Tied Together (The Cade Siblings Duology #1)

23. Alana

CHAPTER 23

Alana

5 missed calls from Unknown

I groan and throw my phone onto the bedside table. It’s Brad again. I block one number and somehow he gets another one and continues bothering me. Why he is calling me, I have no idea. I don’t want to know. I wish he would stop.

Last night was absolute perfection and I fell asleep thinking about Alex’s hands on me, woke up thinking about it too. Then I saw the five missed calls and the happiness bubble popped.

I throw back the covers and sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I actually slept through the night and feel like I am somewhat adjusted to the time change, which I’m thankful for.

I slide my cold feet into my fluffy pink slippers, grab my robe and mindlessly tie it on while heading to the kitchen for coffee. I can’t think about my ex or work or anything until I have coffee.

I pad into the beautiful black and white kitchen and freeze when I see the back of Alex, facing the coffee pot. The very naked back of Alex.

He’s only wearing a pair of boxers and his back is rippled with muscle. I haven’t ever seen him shirtless, because hello coworker, but wow have I been missing out. I have to physically stop myself from reaching out to touch his sun-kissed skin.

I realize I have been staring for too long when he clears his throat and I notice he’s turned around. Except I can’t look away because oh my word the front of him is more gorgeous than the back.

His abs are defined and his boxers are slung low on his hips, revealing the deep V there. Suddenly I need a glass of ice cold water.

“Earth to Lana?” Alex says, waving his hand in front of my face.

“Um, hey,” I clear my throat. “I mean, good morning. Making coffee?”

He hesitates a second, shooting me a puzzled but amused look. I can only imagine what I look like right now. My hair is always a mess of tangles when I wake up and I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet so there’s probably drool on the side of my mouth. Awesome. This look practically screams the opposite of Hey, Alex. I’m super mysterious and sexy and you should totally have more than friends feelings for me.

Which is absolutely wonderful because I definitely do not want him to think I’m mysterious and sexy and I only want friendship feelings between the two of us. Yep, that is exactly what I want.

He continues on like nothing is amiss.

“Yeah, I just made myself one with the espresso machine. I can make one for you too?”

“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure I can figure out how to use this thing.”

“It’s a little difficult with lots of steps. I really don’t mind.”

“Good because I would have no clue what to do and my need for coffee is higher than my need for independence right now.”

His shoulders shake with his chuckle and I take a seat at the large white marble island, watching his back as he works. He grinds the beans, uses a fancy thing that looks like a stamp to press the grinds down and then he hooks it into place, hits a button and it roars to life.

“Hazelnut latte?”

“Huh?” I ask, shaking my head to try and clear the fog. What is happening to me? I haven’t had a man distract me like this in a long time.

“Do you want a hazelnut latte?”

“Oh, yes, thank you. But can you do it with?—”

“Oat milk?”

I short circuit. About a week ago I switched to oat milk in my coffee instead of almond because the texture is so much better. Brad got me hooked on almond milk when we were dating because of the lower calorie count. That was something he did a lot while we were together and he did it slowly and subtly enough that I didn’t notice until after.

Lower carb breads, light sour cream, reduced fat cheese, sugar free chocolate…the list goes on. A few weeks after I broke up with him I was at the grocery store doing my normal weekly shopping and looked down at my basket only to realize that I had almost exclusively “diet” type foods in my cart. I got so mad.

I started at the front of the store and went all the way back through, placing the items back on the shelf and replacing them with foods that I actually wanted to eat. It was a freeing moment, but it’s pretty crazy to think about how even now the small ways I changed myself for him still linger.

Like almond milk in my coffee. And let me be clear, if you like almond milk in your coffee I am so happy for you. I liked almond milk in my coffee until I tried it with oat milk and now I will never go back to the watered down devils milk ever again.

“How do you know that?” I ask as he pulls out the syrup and oat milk, adding it to a metal tin and steaming it with the steamer on the machine.

“I pay attention,” he answers, and it transports me back to a few weeks ago when he picked up my office for me and everything was in the exact right spot.

He hands over my latte. I take a sip and sigh happily, and it is the most delicious coffee I have ever had. All of my problems automatically disappear.

Brad? Gone.

Work? Easy.

Parents? Who needs ‘em.

Ridiculous sexual tension with your hot coworker who is just a friend and needs to stay just a friend?

Unfortunately the world’s strongest coffee cannot fix that problem.

“Alex. This is incredible. I think I may need you to come make me one of these every morning when we get home. I’m going to get used to them.”

“That can be arranged,” he says with a wink.

He really shouldn’t be winking. It doesn’t help the whole just friends thing.

“So, how should we spend our Saturday?” Hello subject change.

“I don’t have any major plans, but I figured we might do some sightseeing. Grab a bite to eat and maybe stop for some groceries. I think there’s a little market not far from here.”

“That sounds good. Let me get ready and we can head out in about an hour?”

“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”

I walk back down the hallway towards my room and swipe my phone off of the side table. It buzzes with an incoming text and I close my eyes and take a deep breath to try and steady myself.

Unknown

Alana answer the phone. I want to talk to you.

In the past, a text like that would have me obeying immediately, but those days are over. It’s the middle of the night in New York. But I’m not surprised because staying out at the bar until the early morning hours became a habit of his. He’s likely drunk.

Me

Leave me alone, Brad.

I really shouldn’t even give him a response, I know that. He wants to get a rise out of me, he thrives off of it, and with that one text I have given him just enough momentum to continue.

Unknown

Wow. How kind and hospitable of you. I want to speak with you. Be an adult and pick up the phone.

I stare down at the hypocritical words and my phone starts buzzing with an incoming call.

“Ugh. Leave me alone!” I shout at it before tossing it across the room. It flies through the air and almost hits Alex right in the face if not for his incredibly quick reflexes.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, I had no idea you were standing there.” I fall back onto the bed and shut my eyes, willing the problem away. “Just leave me here, I’ll pick the phone up eventually. You can be on your way, nothing to see here.”

I feel the bed dip on my left and I open one eye to peer up at Alex.

“Who is the unknown number?”

I groan again in frustration and realize I’m not getting out of this conversation. He cares way too much and is way too good of a friend to let this go. I haven’t told anyone about the text messages from Brad except Cami and Charlie. I know eventually he will stop, but this is the third number I’ve had to block and I’m just tired of it.

“It’s Brad, my ex.”

“That guy seems pretty awful.”

“You could say that. His last name is Butte. B-U-T-T-E. I don’t know why I ever gave him the time of day to be honest.”

“No, it isn’t,” Alex says with wide eyes.

“It is.”

We both sit there staring at each other for a second, and then burst out in laughter at the exact same time. He falls back onto the bed next to me, holding his stomach as he laughs. Tears prick my eyes, but what starts out as laughter slowly morphs into real tears and now I’m crying. Great .

“Lanie.” Alex’s tone is pleading. I can tell he doesn’t like seeing me this way. He is a fixer and has been trying to fix ever since we started this Paris journey together. It goes against everything I’ve been preaching to myself since my breakup to let him in, to let him care for me.

Charlie and Cami love me, but they have their own lives going on too. They do what they can and love me through the hard times but I purposely push them away sometimes so they don’t feel like I have to lean on them 24/7. They don’t deserve that.

It’s made our friendships and relationships healthy because they aren’t in danger of ever crossing into the codependent territory, but it makes me feel like I don’t have my person who is there for me no matter what. I thought that was Brad at one point, but boy was I wrong.

Alex is starting to feel like that person and that scares me.

He brings his hands up to cup my cheeks and swipes his thumbs under my eyes to wipe away the tears.

“I’m sorry, I don’t even know why I’m crying. It’s just some dumb texts and he won’t stop calling. I haven’t had to deal with him since I broke up with him and I guess seeing him again and hearing from him constantly is catching up with me.”

“He won’t leave you alone?” Alex asks. His demeanor suddenly changes and he goes stiff.

I nod my head and sniff, trying to stop the flow of tears. “I keep blocking the numbers, but he gets new ones.”

He is about to say something else, but he is cut off by my phone buzzing again in between us.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. The balls on this guy,” he says with a shake of his head. “I’m going to answer this.”

“No, Alex, please don’t. I told you before, I’m a big girl. I can handle my own problems. I’ve got this.”

“You clearly don’t if he isn’t leaving you alone.”

The hurt and shock in my features must cause him to rethink the words he just said, because he backpedals.

“That isn’t what I meant.” He runs his hands through his hair in frustration. The phone stops buzzing.

“Then what did you mean? Because it sounded to me like you don’t think I can handle my problems on my own.”

“That’s not what I think at all, Lanie. You can handle any problem that comes your way. What I mean is, Brad is clearly not the type of guy to take no for an answer and that isn’t your fault. You’ve been blocking the numbers and that’s all you can do, all you’re in control of.” He takes a breath before continuing. “I know you can handle this on your own, but that doesn’t mean you have to.”

“You can’t do everything for me. We talked about this.”

“I know I can’t and I wouldn’t want to. You’re your own person, but let me help where I can.” The phone starts buzzing again and I take a deep breath. “Please, let me help you with this? I’m just going to tell him to leave you alone.”

I sigh and stare at the ringing phone. What’s the worst that could happen? I never let anyone help me with anything. Maybe it’s time I start trying.

“Okay,” I whisper.

Alex swipes his thumb across the screen to answer the phone and holds it up to his ear without speaking. The volume is loud enough, and so is Brad, that I can hear him even though it isn’t on speakerphone.

“You don’t have to be such a bitch, Alana. I call and you pick up the phone. That’s how this works,” he shouts. Alex’s jaw clenches at the name Brad calls me and I feel bad for dumping this on him. The fact that Brad is acting like we never split and he has a right to demand my attention is appalling and frustrating.

“Bradley. Nice to hear from you.” Alex’s voice is eerily calm.

“Who is this?” I hear Brad ask.

“That doesn’t matter. I’m going to need you to stop calling my girl.”

“My girl?” I mouth at Alex, eyes wide. What is he doing?

“Let me speak to Alana,” I hear Brad demand.

“Can’t let you do that Bradley. You call or text her again, and we’re going to have an issue. Got that?”

Is it hot in here? Did someone turn on the heater?

“Listen here you?—”

“Glad to hear we understand one another. Have the day you deserve,” Alex replies, cutting him off and ending the call.

He hands me my phone and stands like nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Meanwhile, I am reeling.

“What was that?” I ask.

“What do you mean? Hopefully he’ll stop bothering you now.”

“Well he would be an idiot not to. What with the ‘we’re going to have an issue’,” I say, lowering my voice and mimicking his.

“I do not sound like that,” Alex says with a roll of his eyes.

"So not the point. He definitely thinks you’re my boyfriend.”

“Sorry, sunshine. Didn’t think, just said it. I figured he would be less likely to keep bothering you if he thought you were with someone.”

Sunshine? What is happening?

I reach for my coffee and take a huge sip, hoping it will bring me back to reality because there’s no way I’m currently in it.

“If he gets in contact with you again, I need you to let me know. Okay?”

I nod and Alex walks out of the room, leaving me to get ready. I hear his door slam behind him and I wince. I can tell he’s off, likely frustrated by the conversation we just had, and part of me wants to go to him and check on him, but something holds me back.

I stand and pace the room, trying to decide the best course of action. He’s been there for me so much these last few weeks, I ought to return the favor at some point.