Accept

Chapter 29- Lexie

The magician box filled with sex toys sat in the corner of my room reminding me our nights together were limited. Since he brought the box home, we had experimented with many tricks and positions.

We had just returned from a weekend in Chicago after Chris signed a year lease for a luxury apartment. It came highly recommended from the team management and many players lived there due to the proximity to the field and professional gym in the building. The spacious open apartment had a great view of the city and I could imagine Chris and I cooking dinners in the modern kitchen. It was the perfect setup for a young couple.

Chris was at a year-end football banquet and I had devoted the entire evening to completing projects for school. I stared at the syllabus requiring attendance to an informative presentation for our career choice. With Chris unavailable for the evening, it was a great night to complete it. I didn't want to waste any of my time with him doing homework.

Brian Anderson was the speaker at a hall downtown and I hoped it was another Brian Anderson. His profile picture confirmed I was out of luck. His bio was interesting and I was intrigued to find out how he went from a rock singer to an advertising giant but was not willing to sacrifice the evening in a room with him.

I continued to stare at the magician box. Besides the sexual toys, Chris had wigs and hats in the box. A blonde wig would cover my appearance especially if I were in the back of the room. I scrounged through the contents until I found a short blonde wig managing to get my long brown hair into it. I peered into the mirror, unsure of who was staring back. My clock read 7:45 giving me 15 minutes to get downtown before it started.

I arrived a few minutes into the presentation but was still able to find a corner spot in the back. A large screen portrayed Brian's image for the audience. It was eerie to see his face enlarge without him seeing me.

His story was inspiring and I was shocked at how little I knew about his life. His struggle to stay out of trouble with little parental guidance inspired him to fall in love with music. When the band separated he had saved enough to invest in his advertising dream and started his own business. With the connections he made in music, he was able to succeed and expand throughout the country.

The 90-minute presentation was over and the stage was crowded with women seeking his autograph or phone number. I stood to sneak out of the back just as he looked into my hidden corner. It was impossible to recognize me from the distance; however the expression on his face as I watched the screen concerned me. I grabbed my purse and dashed towards my car, pulling the blonde wig closer to my face.

The evening air was cool as I reached for my car door. I smiled at the reflection of myself in the window with my clever costume. I may have to surprise Chris with a visitor from a stranger tonight.

"Stop," a deep voice from behind me said.

Brian couldn't have caught up with me. I turned just as his arm pulled on my coat.

"I thought it was you," Brian said removing the blonde wig from my hair. "What are you doing here?"

Embarrassed by the costume, I stammered to cover my tracks. "I needed to attend for a class assignment and didn't want anyone to notice me."

Brian laughed, handing me back my wig. "You didn't want me to notice you is what you meant to say."

"Fine," I admitted. "I didn't want you to know I was here."

He continued to laugh. "I am flattered, I think. But you could have just asked me anything and I would tell you first hand instead of sitting with a bunch of strangers. I'm stopping by your office tomorrow and can answer anything else if you need it."