“Not anymore.”
“What? You can change, and no one else can?” Lexi asked. She knew playing the hypocrite card was low, but it made people angry enough to see a point.
Chyna was silent for a minute. Lexi assumed she was brooding over there while trying to find a way out of the hole she had dug herself into.
“Fine. Whatever. What did he actually say when you told him?”
“A lot of stuff,” Lexi said, not wanting to remember. It still made her heart constrict. “He asked me if I was happy, and I told him I was. Then, he said that all he had ever wanted was for me to be happy, so I should leave.”
“Whoa. Did you leave?”
“Yeah.”
“That explains why you’ve been mopey then.”
“I haven’t been mopey. God!”
Chyna scoffed. “You’ve been annoying. You should have just told me. Now, get your ass up here for fashion week. I have to head out. Tell Ramsey I said hello.”
“I will, Chyna, but I still don’t know about fashion week.”
“I don’t want to hear it. I’ll see you then, chica. Bye!”
Lexi set her phone down with a sigh. Telling Chyna all about the stuff with Jack was a relief. She had been holding it back, trying to pretend like none of it had happened…trying to forget the horror on his face when he had seen the ring.
They hadn’t talked much since then. He was preparing with his attorney to attempt to mediate the divorce. It wasn’t required in Georgia courts, but it was strongly recommended that Jack try to negotiate outside of court. It saved on expenses for everyone, and it spared the judge’s time…and patience.
Lexi doubted it would be settled through mediation. Jack wasn’t going to accept Bekah’s accusation that he had cheated on her while they had been married. Just because he’d had a past history of bad behavior didn’t necessarily mean that it had happened presently. And since he was going to fight her on that to the grave, they would likely end up in court as soon as Bekah had all of her evidence and a date was set.
Lexi shook her head softly and then tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. As Chyna had said, none of that was her problem, and she really was trying to stay out of it. Ramsey had actually agreed not to invite Bekah to the party tonight, which meant it should be blissfully quiet.
A knock at the door jolted Lexi. She wasn’t expecting anyone. She strode forward just as Ramsey came barreling down the stairs.
“Door?” she asked as he rounded the corner.
“Yeah, I can get it.”
Lexi was already there, so she yanked open the door. Standing before her was an incredibly tall, buxom blonde with bright red lipstick and a tight black bodysuit.
“Lola!” Lexi said with a start. “I didn’t know we were expecting you.”
“Hello, darling. It’s so good to see you,” Lola said, bending forward and planting a red kiss on Lexi’s cheek.
“Lola, you’re early,” Ramsey said. He didn’t sound displeased.
“You forget how long setup takes, love. Two years out of the business, and already, you forget,” she said with a light reprimand. She walked over and squeezed Ramsey’s bicep. “Are you still working out? You look thin.”
“Two insults in one sentence, and I thought you might be different after two years of running the company alone.”
Lola waved her hand with her long red-lacquered nails in the air. “I’m a bitch. It comes with the territory.”
“Wait—setup?” Lexi asked, tilting her head. “I thought we were having the engagement party at a restaurant.”
Ramsey sheepishly looked at her. “Last-minute change. I was on the phone with Lola earlier, and she insisted it be at the club, but I knew you wouldn’t be into that. So, she wouldn’t take no for an answer, and we thought we would bring the party here. Keep it more low-key than typical parties, but bring it back. I mean, it was our first kiss.”
Lexi didn’t know what to say. On one hand, she didn’t mind him moving the location to their apartment, but she had been expecting to go out and have a good time. Fun would sure be had if they stayed here, but it was different.
“What about everyone else? The invitations already went out weeks ago,” she reminded him.
“I got it all taken care of.”
“Oh.”
“You’re not happy,” Ramsey said softly.
Lola sighed. “I will have people start bringing things in. If you choose to reschedule again, please let me know before we carry in the speakers. They’re heavy.”
She eyed Lexi dramatically before exiting.
“I just…I don’t mind that we’re having it here, but it’s this…” She sighed. How many times had they had this conversation? “When were you going to tell me?”
“I had planned on it before Lola got here. She was early,” he said, scratching the back of his head.
Lexi reminded herself that he was doing this for her, trying to make this the best it could be for her. She was not going to blow up at him. She was definitely not going to blow up at him. The last thing she wanted was an argument right before their engagement party.
“But…why didn’t you even ask me? It’s my engagement, too, you know?” she said, aiming for a level voice.
When Ramsey winced, she knew that she hadn’t achieved it.
“I know you hate surprises, so I was going to break it to you, but in a surprise kind of way…not by Lola showing up at our front step with massive speakers and too much lipstick,” he said.
“Okay.”
There wasn’t anything else to say. It was too late to change it back to the restaurant they had booked together weeks ago. And it wouldn’t do any good to be angry with Ramsey for trying once again to make her happy.
“Lexi…”
“I’m going to go get ready. Tell Lola to bring the speakers in,” she said, turning to walk up the stairs.
“Hey,” he said, catching her and drawing her into him. “I love you. I thought you would like this.”
Lexi smiled faintly. “I do like this. It’s thoughtful. It’ll be nice to have everyone at the house.”
“But you’re not happy.”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine means you’re pissed,” Ramsey observed.