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Anonymity. It wasn’t a concept she was familiar with anymore. Everywhere she went people felt like they knew her or that she needed to hear their entire life stories. And yes, The Morning Show and her own level of celebrity weren’t exclusive to the United States, but it was easier to be anonymous in the United Kingdom. That was one of the best parts of having to come to London to cover the royal wedding.
Since being in London, Alex had tried out a few different places recommended to her by fellow Americans wishing to get out without worrying about being bombarded by fans and freaks alike.
The establishment she was currently sitting in was the most recommended place amongst her peers. It was lowkey enough not to attract the attention of random people but protected enough that people with status could feel free to exist.
The bartender had been friendly enough and kept her glass filled which was really the only criteria Alex had for that position. A DJ played music to a relatively full dance floor. The patrons seemed to be enjoying themselves and Alex found herself enjoying the chance to study people without worrying about keeping up her appearance at every second never knowing who might see her.
“You look lonely over here.” Immediately annoyance and exhaustion washed over her. She turned her head and looked at the man who dared intrude on her night. He was relatively tall and not untidy. But he looked, and smelled, like he’d earned himself quite the tab.
Looking back down at her glass she swirled the liquid. “I’m fine.”
“Nah. You need company. I’ve been told I’m excellent company.” He leaned closer to her and she almost choked on the alcohol stench.
“Not by anyone with half a brain or a nose,” she mumbled under her breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. But again, I’m fine. I don’t want your company.”
“Come on love. It’ll be fun.” He was now looming over her trying to intimidate her into accepting his offer.
In an effort to shift the physically imbalanced situation, Alex slid off her stool and stood with her head held high as she glared at him. “Why don’t you know how to take no for an answer? How many times do I have to reject you? Are you that—”
Every word and thought vanished from Alex’s mind as she felt an arm slide around her waist. Then a hand rested firmly on her hip pulling her against a body that even after all this time she remembered like the back of her hand.
“Hey, babe. I thought you were going to wait for me by the door.” The seductive tone of Maggie Brener’s voice filled her ear. When she turned to look at the older woman, those eyes only added insult to injury. After a brief moment of Maggie seemingly studying her to assess the situation, the brunette turned to her intruder. “Who’s your friend?”
“He was just leaving.” Alex was stunned she could even form words as her hands instinctively went to rest on Maggie’s shoulder.
The man frowned as he studied the sight in front of him. “Who the fuck is this?”
“Her wife.” It would be a lie if Alex said those words didn’t wreak havoc on her. Not just because it was Maggie saying it, but because it played on all the feelings and thoughts she’d been repressing for her entire life. She could feel her heart physically and emotionally respond to hearing them. “Now if you’ll excuse us, she owes me a dance. Have a good night.” If the man were soberer the barely disguised pity and disdain on Maggie’s face would have made him feel so incredibly small, but he was too drunk to notice and instead stumbled away grumbling something about bitches.
Before she could register what was happening Alex found herself on a dance floor with Maggie fucking Brener. As the older woman began to sway to whatever godawful song the DJ was playing Alex got her first chance to really look at her. She was wearing a black satin jumpsuit with a cowl neck and thin spaghetti straps that were hidden by her hair. It was styled in a much softer way than Alex had gotten used to seeing at events in the last several years. It cascaded over Maggie’s shoulders in gentle waves making the woman seem more relaxed. Unfortunately, it reminded Alex of a different time. A time when she would walk into Maggie’s house and she would find the other woman reading or writing on the couch in sweats with her legs tucked under her looking so in her element. But that was a different lifetime, and she couldn’t dwell on those thoughts.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Maybe she could distract herself with meaningless conversation.
“But I did.”
Fuck! Why did she have to sound so sincere? Alex was not great at dealing with her emotions on a good day, let alone while fighting jet lag and being several drinks into the night. “You don’t even like me.” Ah yes. Going on the attack and putting up walls, her go-to manoeuvre.
But Maggie didn’t bite. She barely even stopped swaying to the music. Alex could feel her heartbeat getting faster with every second that she waited for Maggie to respond. She began to feel like she was going to regret saying that.
“No one deserves to be made uncomfortable like that. I was always going to step in regardless of who it was. It just happened that I did actually know you.” Fuck Maggie Brener! Why was she so fucking charming? Even through her tipsy haze, Alex could feel the genuineness of her words.
“Do you get off on saving ‘damsels in distress’?” Alex knew she had a talent for taking things too far, but Jesus Christ why did she just keep pushing?
Maggie let out a low chuckle. “No one could ever accuse you of being a damsel in distress. And as for what I get off on, well that’s not a conversation for a public setting.” As if her words weren’t enough, she had to look at her with that smirk that always brought Alex to her knees. In more ways than one.
“Look that asshole is gone. Be careful ok.” Her lack of response had been taken by the other woman to mean that Alex was uncomfortable and didn’t want her around, but Alex couldn’t leave it like that. Without even realising Alex reached out and grabbed Maggie’s arm before she could walk too far away.
“Wait, Maggie. Let me at least buy you a drink. To say thank you.”
Seconds felt like hours as Alex watched Maggie assess whether or not Alex was being genuine. She must have found whatever she was looking for because she relaxed and turned back to face Alex. “It’s against my moral code to refuse free alcohol. Lead the way.”
Hours passed by seconds as they found themselves falling into comfortable conversation and multiple different beverages. Alex tried to ignore the flutters in her chest and the churning in her stomach whenever Maggie laughed or whenever one of them accidentally brushed up against the other.
It felt easy, almost natural. With the alcohol lowering some of her inhibitions and not having to be on such constant alert as to who was around her Alex found herself actually having a good time. It’s not that they hated one another but the end of their relationship had been messy. Hell! Their entire relationship had been messy. But tonight, tonight was easy. Tonight was a reprieve from their normal lives and an escape into a world where they could coexist like this. And maybe, if Alex let herself get carried away, something more.
After finishing another drink Alex caught sight of the time on her phone. “Shit! I have to be up in 4 hours.”
“I thought you wouldn’t have to be up so early with the time difference.”
“That’s what we all hoped but the almighty assholes in charge decided we have to have a meeting before we start prepping the show.” Her slightly slurred words and very poor air quotes made Maggie chuckle.
Alex sighed dramatically before attempting to get off her stool and instantly almost faceplanted.
Just in time, Maggie reached out and caught her waist. “Woah woah woah! Ok, sit back down. What hotel are you staying at?”
“Hmm… I know it’s a number. Oh! 45 Park Lane.” She was too tipsy to notice the softness in Maggie’s eyes at her little celebration for remembering.
Maggie pulled out her phone and ordered Alex an Uber. Grabbing her purse and Alex’s purse she helped the younger woman off her chair. “Come on lightweight. Let’s get you home.”
Once outside Alex immediately started shivering and pressed herself against Maggie before laying her head on Maggie’s shoulder as they waited.
When the car arrived, Maggie opened the door and helped Alex into her seat. Placing her purse on the chair beside her Maggie leaned down to look Alex in the eye.
“You were wrong earlier.”
Even drunk, Alex hated hearing she was wrong and immediately glared at the other woman.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Let me rephrase that. You weren’t entirely correct earlier. Sure, there have been plenty of times I haven’t liked you. But I never stopped loving you.”
Alex stared back at Maggie frozen in shock until she found her own reflection looking back at her in the window of the door Maggie had just closed. Her Uber immediately headed off in the direction of the hotel trapping a now startlingly sober Alex alone with a million thoughts and even more questions.