Page 46 of Fake Fiancée for Dad's Best Friend
“What’re you hiding?” I ask.
He smirks and says, “I have something for you. Close your eyes!”
I obey, smiling. “What is it?” I ask with my eyes closed.
Something soft and cold brushes against my face, and I giggle. “Can I open my eyes now?”
“Yes.”
I open my eyes and gasp at the beautiful rose bouquet in front of me: red, pink, yellow, and purple!
“So pretty! For me? What’s the occasion?”
“To welcome you to my house.”
I can’t stop my grin. This is the first time anyone buys me flowers. Wait. Maybe not the first time. My dad bought me flowers for my high school graduation, and Cody bought me flowers on my twentieth birthday.
But this time, it feels so different.
“You’ve got any vases?” I ask as I hold the bouquet in both hands.
“Yes,” he says. “Come here. I’ll give you a house tour and show you where everything is.”
“Right,” I follow him into the kitchen. “I’ve got a lot to learn.”
He takes out a crystal vase from a hutch and passes it to me. “Will this one do?” he asks as he searches for something else. “It’s the only one I have. I don’t have the habit of having flower arrangements. I don’t even remember where this one came from.”
I know I shouldn’t, but I quickly come up with a possibility. It must’ve been an old girlfriend. She could even be Trisha. She lived here with him, didn’t she?
“It must be Karina, my housekeeper,” he says. “She used to bring flowers from her garden.”
I feel better at that explanation. And then I feel silly. If I let a vase cause so many conjectures, how will I enjoy my stay here? Wait. Am I supposed to enjoy it? This is just another job, as far as I’m concerned. Once this one week is over, I’ll end up with two thousand dollars more in my bank account, and with one more month’s internship pay, I’ll be ready for school in Paris.
I arrange the flowers in the vase while Alex opens the fridge for a beer. He’s unbuttoned his shirt, and when I catch sight of a strip of his hairy chest, I recall the sensation of touching him. My thighs tingle, and I look away, blushing.
“Where should I put it?” I ask, keeping my head low but aware of his bright eyes.
“In the living room, I guess. On the coffee table or the console?”
Gosh. Why is his voice so gruff? Does the beer do it to him? I leave the kitchen in a hurry and put the flowers on top of the coffee table.
I then plop down on the couch to admire them. Beer in hand, Alex comes to sit down next to me, keeping a respectful distance between us. “So, have you eaten anything?”
“Yeah. I had a sandwich at home at around noon.”
“Well, that was a while ago,” he looks at his watch. “Let me take you to dinner.”
I’ve been looking forward to it, but suddenly I just want to be alone with Alex in his condo. “We could just order for delivery.”
He frowns. “I do that all the time. Tonight I’ve got company, and I would like to eat out.”
“Sure, if you insist,” I say. “Where do you want to go?”
“Capital Grille on 51st. I’ve already reserved a table.”
“Really?” I grin. It’s my favorite restaurant in town. I’ve only been there with my dad and not with any friends because it’s so pricy. Remembering the filet mignon I had years ago still makes my mouth water.
I was thrilled for a moment, but then my shoulders sag.
