Page 52 of Faking It with the Off-Limits Doctor

Dara smiles and nods. “It’s a lot lighter than it looks. I promise.”

I slip my arm around her shoulder and gaze down at her. “You’ve done a tremendous job. Thank you, sweetheart.”

She looks up at me, and once more, our eyes lock. I’m looking at her now like she’s the only person in the room, and for a moment, that’s how it feels. Something comes over me, and I find my head lowering to hers. A second later, I’m planting a tender kiss on her mouth.

Dara doesn’t pull away. In fact, she kisses me back. When I do lift my head from hers, her pupils are wide, and I hear the lightest gasp leave her throat.

“You two make a fine couple,” Jack says.

His voice brings me out of the moment, and when I look over at him, Jack’s grinning from ear to ear. His colleagues seem to be nodding in agreement to his statement. But I’m struggling to find something to say because my body is reeling from that kiss. A kiss that felt so light, yet so full of meaning.

But our shared moment is over, and a little time after that, I invite them all into the living room while Dara cleans up. I feel guilty that she’s doing it all, but the whole point of Jack being here is for us to build bridges and make pathways toward a deal. Dara has played her part well. Now it’s time to play mine.

An hour and a half later, Jack and his colleagues stand to leave.

“Well, Alex,” Jack says, throwing a hand out to me. “It has been a pleasure. I think I’ve seen and heard everything I need to. If you’re agreeable, I think we can sit down in the very near future and work out a contract.”

Inside, I jump with glee, but outside, I remain calm and poised. Shaking the man’s hand, I smile amicably. “That’s great news, Jack.”

As I guide them to the front door, Dara appears just on cue, and slipping her arm around my waist, I wrap my arm around her shoulder.

“You’re a delightful couple,” Jack says as he steps out of the door. “I just know you’re going to have beautiful babies together.”

“Oh yes. I love children, and that’s definitely the plan,” I say, nearly stumbling to say something of substance. “Safe journey, and I’ll speak to you soon.”

We stand at the door, watching the group climb into their car.

“You love children, huh?” Dara says through her pinned smile, as they wave at us through the windows.

“Sure,” I say, continuing with my own smile. “I mean, I kind of already have one.”

I hear her gasp, and then I nearly shake myself. What the devil made me say that, I don’t know, but it’s out there now. I imagine when we go back inside, I’ll have no choice but to elaborate.

20

Dara

“You have a child?” I blurt once we’re safely back behind closed doors.

Alex moves over to the table, refills my wine glass, and hands it to me. He refills his own and says, “You want to come and sit out back with me?”

I get the feeling this is where he’s going to tell all, and besides, I’m now eager to collapse in a heap and relax.

“Sure.”

The back porch looks out onto a huge field that seems to run for as far as the eye can see. The glow in the sky is all that remains of the sunset, and I can’t deny what a beautiful view it is. Of all the times I’ve been here, I’ve never been outside. Normally, I’ve never had time, nor am I usually here this late.

“Wow, this is stunning.”

“I like it,” he says, offering me a seat on a cushioned bench.

I sit and he sits beside me, and for a moment, he doesn’t speak. And then I think of what happened earlier when Jack mentioned Dino. Alex quickly changed the subject on purpose. I know he did. And now, I feel a bit guilty.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” I say.

“Then I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it, right?” he says, looking down at me with a sadness to his smile. “The thing is, the child isn’t actually mine.”

I frown in confusion.

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