“Why do you keep saying we were friends?” I asked.
“But we are, or should I say were? According to you it was just a fling. It meant nothing.” He had me there. I was kidding myself by saying that but I wanted more than anything for him to believe it. Why should he have the satisfaction of knowing how much pain he put me through?
I quickly changed the subject. Now was not the time nor the place to dig up old memories. “Why are you here, anyway?”
“One reason: Adriana. She drags me to these things and makes me donate a shitload of money.”
“So you’re no longer practicing medicine?”
“There’s so much we need to talk about, Charlotte. I don’t think the dance floor at this charity ball is the place. Meet me for a drink tonight, we can talk properly then.”
He sounded so controlling. I mean, he always had that trait but now I looked at him differently. The weak man who chose his wife over me, instead of fighting for what he claimed he always wanted. I ignored his comment. I had to avoid being alone with him at all costs.
“How long have you and Julian been together?” And there it was. I was waiting for him to bring up Julian. The anger took over again, ruining the moment.
“Why, Lex? Does it matter? What about you? I’m guessing you’re no longer with Samantha since you hooked up with another blonde.” I could feel the temperature in the room rise, or maybe that was just me.
“Calm down, Charlotte. Samantha and I are no longer married and Adriana set me up with Brooke for tonight only.”
I suddenly felt odd, the feeling was something I was no longer accustomed to and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Was I jealous? Oh my God, I was jealous! Fucking hell, I mean that blonde was hot and he did like blondes. I had no right questioning who he was with, just like he had no right questioning me.
“Why do you ask? Are you jealous?” he said with a smirk.
Some nerve. Thankfully at that moment the band stopped playing. The crowd stopped dancing to applaud them so I took the opportunity to bolt. “Thank you for the dance, Lex.”
I walked away, leaving him alone on the dance floor. I spotted Rocky and Bull’s. I needed my friends to drag me kicking and screaming into the present. These flashbacks were getting the better of me and I knew it was a vicious cycle to fall into.
“Some dance partner you got there, Charlie,” Rocky snickered.
“Who Ale…I mean Lex?”
“Uh yeah, Lex Edwards, billionaire CEO, Mr. Player. You might be his first brunette.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Charlie, he’s always in the social section, you know, who he’s dating, what he’s wearing.”
“Hold up. You read the social section?” I asked, trying to hold in my laughter.
“Yes, but if it makes you feel any better he is not seeing anyone now.”
Surprisingly it did make me feel better but I quickly swallowed that feeling. Why did I even care?
“Can I have my girl back?” I felt arms wrap around my waist, surprised to see Julian. Did I think it would be anyone else? He leaned in, running his nose along my neck.
I was very aware that I was being watched. I didn’t know where he was in the room but I knew his eyes were on me. I pulled Julian’s arms tighter around me.
Then, from across the room, his eyes found me, his gaze stripped me bare. He looked furious. I turned away, ignoring him, and wrapped my arms around Julian’s neck. I rested my head on his shoulder, wanting to forget about everyone else in this room.
“Gorgeous, when do I get to make you my wife?” Julian whispered.
“That depends, are you going to whisk me away to your batcave now?”
He smiled, pulling me closer. “For you, anything.”
I was lost in this moment, smiling as I held onto him. I needed to feel this, to feel wanted, to feel loved. My eyes met Lex’s. He never broke from my gaze. The guilt was rushing through me. I was torn. Finally I was happy, my world no longer broken. Looking at Lex, I knew I couldn’t go back there. Every happy memory I had of him was overshadowed by the tragic ending. I couldn’t look at him without dragging all that up. No… He needed to know.
“Charlie?” I turned and saw Adriana standing next to me. For a moment my world seemed happy again, the one person who meant so much to me but again she hurt me, leaving me to clean up my own mess. Judging me, when she only knew half the truth.