They walked back up to the front of the restaurant just as her name was being called. They were ushered inside to a big red booth. Ramsey took a seat after Lexi, and she held his hand as they ordered drinks and waited for his new business associates. She wasn’t sure what to expect or why he was springing all of this on her so quickly. They had just gotten back together, and they weren’t even official yet or anything. While she was glad that he wanted her to know everything happening in his life, she wasn’t sure how ready she was for the next big step.
“They should be here any minute,” Ramsey said with a megawatt smile for her.
“So, what does the development team do exactly?”
“They mostly make sure we get the project off the ground in the time that we desire. Since my father really wants this medical wing up and running and fully functional within the year, he hired a private company to do a lot of the logistical work.”
Lexi’s mouth popped open. “Within the year? I thought that you didn’t even think this was ever going to get off the ground.”
Ramsey sighed. “My father called me this morning, and after he finished lecturing me about walking out of Bekah’s wedding, he let me know about hiring this new team.”
“When did you have time for a phone call?” Lexi asked.
She was seriously going to have to break him of the habit of hiding things. They had been sleeping together all day and all morning. There had barely been enough time for her to sleep, let alone think of checking her email.
“I woke up before you did.” He shrugged. “Anyway, he wanted me to speak with them this morning, but I told him I wouldn’t be available. I don’t think he’s going to like the discretion he put into my contract.”
Lexi giggled. “Probably not.”
“He said it had to be today though since the pair just flew in from New York.”
“Your dad hired people from New York for this?” Lexi asked, impressed.
“He wanted the best. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. So, yeah, here we are. I could have waited to meet them after you flew back home, but since they’re just here to consult this week, I thought I would start the process as soon as possible. Plus, I really want you to be involved in this, Lexi. I don’t want you to feel like you’re on the outside of anything I’m doing. Since I’m working with…Parker, I don’t want you to think this will mean anything different for us,” Ramsey told her, staring deep into her eyes for emphasis.
She sure hoped he was right.
“So, are we okay? I can include you on all of the planning now? After all, this was all for you.”
“Yes,” Lexi murmured. “I want to be involved. It’ll take some getting used to, but I want to be there for you.”
“Good.” Ramsey brought his lips to hers once more.
Then, drinks were placed before them.
“Are y’all still waiting for two more?” the perky blonde asked, leaning her hip against the table.
“Yes, they should be here any minute. Thank you,” Ramsey said dismissively. “Oh, I would guess that’s them.”
Ramsey pointed out a girl who walked in, wearing a black pantsuit with a pink blouse. Lexi couldn’t believe that the girl could wear black pants and a jacket in this weather. It certainly wasn’t cool enough back home, but here, it was atrocious. She was pretty and about average height without her heels, and she had super straight blonde hair. Lexi didn’t know how the humidity wasn’t making it frizzy. She contemplated asking the blonde for the secret.
The next person who walked in made her stomach drop—not just out of her body, but also to the floor. No, it was more like through the floor. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Only her luck was this terrible.
John.
His hazel eyes landed on hers across the room, and the shock was as evident on his face as it was on hers. She couldn’t even begin to hide it.
He looked really handsome in a black suit with a white shirt and a blue-and-silver striped tie. His dark brown hair was cut short, and he looked very professional. As he approached, she remembered just how tall he was. He wasn’t as tall as Ramsey, but he was close to it. And those shoulders. How had she forgotten those shoulders? Underneath that suit, he had a swimmer’s body with muscular shoulders and a sexy six-pack that cut down to a trim waist. And the tattoos—she hadn’t forgotten those either.
But she had to forget all of that right now, and she needed to remember where she was and what he was doing here.
John was consulting on the Bridges medical wing. She knew he worked at Global International, a leader in the New York business sector. They were a massive conglomerate, specializing in everything from consultation on business development to international business expansion. Whatever John did for the company, Lexi had assumed it was on the international side, which would explain why he was always out of the States. So, what was he doing in Atlanta consulting on the Bridges project?
Ramsey was standing and shaking the blonde’s hand. Lexi hadn’t even noticed. She was too engrossed in the fact that the guy she had slept with—Adam’s brother, the person Ramsey had found out existed only yesterday, the person she was supposed to figure things out with when she got back to New York—was right in front of her in Atlanta.
“Jessica, this is Lexi,” Ramsey said, introducing her to the blonde girl.
“What a pleasure to meet you,” Jessica said.
Lexi shifted her gaze to the other woman and mechanically shook her hand.
How could she fix this? She needed to clue everyone in on the train wreck they had just walked into. Ramsey didn’t know who John was, and John didn’t know who Ramsey was. She was just standing there in the middle, wondering how the hell she could make all of this less embarrassing and awkward.
“Ramsey,” Lexi whispered, turning to face him and dropping Jessica’s hand. She needed to be blunt about the impending collision.
“One second,” he said with a smile. “You must be John. Thanks for consulting with Bridges.”
“Pleasure,” John said, shaking his hand.
Lexi could see the flicker of confusion in John’s eyes, but he was trying to stay professional. If she could just collapse back into the booth and throw her head into her hands, it would be better than what was going on right now.
Instead, she just stood there and waited for her chance to butt in.