Fake Fiancée for Dad’s Best Friend by Gena Snow
Chapter 10
Vivian
I woke with shouts and whistles outside the house. I grunt as I recall today is the engagement party. It must be the party-planning team.
I then glance at the room. Alex slept on the couch last night, and the pillow and the blanket are still there. I get up and move them back to the bed just in case. The pillow has his scent, and I find myself sniffing at it. Crazy. Knowing he must be playing golf with his dad again, I get up, wash and go down to the kitchen for breakfast.
“Good morning,” Rosie, the cook, says to me and brings a mug of coffee. “Would you like pancakes or toasts?”
“I love pancakes,” I say. “And Alex told me the almond pancake you made was the best.”
Rosie laughs. “He told you that? Good. I made some for him earlier. Still have some batter left. Why don’t you have a muffin first? It’ll be ready soon.”
“No thanks. I don’t have that much room and would rather wait for the pancakes,” I say.
It takes her less than five minutes to have them ready. While I eat, Rosie also makes me some sunny-side-up eggs and pours me a glass of milk.
“So, do you like them?” she asked me after I wolf down the pancakes.
I nod vigorously. “I do! Alex didn’t exaggerate. They’re the best I’ve ever had.”
The kind woman beams. “I can make more for you if you wish.”
“Oh, I’m fine for now, thanks.” I finish the coffee and ask, “So you’ve worked here for over forty years?”
“Yes,” Rosie nods. “Since Alex was a baby.”
“How was he like when he was a baby?” I ask, intrigued by the idea.
“Very sweet,” Rosie says with a smile. “He would come to the kitchen to help me with chores. Can you believe that?”
I blink for a moment. I used to help my parents in the kitchen, so it isn’t a big deal to me. But then, I guess things are different in a wealthy family.
“What did he do?”
“Well, everything from measuring out baking ingredients to stirring pasta sauces. Sometimes he even created cooking recipes. He made me put avocados in pancakes once, and they turned out pretty good.”
“Really?” I laugh as I imagine Alex as a little boy with a toque and an apron. I didn’t know he had the talent. I’m not keen on cooking so he would be an ideal husband for me… Wait a minute. What am I thinking?
“Yep!” Rosie nods. “He’s a good man, and I’m glad he finds a good girl who deserves him.”
I blush at her compliment. “Thank you. But how do you know I’m a good girl?”
“Oh, I can tell,” she says with a hearty laugh. “I haven’t lived for seventy-five years without learning a thing. I just knew you’re a good match the moment I saw you two together.”
Oh my God. What would she say once she found out we were no longer together? I feel bad deceiving her already. Maybe it’s just a polite compliment, I comfort myself. But the genuine happiness written on her face proves me wrong. Gosh. Why is everyone in Alex’s family so nice? The guilt only accumulates each time I speak to someone.
I’m still savoring the last bite of the pancake when I hear footsteps in the hallway towards the kitchen. When I look up, I see a tall woman in her early fifties that bears resemblance to Alex. I know instantly it must be his half-sister Samantha, Mike’s daughter from a previous marriage.
I swallow the food in my mouth and get ready to greet her. But she gives me a tight nod and goes on to speak to Rosie. “Rosie, may I have some milk? My little boy needs it.”
As Rosie hurries toward the fridge to fetch the required item, Samantha turns me and says, “Hi, I’m Samantha, Alex’s sister.”
“I’m Vivian, Alex’s…fiancée,” I falter a little, not used to the term yet. I need to practice if I want to pull through the day without arousing any suspicion.
“Nice to meet you,” Samantha says and shakes my hand. She looks me up and down haughtily as if checking to see whether I’m worthy of her brother. Her lips curled into a smile, but it seems forced to me. “Wow. You’re very young.”
The way she says it with a slight grimace makes me feel as if it’s a crime to be young. I want to tell her twenty-two isn’t that young and that there are many people younger than me. But I don’t say it. Instead, I squeeze a smile, pretending it’s a compliment, and say, “Thank you.”
“How and where did Alex find you?” she asks, again conceitedly, as if I were a piece of garbage that shouldn’t cross her brother’s path.
“Oh, I’ve known him for—,” I nearly blurt out the fact I’ve known Alex since I was a baby, but I catch myself in time. “I’ve been an intern at his company for a while.”
“Intern?” Samantha lifts an eyebrow and shows more disdain on her face. “I see.”
What does she see? She doesn’t say more, but I guess the rest. She thinks I’m a gold-digger.
Rosie brings Samantha a glass of milk, and she takes leave promptly after thanking the cook. But she doesn’t give me another glance.
My heart sinks at the realization that Samantha doesn’t like me. I didn’t expect that. Alex spoke fondly of his half-sister on the jet, saying she and her husband took good care of their family business.
The pancakes I’ve wolfed down earlier don’t sit well in my stomach, and threaten to throw up. I don’t know why it should bother me so much whether Samantha likes me or not, considering my engagement with her brother isn’t even real. With that thought heavy in mind, I return to my bedroom.
Alex is back already and is showering in the bathroom. I take the dress Karen got me from the closet and put it on. I’m still working on the zip when Alex steps out, wearing a towel around his middle.
My mouth falls as my eyes fix on his masculine chest matted with a layer of hair. My God. He looks so yummy. My thighs squeeze as I recall how good it felt to curl up against him.
His eyes darken as well as he checks me out. “You look stunning, Vivian!”
That expression thrills me and my body tingles even more. I like his compliment although he might be doing it out of politeness.
“Thanks,” I mumble. “You too.”
He’s cleanly shaven and looks at least ten years younger but no less handsome. “Why did you shave?”
He grins. “I want to look younger next to my young fiancée.
I laugh. “But I like your scruff.”
“Why?” He looks puzzled.
“Because…” I stop myself from blurting. I like the feeling when it prickles my skin when he kisses me.
“Don’t worry,” he whispers as if he’s guessed my naughty thoughts. “It’ll grow back by the end of the party.”
“Good,” I say, imagining what we would do after that.
As I do so, Alex smiles and walks toward the closet to find his dress.
Reluctantly, I go into the bathroom to work on my hair and makeup.
When I’m out a moment later, Alex is fully dressed, looking breath-taking in his tuxedo. He goes back to the bathroom to style his hair and comes out promptly. “Ready?” he asks cheerfully.
“Yes,” I say after taking a deep breath.
I wait for him to lead the way out of our bedroom, but he doesn’t move. Instead, he gazes at me and says, “Wait a minute.”
My heart races, guessing what he’s going to do.
He moves closer to me, and I find myself pressing against the wall. He runs a finger along my cheek and then down my bare shoulder, sending little shivers down my spine.
“What’re you doing?” My mouth feels dry, and I stare at his lips.
“We need to practice a bit before the act, don’t we?”
“Sure,” I whisper and feel his lips on mine. My body trembles right away, and he groans as he sucks my lips hard. Through the layers of fabrics between us, I feel his forceful heartbeat against my chest and his hot breath on my face. Soon his tongue is caressing my mouth, claiming every corner of me, roof, floor, and down my throat. My God. He is so passionate. Is it really for practice?
I’m still guessing the answer when I feel his hardened center. My God. He had that at the beach yesterday, too. What does it mean? No, it doesn’t mean anything. It must be just an instinct. I shouldn’t let it mess me up. I need to stop the fluid coming down my core.
I should stop him too and remind him it’s time we go, but I don’t because I like the delicious feeling. His hand slips between my back and the wall, and it palms my bare skin first, and then it moves down to stroke my backside. It easily finds its way under the skirt, and soon it’s kneading my ass cheek. “Goddamn. Vivi, are you wearing panties?” His voice is so gruff I get a mini orgasm just because of that.
“I am,” I rasp. “It’s a thong.”
“Damn,” he curses again as he finds the strip. “You might as well not wear any. Wait. You’ll need to change it because it’s… soaked through.”
He swipes a finger along the fabric to show me his point.
“I know,” I say embarrassedly. “I think we’d better stop practicing.”
He chuckles and pulls away. “I’m sorry, Vivi. I shouldn’t have done that. I crossed the line, but you’re too sexy in that dress.”
I put a finger on his lips. “It’s okay. Alex. No need to apologize. Touching is included in the package.”
He takes a moment to get my joke. “Right. Fate Date Deal.”
The moment we step out to the yard, I gasp. Everything has been set up already. Half dozen tents and a large gazebo draped with white chiffon fabric. The signs indicate their functions: dessert table, bar station, cake stand, reception table, etc. A dozen round tables covered with white tablecloths and shaded with silk umbrellas scatter around.
A tent at the farther end of the property shelters a stage where a jazz quartet consists of sax, electric guitar, bass, and drums are getting ready. And in the center of all, under a white canopy, is a basket spilling with hydrangea, peonies, roses, and clematis. A blue banner printed with “congratulations Alex and Vivian” in gold wraps around the flowers.
Oh, my God! Tears filled my eyes as I realize the effort and money that has been spent on the occasion. Even though most of the work is done by the planning company, it still shows how serious Alex’s parents are about the event. Moreover, there are so many guests! Certainly not just twenty as Alex suggested, but more like a hundred to me. The lawn that has been vast and empty in the past days is crowded with groups of people. Women and men in elegant attires scatter around, talking and drinking. And children chase each other, laughing and squealing.
Everything is so surreal. Is it really happening? A week ago, when I volunteered to be Alex’s fake fiancée, I had no idea I would find myself in the middle of such a grand party. I was so naive.
And I wish the engagement is real.
I’m aware of all the eyes watching us, some with true happiness, others with doubt or envy. I want to shout and tell them I’m sorry it’s all an act.
“Why are you trembling?” Alex asks with amusement in his eyes. “Don’t tell me you have the cold feet?”
I chuckle at his joke. “I’m nervous. I didn’t know I would be deceiving so many people.”
“Oh! So you’re fighting with your conscience,” he says with a chuckle. “If it makes you feel better, let me tell you this. There isn’t any difference in lying to one person versus lying to a hundred people.”
I whine. “It doesn’t make me feel better at all.”
He laughs and pulls me closer to him, so my pelvis touches his. “Let me try it again. Although the engagement is fake, my feelings for you aren’t.”
“W-what?” my eyes widen as I stare at him. “Surely you don’t mean it.”
“I’m serious,” he says. “I like you, Vivian. I had a hard time falling asleep with you in the same room.”
Holy shit. I recall our kiss earlier. His hardened center and my drenched panties. I thought it was just a natural physical response. But now that he confirms it, I’m so embarrassed I can’t even look at him.
Strangely, his confession eases my feeling of guilt. I let him convince me our engagement isn’t completely fake.
I don’t have much time to feel anxious. Soon Karen takes my hand and introduces me to her friends. From the way they dress, I assume they are all as wealthy as she is. They look kind, too, and don’t seem to have a problem with my age.
“Vivian is a fashion designer, and she works for Alex,” Karen says, exaggerating my credentials a bit.
“How wonderful!” her friends nod with approval.
Their attention soon turns to each other’s dresses.
“I like your dress,” a lady wearing an elegant Giorgio Armani dress says to Karen. “I saw something similar to this at Nordstrom, but the collar was different and I didn’t like it.”
Karen smiles proudly. “Actually, this is probably the one you saw, Paula. My daughter-in-law altered it for me!”
Everyone gasped and Paula examined Karen’s dress from all angles. “My goodness! That’s neat! It completely changes the look!”
And then the woman turns to me and smiles. “You’re talented, sweetheart!”
“Thank you!” I blush and chuckle. Karen calls me her daughter-in-law again. My God.
We cut the fabulous engagement cake after the guests have their share of the food. After that, Alex comes to me and says, “It’s time to dance.”
“What?” I ask. I didn’t know it was on the agenda. “I don’t know how!”
“Don’t worry.” He winks. “I’ll teach you.”
“Okay,” I say and place my right hand in his left hand. “You sound like an expert.”
When his right hand presses against the small of my back, I shiver. What he did to me earlier instantly replays in my head, and heat courses through my body.
“Relax,” he whispers, gazing at me with twinkling eyes. “Listen carefully and follow my movement.”
I do as he says. I walk two steps back, point my foot backward and then forward, and then I repeat. “That’s it?” I ask. It’s easier than I thought.
“No, it isn’t,” he says, smiling. “You need to swing your hips and throw your shoulder toward me.”
I clumsily follow his instructions and soon end up falling into his arms completely. I giggle embarrassedly. “I give up,” I say. “I’m not good at this. I wish we’d practiced.”
He chuckles and pulls me closer to him. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be perfect.”
As soon as our thighs touched, I feel his erection. I gasp and look up. He shrugs. “Sorry. A natural response to a beautiful woman in a killer dress. Not to mention she’s my fake fiancée.”
I laugh at his humor. I have the impulse to tell him I wouldn’t mind being his real fiancée if he wanted, but modesty holds me back. Instead, I change the topic, “I’m sorry, but it cost your mom a fortune. Do you think I could sell it later and return her the money?”
“Don’t do that!” he says. “She’ll be insulted. Just keep it and wear it whenever you go out with me.”
I laugh. “What do you mean? I can’t wear it on other occasions?”
“No,” he says with a serious face. “Not when I’m not around.”
I wait for his explanation, but he doesn’t supply any. I guess it from his smoldering eyes. He doesn’t want me to look good in front of other guys.
The way he looks at me makes me think he really wants me. Again I wish this engagement is real. The music ends, but I linger in Alex’s arms until I hear someone shouting his name.
“Alex!” It’s a woman’s voice. I look in the direction of the voice and see a tall blonde coming toward us.
She wears a white, viscose cocktail dress that reaches her heels, with a side slide that opens up to her hip. A sparkling diamond necklace drapes on her neck, with a huge pendent on her breastbone.
She’s glamorous and I recognize her right away: Trisha Taylor, Alex’s ex-fiancée and a model who works for Trend. I don’t know why they broke up, but from what he told my dad the other night, it probably had something to do with his mom. Why did Alex’s mom invite her?
Alex’s smile freezes for a moment before he smiles politely, “Trisha! What’re you doing here?”
Trisha doesn’t give me as much as a curt nod and focuses her attention on Alex. She hugs him and kisses him on the cheek. And then, stroking his arm, she says in a husky voice, “What a surprise, Darling! Congratulations!”
“Thank you for coming all the way.” Alex steps back from her and holds me. “Meet my fiancée Vivian, Trisha. Vivian, Trisha is my business partner. She’s done a lot of modeling work for Trend.”
I shake hands with the haughty celebrity. It must be my nerves, because her hand feels icy cold on such a warm summer day. I shiver and force a smile. “Nice to meet you and thanks for coming!”
“My pleasure. Alex isn’t just a business partner to me, but a close friend.” She says to me, emphasizing the word close. And then she turns to Alex and pouts. “But obviously, he isn’t treating me the same way. It’s why I didn’t know about the engagement until yesterday. I got on the first plane I could after Samantha called me.”
That explains it. So Trisha and Alex’s sister are friends. I’m annoyed by the fact because it might explain why Samantha was somewhat hostile toward me.
Even though Alex does not show much affection toward the woman, I can’t help the pang of jealousy that threatens to consume me.
The party is supposed to be over at six, but the guests linger long after that. By seven, the workers from the party planning company have cleared the tents and tables from the lawn, and the festivity hours ago seemed to have been a dream.
Karen is saying goodbye to her friends, and Alex is standing next to Mike, speaking to some family acquaintances over the lawn. I stand on the balcony gazing at the view and enjoy the ocean breeze. No wonder people are willing to spend millions on a waterfront house. Just these relaxing moments are probably worth it.
Suddenly I hear women’s whispers coming from the other side of the wall. They must be speaking in front of an open window. I recognize the voice immediately: Trisha.
“I can’t believe Alex would do that to me,” she says. “A woman young enough to be his daughter! Immature and plain.”
My heart sinks. I sensed the hostility in her eyes earlier, but I didn’t know she disliked me so much. What she says is mostly true, but it hurts. I’m not a crybaby, but tears are rushing out of my eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Trisha,” says another woman’s softer voice and it takes me a moment to realize it’s Samantha, Alex’s sister. “But don’t be upset. It won’t last.”
I gasp. How does she know?
“What do you mean?” Trisha asks. “Did you see Alex’s eyes whenever he looked at her? He is bewitched by her. That slut. Who knows what she did to him?”
Ohmygod. My hand flies to my mouth to stifle a gasp. No one has ever called me a slut before because I’m the exact opposite of that! This woman is insanely jealous. I have the impulse to tell her the truth.
“Calm down,” Samantha says. “You know how my brother is. It isn’t even the first time he loses his head over a random woman. Remember that opera singer he dated briefly? It was over as soon as it started.”
“But he didn’t look at that singer like that,” Trisha says. “Besides, this girl is hardly worth his attention. What is she? An intern?”
Tears roll down my cheeks and I stifle my sobs because I’m afraid they’ll hear me. Why does she criticize me like that? She and Alex broke up years ago. Could it be she isn’t over him?
“Exactly,” Samantha says. “One more reason you shouldn’t be upset. Just wait to see when he’s going to dump her. I guarantee it won’t take long.”
Trisha doesn’t answer.
And Samantha speaks again. “Come on. You have nothing to worry about. Alex has been with you for the longest time. A relationship can’t last with just sexual pleasure. You and Alex are also business partners, and you share greater interests. The reason you guys broke up was because you weren’t ready to start a family. You should let him know you are ready now and ask for a second chance. I bet he’ll give it a thought.”
My heart clenches. My guess is right. Trisha wants Alex back. I’m suddenly possessed with jealousy despite my effort to remind myself I’m not Alex’s real fiancée.
“Thank you, Sam,” Trisha says. “I’ll talk to him.”
“That a girl!”
Their conversation ends, and it all becomes silent around me. I stay where I am, shred a few more tears, and walk away from the balcony. Seeing Karen and Mike in the living room, I thank them for the fabulous party, and go back to my bedroom. I head straight to the bathroom and turn on the faucet. I sulk for a moment while waiting for water to fill the big tub, but the moment I sink into the water, I forget all the annoyance and regret. Boy, I’m glad it’s over, and I don’t have to keep lying.
