Free The Lost Hearts by Maya Wood Page B

show of her work at the museum.”
    “Come on, guys.  This is my girlfriend you’re talking about right now.  I’m dead serious on her , don’t you see that?”  Alexis sighed inaudibly with relief at his chivalrous defense.  He continued, his voice suddenly bloated with conceit.  “She’s undeniably the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met.  In my many years of experience with women, no one has come close.  And you know I’d never allow myself anything less.”  Alexis frowned in the dark, her brow folding into a skeptical crease.  It wasn’t quite the noble argument she had in mind.  “And as for all the academics and the silly work she does now, well, let’s just say that I’ve got a plan.  In the end, she’ll learn she has a role to play.  Especially among the Talbots.”
    Dumbfounded, Alexis felt her body go numb and she teeter ed into the bush.  The chatter halted.
    “What was that?” she heard one of them hiss.
    Alexis’ heart thrashed against her chest.  Her head whirled, and she couldn’t decide whether to leap from her hiding spot or to remain cloaked in the tangle of foliage.  She held her breath, and she sensed through the thick silence that the young men were straining to identify the sound which had cut short their conversation. 
    After a moment, the murmurs settled back into convers ation.  Alexis didn’t know what to think.  She had just heard a different man speak than the one whom before had professed such unconditional adoration.  In all the time she’d known Philip, she’d never heard him converse with such a candid tone, and it chilled her to the bones. 
    The adrenaline blasted through her body, pushed her backward, up the stairs and onto the veranda.  She leaned against a pillar and let out a gasp.  Who was that man who had described her with such disdain?  She could feel fi re lighting up her whole body.  It was a battle between devastation and fury.  Alexis balled her hand into a fist and slammed it against the marble.  She had never felt so small and stupid in her life. 
    S he crept along the veranda, keeping the shadowy cluster of men in view.  Without consciously plotting, she decided she would emerge from the other side and meet them, as though she had just stepped out for some air.
    “Well, you better enjoy yourself while you can.  I know one thing for sure, the ladies must be sorry to see you locked up in a relatio nship,” the whining voice of Phillip’s university friend laughed.
    Alexis was at their backs.  They hadn’t noticed her.  Her heart had stilled into a dead calm, and she reached out her hand to touch Philip on the shoulder.  He swung sharply.
    “Jesus!  Alexis, you scared the hell out of me,” he practically barked.  The young men stiffened and busied themselves with their cigarettes.
    She swallowed hard.  “My ears were ringing.  I thought I might be the subject of someone’s conversation.  And then I came ou t here for a breath of air and who did I see?”  She made a willowy motion with her arm.  “Good evening, gentlemen,” she said, her voice false.  “So lovely to see you.”
    A tall shadow she recognized as Erick Parcel leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.  “It’s good to see you, Alexis.  We were just remarking on how beautiful you look tonight.”
    Alexis looked up at Philip’s face, his expression hardly visible except for the nervous widening of his eyes.  He’s lucky he can’t see my face right now, either , Alexis growled inwardly.  “Why, thank you, Erick,” she returned.  “What are you men whispering about?” she asked on an uncharacteristic flutter of laughter.  She could sense Philip’s confusion, and she relished it.
    Philip cleared his throat.  “Nothing, dear.  You know.  The usual male banter.  Sports, politics.”
    “Yeah,” another piped in for good measure.
    “Oh, my.   Well, I suppose this is no place for a lady then,” she continued airily. 
    The young men shifted