7
Alexis was piping frosting on cupcakes when Melissa hurried in the next morning. They typically weren’t open on weekends, but this close to a large holiday and event, they opened for limited hours while they prepared orders for the week.
“Hey, girlfriend!”
Alexis smiled. “Hey. How’d the rest of your evening go?”
“Great! I had to sleep off a horrible hangover. Thanks for letting me come in late.”
Alexis laughed. “It’s no problem.”
“Soooo.”
“Soooo what?”
Melissa put her elbows on the counter across from her and widened her eyes. “You and Lonnie seemed to hit it off. Did you hang out with him after the club?”
Alexis blushed. “No. We went our separate ways.”
“What? Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just don’t want to go home with a guy on a whim. I’d like to get to know him first.”
Melissa sighed. “But he’s so hot. And famous.”
Alexis set the piping bag down. “Famous? What do you mean?”
“After that fight that broke out. Several people filmed it and posted it. It has millions of views. He’s been deemed the Chiseled Stud. Apparently he works for Chaotic Notes. Several people have found him in photos with the band. You didn’t see the video?”
Alexis paled. “No. What video?”
“I swear you live under a rock sometimes. Not having social media is a serious damper on your social life.”
Alexis rolled her eyes. “Just because I don’t scroll on the internet for hours a day doesn’t mean I don’t have a social life.”
Melissa laughed. “Whatever you need to tell yourself.”
She pulled out her phone and clicked around before handing it over to Alexis. Alexis watched it, panning the background and not actually watching the fight. Of course she was on camera after she almost got hit by the guy who stumbled back just before Lonnie intervened. Her face was on clear display.
“Shit,” she muttered.
“What?”
Alexis shook her head. “Nothing. Hey, I need to go make a phone call. Can you finish these cupcakes and open up the store?”
Melissa furrowed her eyebrows. “Of course. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yep, I’m good.” Then she scurried off to the bathroom. Shakily, Alexis pulled out her phone and dialed a number she had forced herself to memorize, but hoped she’d never have to use. “Hi, my name is Samantha White. My face was just leaked in a video…”
After Alexis gotoff the phone, she shakily put it into her pocket before walking back out to the bakery. At this point in time, she wouldn’t be moved since they hadn’t assessed an immediate threat.
She knew going to the club was a bad idea. The first time she allowed herself a little bit of fun, her face wound up in a viral video. She had lived in fear for so long and was finally feeling somewhat comfortable in Cupid City, but now she was back at square one… always waiting for the shoe to drop.
The door chimed, and Alexis looked up to find Lonnie smiling at her from the other side of the counter. Melissa waved.
“Well hello, Chiseled Stud,” Melissa said.
Lonnie laughed. “Saw the video, huh?”
