“Do you want to grab some dinner?” Nat sat on a leather bench in the lobby and looked up from her phone. “Or we can skip that and go straight for drinks?”
“I’m teaching in the morning.” Alex sunk down next to her. “And I’m not very hungry.”
“Says Miss Goody Two Shoes who’s always ready to lynch me when I dare to miss a meal.” Nat raised her eyebrows. “I’m not taking no for an answer. Let’s pick up a deliciously high-calorie pepperoni pizza. And before you say anything, not one of those organic ones you fancy so much. It’s Friday evening. Live a little.”
“I don’t want to be the third wheel, Nat.” Alex nodded in Isabella’s direction, who was pacing around caught up in a phone conversation.
Nat sighed before speaking. “If you ever say something like that again, I’ll de-friend you. And not just on Facebook.” She elbowed Alex in the stomach. “Come on.”
Nat gestured at Isabella, signalling they were ready to leave. Isabella held up a finger, asking for a little bit more time.
“I’ll wait for you outside.” Alex headed for the glass doors that slid open as she approached.
Rita stood slanted against a concrete pillar, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail and her eyes blazing as ever. Alex dropped her gym bag and brought two fingers to her mouth.
MADDIE
Maddie hopped off the escalator and rounded the corner of the platform closest to Shape. She hadn’t hurried to Alex’s class, not wanting to upset her by making Alex teach her for a full hour. Instead, she’d opted for a more casual encounter afterwards.
Alex was worth fighting for.
As the day had progressed the thought had settled into her mind more vigorously with every passing minute. She was kind and smart and funny and breathtakingly beautiful. And Maddie’s reaction this morning had been a tad too dramatic. She’d gone into protective mode, shutting out every other possible outcome than banning Alex from her life.
She’d been wrong.
Maddie would wait until Alex disentangled herself from the remnants of her relationship with Rita. Not being the passive onlooking type though, Maddie had done some research on Rita. Sure, she was pretty, but, at least in the pictures Maddie had come across on the internet, not the knock-out stunner Maddie had expected her to be. She wasn’t even as high up at her bank as Maddie was at Crawford & Charles. Rita may have had the advantage of a history with Alex, but she had the serious disadvantage of having broken her heart. Maddie could take her.
Her actions this morning had been born from pure hurt and the ever-present desire to take the upper hand in any situation. If Alex wanted to cool things between them, Maddie would save her the trouble and make the decision for her. It’s what she did. The person she had become after five years of relationship nothingness. But she’d underestimated the effect Alex had had on her in the short weeks they’d been dating. She didn’t want to lose her to her own pig-headedness. She didn’t want to lose her without a fight.
Alex just exited the building as Maddie arrived. Through the glass door she saw Isabella speaking on the phone. Nat pointed at her watch while making eyes at her.
Something made Alex stop dead in her tracks. She stood there gobsmacked. Had she seen Maddie approach from the side? Her eyes were aimed in front of her though. Maddie took a few more steps and caught the reason for the stupefied look on Alex’s face.
Rita looked better in person, more regal and commanding. But Maddie wasn’t interested in spying on Rita Lowe. She needed to see how Alex reacted to her after the initial shock wore off. From the way her jaw slacked, it was clear Alex hadn’t been expecting her.
Maddie stopped and hid in the shadows near the escalator, opposite the gym building. Dozens of people hurried past and she could easily stay out of view. She shuffled close enough to be able to hear whatever conversation might ensue, but Alex didn’t look quite ready to start talking yet.
Rita straightened her posture and took a step toward Alex. She just waved and smiled, not saying anything. As if putting herself on display—as if merely being there—would be enough to sway Alex into…Into what?
Alex didn’t appear swayed in the least, her lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed to slits.
“Before you say anything,” Rita started, while invading Alex’s space a little more. “I haven’t come here to argue, nor to beg for your forgiveness. I wanted to give you this.”
Rita took hold of Alex’s wrist and twisted her palm upwards. With her other hand she let something fall into it. Maddie was standing too far away to see what it was.