Page 16 of Last Minute Fiancé

I could still hear the denial screaming in my head that I knew that this wasn’t exactly perfect, but it was better than nothing.

It was more of a plan than I had that morning.

I made my way into the conference room for the next part of the project and nearly ran into Travis.

He looked good as always, his tailored suit cut to perfection. His shoulders were broad, his chest thick. He looked damn good in a suit, but he was like a snake in men’s clothing, slithering and hissing when he didn’t get his way.

“Oh, Addison, good to see you finally show up.”

“I was at a work lunch, which I’m sure you know because you like putting tabs on me.”

“No no, no need for that. My fiancée was just at lunch with her boss and told me you were there.”

I froze, trying to understand exactly what he just said.

He couldn’t be saying what I thought he had, right?

There was no way someone was stupid enough to want to marry Travis Armstrong. Then again, I dated him. The worst eight months of my life.

There was this ringing in my ears and my knees went weak, but it was fine.

Travis was getting married. Good for him. I wasn’t jealous in the slightest.

But I couldn’t help thinking about what Kelly had just said.

About the fact that Travis was going to look like the perfect family man on paper.

And I was the cold woman without a heart who had clawed her way to the top.

Neither of those were actually true, but the screaming in my head combined with whatever hormones that were now pumping through my body made me feel like I was a fucking idiot.

And I said the worst thing possible.

“I’m so happy for you. Congratulations.”

“Dory will be at the retreat, and I’m really excited for her to really get to know the company and the family that we’ve made here. She’s used to this type of thing though, since her father is Jackson Ford.”

Bile rose in my throat, because Jackson Ford was a billionaire tycoon who made a shit-ton of money with our company.

Travis’s fiancée was Dory Ford, the brilliant debutante who also made a name of her own, and somehow lowered herself to be with Travis Armstrong.

I knew it wasn’t his dick, I remembered his dick. I bet it was that smarmy smile. Somehow that’s what did it.

But I kept my smile on my face and hoped it wasn’t too brittle.

“Oh, wow. Seriously, congratulations. I can’t wait to meet her at the retreat.”

“I’m sure.”

And then it was as if someone had taken over my body, like I were a puppet on a string, and words were coming out of my mouth that I didn’t approve, that I knew I needed to stop. But the words that I had jokingly said to Kelly poured out of me, and I made a fucking mistake.

“Seriously, I’m excited to meet her. And for you to meet Luca. My fiancé.”

Travis blinked, then looked down at my bare fingers. I wasn’t wearing a ring, because I had just made up a fiancé.

I’m such a damn idiot.

“Really? I didn’t know the happy news.”

---