Trust in Advertising (57 page)

Trust in Advertising

made her knees weak, taking her right back to that cool leather couch where all she could smell and feel was Vincent. That perfect moment in which they bared their hearts to one another. The moment that had so abruptly ended when Lexi reminded him that he still was with someone else.

The slap had been a reflex, the shock and surprise of being kissed mixed with Lexi’s fury that he would still be with Jade when he felt this way about her. She had waited years to hear him say those things to her, dreamed of the moment even. But in her dreams he wasn’t dating another woman, and a wretched one like Jade, at that. So for the next few days they did what they did best—pretended everything was fine, acted professional, and most importantly, ignored the big, giant, rabid, fire-breathing elephant in the room.

Sean saw Lexi tense up and gave her a sad smile. “It’s all good, Lexi. He’s not in there. Only the cool people get to ride in the limo. Anna, Erik, Elizabeth, and Mr. Dee.” His little joke made her finally smile. “Come on, your chariot awaits.”

“Good evening, ladies,” Bernard greeted them, his dark sunglasses planted firmly over his eyes as he opened the door to the stretch limo.

“Hello,” Lexi said. She stepped into the car and was warmly welcomed by the Drakes.

“Lexi, Hope, you both look lovely.” Elizabeth beamed. “I hope you don’t mind all of us riding together. This is a big night for Hunter. I wanted everyone to arrive together and make an entrance. Well, almost everyone.” Elizabeth turned to face the window to try and hide her annoyance with the one member of the family who was clearly absent from the picture. Robert reached out and wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder, pulling her against his chest.

“That dress is amazing, Lexi,” Anna admired from beside her as she examined the exquisite detail on the crisp white strap that swept over Lexi’s shoulder. “I’m totally jealous.”

“You’re wearing Chanel, Anna. It’s not exactly a burlap sack.” With a smile on her face, Lexi sat back in her seat and tried to prepare herself to see Vincent.

The show was being held in a warehouse very close to Julian’s studio, which was convenient since his studio was where the after party would be taking place.

Everything was planned out, thanks to Christina, who had done a fabulous job on the prep work. Her work ethic impressed Elizabeth—no simple task.

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Even amidst the laughter and jovial mood in the car, Lexi felt a twinge of sadness. There she sat, surrounded by three loving couples all in different stages of their lives together. Robert and Elizabeth were the perfect example of longevity in a relationship. They had been together for so long, they didn’t know where one began and the other ended anymore. Anna and Erik were the picture of soul mates. So in tune with one another, words were often not necessary between them. They could convey more with a simple look or body language than words ever could. And then there were Hope and Sean. The newest couple, but the attraction between them was palpable. His eyes never left her, and she couldn’t help but smile every time she looked at him. Whether or not they knew it, they were falling in love, and it was beautiful to see.

Jealous, Lexi wondered if she would ever get her chance to feel that. Would she ever know what it was like to have that one special person in her life who knew her better than she knew herself?

As the car turned the corner, she could see the people lining the streets, watching every car that passed, hoping to get a glimpse of who was inside. The limo slowed, trapped in a long line of traffic as the rich and famous stepped onto the red carpet. Lexi and Hope peeked out the windows, unable to curb their excitement at seeing some of the celebrities in attendance.

Lexi felt nervous for the first time when the limo stopped moving and Bernard whipped open the door, holding his hand out. “Have a wonderful evening.”

“Thank you,” Lexi said timidly. As soon as her foot hit the carpet, she felt all eyes turn to her.

Flashbulbs popped as the photographers reflexively started snapping. They weren’t exactly sure who she was, but not wanting to miss the shot, they kept taking photographs in case she was here with someone important. Sean and Hope emerged to the same welcome Lexi had received, but when Erik and Anna stepped foot on the carpet, the flashbulbs exploded. Erik’s name was called by every photographer in attendance, each wanting them to give a glance in their direction. He wrapped his arm around Anna and held her against his side as they smiled politely, trying to give the paparazzi a decent shot.

Sean guided Hope down the carpet, nodding and stopping to shake a few hands. Erik and Anna waved to the group of photographers near the entrance and began their slow journey through the crowd. Lexi was about to wander off behind the two couples when she felt a strong arm wrap around her.

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“Where are you running off to?” Robert asked while Elizabeth posed for a few pictures alone.

Lexi smiled sheepishly. “I have no idea. Honestly? I was going to go hide behind Sean or Erik.”

“There will be no hiding today, young lady.” Elizabeth came over and took her hand, pulling her to her side as flashbulbs went off repeatedly in their faces.

“Who is that with you, Mrs. Drake?” one of the photographers asked.

“This is Alexandra White, one of Hunter Advertising’s finest. We’re so lucky to have her on board. Remember her name. She’s going to do amazing things.” Elizabeth waved a knowing finger at all of them and smiled as they scribbled notes on random pieces of paper. “She and my son, Vincent, designed the campaign for Julian Stone’s clothing line. You’ll get to preview some of their brilliant ideas tonight in the show. It’s going to be a huge success.” Elizabeth laced her fingers with Lexi’s and gave her hand a squeeze.

“You work with Vincent Drake?” one of them shouted, and Lexi shyly nodded her head. “Are you two dating?” More flashbulbs went off. Even though her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest at the questions, she pretended not to hear and simply continued smiling.

“Alexandra! Alexandra!” The photographers screamed her name, trying to get a picture. Lexi’s mind raced as she smiled and turned from right to left, imitating Elizabeth’s actions. She rolled her shoulders back, turned slightly to the side and prayed she looked good.

“Dr. Drake, get in one of the pictures,” someone begged. Robert proudly strode over and sandwiched himself between the two beautiful women and grinned.

“Thank you, everyone.” Elizabeth waved and heard a few groans as they started to walk away, allowing other people their face time with the paparazzi.

When they were safely out of earshot, Elizabeth whispered, “Well done, Lexi.

You handled that beautifully.”

“Really?” Lexi asked, her voice shaky as the adrenaline surged through her body. “Because I think I might have had a small aneurism back there.”

They continued down the carpet, Elizabeth stopping several more times to be photographed or greet colleagues. With each stop, she introduced Lexi and showcased her as much as possible. Lexi was completely overwhelmed by her kindness. In putting Lexi’s name out there, it gave her instant credibility in the industry and made her known among the influential people in attendance.

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When they finally caught up with everyone else, Anna was giggling with Hope. When they noticed Lexi staring at them, they both stopped and tried to look casual, but failed miserably.

“What’s so funny? Do I even want to know?” Lexi watched them exchange a glance.

“Seems like you were the talk of the carpet.” Anna winked at Lexi. “Everyone had questions.”

“About me?” Lexi paled. “But th-they don’t even know me.”

Sean leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Walkie talkies, Lexi. The guys at your end buzzed the guys on our end, and they asked all kinds of questions.”

Lexi held up her hand. “Don’t tell me what they asked. Ignorance is bliss.”

“Fine.” Anna giggled as she walked away. “But keep your left hand hidden or there will be a Photoshopped ring on it by tomorrow, right next to your engagement announcement.”

“Oh my God.” Lexi grabbed onto Robert’s arm for support.

“Lexi Drake, I like the sound of that.” Robert grinned when her eyes tripled in size. “Rest assured, my son wil eventual y get his head out of his ass, and when he does, I hope you’ll be the one to make an honest man of him.” He nodded toward Elizabeth who was chatting with someone a few feet away. “Before I met her, I was a complete idiot. Now, she would probably argue that I still am, but I think I’ve come a long way with her guidance. She made me a better man. And you do that same thing for Vincent.”

Not knowing what to say, Lexi was relieved when the surging crowd saved her from responding. There was an eruption of wild screams at the far end of the carpet, where people were exiting their limos. A number of photographers started rushing in that direction, light bulbs flashing. That’s when Lexi finally heard what they were screaming.

“Jade! Jade! Vincent, Jade. Look here!” A swarm of people ran after the couple, trying to get the perfect picture.

“Have I mentioned lately how much I despise her?” Anna growled as she and Erik appeared beside Lexi.

Lexi followed her gaze, searching the crowd until she caught a glimpse of the man that made her blood race. The people milling around her cleared and gave Lexi a perfect view of Vincent. His black suit and dark tie were gorgeous together, his hair in its standard wavy-disarray, but somehow still appearing 348

Trust in Advertising

intentional and chic. The only “fashion don’t” Lexi could find with his outfit was the demented woman dangling from his arm.

Jade was stuffed into a dress that was too short and too ugly for words. The sides of her black kimono-style dress had huge cutouts at the hips which drew the eye to her pasty, sun-starved flesh. As they were being photographed, her arms wrapped around Vincent so tightly that Lexi wondered if he was even able to breathe. From the uncomfortable look on his face, he wasn’t enjoying himself nearly as much as the radiantly unstable woman beside him was.

Flash after flash went off in his face until he could hardly see through all the spots in his vision. When he couldn’t stand the charade a second longer, Vincent stepped away from Jade and the cameras with a scowl, letting her continue to whore herself to the photographers alone. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited, his eyes scanning the crowd to pass the time. It only took him a second to find Lexi among the masses. He could have found her anywhere. The dress that Julian gave her fit like a glove, accentuating her curves in a simple but sexy way. Her hair with is brilliant caramel highlights spilled over her shoulders in big, loose curls. Nothing on her was overdone or screamed “look at me,” yet she had his complete attention, as always.

“Smile, Vincent.” Jade slithered back to his side and beamed her whitened teeth at the crowd. “I don’t want you to look like you’re having an enema in all the pictures.”

An enema would probably be more fun.

In need of a distraction, Vincent peered into the sea of people and found Lexi again. When her eyes locked on his, he smiled. Even though things between them had been strained over the last week at work, the bottom line was she made him happy. He couldn’t explain it and wasn’t even going to try. All he could do was enjoy it and hope it would last.

“Much better.” Jade kissed his cheek, not out of affection, but to give the paparazzi yet another picture. When the flashbulbs subsided, she hissed a warning in his ear. “And if you don’t stop staring at your little pet, I’m going to cram her into a very small cage.” Vincent opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him. “If you think I’m blind to the way you look at her you’ve got another thing coming, Vincent. I’m not stupid. We haven’t had sex in weeks.”

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“You’ve been traveling.” Vincent kept a blank look on his face, not wanting to give her any emotion to attack. “And you’re exaggerating.”

“Do I need to remind you that in the past when I would come home from a trip, we’d spend the next two days in bed? Now I’m lucky if you remember to send a car to pick me up at the airport.” Jade kept her perfectly poised façade through the entire conversation, not allowing the volatile subject matter to change the expression of the fabricated bliss on her face. “As if all that wasn’t enough, the most physical you get with me around
her
is a quick peck on the cheek as I leave.” Her ice blue eyes were as frigid as an Arctic glacier. “You
need
me, Vincent. Don’t ever forget that.”

They caught up with his family, and he welcomed the distraction from Jade’s ranting. This close, he could get a better look at Lexi too. She stayed off to the side with Hope, looking even more uncomfortable when Vincent smiled at her. He felt guilty for everything. For kissing her, for allowing his emotions to get the better of him, for wanting her beyond all reason while he was still ensnared in Jade’s world, and most of all, for not protecting her from him and his baggage.