“Jack,” she said stopping his exit. She kicked the sheet to the foot of the bed and stretched out arching her back. He just stared at her hungrily. She was so bad.

“Uh...yeah?” he asked his hands clenched in fists at his side.

“Things aren’t going to be awkward today after you know...last night, are they?” she questioned him, sitting up and hugging her knees to her chest.

“No, things will be fine...normal.” She wasn’t sure what normal was for them. Normal could be so many different things. “You look concerned.”

“It’s just...you did tell your girlfriend you were coming back last night, right? She knew I was staying here?” Lexi asked watching his eyes shift uncomfortably.

“Well...”

“You didn’t tell her,” she said interpreting his behavior once again. “As I thought.”

“No. I couldn’t tell her. She wouldn’t understand why I’d let you do that.”

“That’s funny. I don’t understand either,” she said still staring him down waiting for his eyes to meet hers.

When they finally did, she could tell he was just as confused about his actions as she was. “Can we just talk about this later?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, sure. But you’ll explain it later, right?”

“I’ll always be honest with you, Lex,” he said before exiting the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

Lexi threw her head back against the covers and smiled half-heartedly up at the ceiling. Yep, things were going to be way awkward.

She quickly showered and diffused her loose curls. She unzipped her suitcase and stared at the different outfits she had planned for the day. A brown sundress she knew would go perfectly with her golden tan. Blue and white striped seersucker shorts coupled with a white tank top would have the same effect, but she was as indecisive as ever. Did she want to be cute and friendly like she should be or would she rather dress a bit sexier? After a moment longer, she opted for the shorts combo. No need to dress the part Kate had drawn her to be.

“You can’t wear that,” Jack said, entering the room without knocking.

“I could have been naked,” she cried.

He smirked. “Yep,” he said cheerfully, “looks like I waited too long.”

She scowled at him. “Anyway…why can’t I wear this?” she asked gesturing to her outfit. “I think I look good.”

“Plans just changed. Unfortunately, we’re going to the Country Club.”

Lexi crinkled her nose up at him. “Why are we doing that? I thought you said we were going to get brunch, some much needed coffee, and then get this ridiculous conversation over with,” she mumbled the last part under her breath.

“I just got off the phone with Bekah, and there was some miscommunication with her parents.”

“And?” Lexi asked clearly irritated.

“And we have to postpone our afternoon engagement.” Lexi sighed, not a good choice of words. “She thought her parents were having their monthly Club brunch next weekend, but she just found out it’s today.”

“Okay, well, you have fun with that,” Lexi said taking a seat on top of the bed stubbornly.

“Come on. I can’t leave you. I already told Bekah that you made it here. She’d find it weird if I didn’t bring you along.”

“Jack, I’m not going to some snooty country club with your girlfriend and her parents! How would you explain me? How would you explain why I’m here?”

“Lex, please,” he whined. She just glared harder. No way was he winning this. She had made the mistake of going home with Jennifer, her college dorm mate, for a weekend at the Club her freshman year of college. She had been completely humiliated when the rude, stuck-up, rich members found out that her parents weren’t wealthy. She had utterly refused to go back. A repeat performance was not something she ever wanted to endure.

“No! You can forget it.”

“It will be easy. I’ll just tell them that you’re an old friend of mine who’s here from out of town...which you are,” he added. “We don’t have to give them details. They don’t give a shit about anyone else besides themselves anyway.”

“Oh, that’s real comforting,” she spat back at him.

He strode across the room and stood directly in front of her. “You know what I mean. They aren’t going to care who you are or where you’re from as long as you are with the right people.”

She tilted her head up to look into his face. “And you’re the right people?”

He nodded. “Bekah is the right people.”

Lexi’s stomach rolled at that sound. All she could picture about this girl was some blonde bimbo following daddy’s orders and spending daddy’s money. And, yes, she was certain Bekah was blonde. Jack always dated blondes. Not to mention, her parents were Country Clubbers. She groaned at the thought. No wonder Bekah was so worried about her parents cutting her off from their finances. “I’m not going,” she said crossing her arms and legs at the same time and putting on a determined face.

“Okay, alright, I can’t make you,” he said throwing his hands up. “I’ll call her back and tell her you can’t make it. It would just be for a couple hours, but...whatever.” He turned to walk out of the room.

Lexi shook her head from side to side arguing with herself. Did she really come all this way just to bicker with him? She had come here for him...even if she didn’t really want to admit it. She might as well go along with his charade. “Jack,” she said standing up and catching his arm before he exited.

“Look, Lex, I get it. You’re a different person and blah, blah, blah. But come on, the direction you’re going in life, you could be one of these people someday. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? You could make some useful connections if you decide to head back to the South?” he asked speaking roughly to her. “So stop spouting bullshit. I know why you don’t want to go. I remember what happened with Jennifer. I thought you were better than letting one bad experience cloud your judgment.”

Her jaw clenched as she listened to him rant. She didn’t want to hear any of this. “Ok. Ok. Jesus Christ, Jack, just shut up.” He paused and looked at her expectantly. For a second, she got lost in his gaze. His baby blues clouded over with grey as he let anger take him over. Something about that stare froze her in place.

“Lex?” he asked. She hadn’t even realized he had been speaking. “Were you going to say something or just stare at me?” he asked amused.

“Oh. Oh yeah,” Lexi mumbled recovering. “I was just going to say that I’ll go with you...you know...before you said all that shit.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” she said shifting her weight uncomfortably.

“Well, then, you better change.”

Lexi glared at him. “Are we back here?”

“Well, now that you’ve agreed, you have to change,” he snapped, but his anger was gone. He actually looked bemused that she had caved so easily. She tried to not let that shake her.

Lexi changed tactics. “And what would you like to see me in?” she asked cocking her head to the side and looking at him from beneath her side-swept bangs. The flirtatiousness in her voice was evident, but this was how she and Jack worked. They argued. They made up. They fucked...oh wait...she meant flirted. Damn it!

“We don’t have time for that.” She glanced up at him innocently. “Or that. Now, go put on a sundress. You brought heels right?”

Lexi shrugged. “Fine, whatever, but you know you owe me, right?”

“I always repay my debts. Now go,” he said pushing her into the room. She could imagine this conversation if they were together. He would kiss her softly on the mouth and smack her ass as she went to change. He would follow her and ravish her body before they departed for their afternoon together. She sighed. Then again if they were together, he wouldn’t dare drag her to a stupid Country Club. Oh yeah, and that whole girlfriend problem.

Lexi poured over her dress options. The brown sundress was too short for a Country Club especially if she was going as a guest. That left her to decide between a strapless ivory eyelet dress with a salmon-colored satin belt and a bright green spaghetti strap number that billowed out around her knees. Frustration started to take over as her indecision intensified. She didn’t really want to go to this brunch, and the fact that she had to put so much effort into her outfit made it even worse. Finally, she threw on the ivory dress with a pair of brown peep-toe mules leaving the green dress for a less judgmental audience.