Fake Fiancée for Dad’s Best Friend by Gena Snow

 

Chapter 16

Vivian

 

 

 

“So, Alex took me to a fabric show this afternoon,” I say to my dad at dinner.

Lisa makes fantastic spaghetti sauce, which I can’t have enough of. It’s even better than the one my mom used to make, but then again, I’ve forgotten the taste of anything my mom cooked because it’s been so many years. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend, and once in a while, she comes to visit. We shop or lunch together, but needless to say, she doesn’t get any chance to cook for me during those visits.

“Really?” My dad frowns a bit. “I thought he hated those shows.”

“Yes, he still does, but he wanted to discover new products,” I say.

“So did he?”

“Yes, he did. I guess. He seems to be interested in those recycled textiles.”

My dad nods. “Yep. It’s the trend. There’re just too many textile wastes. Cody’s mom is considering it too.”

“Speaking of Cody,” I say. “I saw what he wore today. The see-through shirt was cool!”

My dad blinks for a moment and laughs. “I designed it. Do you mean cool because it’s thin?”

“I mean, it’s stylish. Did you come up with the idea, or did you give the green light to your assistant?”

“Well, he suggested it, and I improved on the idea,” he says. “Honestly, I still think it’s ridiculous for a guy to wear see-through clothes because, what do we have to show?”

Lisa chimes in. “Wrong! A guy has abs to show nowadays.”

My dad rolls his eyes. “Yeah. Six-pack and all that. What does a guy need it for?”

“To impress women. To show off his masculinity,” Lisa says.

I can’t help but recall Alex’s muscles and feel warm in an instant.

“Please tell me you don’t care for that nonsense, Lisa,” my dad says to his wife.

Lisa shrugs. “Some of them do look good.”

I keep my mouth shut. Dad doesn’t even have a gym membership. The only exercise he does is walking around the block sometimes after dinner. He hasn’t even done it since the birth of the baby.

After dinner, I play Lego with my baby brother Noah while my dad and Lisa clean up in the kitchen.  Since he’s only eight months old, Noah doesn’t know how to fit the pieces together, although he’s fascinated by the colorful bricks. He picks them up one by one, looks at them carefully, smells them, and tastes them, too.

“Does it taste good?” I ask the little guy when he sucks on a pink piece.

He frowns and puts it away but soon licks on a green piece. I laugh at the cute behavior. He must think a different color means different tastes. At least he won’t be able to swallow these large items. Dad told me I ate quite a few buttons when I was little.

“Look, I made a house for you, Noah,” I say, pointing to the block I put together. “Do you like it?”

Noah giggles and waves his chubby little arms.

“Awww,” I pull him to me and hold him like I usually end up doing when I play with him.

I love babies. I’m going to have a dozen cute babies in the future, I think as I stroke Noah’s downy hair and pinch his plump cheeks. Maybe not a dozen, but at least five. I recall my conversation with Alex the night we slept together in his parents’ house. He laughed at me when I told him I wanted that many babies. When he asked me whether I had any candidates that would make my dream come true, I almost blurted out, “you.” I imagine how good our babies will look. Will they be as cute as Noah? Will they have Alex’s blue eyes and raven hair?

I’m still fantasizing when Noah frets, his eyes looking behind me longingly. I realize Lisa has come into the living room, and he wants his mama. “Hi, my sweetie little pie,” Lisa says in a high-pitched voice as she walks toward us, her eyes fixed on her baby. I stand up reluctantly and hand her Noah, who can’t wait to climb into his mom’s arms. I watch with envy when Lisa kisses her baby, and Noah giggles like the happiest child on earth. One day I’ll have my own. I vow silently before leaving them alone.

 

I return to my bedroom and jump straight into the shower. As soon as water caresses my skin, my thoughts turn to Alex and the afternoon we spent together. I thought about why he suddenly took me to a textile show. Did he really do it for my benefit? It’s not like I need it. Is it possible he used it as an excuse to be with me? Did he miss me as much as I missed him? Did I imagine it, or did he look jealous when I spoke of Cody?

Damn. I was like this the first few days after I returned home from California, daydreaming about him all the time. I finally got over him, but this afternoon just rekindled my fantasies for him. He looked so irresistible. I wish I were ten years older and taller, just like Trisha. Then perhaps I would have a chance. Or maybe not. I know he’s attracted to me from the way he looks at me when we’re alone together. He doesn’t make any move because I’m his best friend’s daughter.

While soaping myself, I recall how good his hands felt on me that night. God. I would give anything to feel it again.

I’m toweling off when my phone on the vanity table rings. It’s Alex. I pick up the phone in such a hurry I nearly drop it.

“Hi Alex,” I say while gazing at myself in the mirror.

“Vivian, can you talk?” he asks in his sexy, deep voice.

I shiver in an instant. “Yeah, give me just a moment. I…err, just got out of the shower.”

I don’t know why I say that. Maybe I’m being naughty.

He goes silent immediately, and I regret my whim. Why did I do that? Now I’ve embarrassed us both.

I put on a bathrobe and fasten the sash. Before getting out of the bathroom, I hear his gruff voice, “I wish I were there.”

Holy shit. Did he really say that? My lady bits clench, and my juice pours out onto my thighs as I realize what I’ve done and what it’s about to begin. Before I can stop myself, I ask in a throaty voice, “What would you do if you were?”

After another moment’s pause, he says slowly, “I’ll lick every inch of you.”

I gasp as I lie down on my bed. My hand easily finds my drenched center, and I whimper.

“Fuck, Vivian,” he says. “What are you doing? Tell me.”

“I’m…touching myself.”

He sucks in a breath. “Where?”

My heart pounds so violently I can hardly think. I’ve never done this before, and I’m too embarrassed to say it. “Between my legs.”

“You mean your sweet little paradise,” he says, his voice trailing. “Is it wet as I remember?”

Oh God. He remembers me? “Yes,” I coo. “Wetter.”

“Naughty girl.” I hear his rapid breathing. “Do you touch yourself a lot?”

“No,” I say. “Only once a day.”

“Fuck,” he curses again. “And who do you think of when you do that?”

You. But I don’t say it. “That’s a secret.”

“Cody?” he asks. “Do you think of him?”

“No!” I laugh. Yes, he’s definitely jealous! “I think of … Zac Efron.”

“I see. So that’s your type?”

“Kidding!” I laugh again. “I think of George Clooney, Johnny Depp, or Brad Pitt. You know? The older, mature type.”

“Now you’re teasing me, you little minx,” he rasps.

I hear the unzipping of fly and ruffling of fabric, and I guess what he’s doing. “Are you stroking yourself?”

“I am.”

“Who do you imagine?” I ask in a sultry voice.

“My fake fiancée.”

My heart flutters, and I giggle. “No way!”

“I miss your hands and your mouth, sweetheart,” he says.

I rub my fingertip against my wet petals faster. “I miss you, too, Alex.”

“Good. Come over here, and I’ll feel you all over. Make you come again and again screaming my name.”

“I’ll do it right now.” I press my finger on my swollen nub and cry out his name.

Alex grunts on his end and falls silent afterward.  

Wow. I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling. Unbelievable. Did I just have phone sex with Alex? That’s so unexpected, and yet I’m not that surprised. I’ve been hoping for a moment like this in the past weeks, although I didn’t think my wish would come true.

Did Alex really miss me, or did he say it on the spur of the moment?

I get up to get some Kleenex to clean up, and after I do that, I hear Alex’s voice again.

“Listen, the reason I’m calling is,” he says. “I need you to move in with me over the weekend. My parents are coming to the city and will be here for about a week.”

“What?” I’m taken aback by the unexpected news. “You must be kidding. You told me the chance of them coming to NY over the summer was zero.”

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes. “I didn’t expect it either. It’s all very sudden. Karen called me just an hour ago.”

I say reluctantly, “I don’t have any plan over the weekend.  But I don’t know what to tell my dad if I had to be absent for a week.”

“You don’t have to stay here for a week,” he says after a moment’s silence. “Just over the weekend. I told them you went home to your dad’s house.”

“Are you sure it’ll work?” I ask. “What if they want to meet my dad?”

“Actually, they do. That’s another thing I need to discuss with you.”

“Oh God,” I whine. What the hell have I gotten myself into? Now I have to keep lying!

“I could tell your dad the truth when I meet him on Friday,” he suggests. “You still want that?”

I pause to think. “I’m not sure anymore,” I say. “Because if we told him now, then he would have to play a part in our scam. It would be worse than lying to him and I’d hate myself more.”

“Do you hate yourself?” he asks in a soft voice.

“For this, I do.” I suddenly feel desperate. “I wish I hadn’t done it. Actually, I don’t want to lie anymore. I’m sorry but I feel terrible. I don’t think I can face your parents without feeling shameful and guilty.”

He signs. “I’m sorry, Vivian. It’s my fault. I should never have come up with this idea. But I thought it would be just a weekend, and I didn’t expect that engagement party, certainly not a follow-up like this.”

“Can you tell them we’ve already broken up?”

He falls silent for a moment. “I don’t think so. It’s too soon, and it might be hard for them to accept it. Besides, I told Karen earlier you would be glad to have them in our condo.” he says.

I realize he is right. This is not a play. I can’t get out of it because I don’t feel like doing it anymore. A cancelation of our engagement, even though it’s fake, might be a blow to his aging parents. Letting Alex handle it alone will be unfair too.

“I’ll pay you another five grand if it makes you feel better.”

“No!” I cry. “I’ll feel worse. You don’t have to pay me this time.”

“Are you sure?” he asks. “You’ll be spending at least two days and nights working for free?”

“Well,” I hesitate. “If you put it that way…I’ll give you a discount. Just pay me two grand.”

“Deal,” he says with a laugh. “Now, let’s think about the next step. We can tell my parents your dad is on a business trip.”

“Didn’t you use the same excuse last time?”

“Yeah, but your dad could be a busy person. It isn’t unusual for someone to travel every week for work. I do that a lot.”

I fall silent, hating the prospect of lying to Karen and Mike again.

“Don’t worry, Vivian,” Alex says. “We’ll be fine.”

“No, we won’t be!” I say. Lying isn’t the only thing that distresses me. I dread something else too. I would be sleeping in the same room and same bed with him again. I can’t imagine what I’ll do because just a phone call messes me up completely. I’d never get over him if I had sex with him.

As if Alex can hear my thoughts, he says, “We don’t have to sleep in the same room if that’s your concern. I have many rooms in the house. I could sneak out in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah. You should probably do that,” I say, although I don’t like the idea either.