Page 30 of Her Supermodel Stalker
The background noises die down as she probably finds a quiet place to speak. “I told her the truth.”
“What do you mean? What truth?”
“The truth that you’re putting on a show.”
“What?”
“Come on, we both know you aren’t serious about the girl…” she goes on to inform me of the rest.
My heart beats a hundred miles per minute, and my blood heats up to a boiling point. “What gives you the right to do this to me, Amanda?” I shout, losing my temper. “You help me to where I am today, but I don’t owe my success to you. I’ve worked hard, and I’ve paid you what you deserved.”
“I’m doing what’s best for you, Devin. It’s time you get your ass together and get ready for the Fashion Week!”
“To hell with Fashion Week,” I say. “I’m done with modeling. I’m done with you!”
“Oh, really?” she laughs at the other end of the line. “I’ve heard you speak like this before. Just don’t crawl back to Mama when your vineyard fails.”
“Fuck you!” I end the call and smash a fist into the wall.
I take several deep breaths to calm my rage. Unbelievable! I call Lexi right away, but she doesn’t answer. She might still be driving, so I text her. I’m hungry, but I don’t want food. I want Lexi. I need to hear her voice. I sit on the couch and wait for the phone to ring, but it never does. I call again. Still, she doesn’t pick up.
I sigh and get up to the kitchen, make myself a sandwich and force myself to eat while thinking about what I should do.
Lexi has a good reason to believe what Amanda said to her, considering how impulsive my actions have been. Frankly, I don’t know what drove me into this. Before I purchased the vineyard, I asked myself over and over. Am I really going to give up a career that I’ve built with a decade’s hard work, for a dream that may or may not realize, for a woman who may or may not care for me? But the moment I saw Lexi the day I first met her, I knew I made the right decision. She is mine. No one can change the fact. No one can take her away from me. Certainly not Amanda.
After dinner and shower, I call Lexi again. To my relief, she answers it this time.
“Hi baby,” I ask, my voice trembling with emotion. “You still mad?”
She doesn’t speak.
“You still are. Can I see you, please?”
I hear a faint noise, sounding like a gasp or a sniffle, and then she speaks. “No. I’m tired.”
“Are you in bed?”
“Yes.”
“I wish I were there to hold you,” I say, my voice low and gruff.
She sniffles again. She must be crying. Damn. I hate myself for being the reason for her tears. How can I make her trust me?
I clear my throat and say, “I found out what Amanda said to you and I fired her. Nothing she said was true, Lexi.”
“I don’t want to talk about it now, Devin,” she says. “I’m just exhausted and need to rest.”
“Okay. Can I see you tomorrow, then?”
“No, because I’ll be busy with housework and yard work.”
“I could help you with the yard work.”
“It won’t be necessary.”
“What about Sunday?”
“I’m going to Susie’s son’s birthday party.”
