Flying Change

Chapter 17

The week wore on and I couldn't shake my melancholy, Phillip and I had barely spoken since the night of the dinner. I didn't know how to explain my feelings to him. I didn't blame him, I had known what I was getting into before it happened, I just couldn't shake the image of Kristina all over him. He had looked so at home, at ease, it shook me that I hadn't been able to find any trace of discomfort or distaste. And that he had been so good at flirting. I had heard stories about him before we had met but for the most part, I had never believed them. Now, I couldn't shake the thought of him as a playboy.

Jake had been calling me incessantly. I had taken to leaving my phone in my tack trunk where it couldn't disturb anyone. I knew if I answered I would be pummeled with questions that I didn't have answers to.

The dinner had been hard but what had been even tougher was listening to the recording of Phillip and Kristina's conversation. I knew he hadn't wanted me to listen to it, but I had, in an uncomfortable meeting with Stefan, Phillip and the Private Investigator. I had managed to stop myself walking out when I heard the innuendo's that had been tossed around. I couldn't look at Phillip and although he had tried to explain I had brushed him off. I didn't know what I wanted to hear but I didn't think that him defending himself was going to help.

I took a deep breath and slipped my feet from the stirrups, slipping off of the five-year old I had been walking out. My only peace and quiet seemed to be on the back of a horse these days and I was treasuring the time in the saddle more and more. I patted the horse and slipped him a sugar cube as one of the new grooms took the reins and walked him back to the barn.

I picked up my backpack from the side of the ring and walked towards the catering. I'd found I didn't have much of an appetite these days, I knew I looked exhausted but I couldn't think straight with all the stress.

"Lex?" A voice caught me as I paid for my iced coffee.

I turned to find a tanned and healthy Angie looking at me, her face turned from a smile to concern when she saw my face.

"Are you Okay? You look like shit."

"Thanks," I laughed, brutal honesty always was a strength of Angie's.

"Sorry, but you do." She laughed gripping her coffee. "Wanna get a table?"

She didn't sound like no would be an acceptable answer and I had nothing better to do so I pulled out a chair and sat watching a horse canter around the main arena.

"So are you going to tell me why you just survived Chinese water torture or do I have to guess?" She asked, levelling me with a belligerent gaze and an arched brow.

"It's been a long week..." I sighed.

"I know you and Jake are fighting and he told me about the offer on the horses." She pulled her chair closer and lowered her voice.

"What?" I looked at her surprised, "Why would Jake tell you that?"

Now it was her turn to drop my gaze. "We've got close," she said, I could hear her forcing a neutral tone.

I looked at her, there was a blush tickling her cheeks and something about her expression said there was more.

"Angie are you and Jake...." I hissed. She looked at me and her eyes were huge.

"We just kissed once," she whispered.

"What?!" I roared.

"Shhhhhh....." she glared at me as people turned to look at us. "Keep your voice down, no one knows."

"Angie, he's engaged," I hissed.

"Barely," she snapped and I could see her guilt was making her anxious. "Lex, they don't even talk, how do you think we became so close, he was talking to me about everything. And then, he gave me a lift home one night and it just, it kinda happened." The words were tumbling out and her cheeks were flaming.