingston. Everything about him effortlessly undid me. His very existence lassoed around me and pulled me to him, tying me up, leaving me at his mercy. “What are you doing here?”
My ears rang at the tone of Kingston’s voice. It sounded like an accusation, like he wasn’t happy to see his own brother.
Did they not get along?
I hadn’t met Kingston in the three years I’d known Alex, since he’d lived in England while studying to be an architect. But from what I remembered, Alex had loved Kingston and looked up to him.
All those years, Alex had only ever said terrific things about his brother and all the great adventures and memories they’d shared together—how Kingston doted on him.
From all that he’d told me and my own personal experience of Kingston over the past few weeks, his attitude didn’t make sense.
Rooted to my spot, I just stood there looking at Alex, gauging his reaction.
He wasn’t looking at me, his focus firmly behind my head on Kingston.
Alex’s gray-blue eyes had become stormy as his hands fisted in his pants pockets, his jaw ticking.
No one said anything, we just stood there. I was in the middle of two brothers, looking at one, my best friend, and pining for the one who stood behind me; my salvation, my sin, the calm to my chaos.
Their silence poisoned my mind with questions.
What’s going on?
What should I say?
Why aren’t they talking?
Right then, Alex fidgeted, pulling his hand out of his pocket and crossing his arms over his chest. He took a deep breath, still not bothering to look at me. “Abu Dhabi got postponed for the next two weeks,” he finally replied, his tone curt and cold. “Why, shocked to see me here?” He glared with such hatred it made wince.
I waited for Kingston to respond, but he said nothing. Instead, I felt him move closer.
I inhaled, and Alex’s eyes shot to me for a quick second before moving up to meet his brother’s.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Kingston finally replied. “There are a few things we need to discuss.” He moved past me and Alex, his open jacket brushing my skin, making my blood boil and my body shiver.
He didn’t even acknowledge me, didn’t even give me a passing glance. He treated me like I wasn’t even there.
“There are a few things I need to discuss with you as well, brother, so it’s the perfect time for me to be here.” The taunt in Alex’s statement made Kingston stop, just past Alex.
Slowly, he turned, his eyes locking onto mine.
“Ms. Roy.” Giving me a curt acknowledgment, he turned away, discarding me like a used napkin. He acted like I didn’t matter, like I was nothing more than an unwanted presence.
He squared off with Alex.
They said nothing, but their eyes communicated everything.
Alex stood on the defensive, giving his very own brother, the one he’d said he loved and looked up to, a death glare, filled with hatred and anger.
I tried to gauge Kingston’s reaction, but he gave nothing away.
Slowly, Kingston’s arm rose, and he touched Alex’s shoulder. “See me in my office once you’re done here.”
Alex’s nostril flared at the comment. The tone was loaded. Kingston’s words meant much more than what came across to me. Alex pushed Kingston’s hand away, intensifying the situation.
“You go on. I need a minute with Vienna. We were in the middle of a conversation when you walked in and came between us.” Every word Alex said coated itself with shards of glass, as though he were trying his best to cut through Kingston. Alex was provoking him. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t just stand there and let the brothers fight.
I moved between them. “Alex.” Instead of looking up at him, my eyes went to Kingston to see how he’d react.
He stood there, unmoving, uncaring, like I didn’t even exist. I turned my gaze back to Alex, swallowing the anger rising in my veins. Now was not the time to confront Kingston about us.
“I’ll see you later,” I said, focusing on Alex.
He frowned. “But—”
“It’s okay. You’re busy, and it’s already time for me to get to work, so you guys carry on. We’ll catch up later.”
Alex’s eyes shot daggers at Kingston, showing his disappointment.
I tensed, waiting for him to respond with more harsh words toward his older brother.
But before he could, Kingston spoke. “See you in my office.” He strode away, not waiting for a response.
Alex ignored him and turned to me, apparently holding in his temper. “I’ll see you soon, Vi.”
I nodded. “Take care, Alex.” I headed in the opposite direction, needing time to compose myself and make sense of everything.
“Hey, Vi. I’m going to book us dinner reservations for Saturday. You, me, Chloe, and Jason. It’s about time we got to know our respective spouses-to-be. I’ll call you,” he said, walking toward Kingston in the elevator.
My steps faltered, and my gaze shot up to Kingston. He’d stopped with his hand on the button for the elevator. He looked straight at me, shocked by what Alex had said.
My heart jumped, realizing what he was thinking.