Love's Second Act

Five: Lexi

Throughout the next day, I found myself thinking about Mr. Blackwood. Our conversation at the party had left a lasting impression on me, plus his charming smile and piercing brown eyes kept popping into my mind.

For some reason, it made me feel nervous. He was way above me, and I couldn't help but think about what our dinner date would be like. Would it be strong? Would anything come out of it?

He sounded like he just wanted to apologise for that day, but I liked to think it was deeper than that.

"Why am I so drawn to him?" I asked myself, trying to rationalise my feelings. "Is it just his looks and charisma, or maybe the money?"

Maybe, it was the way he looked at me when our eyes met at the party. My thoughts were cut short by a client entering the office, courtesy of Lily. Even though our first conversation wasn't so good, I had a feeling we were cool now.

For a while, I managed to distract myself with work but by the time the woman planning a surprise proposal for her boyfriend left, my mind was on Julian again.

A flutter flowed in my chest as I realised I was looking forward to seeing him more than I cared to admit. Still, I didn't want to get my hopes up for anything, so I pushed every thought of him and the date out of my mind and focused on the plans in front of me.

Despite my resolve, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something special about him, something that made me want to get to know him better. And as the clock ticked closer to our dinner date, I found myself counting down the minutes until I could see him again.

Some minutes later, Sam poked her head into my office, a curious expression on her face. "Hey Lexi, how's the day going? Clients coming in right?"

I nodded excitedly, gesturing to the stack of files on my desk. "Yeah, it's been quite busy. The fourth one just left,” I paused, and stood up to walk to her side.

“Thanks for your help, Sam. I don't know what I would do without you."

Before she could move, I enveloped her in a hug. When I finally pulled back, Sam smiled and leaned against the doorframe.

"Anytime, girl. So, what's got you looking so distracted? You've been staring at that same file for a while."

I blushed, and moved back to my seat. "Oh, just the date I have tonight," I admitted, trying to sound nonchalant.

Sam's eyes lit up. "The one with Julian, right? What's got you so nervous about it?"

I sighed, fidgeting with my pen. "I don't know, it's just... he's so charming and confident. And rich. Everything I'm not, and I'm worried I'll make a fool of myself. He's way out of my league.”

Sam chuckled. “Has anyone told you that you worry too much?” When I quickly nodded, she shook her head. “You're an amazing person, so don't worry so much about the money stuff. Just be yourself, and see where things go."

I smiled, feeling a bit better. "Thanks, Sam. You always know what to say."

Sam grinned and pushed off from the doorframe. "Go crush that date, Lexi.”

***

As I waited outside my apartment, later that evening, a sleek black car pulled up to the curb. My heart skipped a beat as I realised it would be Julian's ride.

I quickly took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, and sent a quick text to Sam: "Picked up. I'll keep you posted."

The driver came out, a polite and impeccably dressed man, and I watched as he opened the door for me. With a small smile, I slid into the luxurious interior and sat still as we glided through the city, eventually pulling up to a five-star restaurant I'd only ever read about. Splendour.

Before stepping out of the car, I took a picture to show Sam later. In seconds, I saw Julian emerge from the restaurant, looking nice in a tailored suit. His eyes locked onto mine, and he smiled. "Lexi, you look stunning," he said, offering me his arm.

I was wearing a fitted green floor length gown, with little crystals at the neck area. According to Sam, it was my colour so I needed to embody it, and judging from Julian's expression, it seemed like I did.

I took his hand, feeling a spark as our bodies touched. We were led to a cozy table by the window, and Julian ordered us a bottle of wine before we even sat down.

We started to sipped the wine and waited for the exquisite food I had heard about, and our conversation flowed effortlessly. Julian asked me about my work as an event planner, and I shared my passion for decorating and storytelling. He listened intently to everything I said, his eyes lighting up with interest.

As we delved deeper into our conversation, we discovered that we had both attended the same university.

"What years did you attend?" Julian asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"2007-2011," I replied, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"No way! I was there from 2005-2009. We must have crossed paths on campus!"

I couldn't believe it. What were the chances that we had both been at the same university, at the same time, and had never met until now? I wanted to ask why he attended such a school when his family was rich, and they could have all the money they wanted.

However, I kept quiet and filed it for later. I didn't want it to be like I was prying too deep into his personal life. Besides, he didn't really look all ecstatic about it.

As we continued to talk, I felt a sense of ease and comfort with Julian that I rarely experienced with someone I had just met. It was as if we had known each other for years, not just minutes.

By the time I raised my head to look around, the restaurant had already emptied out. The staff were all done, and we're just glancing at us, and my skin turned red

.

“Are they waiting for us?” I asked him, and he just smiled.

“Not really, but maybe we should head home?” He sounded it as a question, and I glanced at the time. 1:10am. Wow. We had been here for nearly five hours.

“Yes, we should,” I responded and he quickly stood up, coming to my side to help me up. It was so romantic, and I couldn't help but blush a little. I hope.

Julian and I exchanged numbers as we walked outside, and together we went to the car, his arm still around mine.

As we said our goodbyes, he leaned in and whispered, "I had an incredible time tonight, Lexi. Would you like to do it again soon?"

My heart skipped a beat, as I felt the rush of the wine moving through my head. "Definitely," I replied, smiling up at him.

As we stood outside the car, Julian hesitated, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "I want to make sure you get home safely," he said, his voice low and protective. "I'll ride with you and have the driver drop me off afterwards."

I felt a flutter in my chest at his chivalry, and nodded in agreement. We slowly entered the car, Julian's arm still around my shoulders. As we pulled away from the curb, he gazed out the window, his expression thoughtful.

It was like he had moved from a hundred to zero. Just as we started to settle in, his phone buzzed. I watched with disinterest as his eyes scanned the screen, so I didn't miss how his expression darkened.

Still he turned to me first. "I'm so sorry, Lexi, I have to take this," he said, his voice apologetic.

His tone switched again, turning serious and urgent. I couldn't make out the words, but his eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and the grip on my shoulder tightened.

When the call ended a minute later, he looked at me, his eyes troubled. "I'm so sorry, I have to go. Now."

My heart skipped as he leaned in and brushed a quick kiss across my cheek. As he started to call the driver, he whispered, "I'll call you tomorrow. Promise."

"Hey, Julian, whatever it is that's bothering you, I want to help," I blurted, my words slurring slightly. My inhibitions had drastically lowered, and even as I made the offer, I had a feeling I would deeply regret my actions.

As I suspected, he raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Lexi, you don't even know what is wrong."

But I was undeterred, my tipsy brain convinced that I could solve all his problems. "That's okay, I'm a great problem-solver. Just tell me what's going on."

Julian sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Lexi, it's not something you can fix with a few clever ideas and a smile."

I moved closer to him, my determination fueled by the wine and my growing feelings for him. "Come on, Julian. I'm a smart girl. I can handle it."

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of hope. Then, he nodded, his expression resigned. "Fine. But you have to promise to keep an open mind."

I nodded eagerly, my heart racing with excitement. "I promise, I promise!"

Without another word, Julian directed the driver to his house, a sprawling mansion on the outskirts of the city. As we pulled up to the entrance, I felt a shiver run down my spine. What had I just gotten myself into?