Page 18 of The King's Fake Bride

The black shirt hugs his body, his slacks close to his muscled thighs.

I allow my gaze to linger on him a little too long before the nerves take over. “I didn’t know what I should wear. Wasn’t sure if the lawyers were going to be waiting to ambush me again or not.”

He has the decency to wince. “I didn’t know they were going to be waiting there for you until I found Jorge. I’m sorry.”

“I survived, so it turned out okay.”

Smartly dressed staff members enter the room, setting trays of food in the middle of the table before heading back through the doors and into where I’m assuming the kitchen is.

The scent of steaks basted in garlic butter fills the air, making my mouth water as I reach for the serving spoon in the middle of the dish of mashed potatoes.

Before I can scoop any, someone appears and does it for me, putting the food on my plate before adding a steak and some of the braised broccolini.

This isn’t real life.

Xander cuts into his steak, allowing the juices to run into the potatoes. “I thought we should talk about what this engagement is going to look like. It’s best that we’re on the same page from the beginning.”

His tone is devoid of emotion, all business and none of the warmth that was there when I met him on the beach.

“All right.” I spear a piece of broccolini and pop it in my mouth.

“We’re going to have to make public appearances now that my advisors have approved of you?—”

“Wait, what do you mean, approved of me? I only met two of them. I don’t know much, but I’m sure a king has more than two advisors.”

“I do. They ran some background and criminal checks on you.”

“Invaded my life, you mean.” I put my fork down and lean back in my seat. “What else do I need to know about how this is going to go?”

“Like I said, there will be public appearances. The news that we’re engaged will be announced in two days, and then everything starts happening. We’re going to have to show the country how in love we are. They should eat it up. My father married a commoner, and the public adored my mother.”

“Commoner?” My eyebrows climb high up my forehead. “Well, that’s a fun way to say it while trying not to be a pompous, pretentious dick.”

Xander sighs and scrubs a hand over his jaw. “I didn’t mean it like that. These are just the facts of the relationship, and speaking about that, I think it’s best that we’re just friends from this point forward. Anything else could impair our judgment when it comes to acting for my people.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. Though I felt something with the night we shared together, it’s clear that it meant nothing to him. Not if he’s willing to remove anything more than friendship from the equation.

It’s probably for the best.

This relationship has a deadline. One that I’ve noted in my phone asBAKERY DAY. It’s in all caps to make sure I keep my eyes on the prize.

Xander gets up and moves closer to me, pulling a little velvet box from his pocket. “I figured I should do this properly, so we can at least remain consistent on our story. We’re going to tell the public that I asked you to marry me at dinner while celebrating our one-year anniversary, so here it is. Will you marry me?”

“Sure.” I take the box and set it to the side as he bends down and kisses the corner of my mouth.

“Thank you for doing this, Amy. You won’t regret it.”

Somehow, I don’t believe that.

CHAPTER 7

XANDER

“You’ve lost your damn mind.” Daphne sits down on the couch in my study, propping her feet up on the coffee table. “I always knew you were wild, but I didn’t think you were going to take it this far.”

I sigh and look up from the bill about school meals. When I hid away in my office this morning, I didn’t think my cousins would make a point of hunting me down.

I should’ve seen it coming, though. The two of them always have something to say when it comes to the decisions in my life.

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