“There!” Jules yells through the door. “Now you have to talk! So talk!”
Chapter Twenty Two
~Alecia~
“Alecia!” Jules calls out and hurries over to where I’m talking with Jax and Logan in Steven’s garden.
“Hey, Jules.”
“You guys are so damn hot,” Jules says as she approaches us, then hugs each of them. “Like, super hot. I love your suits.”
Jax and Logan opted for grey suits, minus the jackets, with a three button vest and white button up shirts rolled on the forearms. Jax is wearing a green tie and Logan is wearing a soft pink one, in honor of his mother, who is currently battling breast cancer. They look hip and fresh and completely handsome.
“Thanks, gorgeous,” Jax replies and kisses her cheek.
“Are you happy?” Jules asks them.
“Couldn’t be happier,” Logan says with a grin, then kisses his groom on the cheek. “This was perfect, and your family is awesome for hosting.”
“Well, we were happy to do it.” She sighs happily. “It’s so romantic. Alecia,” she turns to me. “Can I steal you for a minute? I’d like to discuss something with you.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks again, Alecia,” Logan says and hugs me tight. “You did an awesome job.”
“My pleasure.” I collect my hug from the incredibly sexy Jax, then follow Jules toward the house. “What’s up?”
“Oh, let’s go inside and get out of the sun,” she says and takes my hand in hers. “It’s so hot today.”
I frown over at her. “It’s not that hot.”
“You’re not hot? Oh, I’m roasting.” She fans her face and rolls her eyes. “Maybe my hormones are still out of whack from having Stella.”
“She’s five months old,” I remind her.
“Well, either way, I’d like to go inside. Too much sun causes wrinkles.” She winks at me and leads me through the kitchen. “Let’s go to my dad’s study. It’s quiet in there.”
She’s up to something. One thing Jules is not is a good liar. Before I know it, she’s planted her hand in my back and shoved me not so gently into the study, and she and Natalie pull the doors closed behind me, leaving me with an equally surprised Dominic.
“There!” Jules yells. “Now you have to talk! So talk!”
I close my eyes and sigh in defeat. Damn them.
“We love you!” Natalie calls in a sing song voice.
Dominic leans his hips back on Steven’s desk and crosses his arms, watching me quietly. Resigned, I cross to the couch, it’s back facing the desk, and lean my hips against it, facing him, mirroring his stance.
“Why aren’t they talking?” Jules mutters.
Dom’s lips twitch with humor.
“So, how was Italy?” I ask, breaking the silence.
He frowns and blinks. “It was fine.”
I nod thoughtfully. “Good.”
“How’s Blake?” he asks out of the blue.
I scowl. “Fine, I guess. Why wouldn’t he be?”
“Are you fucking him?” he asks quietly, and I’m struck dumb.
Am I fucking Blake?
“What did he ask?” Natalie whispers loudly.
“I don’t know, they’re not talking loud enough,” Jules replies.
“Am I fucking Blake?” I repeat.
He just raises a brow and waits, but his eyes have softened as he watches me.
“You think I’m fucking Blake?” I hate the quiver in my voice. Hate it. How could he possibly think that?
“Let me get this straight.” I push away from the couch and pace before him. “You come to my condo and walk in on something you didn’t even fully understand, get angry, make accusations, and then you leave the damn country. I haven’t seen you in weeks, haven’t heard from you, and the first thing you ask me is if I’m fucking my best friend?”
“I saw it,” he replies.
“What, exactly, do you think you saw?”
“I came to your condo to ask you to go to Italy with me, and I walked in to find Blake half naked, you coming out of the shower, and your clothes thrown all over the living room.”
“You came to take me to Italy?”
My heart stops. He wanted me to go with him?
“I did.”
“I was in the shower,” I reply, the blood leaving my face. “Getting ready to come see you.”
He tilts his head. “Excuse me?”
“Blake and I went for a run, and then he talked me into going to your place.”
He swallows hard, processing my words, and I’m still stuck like stupid on I came to take you to Italy with me.