9. Lexie

Chapter 9

Lexie

G illian invited me over for a dinner party on Friday, and all week, I told myself I wasn't going to go. When Friday rolled around, however, I put on my little black dress and a pair of low heels I had borrowed from my sister, and got into Gillian's car.

"You look great," Gillian gushed.

I smiled. "Thank you."

Gillian really was sweet, even if she didn't understand how much she'd been favored for her whole life. She could have grown up to be a real brat but she wasn't. She was kind and gentle-hearted.

I guess maybe I should give her more of a chance to get close to me, but I don't want her to be disappointed when I leave town, which I am planning to do as soon as humanly possible. My first paycheck will need to be devoted to essentials… like clothing, but after that, I'm saving up to just move on with my life.

Her friends were already there, sitting at the table, when we arrived. Gillian must have let them in before coming to pick me up .

I smiled as I introduced myself to everyone. There was Ciara, Gillian's best friend from high school. I'd met her before but hadn't seen her since she was about thirteen. She still looked young, with her curly blonde hair and grey eyes. I also met Ciara's boyfriend, Joshua, who was so shy he could barely look at me when I spoke to him.

Then there was Gray, who Gillian was "kind of dating", at least in her words. He was handsome, tall, and lanky with sandy hair that fell to his shoulders and hazel eyes.

I was the fifth wheel. Great.

"So you're the famous sister she keeps talking about," Gray said, smiling, causing Gillian to blush. I noticed he had a dimple in one cheek.

"That's me," I said. "I'm four years older."

"You don't look it," Joshua piped up, and I smiled brightly at him. He flushed a deep red and looked away, his girlfriend frowning at him.

"You have a crush on her," she accused.

I burst out laughing. "I'm sure no one has a crush on me," I assured her. Although I was a little flattered, Joshua was too young for me, and besides, I didn't make a habit of going after my little sister's friends.

Ciara smiled a little, but I could tell she was peeved, and I made a point to include her in every question I asked Joshua. It worked because he didn't talk much, anyway.

"I heard you were a runaway bride," Gray said, Gillian kicking his shin under the table, making him yelp.

"It's okay," I replied, even though it really wasn't. I was annoyed that Gillian had told her boyfriend my personal history.

"I'm sorry," Gillian whispered, leaning over, and I patted her knee to let her know I wasn't too mad .

"It's quite the story," I said. "Do you guys want to hear about it?"

"Oh, absolutely," Ciara breathed.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I ran from the church right before the song started announcing the bride was walking down the aisle."

"On foot?" Gray asked, his eyes widening.

"On foot," I admitted. "I hitched a ride with a female trucker, who took me to the airport. I didn't even grab my purse before I ran off, and all I had was a little bit of cash stuffed down my bra. My ex had convinced me to let him handle the finances for a while. It was a bad move."

"That's really brave," Ciara said, and I smiled at her. I wasn't sure how to act around Gilly's friends. I was already starting college by the time she entered high school, therefore, I'd never gotten to know them.

"Thank you," was all I could say.

"Was he a bad guy?" Joshua asked. "Was that the reason you left him?"

I hesitated. "I don't know if he's a bad guy. I just know that he was bad for me. We were bad together."

Ciara nodded. "I've had a couple like that."

Joshua gave her a sharp look. "Who?"

She waved her hand dismissively while Gillian went into the kitchen to open another bottle of wine.

"Gillian is so glad you're back in town," Gray said to me quietly. "She really missed you. Talks about you all the time."

"Really?" It touched my heart that Gillian felt that way about me, especially after all these years. She'd always looked up to me, but because of how our parents were, we'd kind of been pitted against each other .

"Yeah. She doesn't even really talk to your parents anymore because of you," Gray said, and I frowned.

Gillian returned with the bottle and started to fill up our glasses.

"Is that true, Gilly?"

I didn't want to be the reason why Gillian was no longer close to our parents. She'd always been pampered by them; I can't imagine she'd cut them out of her life.

She blinked at me. "What? Gray, are you running your mouth again?"

"Guilty," Gray said with a chuckle.

"Is it true that you're not talking to our parents anymore?" I asked.

"I talk to them," she said defensively. "Just... not that much."

"Because of me?"

Ciara and Josh muttered something to each other, and then Joshua stood up.

"It was really nice to meet you," he said shyly. "But we should go. Ciara has class in the morning."

Ciara nodded. "I'm studying to become a registered nurse."

"Oh, wow," I replied, still thinking about what Gray had said. I was distracted, and I didn't listen much to Ciara as she went on and on about her nursing classes.

After Ciara and Joshua left, Gillian huffed out a breath.

"You should go home," she told Gray. "Lexie and I have plenty to talk about."

Gray sighed, standing up after kissing her temple. "I'm sorry I blabbed."

She huffed out another breath and he pouted. She stood up and kissed him, walking him to the door.

I smiled at them. She really seemed to like him. He was a little shy for my taste, but perhaps Gillian needed someone like that.

"I'm really sorry about Gray," she said after he left. "I don't know why he can't keep a secret to save his life."

"It's okay," I said, and I meant it. I wasn't angry with her. Besides, everyone had been hanging on to my every word. "Just made me the belle of the ball."

She snorted out a laugh, offering to pour me more wine from the bottle they had left at the table for us. I nodded and she filled my glass before topping off her own.

She sat down across from me. "You know, you're not the only reason I don't talk to Mom and Dad much. It's because... well, it's them."

I nodded solemnly. "I understand. They can be a lot."

"They just kept asking me about you all the time. After a while, that was all our conversations were about."

I blinked. "They did?"

I was shocked to hear that and I couldn't understand why my parents didn't just reach out. It wasn't like they didn't know how to contact me. I'd left my number and address with them before I moved. But they never called. Neither one of them.

"They worry about you, Lex," she said quietly. "I worry about you too."

"I'm fine," I insisted, but was I? It wasn't like I had a career, I was working part time at the local grocery store. I didn't know how I was ever going to get out of Wagontown.

I sniffled quietly, not realizing I was crying until I felt the tears spreading down my cheeks.

Gillian came over to me instantly, putting her arms around me.

"It's going to be okay, sissy. I'll always be here for you."

It was sweet, and it made my heart ache that she was reaching out when I'd been doing nothing but resenting her. She was a sweet little girl, her whole life, and it was wrong of me to lump her in with our parents.

I buried my face in her shirt and cried for a bit before pulling away with a yawn.

"Stay over tonight," she insisted. "The guest room is always yours."

I shook my head. "Thanks but I think I'd rather go home," I said quietly, and Gillian nodded as if she understood.

A while later, back at home, I laid down on my bed, looking up at the ceiling, and there was only one thing I could think about.

Oliver Stanhope .

The way his hands had felt, roving over my skin. How soft his full mouth was against mine. It'd been so many years since I'd been touched like that, loved like that.

Oliver was always it, and I'd never doubted that. But after everything we'd been through...

It was best to stay away.