Ready to Run

Chapter 23

Jack was in Paris, and there were four hours until the show, so she called him. It would be better than an impersonal text message. He answered right away.

"Lexi, are you alright?"

"Hi Jack, I'm fine. We're fine. Wee West was moving around a lot this morning. Where are you?"

"On a bateau mouche, on the Seine, bored stiff."

"Oh dear... at least the view must be interesting."

"It's pouring rain."

"That sucks. It's been really nice here today. I went shopping in Marylebone, and I found a little place that's going to decorate the nursery. But I have to tell you something..."

"What's that, Sweetheart?"

"I went with Tom Langford. We had coffee and then went up and down the street."

Silence.

"Jack, he knows that I'm in love with the baby's father and that I'm not on the market. I made it very clear, and he understood."

"I don't like it."

"I know you don't, but Jack, I'm lonely. I don't have any friends. He's an old hand at the celebrity business and he's a gentleman and I really liked talking to him today. And I was missing you the whole time."

"I get it. Well, my brain gets it, and I accept it. But I don't like it."

"There's something else you might not like, but I think it could be a really good thing."

Suddenly there was a terrible noise from his end, accompanied by Jack yelling, "Give me the bloody phone, Lukas!"

"Lexi, my love! We miss you more than words can say. Jack cries into his pillow every night and wanks to your photo every day!"

"Give him the phone, asshole."

Evidently her tone worked. Jack was back on the line in a second.

"He's such an idiot. What were you telling me could be a good thing?"

"Well, the thing is you're not going to like it at all, but if you can just take a minute to think about it..."

"What, Lexi?" She wasn't used to hearing him sound so severe.

"Well Tom and I were seen. Walking by the park, carrying some shopping bags. A pap got us."

"Fuck. And?"

"Well, it'll probably be in the papers tomorrow. Tom pointed out that he couldn't be the father since we hadn't known each other a week, and I said anonymous, and when the guy asked if we were dating Tom reiterated that we'd just met and said we were out enjoying the lovely day. He's very good at it."

"I hate it that I'm not there, or that you're not here. That we won't see each other for six weeks. Bloody hell... and now they're telling me I need to go up on deck to wave at a bunch of fools standing on some bridge in the downpour. I miss you so much. I love you."

"I love you, Jack. Smile through the rain."

*****

The rest of November was busy. She recorded her first song, a poignant ballad titled Wonder, written by Theo and finished with her collaboration. It grew from a theme he had noticed in her notebook; the wonder she felt as she began a new life for herself, as she began a new love, as she became a mother. The general consensus was that it would be the lead single, and she was already talking to Paul about the video.

The photos from her day out with Tom made the papers but were quickly forgotten. They just weren't interesting, and that was fine with Lexi. Jack saw them as the band traveled from Paris to Madrid. Lexi knew it upset him and was touched by his façade of stoicism.