Page 56 of Fake Fiancée for Dad's Best Friend
She blinks a few times and then smiles. “That I’ll work for you after I’m done with school? Sure. I told you I would do that. I’ll work for you as long as you want to keep me!”
I’m pleased by her enthusiasm and I chuckle. “Not that, sweetheart. There’s something else. I need to ask you for a favor.” And then I tell her about the conversation between my mom and me.
Vivian’s hand flies to her mouth when she hears about my dad’s illness, and she throws her arms around me. “I’m so sorry, Alex! Are you sure there isn’t any mistake in the diagnosis? Mike looks so healthy.”
“Apparently not. He’s been having symptoms for nearly a year.”
Her cheeks are already wet with tears and I wipe them with my thumb.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re going to take him to see another doctor. The survival rate is still pretty good.”
“I hope he’ll be fine,” she says, sniffling. “What’s the favor you want to ask me about? Does it have to do with Mike?”
“Yes,” I say. “I want you to marry me.” Damn. I wish I had a better proposal, even though it isn’t for real.
She blinks. “You mean, a fake marriage?”
I nod.
She looks torn and I hate myself immediately. I recalled that she was reluctant to go through this weekend and I told her it would be the last time.
“I’m sorry, Vivian. I had no idea it would turn out like this.”
“It’s not your fault, Alex. We’re in this together,” she says.
“I’ll provide you enough through your grad school,” I say, hoping to make the ordeal sound better.
“I don’t mind going through a wedding,” she says after a moment’s pause. “B-but wouldn’t it be weird if I went to Paris right after we got married? Your mom was just telling me not to leave you alone. She’s probably hoping I would stay here with you.”
“Leave the rest to me. I’ll handle it,” I say to her. “I could go see you in Paris once in a while and send them photos.”
“Sure, that’ll do, but how long do we have to pretend?”
“I don’t know, Vivian. A year? But if you met someone sooner and wished to marry him, we could …” I say these words with a clench in my stomach. If it really happened, I might want to kill that guy instead of ending my fake marriage with her.
“That’s not what I have in mind!” She covers her face with her hands. “Jeez, Alex. I don’t fall for any man so easily, in case you don’t know.”
“Then let’s not worry about how long we’ll have to pretend for now,” I suggest, hoping it’ll last forever.
“Okay,” she nods firmly. “I’ll go for it.”
“Thank you!” I say. “I’ll give you the money, and you don’t have to work for me in the future if you don’t want to.”
“I want to!” she says with sincerity on her face.
I pull her to me and hold her tight. I stroke her back and kiss her head. God. I love this girl and I wish we weren’t a pretend couple.
She pushes me away suddenly and her face falls. “What about my dad? We’ll have to tell him, don’t we? He’ll have to come to the wedding.”
Damn. I forgot about John. “Yes. There’s no escaping this time.”
Chapter 24
Vivian
It’s Friday evening and I wait nervously for Alex to arrive at my dad’s house. After getting a second opinion from the doctor at Columbia University, Karen and Mike have left New York the previous day and returned to Santa Barbara. Alex has decided the date of our wedding, which will be a month from now, a day before I leave for France.
I’m watching TV, but my eyes aren’t on the screen most of the time. I keep glancing at the window that overlooks the driveway. Whenever I see headlights passing by, I crane my neck to check. Finally, a car parks in front of our house and a man steps out.
