Chapter 3

Lexie’s POV

Emily’s BMW came to a stop in the front of a Country Club and the doors were opened by a valet parking attendant. As I stepped out of her sleek black car, I took in the grand entrance to the club and swallowed hard knowing that I couldn’t afford to eat here. Maybe it was a bad idea moving here so soon. Maybe I should have found a job back home, made some money and saved it for a few years before I moved down here so I at least was able to not worry about money every place we went. At this rate the money I had saved from waitressing back home while I was in school was going to be gone by the week’s end.

Emily then appeared by my side and she could always read me so well and said, “Don’t worry it’s my brother’s treat. He always pays when we go out to eat.”

I began to relax a little but I wasn’t Tyler’s sister, I was his sister’s best friend and I’m not so sure that applies to me nor do I think he should be paying for my meals.

Regardless this was happening as Emily took me by the arm locking hers with mine and begins to walk us into the lavish Country Club. Once entering the grand doors that were opened by attendants my mouth dropped as I took in the high ceilings that were dressed in huge chandeliers. I began to count the chandeliers but lost count when Eric and Tyler approach us and I turned to look at the two men standing before us.

“It’s about time you got here, baby. Tyler is going to have me drunk before we eat.” Eric says to Emily and he wraps his arm around her and kisses her on the lips.

Emily then looks at her brother and says, “Tyler.”

“What?” Tyler asks as I noticed he wasn’t paying attention to her but his eyes were locked on me. Emily shakes her head at Tyler and a server comes out and says, “Mr. Conner, your table is ready.”

I almost wanted to look around for Emily’s and Tyler’s father when the server said that but realized quickly that she was speaking to Tyler. Eric wrapped an arm around Emily’s back and began to follow the server. Tyler was still standing looking at me and I wondered what was going on in that head of his until he reached and grabbed my hand like we were a couple and escorted me to our table.

My hand in Tyler’s felt so small and I thought for brief second to retract it from his but I had to admit to myself that it felt amazing in his. Emily and Eric were already seated at our table when Tyler and I arrived and Emily’s eyes immediately went to Tyler’s and my hand interlocked. My face began to blush knowing that she had seen this but she quickly looked at me and smiled as Tyler let go of my hand and pulled my chair out to sit and then he took the chair next to mine.

A server approach us and brought menus out but I seemed to be the only one looking at the menu. There was no pricing on the menu, so I knew right away that this place was expensive. I looked over at Emily who was in a conversation with Eric and I didn’t want to interrupt so I turned to Tyler who was already looking at me and asked, “I don’t know what to order. What is good here?” I ask him and then another server approached the table.

“Mr. Conner it is so nice to see you. Will you all be having the usual?” The young server asks.

“Yes, Anita but make that four specials today and please bring a bottle of our usual.” Tyler told the server and my mouth almost dropped hearing him speak the way he did to her. He wasn’t rude or anything, but he formed a complete sentence with her, and he sounded like a man of importance.

The server then took our menus and I looked over at Tyler in awe after hearing him actually speak. He was already once again looking at me and I was starting to wonder if I even knew the real Tyler. Eric interrupted the stare off that Tyler and I were having and asks, “Did you find an outfit for your interviews this week?”

Quickly I pull my gaze from Tyler and turn to Eric and say, “Yes. I believe I found the perfect dress.”

Emily then comes in on the conversation and says, “She picked the black dress but you should have seen her in the red one.”

“I think the red one was a bit too much for an interview.” I quickly said and I really meant price but they thankfully wouldn’t know that.

“Black is always a sure thing.” Eric then said and I could feel Tyler’s eyes once again on me and for some reason my heart began to race.

A bottle of wine was brought to our table and the server pour us four glass and left the bottle on the table on ice. Emily then raised her glass and said, “To Lexie finding her dream job this week.”

We all raised our glasses and then I took a sip of the wine and it had to be the most delectable taste that had ever hit my tongue and I closed my eyes as I marveled in it. When I opened my eyes I said, “This is wine is amazing.”

“It should be at five hundred dollars a bottle.” Eric says and my hand goes to my stomach as I took a deep breath in realizing what this meal was probably going to cost.

Tyler’s hand moved under the table to my thigh bringing me out of my state of shock about the wine and putting me in a new state of shock as I turned to look at him but this time his eyes weren’t on me and turned to see a tall gentleman that was approaching the table.

“Tyler Conner, I thought that was you.” The man said as he got close to the table.

“Chase.” Is all Tyler said, greeting the man.

The man then turned towards Eric and Emily and said his hellos but then turned back to me and said, “You, now, I haven’t had the pleasure to meet.”

I extended my hand to him and say, “Lexie Thomas.”

Instead of the man shaking my hand he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of my hand and a chill went through my body as goosebumps begin to plague my skin. Tyler then wrapped a possessive arm around my shoulder and the man dropped my hand.

“I’m sorry Tyler. I didn’t know she was yours.” Chase says to Tyler.

Tyler then responds, “Well now you do so there shouldn’t be any more confusion.”

At this point I am so confused on what is going on. Did Tyler just tell this man that I was his? And why does he have his arm wrapped around me like we are a couple?

The server came to the table with our salads thankfully, breaking the stare off match between Tyler and Chase. “I will leave you to your meal. It was a pleasure like always seeing you Tyler and it was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Thomas.” Chase said as he walked away and I couldn’t take my eyes off him till he disappeared from the room.

Tyler’s arm finally retracted from being around my shoulders and I look around the table trying to figure out what just happened. Both Emily and Eric stared at Tyler who was staring back at them. I wanted to ask questions but I didn’t know if this was the right time seeing the looks on their faces.

Emily finally turned and looked at me and smiled and said, “Chase is trouble. You definitely want to steer clear of him.”

“I’ll do that.” I say to her and turn to look at Tyler whose jaw was now twitching and I could tell he really didn’t care for Chase. I wanted to do something to calm him so I placed my hand on his thigh and he quickly turned to look at me and I second guessed what I had just done and went to remove my hand, but he caught it with his and laid his hand over mine on his thigh. I could see the tension in him begin to relax and with my other hand I picked up my fork and began to eat my salad.

We all ate our salads in silence but then as soon as the main course arrived, I could tell everyone began to loosen up and back to their old selves. Maybe it was the wine that we all had or maybe it was because we all didn’t want what happened to ruin our day, but I was happy that the awkwardness of the aftermath was over. I removed my hand from Tyler’s leg so I could use it to cut the prime rib steak that was on my plate. No wonder this was Tyler’s favorite place to eat. I have never had a steak taste so mouthwatering than the one that was on my plate now.

As we are eating Emily looks over at me and says, “Next week you can choose where to eat for your birthday.”

In all honesty I had totally forgotten about my upcoming birthday because I never really celebrated it. “We don’t have to do anything for it. It’s just another day.” I tell her and she gives me the look that I was going to go and celebrate whether I liked it or not. “Fine.” I finally said after her stare didn’t stop. “But you can pick where because I have no clue what restaurants are here.”

“I can do that.” She says with a smile on her face and then I felt Tyler’s hand move to my thigh and I took a deep breath in as it skimmed my bare skin below my skirt. I turned to look at Tyler thinking he would be looking at me but this time he wasn’t he had his glass of wine in his hand as he took a sip of it.

His fingers now gently caressed my skin sending sparks of electricity to my core. Quickly I grabbed my glass of wine and took a big sip of it. I had no clue what this was going on between Tyler and me and I honestly didn’t know how Emily would feel about it if something would transpire. Did I like Tyler? Yes. Have I had a crush on him since I can remember? Yes. But why now? Why after all these years does, he finally shows interest in me? None of this was making any sense to me but I have officially decided to go with the flow and see if this develops into something.