Lex (Unconventional Hearts) (19 page)

Chapter Twelve

Saturday

Rolling onto my side, I grab my phone from my
nightstand and unplug it. It’s on vibrate and it won’t stop making
noise, bouncing irritatingly all over my nightstand. I turned it
off at seven this morning when it kept trying to wake me up with my
alarm. I didn’t get up and do yoga for the first time in almost a
year. I don’t feel like it. I feel like shit. My stomach’s a mess,
my body aches and I’m depressed. I might not get out of bed all
day.

Sliding on my phone, it’s ten already and I
have eight texts. Gee-whiz people, I am fine.

Lincoln:
How’s my girl doin?

Lincoln:
Corey woke up about an hour ago
at the hospital. He’s ok. Told me to tell you and Roni he’s very
sorry. Let me know if you want to press charges.

Lincoln:
Lex…text me back. I’m coming over
at noon if I haven’t heard from you.

Smiling at his sweetness, I scoot up in my
bed and hit the reply button.

Me:
Elias Lincoln, stop worrying about me.
I’m fine and I love you. Thank you for being there for me. But I’m
good…Promise. Go to sleep and no I won’t press charges unless he
sues Gage.

Lincoln:
He’s not suing Gage. I think he’s
worried what’ll happen if he does. If you’re not fine, you had
better tell me. I worry about you. You’re my girl and I will take
care of you. Seems I’ll have to stand in line for that job. Gage
and Roni are ten steps ahead of me. Went to Barbie’s this morning
she’s worried about you too. Wants to kill Corey herself. That
woman is a mama bear when it comes to you.

Me:
I love Barbie. If she’s my mama bear,
what does that make you? You know you’re my number one Linc. I love
you.

Lincoln:
I love you more and I’m the
protective pit-bull in your corner.

Me:
You can’t be like Lucy

Lincoln:
I’m not, but I can relate with
her. Have I told you how much I love her and appreciate you giving
her to me?

Me:
Not lately, but I’m sure the first
year of free sweets from Barbie’s made up for it. Lol. I’m just
glad she loves her daddy.

Lucy is the blue nose pit I bought for
Lincoln three years ago for Christmas. After everything that went
down with Brian years before, I never felt like I could ever repay
him enough. A year before that, his dog Frank died of old age, and
I knew he needed a companion. So I surprised him with Lucy. She was
an abused rescue dog from a shelter three towns away. I knew they’d
be perfect companions for each other. I’m not sure why Linc doesn’t
date but I’ve never seen him with a woman. And I know he’s not gay.
That’s why a dog suits him just perfectly.

Lincoln:
That she does. I’ve been pounding
the coffee back waiting to hear from you. I’m going to catch some
zzzz’s. Call me if you need anything. Love ya, sweetheart.

Me:
Love ya too, ya big lug.
XOXOXO

Well, that’s three of the eight messages
down. I’ve got five to go.

Mom:
Lincoln stopped by this morning at
work and told me everything that happened. I’m going to do the mom
thing and ask if you’re alright. Love you.

Me:
Mom, are you actually texting?

Mom:
Yes. I can hang with you kids. How is
everything?

Me:
It’s fine. I keep telling everyone
that. I’ll come see you today or tomorrow. Don’t worry.

Mom:
I’m your mom; I always worry. It’s
part of the job description. See ya when you stop in.

Seems as though I’m a popular girl today.

Roni:
I’m out with Bob. Won’t be home till
late. Fresh rocky road in the freezer and your favorite caramel
sauce on the counter, White Chicks in DVD player all ready for ya.
Holler if ya need me.

This is why I love Roni. She doesn’t baby me.
She gets to the point, which makes life a hundred times easier. I
knew I picked her as my best friend for a reason. Her cleaning
skills surely wasn’t one of them.

Unknown:
It’s me Gage. How are you feeling
today? Just doing my due diligence and checking in.

Unknown:
Text back when you get a
chance
.

Unknown:
Left early last night
,
hope you had a nice time out.

What the heck? Opening up the messages and
checking the phone numbers the first two match and the third one is
from a different number. I put Gage’s name with his number and
click reply to the unknown texter.

Me:
Who is this?

Unknown:
Deceiving others. That is what
the world calls a romance.

The Suit Master!!

Me:
Suit Master, how did you get this
number?

Unknown:
I have my ways.

Me:
Care to share?

Unknown:
Not that, and surly not
you.

Me:
Why not?

Unknown:
You’ll see soon enough.

What is his deal? So secretive, which is sexy
in a mysterious, I-should-probably-be-freaked-out kind of way.

I change his number from unknown to Suit
Master and I open up Gage’s messages.

Me:
I should be the one asking you. How
are you feeling, Mike Tyson?

Gage:
Not gonna lie. My knuckles are sore
as hell. Even though I feel pretty fuckin’ snazzy.

Me:
What kind of man says snazzy? And what
in the heck is that supposed to mean?

I’m seriously laughing over here, resting in
bed, wearing a white teddy. I don’t own a single ugly pair of
pajamas. No flannel bottoms, no oversized tees. Silky, attractive,
and luxurious are my keys to a good nightie. I like feeling pretty
when I go to sleep and when I wake up. It makes for a better day.
You should try it.

Gage:
This one says it. It means that I’m
feeling good. Larger than life.

Me:
Why?

Gage:
Corey’s not pressing charges. You’re
safe and I got to finally touch you last night.

Me:
Touch me?

Gage:
Yes, you read that correctly. Touch
you. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I sort of have a thing for
you.

Ok! Wow! He’s a bit blunt today.

Me:
Not holding anything back. I
see.

Gage:
Well I’m not sure if you’re catching
my subtleties, so I figured being more forward might help.

Me:
It won’t. I’m not looking to
date.

Gage:
Says the woman with the online
dating profile.

He’s right. I know it.

Me:
That was a mistake, a huge one that
Roni guilted me into.

Gage:
Does that mean rose boy is out of
the picture?

Me:
He was never in the picture. I told
you that.

Gage:
He was in it enough to know where
you work and send expensive flowers.

Me:
Is somebody jealous?

Gage:
Why would I be jealous? You just
said there was nothing going on. I believe you, sort of.

Me:
Well you should. He’s a lawyer too,
and I’m not fond of lawyers.

Gage: You were fond of me enough last night
to let me hold your beautiful body.

Me:
It was a mistake. Thank you for being
nice and kicking Corey’s ass. Good day, Mr. Masterson

Gage:
Good day, Lex.

Sitting my phone on my nightstand, I slip
from under the covers and make my bed.

Ding dong, Ding dong, my doorbell rings.

Who would be at my house Saturday
midmorning?

Snatching my ivory silk robe from my closet,
I pad my way downstairs and to the front door.

Opening it, I’m greeted with a man in a
strange blue jumpsuit, wearing a nametag that say’s Mike.

“Can I help you?” I inquire, fingering
through my messy hair, confused.

“We have a delivery for a…” He looks down at
his clipboard. “Lex Keagan. You her?”

Nodding, I ask. “What kind of delivery.”

“It’s a heavy one. Care if we bring it in
through here?” He gestures at my front door.

I shrug. “Yes…I guess.”

What in the world is going on here? A package
to be delivered? A large one and a man in a blue jumpsuit.

I back away from the door as he rolls in a
large cardboard box on a dolly.

“Where?”

“Well…what is it? I don’t know where to put
if it I don’t know what is it.”

Giving me a harsh exasperated look and a
shrug, I tell him to leave it in the foyer and I see him to the
door, sign for the delivery, shut the door, and slowly walk toward
my package.

It’s not a huge box. But it was heavy enough
to need a dolly.

Heading quickly into the kitchen to grab a
knife, I return to the box and slice the top open. Folding back the
flaps and lying the knife on the floor. I crouch down and pull the
bubble wrap from the top of the box, discarding it on the
floor.

Underneath is a huge stack of various colors
of leather bound books.

Carefully, one-by-one, I pull out each book
and flip through the pristine, crisp, mint condition pages.
Completely flabbergasted by the quality of these works. Edgar Allen
Poe first editions, four volumes.

A tear trickles down my cheek, feeling
overwhelmed to have my hands on something so amazing. Pressing the
leather to my nose, I inhale its heady vintage scent, committing it
to memory. As I empty the box completely I am left with such a
warmed heart I think I might explode from so much happiness.
Sixteen first edition books, mint condition, a collection worth
tens of thousands of dollars. The Poe is among the first editions,
as is the
Divine Comedies Dante’s Inferno
,
Moby Dick
,
Little Women
and many others.

In the bottom of the box sits a white
envelope and I open it.

To my Angel,

These are some of the finest books I know
you would love. Please accept these as a gift. They were some of my
most prized possessions and now they will be yours.

All my love,

Suit Master

Throwing the card on the ground next to the
box, I stand and dash up my wooden staircase and into my bedroom.
Grabbing my phone off the stand, I pull up his number and press
send. It rings once and sends me to voicemail. I hang up and call
back again. It does the same thing. On the third try, I give up and
decide I will leave a message.

Hello, Lex, you’ve reached the Suit Master.
If you would like to leave me a message, please do so. I would love
to hear your voice. If not, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you very
soon.

A recording states. Not his voice.

-beep-beep-beep-

“
For the love of God, you even made your
voicemail greeting me. Are you crazy? Obviously, you are for
sending me thousands of dollars’ worth of books to my house, which
I love by the way. But they are way too much to accept. Please take
them back. Thank you for them and for the roses and the drinks. But
I don’t want to date you. Just go away.”

I hit end and dive stomach first onto my
already made bed. Burying my face into the mattress I scream and
pound my fists, exceedingly frustrated, until my lungs hurt and my
phone beeps.

Turning my face to the side, I pull my phone
into view.

Suit Master:
I’m not taking them back.
They are now yours, my Angel. You’re welcome for the gifts. That is
just the beginning. And no, I’m not going anywhere. I tried to play
this your way with the online dating profile. The ball is now in my
court, and I’m doing this the way I want. Just like I should have
years ago.

Me:
Years ago?

I swallow hard.

Suit Master:
Good things come to those who
wait.

Me:
Why are you so cryptic?

Suit Master:
I didn’t think you liked me
telling you so much about myself. Scared you off the first time, so
I’m trying a new approach.

Me:
What approach is that? Creepy
stalker?

Suit Master:
No.

Me:
Then what?

Suit Master:
It’s for me to know and you
to find out.

Me:
So now you’re a
kindergartener?

Suit Master:
Only do what your heart tells
you.

Arg!!! He is frustrating!!

Me:
What does that mean?

Suit Master:
It means what it says, Lex.
I’m listening to mine. Are you listening to yours?

That’s it! I’m finished talking with him.
He’s impossible! Sounds like somebody else I know; Roni or Gage,
both equally as frustrating.

Tossing my phone on my nightstand, I head
downstairs, pick up the books from the floor in my foyer and gently
carry them into my office that’s off the kitchen. Stacking the
books on the shelves, among the hundreds of others I have. My
office isn’t like anything most people have seen before. It has a
giant window with a bench seat to read on. I have a small mahogany
desk with a vintage green reading lamp, a wooden rolling chair. The
walls are built in bookshelves from floor to ceiling and there’s a
silver chandelier suspended in the middle of the room. Most rooms
in my house have a chandelier. They are classy, elegant and
timeless, kind of an addiction for me.

Walking back into the kitchen I grab the ice
cream from the freezer, caramel sauce off the butcher-block
countertop, rainbow sprinkles and coconut from the cabinet and
carry it all into the living room with a spoon and a napkin.
Plopping down on my couch, I turn on the TV and
White Chicks
on the DVD player. Curling into a ball, I throw my blanket over my
legs and dive into my rocky road.

I’m definitely not leaving the house
today.