Chapter 33

“Why don’t you join the Coulson Chamber of Commerce?” Steve was nagging Alex again. He loved to nag. She watched him attach shiny glass Christmas balls to the artificial tree, which Taylor had assembled a half-hour earlier.

“We are a member,” she argued half-heartedly. Alex was sitting on a barstool, her back resting against the edge of the bar top. She felt incredibly lazy. It was Monday, and although the restaurant was closed, Taylor, Rosa, and Steve had come to help Alex decorate for the holidays.

“Alex, are you going to get off your ass and help?” Rosa was carrying another box of Christmas decorations in from the storage room.

“I’m helping,” Alex said a little too sweetly. “I’m making sure Steve doesn’t screw up the tree.” Steve paused for a moment and rolled his eyes.

“So, what’s this about the Chamber of Commerce?” Taylor asked. He stood on a ladder, hanging garland along the edge of the mirror behind the upper back bar.

“Make yourself useful,” Rosa said to Alex as she shoved the box onto Alex’s lap. Turning to the tree to help Steve with the decorations, Rosa answered Taylor’s question.

“Steve just wants to go to that big Christmas party Coulson Enterprises throws every year for Chamber members.”

“Alex is right, Steve; the Lucky Lady’s already a member of the Chamber,” Taylor said as he stepped down off the ladder.

“But she’s not an active member. If she was, then maybe we could go, too.”

Alex dropped the box off her lap onto the floor. She watched as Rosa and Steve decorated the tree. Occasionally, Rosa would stop and move an ornament that Steve had already placed on the tree. When Rosa wasn’t looking, Steve would move it back. Taylor saw what Rosa and Steve were up to; he smiled and walked around the other side of the bar and sat next to Alex.

“You are pretty useless today.” Taylor gave Alex his lopsided grin.

“I know,” she agreed.

Taylor and Alexandra had become close friends since the night she dragged him into her bed. They had only been intimate that one time, and it remained their secret. Sometimes they both enjoyed exchanging knowing glances behind Steve and Rosa’s back, each taking delight in the knowledge that their secret tryst would shock their co-workers and friends. Since that night, Alexandra began to heal. It was a turning point. The old Alex was back. She was beginning to adjust to her new life, in spite of brief moments of sadness and loneliness.

“Where’s the kid?” Taylor asked Alex.

“He was supposed to be here helping us. I don’t know what’s up with Adam these days. He’s useless.”

“Like mother, like son,” Steve called out from behind the Christmas tree.

“Be nice to me, Steven,” Alex warned, “or Santa’s gonna put coal in your stocking.”

“You ever been to one of these bashes?” Taylor asked.

“You mean the Coulson Christmas party? I went to one.” Alex recalled the Christmas party when Garret had kissed her so many years ago.

“You never told me that,” Steve said.

“Actually, I used to be the treasurer of the Chamber.”

“No kidding! Alex, I never figured you for getting involved with that crowd,” Rosa said.

“You’d be surprised who I’d get involved with,” Alex winked at Taylor. He tugged a lock of her hair then left the barstool to resume the decorating.

“Ouch!” Alex jumped off the barstool and rubbed her head. She then opened the box Rosa had given her and began removing the decorations. She’d been lazy long enough.

“Maybe you can get them to invite all of us when they come in here this Wednesday,” Steve suggested.

“Isn’t it your birthday Wednesday?” Rosa asked Alex.

“Thanks for remembering,” Alex remarked dryly, and then she asked Steve, “Who’s coming in Wednesday?”

“Harrison Coulson made a reservation for Wednesday night,” Rosa answered for Steve.

“The dad or the son?” Alex asked, as she sorted through the box.

“I’m not sure,” Rosa thought for a moment. “Actually, it was his secretary who called. They’re bringing in twelve people.”

“Maybe Russell Coulson will be here,” Steve teased Alex.

“Not that again!” Alex shook her head in mock annoyance. They just wouldn’t give up.

“He still comes in a lot, Alex,” Taylor called from the other end of the bar. “He always asks about you. Just last week he even asked me if you had started dating.” That announcement caused Alex to take pause and stare in Taylor’s direction.

“He did? What did you say?” Alexandra was shocked.

“I told him you weren’t dating. Sleeping around a little but not dating.” Taylor gave Alex a devilish grin. Alex picked up a plastic Christmas ornament and heaved it across the bar in his direction. It didn’t even come close. Taylor began to laugh wildly, while Rosa and Steve shook their heads at the silliness.

“I thought you were going to help decorate the restaurant after school?” Alex asked Adam when she returned to her house Monday evening.

“I was busy,” Adam shrugged. He stood in the kitchen scrambling eggs.

“Exciting dinner,” Alex teased. She dropped her purse on the counter and opened the refrigerator.

“Maybe if you’d cook dinner.” Adam seemed to be in a bad mood.

“It’s my day off.” Alexandra shrugged; she examined the contents of the refrigerator. It was empty.

“You never cook,” Adam said angrily as he dumped his eggs onto a plate.

“I own a restaurant. I don’t have to cook.” Alex closed the refrigerator and sat at the table. She wasn’t about to let Adam ruin her day.

“You could at least buy some groceries,” he snapped.

“You’re a big boy, Adam. You know the way to the grocery store.”

“What do I use for money? Or do you want me to spend my own money on groceries?”

“You could ask, Adam. I’d be happy to give you money for the grocery store. But I have a feeling you’d rather complain,” she said wearily. Well, it had been a nice day.

“What’s your problem?” he spat.

“Adam, let’s not do this. I’m sorry if there are no groceries, but you could really help out a little more around here. There are only two of us in this house now. It sure would be nice if we could have some pleasant conversation for a change.”

Adam’s response was to toss the eggs in the sink and rinse his plate before slamming it into the dishwasher. “I’m going out,” he announced, then walked out the door.

“Gee, this is fun,” Alex said in a weary voice as she sat alone in the kitchen.

Alexandra would have been happy to skip her birthday. She decided she really didn’t need them anymore. But Kate wouldn’t hear of it. Summoned to Kate’s house on Tuesday morning, Alexandra found Tommy, Jimmy, and Kate waiting with a surprise breakfast.

“It’s not my birthday,” Alexandra protested as Kate led her into the dining room where a birthday cake was sitting on the table.

“So we’re one day early.” Kate pushed her into a chair at the head of the table.

“Happy Birthday, Alex.” Jimmy planted a quick kiss on his sister-in-law’s cheek and then sat at the table. Tommy was already seated and was drinking a cup of coffee. Alexandra knew that both Jimmy’s and Tommy’s wives were at work, therefore wasn’t surprised at their absence.

“This is the only day I could drag Jimmy and Tommy over here,” Kate explained as she handed Alex a cup of coffee.

“That sounds nice, Kate,” Tommy chided his baby sister. “Don’t listen to her, Alex. Happy birthday.”

“Well, I wanted to have a big surprise party for you, but Tommy wouldn’t let me,” Kate said with a pout.

“Thank you, Tommy!” Alex smiled at her brother; she hated surprises. He returned her smile and raised his cup to her in mock salute. Alexandra was secretly grateful that she could spend the morning with just her sister, brother, and brother-in-law. Although she liked both of her sister-in-laws, she didn’t feel especially close to either one. Sometimes, she simply didn’t want to share Tommy or Jimmy with their wives. Jimmy had been her good friend long before she began dating Ryan and before Jimmy met his wife.

The four sat around the kitchen table. Kate brought a platter of pastries and fresh fruit in from the kitchen. Using napkins as plates and fingers as utensils, they helped themselves to the food.

“I need some help around the house and yard. You guys know anyone I could hire?” Alex directed her question to Tommy and Jimmy as she popped a piece of apple into her mouth.

“What’s wrong with Adam?” Tommy asked.

“Yeah, right,” Alex said.

“Alex, he should be a big help,” Jimmy argued.

“Jimmy, Adam is great with you. But around the house, he’s useless. It takes me ten times as long to get him to do something than to simply do it myself.”

“You can’t let him get away with that,” Tommy argued.

“You want me to talk to him?” Jimmy offered.

“He’s a teenage boy. What do you expect?” Kate said. “Tommy and Jimmy were miserable at that age.”

“Wait a minute,” Tommy protested. “I did a lot around the house when I was Adam’s age.”

“Yeah, right!” Kate laughed.

“What’s really bothering me about Adam is this girlfriend thing.”

“He still with Kimmy?” Kate asked as she sipped her coffee.

“Unfortunately,” Alex replied.

Both Tommy and Jimmy exchanged knowing glances; was Alex jealous?

“I know what you two are thinking.” Alex frowned at Jimmy and Tommy, knowing the meaning of their gesture. “I like Kimmy. I’m just a little concerned over how close they’re getting. I’m not ready to become a grandmother. And I think he’s been drinking.”

“He’s a smart kid,” Jimmy argued.

“Do you remember being seventeen?”

“I’ll talk to him,” Jimmy promised.

“I say we give Alex her birthday presents,” Kate said brightly. Jumping up from the chair, she retrieved a large, colorfully wrapped package from the kitchen and set it on the table by Alexandra.

“It’s not my birthday,” Alex protested with a smile, yet began hurriedly opening the package. Carelessly tearing the wrapping paper, tossing it to the floor, she lifted off the box’s lid and unfolded the white tissue paper that lined the inside of the box, covering its contents. Beneath the tissue paper, she discovered a red silk dress. She pulled it from the box, stood up and held it in front of her body.

“Wow, Kate! That’s some dress!” Jimmy whistled. “How come you don’t buy clothes like that for you?”

Kate frowned at Jimmy and then turned a smile to her sister.

“It’s beautiful, Kate,” Alex murmured, noticing the softness of the fabric. It was a fitted dress, low cut, and suitable for the holiday season.

“I thought you could wear it tomorrow for your birthday,” Kate announced.

“At work?” Alex frowned. She would hate to get the dress dirty.

“Why not?” Jimmy asked. “Looks pretty hot to me. Your customers will love it.”

“Anyway,” Kate explained, “I want to take you out tomorrow night when you get off. Thought we could go bar hopping.”

“Bar hopping? Why would I want to do that? I work in a bar!” Alex laughed.

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Kate urged.

“Go with her, Alex. By the looks of that dress, you’ll probably get lucky,” Jimmy said with a wink.