Tied Together (The Cade Siblings Duology #1)

45. Alana

CHAPTER 45

Alana

It’s the night of the company Christmas party and I’m on a video call with Cami, trying to decide what to wear. I’ve cycled through most of my outfits and I haven’t had time to go shopping since we found out about the party, so I don’t have many options.

“Are you sure you don’t have anything else?” she asks, sounding a bit annoyed by my lack of preparation. “I told you to bring more formal wear.”

I glare into the tiny screen propped up on the bathroom counter. Alex is in the living room working on a few things while I get ready. He’s wearing a pair of black trousers with a ribbed and collared back sweater. He looks delicious and I’d love nothing more than to skip this party and spend the whole night here with him, but we need to make an appearance at least.

“Yes, I’m sure. I wasn’t expecting a party like this.”

“Wait!” she yells into the phone. “What about that red Valentino mini dress?”

“Oh my gosh you’re right.” Instant relief floods me as I go sifting through the closet and find the garment bag hanging in the very back. It’s the same color as the closet itself, so when I looked before I totally missed it. “This is perfect. Thank you for convincing me to bring it.”

I unzip the bag and look down at the beautiful dress. The bows on the shoulders make me smile, because it seems like bows are Alex and I’s thing, and I pull it out of the bag and hang it on the back of the door.

We have this invisible connection, and when I think back to the last year of my life working with him I think that’s been true the whole time. Obviously not always in a romantic way, but it’s always felt like we were connected. What started as a friendship has slowly grown into more, and now I feel like he knows me better than I know myself and vice versa.

I go back to curling my hair while Cami paints her toes at home. It’s around five thirty in the evening here, which means it’s lunch time at home. She took the day off today, so it’s been nice to be able to video chat with her. Most of the time it’s quick texts and phone calls late into the evening for one or both of us.

“Things are still going well with Alex?”

I filled Cami in after the whole Come here, Alana moment (I still get chills thinking about it) and I’ve been keeping her updated since then. She, of course, boasted about how she was right and she knew he was into me and blah blah blah. It’s been nice to have someone to talk to about all of it.

“Things are really good, Cam. I think I’m starting to fall for him.”

Her answering smile is ear to ear and I can’t help but return it with one of my own.

“I’m really so proud of you, Lan. I know it was hard easing back into something after he who shall not be named, but you did it. You’re thriving and you deserve every single good thing that man is going to give you.”

“I love you,” I respond, wishing desperately that I could be with her physically right now.

“I love you, bestie friend. Now go get ready and send me a picture of the two of you later.”

“Will do, talk to you later.”

“Bye.”

After I finish my hair and makeup I slip on my dress and start to leave the room, I see the pink and red bow on the counter out of the corner of my eye. I hold it up to the dress, realizing the colors match perfectly. I reach back and fasten it into my hair, smiling at the way it makes me feel to wear something he got for me.

I head to the living room in search of my assistant to zip me up. Upon entering the room, his jaw is slack and his eyes wide as he stares at me.

“You’ve got to be joking, Alana. You’re stunning.”

I blush and turn my back to him.

“Zip me up?” He stands quickly and comes straight to me. I turn and I feel his fingertips touching my hair and the bow almost reverently. He presses kisses up my back and slowly drags the zipper up, leaving goosebumps in his wake. “You keep that up and we won’t make it to the party,” I whisper through giggles.

He chuckles darkly and buries his head in the spot where my neck meets my shoulder, kissing me there. “I don’t think that’s the threat you think it is, sunshine. You smell incredible, is this a new perfume?”

I hum something like mmhmm and tip my head back to give him better access. Eventually he pulls away and saves us both by stepping back and gathering my purse for me. I take it in a daze and sigh happily, taking his arm and following him out of the flat.

The party is being held at a nearby hotel in one of their ballrooms, and it’s more extravagant than I anticipated so I’m thankful Alex and I dressed more formally, because we would stick out like a sore thumb if we hadn’t.

He’s been by my side all night, which I’m thankful for, and we’ve been introduced to more people than I can count. There’s no way I’ll remember even half of these names, but I don’t think I even need to.

We’re gathered around a small cocktail table with Amélie and a few other staff members from the magazine, sipping our drinks and having casual conversation. I spend some time gazing around the room and taking in the various decorations. It’s beautiful here. There are real spruce trees scattered all throughout the space, giving it a natural holiday scent, and each tree is decorated with warm white lights and gold ornaments.

There are presents under each tree, covered in beautiful gold and white wrapping paper and topped with bows. It makes me want to sit near one and shake them to see if I can guess what, if anything, is inside. I’m reminded of years with my brother doing that exact thing.

“Right, Lan?” Alex asks and I snap my head towards him, trying to remember what was just asked. “We’re eager to get home and get back to work?” he helps.

“Oh, yes absolutely. We’ve loved our time here, but I’m certainly missing home,” I say with a diplomatic smile.

“We will be sad to see the two of you go, I have to say,” Amélie chimes in. “Especially you, Alex.” He blushes at the attention and tips his head at her in a thank you.

I place my hand on Alex’s bicep and he looks down at me with such sincere love in his eyes. I know he hasn’t told me yet, but I’m pretty sure I know he feels how special what we have is. We haven’t gone public with our relationship yet, but I’m sure the people around us can tell by the way we’re practically joined at the hip.

“I’m going to use the ladies’ room.”

“Let me walk you there,” he says and starts to turn away from the table.

“No, I’m alright. It’s just right out in the hallway, you stay here. I’ll be right back.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Come right back.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Ashford.” I wink at him and don’t miss the way his eyes heat. I head out of the ballroom and into the bathroom, releasing a sigh of relief when it’s empty. I need a second to breathe and not be forced to plaster on a smile.

I stand at the mirror for a few minutes and touch up my makeup. Reaching for my phone, I realize I left it at the table with Alex, so I turn and head into one of the stalls. A few moments later I hear the door open and decide I shouldn’t hide out in here too much longer.

I’m getting ready to leave the stall when I hear someone who sounds very much like Genevieve. She’s speaking in English to whoever else is out there, and at first I don’t question that, but a few moments later it becomes clear to me why.

“You should have seen the last article she gave us,” she laughs bitterly. “First, she lies and says I told her to write about winter skincare routines. Why would I ever tell her to do that? That is so last year.”

I roll my eyes at the stall door, bracing myself for whatever else she’s about to say. I’m determined to not let her get to me. All she wants is to make me second guess myself, and I have been working so hard these last few weeks to stop doing that very thing.

“Then, she hands in the correct article and it’s a disaster. There are countless errors and her writing is une catastrophe. ” Don’t have to know French to understand that one. “I don’t even know how she got this job. She clearly has no idea how to do it well.”

Ouch. It seems she knows exactly where to hit. I feel the familiar sting of tears welling up in my eyes and my breathing starts to pick up. I notice the early signs of a panic attack, and I’m reminded of the moment with Alex in the office.

“Come on, trust me. I’ll count, you breathe.”

I take a breath, 1-2-3-4.

“That’s my girl, now hold it for seven seconds.” I count in my head. “Now slowly let it out for eight seconds. Okay, good. Let’s do it again, breathe in.”

I practice the breathing exercises and it allows me to force the panic and the tears back. I will not let her get to me.

“And to think she has that stupid boy wrapped around her finger. Give me five minutes and I bet you I can get him to go home with me.”

At that, I decide I’ve heard enough. She knows I’m in here and I’m done playing her game. She doesn’t get to speak about Alex like that. I take a deep breath, then push out of the stall, letting the door slam closed behind me. I walk up to the mirror, pull out my lip gloss, and begin touching up my lips.

“Hello ladies.” I say it nonchalantly, like I had no idea they were even there. I can tell Genevieve is annoyed that she didn’t get the reaction that she wanted out of me. Too bad. I refuse to fall prey to her schemes. I’m too strong for that.

They don’t reply, but I don’t need them to. I’ve made my point. I turn and head out of the bathroom and back into the party. My eyes find the back of Alex as soon as I enter the room, and I smile to myself at the amount of comfort his presence brings. I feel a little off after the whole bathroom situation, but I’m hoping I can keep it under wraps.

I suddenly want everyone here to know that Alex is mine. Maybe it was Genevieve’s snarky comments, or maybe I just want to be publicly affectionate, but for whatever reason I walk up to him and plant a kiss right on his cheek.

He startles for a second before he realizes it’s me, and then he smiles like I just told him he won the lottery. He slips his hand over my lower back, then drapes it lazily over my hip and pulls me close to him.

Amélie smiles at us from across the table and I try to join in on whatever conversation is taking place, but my mind keeps wandering. I can’t get those words out of my head no matter how hard I try. No matter how much I know they aren’t true.

I don’t even know how she got this job.

She clearly has no idea how to do it well.

Her writing is une catastrophe.

Alex squeezes my hip and the pressure brings me back to the present. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I smile up at him, but I know he can tell it isn’t real. The longer I look up into his eyes, the longer I wonder why we’re even still here. We’ve come, we’ve made an appearance, and I didn’t run as soon as Genevieve made moves to sabotage my night. I could choose to be done now. “Actually, I just want to go home. Will you take me home?”

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”