Trust in Advertising (69 page)

“Want to go for a drive with me?”

“Someplace quiet, so we can talk?” she suggested softly as he opened her door.

“You read my mind.”

Once Lexi was tucked into the passenger seat, Vincent slipped into the car beside her and lowered the top on the Lotus, knowing how much she’d loved 415

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that on their last drive together. Her smile was all the encouragement he needed before he sped out onto the highway and drove them along the coast.

The ride was quiet. Lexi seeming to enjoy the sun, the wind, and the scenery as they sped for miles. Once they hit the open road, Vincent reached over and took her hand, his thumb feathering across her skin. He eventually pulled off the road and found a small supply shop where he purchased a large blanket and some cold drinks, then he jumped back in and drove a few more miles north until he found a secluded beach were they could stop and talk. He parked near a tiny footpath that meandered through the shrubbery before finally spilling onto the white, sandy beach. They both kicked off their shoes and walked hand in hand toward the water. When they found a good spot, near a large log, Vincent spread the blanket out and offered Lexi a bottle of water.

She sat down and patted the space beside her. “Sit with me?”

He took off his suit jacket, untucked his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves, getting comfortable before joining her on the blanket. The wind came off the water and blew her hair back. She leaned back against the log and watched as the waves rolled onto the sand a few feet in front of them. Taking his place beside her, he pulled Lexi against his chest. For the longest time they just sat there, quietly enjoying one another’s company before they began what would certainly be a difficult discussion. Lexi was the first to ask a question.

“This has been driving me crazy. Where the hell were you today? You’re never late to a meeting, let alone a presentation. You always arrive at these things at least a half hour early, and traffic wasn’t that bad.”

Vincent smiled sheepishly. “I had to make a stop on the way. There was something I had to get.”

“You were shopping?” She didn’t even try to hide her shock. “You left me, a complete nobody, to give the biggest presentation in Hunter history, so you could shop?”

“
Technical y
no, I had already shopped for said item two days earlier. Today I was merely picking it up. And you are not a nobody. You’re a very talented woman who just needed a chance to prove it, not only to some very influential clients, but to herself.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine, I wasn’t only shopping. I also might have stopped for a cup of coffee across the street. I figured that way
if
you needed me, which I knew you wouldn’t because you’re always so prepared, I could get there in time. If not, I could enjoy a nice cup of coffee and show up fashionably late.”

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“But the boards—I needed those.” Lexi punched him in the shoulder.

“Please, you didn’t need those until about fifteen minutes into the presentation. If you noticed, I showed up at exactly the five minute mark. I chatted with the receptionist for a while before I came into the room, so really, I was probably there from the moment you started. You just didn’t know it.”

“You were late on purpose?” He nodded his head. “So you basically gave me the Marradesi presentation?”

“I didn’t give you anything. You worked on it just as much as I did. All I did was
trust
you with it.” Lexi’s brows furrowed together as she listened. “I’m sorry. I know when you needed me to trust you, I let you down in the worst way. Today I tried to prove to you that I did actually trust you by stepping out of the way and letting you run the show.” He playfully poked her arm. “You did a hell of a job, you know.” He held his breath when she didn’t say anything. “I screwed up again, didn’t I? I know I probably went about it all wrong, but I—”

Lexi’s fingers covered his lips to silence his babbling. His whole body tensed until he saw her lips curl up into a smile. “That is probably the nicest, most underhanded, selflessly brave thing anyone has ever done for me. Don’t ever do it again, but thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he forced out from behind her fingers, still unsure if she was going to get angry.

When she sensed his apprehension, Lexi quickly continued. “Your heart was in the right place. You were also right. If you would have asked me to do the entire presentation, I would have said no. You suggested it yesterday and I refused, because I didn’t think I could do it. Honestly, it was the opportunity of the lifetime, and I thank you for it. I never thought I could pull something like that off in a million years.” She sat up straight, nearly bouncing with excitement.

“It was so exciting and terrifying. But more exciting than terrifying, I think. I had all this adrenaline in my system. I think I still do. Is it always like that?”

Vincent smiled as she rapidly relived every moment of the meeting. She asked his opinion on certain aspects of her performance and he gave her honest feedback, which she seemed to appreciate. He shared a few things Paolo and Dante had mentioned at lunch that they would need to tweak, but overall the presentation was a huge success, thanks in no small part to Lexi.

A quiet moment turned into an awkward silence that sent Vincent’s pulse racing. Things were going too well. He had no idea what she was going to say next, and this whole day could be one last happy moment shared between them 417

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before she said her final goodbye. He braved a glance at her and found her deep in thought.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out in a total panic.

She simply smiled in return and whispered, “I love you.” There was such tenderness as she said the words, and everything stopped in that moment for Vincent. No more waves crashed against the sandy beach, no wind blew, no birds squawked, and no cars whizzed down the highway behind them. There was only Lexi. She loved him.

“You do?” He didn’t even try to hide how dumbfounded he felt or how amazed he was that someone as wonderful as Lexi would love someone as flawed as he was. She deserved the world, and he wanted the opportunity to give that to her.

“Of course I do. That crush in high school wasn’t so small. It was actually pretty big, hence my ability to recall every single detail about you, your life, and food preferences. Truthfully, I’ve thought about you almost every day for ten years. I couldn’t drive by Riverdale High without looking at the space where you used to park that ugly car you had.”

He clutched his chest in horror. “You did not just mock my car seconds after telling me you loved me. That was a cool car.”

“Only because you drove it.” Lexi laughed, then became serious again. “I think I’ve always known it was you.”

“I wish I could remember you from back then, but every time I try, I draw a blank.”

Lexi chuckled. “I’m glad you don’t remember me. I wasn’t ready for you then. I had so much to learn about life, about myself, about the world around me before we were meant to cross paths. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

There was such love in her eyes as she poured her heart out. He had to touch her. His fingers locked with hers as she spoke, and his lips brushed against her forehead. He was desperate to feel close to her.

“I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted back then.” She squeezed his hand and smiled. “But I’ve grown up a lot, and I know what I want now.” She was self-assured and calm as she spoke. There was no uncertainty or doubt in her decision, just determination. “I want you, Vincent. I want to try with you.

I’ve thought a lot about this.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything. But there are some things we need to talk about, and I want to be totally honest with you.”

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“You can tell me anything.”

He felt her hands tremble as she took a steadying breath and allowed the words to come. “When you didn’t believe me that night at the fashion show, it broke my heart. I’ve stood by you since day one and have never given you a reason to question me or my loyalty. But, out of nowhere, Jade plants her little poisonous seeds in your head, and the first time my commitment to you or Hunter is called into question, you believed the she-wolf in trashy clothing rather than me, Lexi, the one who was always at your side, looking out for you, helping you.”

Lexi’s foot began tapping nervously as her emotions continued to flare. “I can’t even think about her, even now, or I see your face and remember the angry way you spoke to me that night, the things you said …” Vincent reached out and squeezed her hand, not saying a word, just offering her some reassurance and a silent apology. “It’s going to take some time for me to get over that. I’m not trying to punish you for it. I even understand why you reacted that way.

I know you better than you know yourself. You’re a complex man, one with a gentle heart that you hide behind that pit bull exterior of yours. I love that part of you, the real Vincent. And I love the broken side of you, the man who has been so terribly damaged in the past that at times he can’t function. I want to hold him in my arms and cry with him. But I think you need to do some work to fix that part of you so that old misery doesn’t create new.”

“I don’t deserve you,” Vincent whispered, his lips pressing against the top of her head as he peered out over the water, unable to look her in the eye.

She placed her tiny hands on his cheeks and pulled his face to hers, needing him to see her. “I won’t lie to you. We aren’t going to ride off into the sunset together and have everything fixed overnight. I know that, and I think you do too. But I’m willing to work at it, if you are. I do love you. I mean that with every cell in my body, every breath that I take. I think you’re worth it; I think we’re worth it. I think you could be the great love of my life, Vincent Drake.”

It had been torturous to hear what his actions had done to her. He wished he could go back in time and relive that moment and change the past for the better. But mistakes were a part of life, especially for Vincent. He needed to learn his lesson and then move on so that Lexi’s pain would not be in vain. She was right. He did let an old hurt ruin what they had, and if he didn’t do something about it, there was a chance it could happen again. He needed to let go of the past and focus on his future … with Lexi.

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“I love you, Alexandra White. You are the miracle that walked into my life not once but twice, and I’m not going to let you go. I can’t. You’re a part of me now.” His thumb wiped the tears that began to fall from her eyes. “I will never forgive myself for hurting you, but I promise that I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. We can take it slow. I can give you space and time as long as I know you love me. Wherever you are is home to me.” Vincent shifted and knelt beside Lexi and pressed his lips gently to hers, tasting the salt of her tears. “We have been given this once in a lifetime opportunity, and if you let me, I will love you until my dying breath.”

Lexi threw her arms around his neck and nuzzled her face against his shoulder and cried. Tears of joy mixed with tears of sorrow as every emotion she had kept bottled up her entire life came spilling out in a tidal wave. She cried for her mother, for Harry, she cried for the childhood she lost and the love she had gained with Vincent. Angry tears fell over Vincent’s betrayal, and hopeful tears were shed to celebrate their new beginning.

When the tears stopped, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The burden of her sadness replaced with the lightness of hope. Her anger was released, and love filled her body as she watched the man beside her, the one who cradled her in his arms and whispered words of love and devotion to her through it all. The man who promised to love her, always.

They stayed on the blanket and watched the colors of the sunset shimmer on the ocean, the reds and oranges painting the sky above them. When the last ray of light was extinguished and the moon began to glow in the newly born night sky, they packed up their things and started their journey back home.

When they got back to Lexi’s apartment, Vincent could tell from the way she had been gnawing at her bottom lip that something was still on her mind.

He asked if he could walk her to her door, which she thankfully agreed to. He wanted to find out what was wrong, and he still had a gift to give her.

Once inside, she kicked off her shoes and laid her purse on the kitchen table.

Vincent led her to the couch and pul ed her down beside him. She stayed nestled in his arms, stil clearly distracted as her knee bobbed up and down at a furious rate.

“Talk to me,” Vincent whispered against her cheek.

She seemed scared and uncertain, so rather than push her into talking, he decided to give her the gift he had been carrying around all day, waiting for the perfect time to give it to her. He dug his hand deep into his pocket and pulled a small, wrapped box out and placed it on her leg.

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“What is that?” Lexi’s entire body stiffened as she looked at the box like it might explode if she even dared to breathe.

“A present. It was from my big shopping excursion today. Open it.”

“You really didn’t have to.”

He took the box off her leg and ripped off the scrap of ribbon and paper, crushing the remains in the palm of his hand. This time, he put the unwrapped box into her hand. “Please, open it.”

With shaky hands Lexi managed to pry it open and gasped. Inside the box was an exquisite gold necklace with two interlocked hearts hanging from it, diamonds sparkling along the outer edges of the pendants. Attached to it was a note that said, “My heart is yours.”

“Oh, Vincent.” Lexi’s eyes filled with tears.

She held the case out to him, and Vincent quickly had the necklace out of the box and around her neck. The pendants dangled against her chest, the hearts forever linked.

“Thank you. It’s amazing.” Her hand kept reaching up and touching the hearts, her finger tracing their outline as she sat contentedly beside him. When he felt her take a deep breath and heard her sigh, he knew she had finally worked up the courage to tell him what was on her mind, what the last unsettled detail between them was.