Page 78 of The Jilted Lovers Club
The air shifts, and I turn.
And there, in the doorway, is Alexander.
The Outsider
Jordy
Alexander is a hard man to miss in a crowd. Everything about him screams money, from his Tom Ford suit to his slicked back hair, and the flashy watch on his wrist. He turns heads wherever he goes, and not just because he’s handsome, but because his presence commands an audience.
Usually, I’m a little breathless around him. No, I don’t want him. But I can’t help being in awe of the power he exudes.
Right now, though? It feels like he’s sucked all the air out of the room.
He stuffs a wad of cash in the bottle, then saunters in toward Bernie and me. I glance at Bernie, who appears flushed in the face, and probably the meekest I’ve ever seen her since I met her. Alexander takes a champagne glass from one of the passing trays, then raps at it with the huge gold ring on his finger. People turn toward him as the conversation dies down, but the band keeps playing. He makes his way to the makeshift stage where the band is, and as he does, I lean toward Bernie.
“Please tell me you didn’t sell your business to him.”
“I’ll explain later,” she says, though her eyes stay glued to the floor as the band quiets and gives Alexander the floor.
She doesn’t need to tell me anything; I already know. He gave her an offer she couldn’t refuse, probably more money than the place pulls in each year. If she’s been struggling in the least to make ends meet, of course she’d take an offer like that. But I’m starting to understand that Alexander is a shark, and his tactic is to make little kills until he owns the whole ocean. Getting Bernie to sign is an early blow to the heart of this town.
“I’d like to thank all of you for attending tonight’s celebration,” Alexander’s voice booms over the microphone, as if he is the one who planned everything.
I scan the crowd and find Bec, whose expression appears as confused as I felt just a few moments ago. I find Ashton, who’s looking right at me. He narrows his eyes as he glances at Alexander, then back at me.
“I didn’t know he was coming,” I mouth to him. He just looks away, and I have no idea what he’s thinking, if he’s mad at me, or how to mend what’s already breaking.
“I grew up in Lahoma Springs. It was years ago, but I have never forgotten what it was like to live here, from floating downthe river to spending all my allowance at Frank’s Friendly on the corner. Does anyone remember Frank’s Friendly?”
There’s murmurings and light laughter as half the room raises their hands.
“I was really sad to see that Frank’s didn’t survive. I hear it’s been a rough couple of years here in Lahoma Springs, and it would break my heart to see any more stores fold under economic pressure. It’s why I was so glad to hear from the Felix family when they had to make the difficult decision to sell their beloved store. I understand that the heart of this town is keeping small businesses small, and I agree … to a point. It’s good to keep the shops around here locally owned, but it’s not good to keep them so small that you starve trying to keep them afloat.”
No one speaks. The room is dead silent as Alexander keeps going, everyone waiting to hear the punch line.
“Come with me,” I hiss to Bernie, grabbing her arm and making my way across the room toward Ashton.
“Wait there, sweetheart,” Alexander calls, and I freeze, knowing he’s talking to me as everyone’s gaze shifts in my direction.
“You all, let’s give a hand to this gorgeous creature who helped create a beautiful space for our new local store, Timeless, and who’ll be making even more stores around town this lovely. Jordy Gallo, everyone.”
I feel my face flush as only a few people clap. Inside, I’m a wreck. All the work I’ve done, all the connections I made … Alexander is undoing everything with just a few words.
“When Jordy told me she wanted to throw a party for the people of this town, I couldn’t agree more. It’s the people who make up the heart of Lahoma Springs, and what better way to show our appreciation than to treat you all to the first of many gatherings in a space like this. Jordy, thank you for making this happen so we could show Lahoma how special they are to us.”
I can’t even correct him, to tell him that I had so little to do with this party, that Bec and every vendor she called upon are the true heroes. It doesn’t matter because the party is ruined. I look around to see confused faces as everyone around us whispers to each other. No one dares to leave, not yet at least. This is too much of a shit show to turn away now. By tomorrow, I’ll be back to being the scourge of this town and lose every friend I’ve made.
Worst of all, I’ll lose Ashton.
“And now, I’m pleased to announce the next client who has joined the Felixes in taking a step into the future. But this woman sold, not one, but two of her businesses so that she can retire a very wealthy woman.”
“Oh Bernie, please tell me you didn’t.”
“I had no choice,” she hisses. But I can see regret all over her face.
“Bernice Lahoma, come on up here.”
Bernie shakes her head, and I hold on to her for moral support.
