Ramsey apologized to Lexi, and quickly excused himself. He flashed Chyna a smile as he walked by, but she didn’t return the gesture.

Chyna stalked right up to Lexi standing exactly where Ramsey had been only seconds earlier. “What are you thinking?” she cried leaning back against the railing and pressing her hand to her forehead.

“Not now, please,” Lexi murmured feeling even more confused than earlier.

“I think we should get out of here,” Chyna told her. “You’re a mess. I’m not even sure you know what you are doing anymore.”

“We can’t leave,” Lexi said shaking her head. “I can’t leave yet.”

“I don’t know why we should stay. Now, I wasn’t going to bring this up, but I can’t stay silent, chica. You’re my best friend and I know you’re hurting. Jack is here with his girlfriend and despite what just happened, I know how you feel about him, and it has to hurt like hell. Why would you want to go through that? Then…Ramsey?”

“Well, I don’t know what I was doing with Ramsey, but I do know that I need to stay and see this through. Please…for me, C,” she begged her eyes swelling in size.

Chyna shook her head contemplating the decision before her. As Lexi’s best friend, she felt obligated to get her out of this situation. Lexi had been there for her more than anyone else in her entire life. How could she let her friend walk into the fire pit? She saw no alternative though. Lexi was determined. “Fine, but can you please be careful?” she pleaded.

After the girls agreed, they trudged back into the club where a loud chorus of Happy Birthday was being sung by the guests. Lexi and Chyna joined in with the celebratory tune weaving their way through the crowd to the birthday boy. Before they broke through, Lexi glanced up at the screen where the slideshow had been circulating pictures of Jack’s past. Her heart froze on the final image.

A high resolution photo taken within Ramsey’s house this past weekend was displayed before her eyes. Jack stood next to Bekah with his arm around her waist. Bekah’s head was tilted sideways comfortably resting against Jack’s shoulder. Ramsey had an arm slung over both Bekah and Lexi’s shoulders. Lexi was leaning back against Ramsey’s chest. The signs that she was too drunk to stand straight were already evident. All eyes were bright and smiling. Their faces were flushed from dancing.

But what caught her eye was the look on Jack’s face. He looked happy, buoyant even, but there was something different about his expression than the rest of the group. His eyes were diverted, cutting across his girlfriend and her brother straight to Lexi. And the look he was pressing towards her was very familiar. His eyes were crystal clear blue with desire. He only had eyes for her, and he wanted her. Even though his girlfriend was in his arms, he still couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of Lexi.

She glanced around the room transfixed by the image before her. How could no one else see what she saw in the picture? How could anyone think of including this very recent picture with him looking at her in such a fashion? But no one else seemed to be looking at the picture. At least no one was analyzing it quite like she was. She couldn’t believe it. Was everyone momentarily blind?

“What are you doing?” Chyna hissed latching onto her hand and pulling her through the crowd. Lexi stumbled the few feet forward right into Ramsey. He reached out and slung his arm across her shoulder bringing her closer to the action. She glanced from him to Bekah to Jack. At the center of the table was a large sheet cake with blue frosting announcing Jack’s birthday. He had both hands on the table poised to blow out the flickering candles. Everyone was yelling for Jack to make a wish in the background, but all Lexi saw was the way the group was entwined. They were practically set up for the picture again, but this time when Jack’s head swiveled to the side, he locked eyes with Bekah before releasing his breath.

The crowd cheered as the lights went out one by one relinquishing the room into darkness. Lexi felt as if she were about to combust. Way too many emotions kept clouding her mind. The rollercoaster seemed to be dragging her around each loop and bend without care. How could Jack be so secure in Lexi only a few nights earlier, but at the same time be here, like this, with Bekah. She knew what he was capable of…of course she knew. She was trying to be smarter about the whole situation by staying away from him, but she couldn’t stay away to her own detriment. She needed to talk to him. She needed to find out if he had been lying to her when he had said all those things about wanting to be together. She knew Jack wasn’t a liar, at least not to her, but something about the whole situation felt wrong. Well, everything about the situation felt wrong, and that’s what really worried her.

The lights flickered back on and suddenly the entire atmosphere of the party began to change. Loud music filtered through the club speakers, the bar instantly became crowded with eager patrons ordering hard liquor drinks, and dancing took up the majority of the room. More people trickled in as the party began to roll into full swing. All of them seemed to know either Jack or Ramsey in some capacity, not that Lexi could keep up with any of their names. Her mind was filled with other more pertinent conflicts.

She let Ramsey lead her through a few dances despite her better judgment. He was such a good dancer, and she couldn’t help but stay on the floor with him longer than she had originally anticipated. Her plan had been to dance a number or two with Ramsey, cut in with Jack, and then somehow get him alone so she could speak with him about what was going on. So far that plan was falling to pieces.

Ramsey was such an excellent diversion that she had completely lost track of where Jack had gone. Lexi’s gaze had followed him as he had the bartender pour two drinks filled with dark liquid. Then she watched as he finished the contents of one and brought the other to Bekah who was chatting with her bitchy friends. She giggled as he nuzzled into her neck and whispered something into her ear. When she turned to face him, he led her out to the floor where they danced together like the perfect couple everyone thought they were. The sight of them rubbing up against each other in such a manner made Lexi gag and turn her focus away for a split second, and then they were gone.

She cursed under her breath for losing them. It was getting late and she really needed to speak with him before she left. She would only be in the state for two more days, and if she didn’t speak with him now, she had no idea what would happen. Would all this time she had spent here and everything she had gone through be for nothing? Or would she finally get the happy ending she deserved?

She couldn’t stand around and wait to find out any longer. She needed to take action.

Lexi leaned forward on her tiptoes facing Ramsey. His eyes traveled down to her lips staring expectantly as they moved closer to him. She whispered, “Will you get me a drink? I have to go to the powder room.”

“Sure, what would you like?” he asked wrapping an arm around her thin waist to hold her tight against him.

“Surprise me, but no Jack Daniels,” she prompted immediately.

“Or a Sex on the Beach,” he responded.

Lexi stepped back automatically her mouth popping open in surprise. She couldn’t remember ever telling him that she didn’t like those, yet that was always her next response. “Did I mention that to you?” she couldn’t help asking.

He smirked, his green eyes sparkling. “Intuition, darling.” He reached down and cupped her cheek sending chills down her heated body. His head dipped and he lightly brushed his lips across hers before disappearing to get her a drink.

Her head was spinning. Where had that come from? And why did it suddenly feel familiar?