Fake Fiancée for Dad’s Best Friend by Gena Snow

Chapter 6

Alex

 

 

 

 

We have dinner in the newly innovated dining hall. My mom has become interested in mosaic art, which explains Monet’s Water Lily in tiles on the wall, and the entire dining table top in colorful ceramic pieces. The fountain in the form of a meditating Hindu goddess right next to the dining table is also new. All the fancy settings plus the garden view improve my appetite. Soon I finish my favorite beef tenderloin cooked by Rosie, our family chef, for thirty years, and I savor the Merlot from my dad’s vineyard. Over dinner, my mom’s eyes seldom leave Vivian, and she keeps asking how she likes the food. Damn. I can tell she’s smitten by the girl. I’m glad, but I’m also worried and guilty, considering the whole thing is a sham. What if Mom likes Vivian too much? I only want to humor her, not to hurt her. I don’t want any negative consequences.

Honestly, I didn’t foresee this. I didn’t expect Vivian would impress my mom so much. I thought Karen would be critical because she always was that way toward the women I brought home, including Trisha, my last fiancée.

Could it be that Mom sees through our pretense and acts along?  No way. Her happiness looks genuine.

Well, I convince myself. Vivian is a very likable, good girl, not to mention beautiful and smart. It’s only natural that people fall for her the first time they meet. I’ve fallen for her, too, haven’t I? Damn. Just imagining we spending the night together in the same bed drags my mind to the gutters.

“So, how did the two of you meet?” my mom asks when Vivian, too, finishes her food.

“Oh,” Vivian blushes right away and dabs her lips with the table napkin. She isn’t a good liar despite her apparent confidence.

I help her out without delay. “Vivian is my intern.” This is not precisely a lie, and it’s the best next to truth. Telling my mom she’s my best friend’s daughter is out of the question because we are concealing the fact from John.

“Intern?” My mom looks taken aback, and I understand her surprise. I’ve owned my company for over fifteen years and have never dated my employees. Trisha worked for me but mainly was a business partner.

“Yes,” I say, trying to make it sound more than just a physical attraction between us. “Vivian graduated from FIT recently and is going to get a graduate degree in fashion design soon.”

“Oh!” my mom smiles. “That makes sense. That’s wonderful!”

“What school are you going to?” my dad asks.

“Academic of Fashion Arts in Paris,” Vivian says with a shy smile, but I know she’s proud of the fact. Hell, that’s the sole reason she joins me in the current adventure.

“You’re going to Paris?” my mom asks, frowning a little.

I know what she’s thinking, so I make up another lie. “I know, Mom, and I’m trying to talk her out of it,” I say with a sad face.

Vivian plays along quickly. She puts her hand on my arm and stares into my eyes. “Please, honey. We’ve talked about this. It’s something I really want to do. I promise I’ll never leave you again once I’m done with school.” Damn. She’s a good actor, after all. She even strokes my arm and makes me shiver.

That works. My mom immediately helps my fake fiancée. “I suppose you can go with her, Alex? At least go see her once in a while.”

My dad also chimes in. “Yeah, Alex, go with her. You can take care of your business remotely nowadays, can’t you?”

Unbelievable. What’s happening? What has this little girl done to my family? I gaze into her eyes and smile. And then, I take the opportunity to kiss her lips, right in front of my parents. “Whatever you say, princess!” I whisper into her ear and make her blush deeper.

When we pull apart from each other, I see my parents exchange a knowing look.  Hell, I’m in trouble, but I’ll worry about how to clean up the mess later.

“Vivian, I’ll take you downtown to shop for a dress for Sunday’s party,” Karen says to Vivian.

“Oh, thanks,” Vivian’s voice trembles a bit. Obviously, she’s still recovering from my earlier “fake” affection. “But is it necessary? I’ve brought some dresses.”

I saw the dresses she hung in the closet earlier. They were pretty and cute, but not for the formal occasion. So I say, “Please, Vivi, give Mom the chance to indulge her future daughter-in-law.”

Her eyes widen at the term daughter-in-law, but she quickly composes. “S-sure, if it won’t cause too much trouble.”

“Not at all!” my mom says with a smile, her eyes filled with adoration. “Let’s do it first thing in the morning.”

“Mom!” I protest. “There’s no hurry. I promised Vivian I would teach her how to ride in the morning.”

“Okay. We’ll go in the afternoon then. I’ll take you to my favorite restaurant in town for lunch,” my mom says to Vivian enthusiastically.

“That’ll be wonderful!” Vivian says.

 

 

After dinner, we stand on the balcony to enjoy the cool ocean breeze. When my dad explains the architectural design of the house to Vivian, my mom says to me, “I’m so happy for you, Alex. Vivian is a lovely girl. She’s perfect!”

“Thanks, Mom. I’m glad you like her,” I say, trying not to give her too much hope. “But no one is perfect. Besides, you’ve only just met her.”

“Well, son. You don’t need to see a person many times to know them. The first impression pretty much tells you everything.”

I debate the validity of the claim for a moment but give it up promptly. Instead, I ask her, “How is she different from the women I brought home before?”

She considers for a moment. “I don’t know. She just feels different. She’s beautiful, although she doesn’t seem to know. What I want to say is, she has no pretense at all.”

I can hardly stifle a laugh. No pretense? Well, I don’t laugh because of guilt. What would my poor mother think once she knew Vivian and I are playing pretend couple? But I know what my mom means. Vivian might be pretending to be my fiancée, but she isn’t pretending to be anything else. While my past girlfriends racked their brains to come up with witty remarks to impress my parents, Vivian only tries to show them we’re in love.

I’m gazing at the estate’s night view when I hear Vivian gasp. “What a beautiful piece of art!”

They’re standing in front of the Sea Maiden bronze fountain statue that my mom spent a fortune on.

“You’ve got good taste, honey,” my dad says, chuckling. “That piece cost us fifty grand.”

“Fifty grand?” Vivian pauses for a moment and looks closer at the statue. “Wow. I can tell why it’s worth it. The scales on her tail feel so real, and so do the conch shell and the turtle on the sea reef.”

“You think so?” my dad says. “Now I feel better about my money.”

Vivian laughs. “I’m glad.”

“She’s a gem. Promise me you are going to marry her, Alex,” my mom says.

My mouth opens. Where does this infatuation come from? And then I get it. Mom always wished for a daughter, but she had complications during my birth and couldn’t have more children. I have a step-sister, Samantha, but she was already a rebellious teenager when Mom and Dad got married, and the two of them never got along. Mom probably sees Vivian as the daughter she never had. This is more serious than I expected. Well, maybe her enthusiasm will cool off once Vivian is out of her sight.