Chapter 69
ALEXANDRA didn’t waitfor Eva to walk in the door to start telling her. “Something happened with Bash tonightand…”
“What? What’s going on with Bash?” Eva asked, wrapping her arms around Alexandra, probably from hearing the hurt in hervoice.
It was hard to say the actual words for the first few seconds. “Bash has a girlfriend. She’s a redhead. Even my dad says she’s pretty. Oh, and the media knows about himnow.”
“What?”
Alexandra pulled away after a while, and motioned with her hand for Eva to follow her to the kitchen. She went right for the fridge, digging around for whatever Lily left her to snack on before she left for the day. A tray of apple strudels covered with a glass lid was the first thing she laid eyes on. Alexandra picked up the lid and grabbed one, stuffing her face so she wouldn’t have to find an answer rightaway.
“Lexxi,” Eva said disapprovingly. “Put down thepastries.”
“They aren’t pastries,” she mumbled with her mouth full, swallowing down the thick, tastymorsel.
“Talk tome.”
Alexandra found the nearest barstool and sat down, dropping her head to her hands. “The media knows aboutBash.”
“Yes, but park that tidbit for a minute. What did you just say about Bash having agirlfriend?”
“He does. He just phoned me accidentally. I was butt-dialed. By the pretty redhead’s butt. God, I can’t believe this, Eva. I heard him with his newgirlfriend.”
Eva gasped dramatically, but all that drama was justifiable in this particular case. “You heard them together? Like heard them talking or heard them doing thenasty?”
Alexandra lifted her head to look at Eva, and rolled her eyes. “No, not like that. I mean I heard them talking, but she said something about spending the night with him. I wasn’t listening all that carefully once I figured out it wasn’t an intentionalcall.”
That was a lie. She was all ears. Her ears had ears. She had heard every word the redhead told him and tried every way she could to dismiss it as an innocent discussion between friends, but those little statements about staying the night and how much fun it had been on prior occasions were what destroyedher.
“But how?” Eva asked,distraught.
“What do I know? All I can say is my track record is pretty darnedintact.”
“You can’t say that, Lex. You kissed your ex and it was shared on national television. You were practically humping Wilkes’leg!”
“Wow. Nice way to put it, Eva. Anyway, Bash has someone new in hislife.”
“You still didn’t tell me about how you managed to let Wilkes in your place. And that kiss! I swear it would win out anything I’ve ever seen on the silver screen, honey. How did you two end up going out? No matter what you say, don’t even expect me to believe that nothinghappened.”
“Eva!”
“Nothinghappened?”
“Well, let’s just say he had one foot on second base when I stoppedhim.”
“Oh my God, Lexxi, you slut!” Eva said, giggling. Alexandra looked at her, arms folded. Eva subdued the laughter a little. “I’m just kidding, honey. I’m glad you stopped him when you did, but I can’t believe you let him in the door, to behonest.”
Alexandra raised her hand to stop Eva, and when her best friend finally settled down, she told her everything, including the part about Bash not coming to Los Angelesanymore.
“See, I told you Wilkes was a low down dirty scoundrel…I’m so relieved you gave him the boot from your label. That was a horrible idea, keeping him on board, and you’ve got to see some of this as yourresponsibility.”
Alexandra sighed miserably. “Go ahead. Tell me I brought this onmyself.”
“Well, I wish you would have made the decision with a clearer head, but I don’t really know what you’re so upset about with Bash. It’s starting to sound like you two are cut from the samecloth.”
“I’m going to ignorethat.”
“Whatever.”