Chapter 20

TWENTY

“Happy birthday!”

April throws herself over me on the bed, forcing me to wake. Beneath her overbearing embrace, I’m squashed into the mattress, barely able to breathe.

“You’re squashing me at some unholy hour of the morning,” I strain.

She slides off yet continues to lay on her side, propping her head up with her elbow resting on the bed.

“But it’s your birthday. You’re no longer a teen!”

I purposely let out a groan over April’s high-pitched voice. It should be illegal to be this energized in the morning. Although, from memory, when April turned twenty a few months back, I also recall torturing her.

My eyes close unwillingly, exhausted from barely any sleep. I’d spent the night back-and-forth texting with Hunter. Since the ‘incident’ in the elevator, I haven’t seen him. At least this time, he told me there were rescheduled meetings in Denver, so he flew out the next day.

Last night began with a simple how was your week text and ended with all the dirty things he plans to do to me. Hunter is an intelligent man. He knew what happened in the elevator left me sexually frustrated, and I needed a release last night.

Though, he made it clear I wasn’t to come. Not without him watching. I don’t know why I obeyed his stupid rule because it’s left me in a not-so-pleasant mood this morning.

“Time to get out of bed. We have a big day planned.”

“Do we have to?” I mumble into the pillow. “Sleep is a nice birthday present.”

“If you don’t get up, I’ll make you wear the leg warmers,” April threatens.

“Fine.”

After showering, I change into this cute white skater-style dress. It’s short, but given it’s hot out, appropriate for the weather. Inside the closet, I decide on a pair of shoes. April hasn’t given any context to our actions, so I opt for my white Nike Air Force 1’s. With an all-white outfit, I pray she doesn’t plan anything messy.

The heat forces me to tie my hair into a ponytail away from my face. Before I leave the room, I sit at the edge of my bed and read all my messages. Millie and Ava are already awake and the first to greet me happy birthday.

I tap into my DMs and see a message from Beau.

Bromano:Happy birthday, Princess. No longer a teen. How adult of you.

Me:Thanks… I’m not sad to leave my teenage years behind. Time to do all the fun things without judgment.

The bubble appears. Of course, he is awake, given it’s after nine in New York.

Bromano: Alexa Edwards have fun … is that even possible?

Me: You’re supposed to be nice to me. It is my birthday, after all.

Bromano: Okay, fine. You’re so beautiful and I hope you have the best day ever.

Me: That’s more like it. See, it wasn’t so bad to be a nice boy, now was it?

Bromano: I need to show you I’m a man

Me: The next time I visit Manhattan. Take me to some wrestling match or something.

Bromano: That’s not what I was thinking, Alexa.

I reread his last message, and maybe it’s just me, but is he insinuating sex? Surely, it’s me and my dirty mind right now. I’ve been conditioned to think men only want sex. Beau has never shown interest in me. If anything, we’ve never truly gotten along.

Unsure where to go from here, I think of something witty but decide to leave it for now.

April texts me to meet her in the kitchen. I grab my things and make my way there, trying to juggle responding to the messages now flooding my phone. Surprised to see a message from my dad, I quickly responded thank you. Then, I glance up and see April, Hunter, and Kathy all at the table.

“Surprise,” April cheers with a big smile on her face. “Your first official breakfast with my family.”

Kathy stands up to hug me, followed by wishing me a happy birthday. As Hunter rises from his chair, I beg him not to touch me. His eyes dance in delight, almost as if he’s picturing me naked on all fours because I’m officially twenty years old.

Great, now I’m picturing myself naked on all fours with him behind me.

I bite down on my lip as he extends his hand politely. “Happy birthday, Alexandra.”

My hand rests in his, the simple touch sending a frenzy throughout me, but I pull away quickly as Kathy and April watch us.

“Thank you.”

“Please, take a seat,” he motions, opening the chair for me. “Our chef has prepared a wonderful breakfast to begin your celebrations.”

The seat is beside April, and thankfully she is the buffer between Hunter and me. As soon as I sit down, the chef introduces himself as Gerald, then announces the menu. A server appears with coffee and juice before bringing out the food.

“Alexa, any big plans for your birthday?” Kathy asks while cutting her croissant. “Twenty is such an important time in your life.”

“April apparently has plans for me,” I mention, glancing at April. “Something exciting, no doubt.”

“Only the best for my bestie.” She grins, taking a bite of her omelet. “You know what would make this day even better?”

“What?” I smile, knowing whatever she says will be something ridiculous, like wearing leg warmers in the middle of summer. I take a sip of my coffee while waiting for April to tell me.

“Finding you a boyfriend.”

The hot liquid catches in my throat, making me cough involuntarily. My eyes briefly gaze at Hunter, but his head is down, staring at his plate. Beside his glass of juice, his fist is clenched tight, angered by April’s comment. I don’t understand why. We’re just fooling around, and there’s nothing serious going on.

“April, leave Alexa alone,” Kathy gently scolds. “Twenty is the age to be young and free. When I was twenty, you were starting school. Trust me, have fun and enjoy the freedom while you can.”

“I don’t mean get a boyfriend and get knocked up,” April drags.

My gaze falls upon the plate of food in front of me. If I had Cole’s baby, I would have a toddler right now to be responsible for. I highly doubt me and Cole would have lasted, so trying to co-parent with him would have been a nightmare.

Then, it dawns on me, it’s been a long time since I’ve thought about what happened between us. The nightmares have stopped, and life has just been so busy, which means I haven’t had time to think.

And someone else has been occupying my mind.

Hunter is still quiet across the table, prompting April to continue the conversation.

“Look, we’re all adults here. How about just a fling, then?”

This is getting worse by the minute.

“April,” Hunter clears his throat, but his expression is stern. “Some things are best not discussed in an open forum.”

April lets out a huff and rolls her eyes in boredom. “Fine, in that case, let’s go, Alexa. What happens on your birthday apparently stays between us.”

I place my napkin on the table, barely eating a bite of food. Politely, I say goodbye and only briefly look at Hunter. He’s good at keeping his expression at bay, showing no emotion or anything to give away what we’ve done.

“Have fun, girls,” Kathy says before turning to Hunter to discuss another event.

As we leave the room, I pull April aside. “You could have warned me he would be at breakfast. Do you know how awkward it is staying in your boss’s house?”

“Relax … Hunter is pretty chilled. Although lately, he has been a bit crabby. Probably got his man periods or something.”

We head outside, where a pink mustang is parked with a man sitting in the driver’s seat.

“What is this?” I laugh, noting the car looks like it belongs to Barbie.

“Ta-da!” She raises her arm in the air. “Our ride for the day so we can enjoy all the festivities and drink.”

“Drink? You do know I’m still only twenty?”

“Eh.” She shrugs. “A little drinking hurt no one.”

We hop into the car, placing our seat belts on, then I quickly check my phone. A text from Hunter came through two minutes ago.

Hunter:Enjoy your birthday, but tonight, you’re all mine.

“Why the face?” April questions, furrowing her brows. “Dirty birthday text? Show me!”

I quickly hit delete, panicked she’ll read it. “Nothing like that, just my cousin.”

When April said drinking hurt no one, boy was she wrong. Since we legally couldn’t buy any alcohol, she made sure the car had a cooler full of it.

Our first stop is rollerblading in Venice beach, but really April just wants to stop at Muscle Beach Gym and drool over the men working out. There is a lot of sweat and grunting, both of which I find very unappealing.

Next, the driver takes us to this cute little book café the next beach down. The space is so quaint, with bookshelves everywhere you look, housing classics to some more recent works.

April organized a little tea party, but we are so buzzed we just can’t stop laughing long enough to eat. We manage to eat some food until the waiter comes out with a cupcake and a burning candle.

“Awww, you didn’t have to.” The entire café sings happy birthday, then April offers cupcakes to everyone. “April, you can’t afford this.”

“It’s your birthday, don’t worry about that.”

Our next stop is bowling, which is so much more fun when drunk, followed by our last stop of the day—the tattoo parlor.

“God, my dad will kill me,” I mutter, looking at the wall of designs.

“Get it some place he won’t see.”

April picks out the bunny ears since she’s obsessed with rabbits. It’s such a bizarre tattoo, but she doesn’t care, sitting in the chair so they can ink her ankle.

As I continue to glance at the wall, nothing catches my attention until I stumble on an anchor with wild roses wrapping around it. It’s perfect.

The other tattoo artist directs me to lie down, covering my bottom half with a sheet as I pull my dress up to ink it just below my panty line. It’ll be inked just above my public bone so it can be hidden when I wear bikini bottoms.

It doesn’t take long, even when we lie and say we haven’t had a single thing to drink. The pain isn’t too bad, more so annoying than painful.

When we both finish, April pays for our tattoos, much to my disappointment.

“April, you’ve done enough already. Why did you pay for me?”

“It’s your birthday, silly.”

“You shouldn’t have spent so much money on me today.”

April purses her lips, staring at me oddly, then releases a breath. “Hunter gave me his credit card. He kind of said it was on him.”

“But … but …” I stammer, unable to process my thoughts. “Why would he do that?”

“Because he can. He has more money than he knows what to do with,” April assures me. “Look, don’t tell him I told you, okay?”

I nod, but I can only think about how I just branded myself, and he paid for it.

Something I’m now forced to remember forever.

* * *

“Happy birthday to you!”

Eric’s voice is the loudest over everyone’s, maybe because he drank too much Japanese sake. There was an egg incident. The chef told him ‘catch’, Eric got cocky, then splat all over his Balenciaga shirt.

We all laughed way too hard while Eric actually cried. Mom then ordered the sake and got him drunk. It was much easier this way to tolerate him.

It was an enjoyable night with my sisters and their husbands, though Addy and Masen weren’t able to make it. Ava has it in her head that Addy is pregnant, but that’s just Ava being Ava. She thinks everyone is pregnant.

My father is sitting beside Mom, and for the most part, he’s not acting like a dick for once and enjoying himself.

It kind of makes for a perfect end to the night, at least, if this is how the night ends.

I check my phone to see the time. It’s almost ten-thirty, plus no text from Hunter. April parted ways with me just after six, and I came straight here. Maybe, Hunter is all talk. He is just teasing me because he can.

Men are such assholes.

“I heard you’ve found yourself a job,” Dad mentions cautiously before we end the night. “Are you enjoying it?”

“Uh, yeah,” I respond while scratching the back of my neck. “Hunt, I mean Mr. Cash, is nice enough.”

Dad cocks his head, pausing to examine me. It’s been a long while since I’ve been under the Lex Edwards microscope. God, does he know I’m fooling around with my older boss.

“I heard you reported to Cash’s assistant, not him?”

“I was, but things got busy. The company has been busy acquiring other companies, so I was asked to take on more work.”

“I’m well aware of the acquisitions,” he informs me with a confident stance. “And have you thought more about how a college education can help further your career?”

“Dad,” I murmur, lowering my eyes. “I don’t want to fight with you tonight.”

“I don’t want that either, Alexa.”

Suddenly, the karaoke machine comes on, and Eric climbs onto the stool, belting out his rendition of It’s Raining Men. I’m not fond of old music, but this song is always fun to sing along to.

I check my phone again to see the time.

“Got somewhere you need to be?” Millie probes, crossing her arms with a knowing grin. “You know, when midnight strikes, it’s just another day.”

“Nowhere,” I answer with disappointment. “There’s been no text or anything for plans. I’m happy to stay here and watch Eric make a fool out of himself.”

It doesn’t last long since the restaurant kicks us out at eleven-thirty. We all say goodbye to each other, but I realize I don’t have a ride home.

“We’ll take you,” Millie offers as Will pulls up in his car.

I hug everyone again but stop just shy of my father. He had one drink, at best, since he has to drive, so I know he’s thinking rationally, and whatever he is just about to say will probably be exactly what he has been thinking.

“Good luck with everything, Alexa.”

“Um, thanks, Dad.”

On the car ride home, I lean forward between Will and Millie.

“Don’t you think it was weird how Dad was just like … good luck, Alexa?”

Millie draws in a breath. “That’s what you wanted.”

“Yes, but it was weird. He did question me working for Hunter and not Meredith.”

“You call him Hunter?” Will asks out of nowhere.

Millie immediately glares at him. I glance at her, then at Will. I bet she said something! How hard is it to keep a conversation between two sisters?

“I told you not to say anything!”

“I never breathed a word to Ava. Will is my husband. There are certain rules surrounding marriage.”

“Like what?” I question in annoyance.

“You tell each other everything,” she states.

My mouth sets into a hard line as I find this hard to believe. “Everything?”

“Yes, and it stays between us.”

I turn to look at Will again. “Is this true?”

He simply nods. “I didn’t make up the rules. So, you call your boss by his first name?”

“And?”

“Nothing,” he vaguely replies. “However, you’re reporting to him now?”

My jaw and neck become tight as I tug on the seatbelt to loosen it. “He’s married. Even you know that.”

“Right,” Will muses, “his marriage of convenience which means he’s not in love. Then in walks this young girl who happens to be the daughter of Lex Edwards.”

I jerk forward, placing my hands on their seats for support.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Will, stop,” Millie demands, raising her voice. “Don’t go off on your tangent ….”

His lips pinch together in frustration. “Amelia, I love you, but you don’t understand a guy’s perspective. Just like I don’t understand a woman’s.”

“Okay, fine,” I tell them both. “Give me your guy’s perspective.”

“Men in power do, or should I say manipulate, certain situations to get what they want. You reporting to Hunter means you work closely with only him, am I correct?”

“Yeah …”

“And does it mean you’re often alone together?”

“I wouldn’t say often,” I mumble.

“So, Hunter Cash wants the trophy of Lex Edwards’ daughter,” Will so blatantly informs me.

“It’s not like that.”

He tilts his head, keeping his eyes fixated on the road. “Oh, so what is it like when you’re alone, and he whispers dirty things to you? Please don’t tell me you’re falling in love with him.”

“Will!” Millie throws her head back, angry at him. “Give her a break. In case you haven’t noticed, you weren’t exactly innocent when we first got together.”

“Yeah.” He smirks, remaining quiet for a moment. “That’s how I know, Amelia.”

I sit back again in the chair to think about what Will said. Things are different with Hunter and me. Aside from the night he drove me home, he has never mentioned my father. If I was a so-called trophy, surely he would have talked or said something to allude to this.

The house appears out of nowhere, my thoughts consuming me for the rest of the drive. When I punch in the code, and Will pulls up, he turns to face me.

“Be careful, Alexa,” he warns, then sighs. “Our home is yours to stay in whenever you need it. Don’t feel like you have to live here to prove a point to Lex, okay?”

I barely manage the nod, simply smiling while opening the door.

Amelia gazes at me with sympathy. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

Without another word, I exit the car and watch it drive off. As if I’m on autopilot, I open the main doors to darkness once again. Glancing at the roof, I wait for the lights to sense me and turn on, but they don’t.

Drawing my brows in confusion, my eyes immediately gaze upon Hunter standing at the foot of the large staircase in the dark.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he says in a seductive tone.

“But, you never text—”

He walks toward me, keys jingling in his hand. Suddenly, he grabs my hand, gripping it tight.

“Let’s go,” he demands.

I’m walking fast to keep up with him. “Where are we going?”

Stopping mid-step, he turns to face me, cupping my chin in his hand. My breathing grows faster and more audible until he leans down and places his lips on mine.

“To do what we’ve both been waiting for,” Hunter murmurs. “But not here. My penthouse because I need you naked all night long.”