Page 69 of Fake Fiancée for Dad's Best Friend
I’m still fighting my urge to go up to her when the waitress asks me, in English, “Would you like anything else, sir?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks,” I say.
And then Vivian turns my way sharply as if she recognizes my voice from so many steps away.
She gasps and freezes for a moment before she cries out, “Alex!”
Leaving her groceries in the car, she rushes to me. “What are you doing here?” she asks with a delightful smile.
I shrug and do my best to look nonchalant. “I’m here for Fashion Week. I thought I would drop by to check on my fake wife.”
She laughs at my humor. “You should’ve told me! How long have you been waiting?”
“Just long enough for a cup of nice coffee.”
“You want to come up to my apartment?”
“Sure,” I say with another shrug as if it weren’t the sole purpose of my trip.
I pay my bill and follow Vivian to the gate, just when the lanky young man comes out.
“Cody,” Vivian says to him. “Meet Alex, my dad’s friend. He’s here for Fashion Week. He owns Trend. I worked for him this summer.”
Cody stares at me with hostility for a moment, and then he puts out a hand. “Hi, Mr. Anderson. It’s nice to meet you.”
The hostility in his eyes confirms my suspicion about their relationship. I dislike him even more, but I shake hands with him cordially. “It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for helping Vivian.”
“You’re welcome,” he says, still not smiling. “Vivian is like a sister to me. Whoever hurts her had better be prepared for my Iron Fists.” He clenches his fists as if to intimidate me.
“Cody!” Vivian hisses at him.
As soon as we’re alone, I narrow my eyes at Vivian. “Is he living here with you?”
“No!” she says quickly, blushing. “His apartment is too noisy and he…err he’s looking for a new one. So, he stays here temporarily.”
“You should’ve asked me first,” I say grumpily. “You’re my wife, and you’re letting another man stay with you!”
Her mouth opens. “B-but our marriage isn’t….”
“I know,” I say, grabbing her hand and pulling her to me. “But we’re still married.”
She doesn’t speak but gazing at me with those dreamy eyes and biting her lip.
I pull her to me and claim those lips that I’ve missed so much when I hear Cody clears his throat. Vivian pushes me away with burning cheeks.
I turn to glare at the young man, not bothered to hide my annoyance. To my surprise, he glares back defiantly.
When he doesn’t speak, I ask, “What do you want, Cody?”
He clenches his jaw before speaking. “I would like to ask you the same question. What do you want from Vivian? She told me it’s all over between you. Why are you still chasing her?”
I glance at Vivian, but she avoids looking at me. Technically, it is over between us, but I refuse to acknowledge the fact, at least not in front of Cody.
“She misled you,” I say. “We’re still married.”
“It’s fake,” he points out.
“It isn’t,” I say. “Not to me.”
