Business as Usual (Off The Subject) (33 page)

Perhaps he’s one of those little rich boys who doesn’t like to be told no. I wish I knew what he planned to do with Alexa. I stiffen. I have a good idea. Let the motherfucker try.

I leave class early and jog across campus to make sure I’m at Alexa’s class when she gets out, but the room is empty. My heart slams against my ribcage. Where is she? I’m about to panic when I see her at the end of the hall talking to her friend, the one I saw at the bar with her after the play.

I take a deep breath to calm myself, then head toward her.

A smile lights up her face when she catches sight of me.

“You got out early,” I say, stating the obvious.

“You too, I see.” She turns to her friend. “Sylvia, this is Ben. Ben, Sylvia.”

Sylvia is clearly evaluating me and she seems to approve.

“You work with Alexa on the charity, don’t you?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

Alexa turns to me with a grimace. “I told Sylvia I would eat lunch with her today to work on the charity dating auction.”

“How about all three of us have lunch together?” I suggest.

Alexa looks worried. “You don’t have to do that, Ben.”

Sylvia waves her hand. “We can talk about it another time.”

“No, this will be great. You guys can work on your auction stuff and Sylvia can grill me.” I wink. “Isn’t that what a girl’s friends do when they meet the new man in her life?”

Alexa laughs and kisses me. “Have I told you how amazing you are?”

I wink. “No, but since I already know, it’s okay.”

She rolls her eyes, then takes my hand. “We were just going to eat in the student union.”

“Sounds good to me.”

We head to the student union and find an empty table after getting our lunch. I take a seat and Alexa sits next to me, with Sylvia across from us. I stay quiet while Alexa and Sylvia discuss the auction. They have almost everything set up, but they still don’t have enough participants for the auction.

“Lexi was supposed to ask you to be a bachelor.” Sylvia says. “Instead she kept you for herself.”

“I didn’t go after Ben,” Alexa says. “He went after me.”

“It’s true,” I tell Sylvia. “But she dazzled me with her beauty and her charm, so I didn’t stand a chance.”

Alexa rolls her eyes.

“Well, we still need someone to represent the math and engineering department,” Sylvia says.

I shrug. “I know a few guys who would do it.”

Sylvia leans forward, her voice stern. “They have to be cute. No geeky nerds.”

“That’s discriminatory,” I tease. “But the two guys I’m thinking of have no problem getting dates. I have a class with both of them tomorrow. I’ll ask.”

Sylvia seems pleased and hints that if I want to fix her up with one of them, she’s open to it.

After lunch, I walk Alexa to her next class. “You go to the charity after this, right?”

“Yeah, but I can get a ride from someone else, Ben. You don’t have to take me.”

“I already told you I want to go. I might get to see Kyle there.”

I cut my next class and call Uncle Tony to tell him why I need to skip work tonight. He tells me he has it covered. Britt has hinted that she needs some extra hours, but I worry it has something to do with her sleaze-ball ex who’s recently reemerged from somewhere dark and creepy.

One problem at a time, Masterson.

Next I call the Hillsdale police department to find out if there’s anything Alexa can do legally to stop Millhouse. They tell me she can file a restraining order, but a vague threat over the phone isn’t enough of an incentive.

Which means we’re on our own.

I’m nervous as we drive to the charity. I hope Kyle will be there, although I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t be. He’s been going to the afterschool program since I started college four years ago. But I haven’t seen Kyle since Christmas. Will he be angry? It hasn’t been by my choice, but he doesn’t necessarily know that.

When we pull into the parking lot, I study the buildings that make up the charity. They’ve purchased five older houses and converted them into their headquarters. Alexa heads for the office, the farthest building on the left, and I follow along. The director greets her with a smile, which is when I realize something.

Everyone loves Lexi Pendergraft.

Including me.

I expect the realization to shock me. I’ve never been in love before, and there’s no arguing the fact that I haven’t known her very long, but I know enough about her to know I’m damn lucky to be part of her life.

Alexa introduces me to the director as a fellow Southern student. “I think Ben would really like to go to the tutoring center to see his brother while we talk, if that’s okay.”

“Who’s your brother?” she asks.

“Kyle Masterson.”

She beams. “Kyle is such a delight. I’ll call the center to tell them you’re heading over.” When she completes the call, she takes me to the front porch and points. “It’s the house on the end. You can’t miss it.”

“Thank you.” I give Alexa a smile before I leave.

One of the volunteers is a girl I know from school. In fact, several of the staff members are Southern students. “So you’re Kyle’s brother?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s going to be excited to see you. He talks about you all the time.” She leads me past several rooms and stops at what used to be a large bedroom. Now it contains a table with student-sized chairs, along with about eight students and a volunteer who’s working with two of them.

I see him before he sees me. He’s bent over the table, pencil in hand, as he fills out a worksheet. My breath catches in my throat and I suddenly worry how he’ll react. Will he accuse me of abandoning him?

But when he finally looks up, his face just about bursts with happiness. “Ben!” He jumps out of his seat and nearly tackles me. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

The volunteer leads Kyle and me to the kitchen so we can talk privately. She winks at me after handing him two pudding cups and a plastic spoon. “Just don’t tell the other kids or there’s bound to be a riot.”

Kyle sits across from me at a small table, working on opening his first pudding cup. He looks so much older than when I saw him last. How could I have missed so much in two months?

“How’s fifth grade going?” I ask.

His upper lip curls. “Okay, I guess. Math sucks since you’re not around to help me with it. Susanna Baker has a crush on me,” he says out of nowhere.

I cross my arms and watch him. “Is that a good thing or a bad one?”

He shudders. “It’s gross.”

“Good. You have a few years left before girls will become a serious issue for you.” I pause and continue watching him, drinking in his presence. “I hear you’re rocking the basketball court.”

He looks up in surprise.

I grin. “I have my sources.”

“Coach Tucker told me that he saw you.”

“I wish I could come and watch you play, but I work one of my new jobs on Saturday mornings.”

He shrugs. “It’s okay.”

“No,” I say firmly. “It’s not. But I want you to know how much I’d like to be there.”

“Thanks.” He takes two bites, then keeps his gaze on the pudding cup as he says, “I really miss you, Ben.”

A lump fills my throat. “I miss you too, bud.”

He takes another bite and sniffs.

Even though Dad turned his back on me after my arrest, I realize now that I handled things badly as well. I was so mad about his lack of support that I let our relationship slip, which took my brother from me too. There’s plenty of blame to go around. “I’m going to talk to dad to see if I can spend some time helping you with math.”

He stares at me with eyes wide with hope.

“I’m going to talk to dad about a lot of things.”

“I think he misses you, but he won’t tell me why you guys are fighting.”

“We said some stupid things to each other. We both thought we were right and neither of us apologized. You were caught in the middle, and I’m sorry for that.” I pause and lean forward, lowering my voice. “And for the record, I miss him too.” And I’m surprised I mean it. My father isn’t a touchy-feely guy, but we became close in our own way after my mother left. It’s funny how differently I’m looking at things now that I know Alexa.

We’re talking about what he’s been up to at school when Alexa walks in the back door, her hair windblown, her cheeks pink from the cool breeze. I give her a bright smile as she approaches us and sits in the chair between Kyle and me.

I sit up straighter. “Kyle, I’d like for you to meet someone. This is my friend Alexa.”

He shrugs. “I’ve seen her before. Only she’s not Alexa. She’s Lexi.”

Alexa laughs and looks surprised. “I didn’t realize any of the kids knew my name. Caroline is usually the hands-on person, while I’m more behind the scenes.”

Kyle shrugs again, looking unimpressed.

“Well, I bet when you saw her before you didn’t know she was my girlfriend.”

His eyes bug out and he gives Alexa a big smile before looking back at me. “I like her. She’s a lot nicer than your old girlfriend.”

“You’ve got that right, bud.”

Our exchange piques Alexa’s interest, but she doesn’t ask any questions. We stay for about ten more minutes and Alexa quizzes Kyle on what living with me was like. “It was awful when he moved out a few years ago. He used to do all the laundry and cooking because Dad sucks at it. So Ben would come home every Sunday and hang out with me and we’d do the laundry together and cook dinners for the week.” A scowl puckers his mouth. “Until around Thanksgiving. Now he never comes home.”

Alexa shoots me a grin. “I know Ben’s pretty busy with all his new jobs, but maybe we could come help out sometime. Then we could hang out.”

I’m nervous that Kyle’s going to contradict her timeline. The coming around stopped before the new jobs, but he ignores it.

“That would be awesome!”

When we leave, Kyle gives me a long bear hug. He pulls away and stands on his tiptoes. “I think Dad would like Lexi,” he whispers.

I grin and rub the top of his head. “Me too.”

After Alexa and I get in the car, I sit behind the wheel for a moment to get my shit together. I really miss my little brother, and I’ve only realized how much right this moment.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I haven’t seen my Kyle since Christmas.”

Her mouth drops open. “How is that possible? You live in the same town.”

“My dad and I had a huge fight. But seeing Kyle has reminded me that some things are worth eating humble pie for. I’m going to go see my dad and apologize.”

Her hand covers mine. “Do you know how many people are never able to do that? I’m so proud of you, Ben.”

Her statement could have been condescending, but it’s anything but. I give her a soft kiss. “Thanks. Now let’s go eat dinner. I’ll cook but we have to stop at the store on the way home.”

“What do you plan on making?” she asks.

“Hot dogs.”

She laughs. “Sounds perfect.”

Lexi

I could get used to this.

True to his word, Ben buys hot dogs and buns, baked beans and coleslaw. When he tells me his roommates will be gone at an overnight gaming party, I suggest we hang out at his place.

“No, Reed will feel better if you’re home when he gets there.”

I have to admit he’s right, but I’m worried that Reed will overreact to how quickly Ben has become a part of my life. But whether tonight or tomorrow, I have to face it sometime so I might as well get it over with.

While Ben’s preparing the food, we play another round of “What’s your favorite…?” and I tell him that my favorite TV show is Sherlock.

“Which one?” he asks.

“The one with Benedict Cumberbatch. Caroline got me hooked on it.”

“Never seen it.”

“This must be rectified.” So we eat our hot dogs on paper plates and watch a full episode of Sherlock before Ben grins and declares it’s time for dessert. His hand skims up my waist and an anticipatory shiver runs up my spine.

I laugh. “I’m surprised you lasted this long.”

“I don’t want you to think I only want you for your body.” He lowers his mouth to my neck. “Even if it’s true.”

Ben makes me give him my “ground rules” as he calls them—a list of things that make me anxious and uncomfortable—before we even remove any of our clothes. He smooths the hair away from my face. “I never want you to feel uncomfortable with me. If you ever do, you have to promise to tell me immediately, okay?”

I nod.

“Good, now I get to ravage your body.”

We spend the next hour in my bed. After we’ve made love, I catch Ben checking the clock.

“Don’t be so nervous about facing Reed,” I say. “Granted he might not be nice at first, but he’ll learn to accept you.”

He kisses my temple. “Yeah.” But he sounds distracted.

We get dressed and go back out into the living room. Ben looks like he’s preparing for his execution.

“Ben, if you’re this nervous, you don’t have to talk to him tonight. We’ll do it some other time.”

“No.” He’s emphatic. “I’m staying.”

Ben puts his arm around my back and I lean into him, snuggling against his side. I doze off as we watch TV, but when the front door starts to open, I rouse. Ben sits up, his body stiff.

Reed slams into the apartment, livid. He points a shaking finger at Ben and shouts, “Get the
fuck
away from my sister!”

I’m instantly awake. “Reed!”

Ben stands and clenches his hands at his sides. “Reed, I know it looks bad, but I can explain.”

Reed bolts across the room and grabs a handful of Ben’s shirt, jerking him forward.

“
Reed!
” I jump up and grab his arm. “Stop!”

“Do you know?” he asks me, his face red. Veins bulge on neck. He looks like he’s about to have a stroke.

“Know
what
? What are you talking about?”

“Your
boyfriend
here is a
rapist
.”

“
What?
” I drop my hand from his arm in shock, and just like that, Reed is dragging Ben across the room. “Reed!
Stop!
”