“It’s nice to meet you,” I say as she rakes her eyes over me.
“Possibly nice to meet you too. Was this a mom set-up?” Annabel asks, suspiciously.
Alex giggles, but I respond, “No. Actually, we’ve been bumping into each other for the last week, until she finally decided I might be worth it.”
“He just met Mom tonight, and I don’t think she was very happy with the idea that she wasn’t the one to set me up again.”
“Sounds like her.” Annabel checks over her shoulder and groans. “Looks like she’s looking for me. I better get back, but you better call me and tell me all of the details soon!”
“I will,” Alex says as her sister scurries across the dance floor to their mother, who’s staring over at us like she’s about to tap her foot in annoyance. “Yikes. Can I gosee that surprise now, or do you have more business things to do?”
“We can go.” I walk over to Ryder and tap him on the shoulder. He spins from his conversation with Ashlyn. “We are heading out. Let me know if there are any other meetings you manage to secure for tonight, but we should be fine for now if you want to just enjoy the evening.” I nod towards Ashlyn, but he subtly declines.
“Sounds good. I’ll probably wait for Alester then we can all head out,” Ryder says. I wish he would get out of his own head and take a chance on something long term. A relationship that’s more than a night in the sheets.
I stand off to the side and wait as Alex tells her friends bye. The twinkle in her eyes as she saunters over to me makes me want to throw her over my shoulder, but that would give the whole room a show. I’d rather keep Alex all to myself. “Are you ready, my love?”
Her smile grows, dimples forming in her cheeks as she loops her arm through mine. “Completely.”
We walk together across the room towards the front door and I wave at a few clients on our way. Thomas is chatting with some friends near the door when he spots us walking towards him. “Ready to go?” he asks.
“You can stay if you want, Thomas. We can take a cab,” I offer.
“Nonsense. These fellows know the job. Plus, then I can get home early to my girls.” He beams at me. “I’ll go get the vehicle while you two get your coats from the coatcheck.” Thomas makes his way through the ballroom doors and out front.
“Shall we?” I ask Alex.
“Sounds great.” We walk together to the coat check. I give the man in charge of them our names then fold my arms around Alex. “Eventually you’re going to get sick of constantly holding me.”
I squeeze her tighter. “There’s zero chance that could ever happen.”
“I guess we will see.”
The attendant comes back with our coats. I take Alex’s white wool trench coat and slip it over her arms. Then I slowly button her up and tie the sash. I kiss the tip of her nose before I slide my black coat over my tux.
“Are you going to tell me what this surprise is?”
I take her hand as we walk out to the waiting SUV. “Not a chance. It’s not that far away.” I help her into the backseat before I make my way around to the opposite side. Thomas slides into the driver’s seat. “You’re going to love it … Hopefully.”
Alex giggles, threading her fingers with mine. “I’m sure whatever it is will be amazing.” She rests her head on my shoulder for the twenty-minute drive to the apartment.
I’m itching with nervous energy. I hope I didn’t hype this up too much in my head. It’s too late now. I already told her about it, and Thomas is pulling up to the door. Surprises are a lot more nerve racking when you care so much about the person you’re doing it for.
We ride in silence up to the top floor, and through the front door. She looks around the main living space. “Well, where is this top-secret surprise?”
I smirk at her smart-ass response and show her to the spare room on the east side of the apartment. I tap on the door and slide out of the way so she can open it.
“James. Nothing better jump out at me or I’ll scream.” She turns the door handle slowly, but I still stay silent. Alex swings the door inward and gasps. I follow her into the room and watch as she traces her fingers over the rose petals lining her new desk. Four bouquets of long stem roses are set up throughout the room. Three easels propped in various locations. She walks over to the shelving organizer against the wall that tried to best me this morning. She lifts various tubes of new paint and brushes of every size.
“Why?” Alex whispers as she glances over her shoulder, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
“Because I want you here, with me. I want every messy piece of you. I want you to chase your dreams without a worry of what’s going to happen next. I can’t wait to see every work in progress as you spend hours in front of a new canvas … because I’m in love with you.”
Tears spill down her cheeks, and she rushes into my open arms. “I love you, too.”
CHAPTER 25
Alexandra
