THIRTY SIX - LEXIE

Lexie All my life, I’d followed the rules, played it safe. But something about Ryder stirred a recklessness in me that I’d never felt before. Being around him was like being hooked on a drug. Sitting at my desk with him just a few feet away, playing Hollywood’s kingmaker, kept me on edge. I always felt his eyes on me, but whenever I stole a glance, he seemed to be focused elsewhere. Aside from that first morning, we hadn’t been alone together once. Whenever he needed something, he asked Mina. He never stuck around for lunch, either—whether it was habit or just his way of avoiding me, I couldn’t tell. Most of the time, I ate with Mina in the cafeteria, trying to steer the conversation toward Ryder whenever I could. "Does his job ever affect his personal life?" I asked casually one day, poking at my grilled chicken salad. Mina laughed. "You should know the answer to that better than anyone." My heart skipped a beat, thinking she might be onto me. But there wasn’t even a hint of suspicion