Page 36 of My Fake Lover

»It’s all good,« I said quickly, wanting to move on from the topic as fast as possible. Christian planted seeds of doubt in me that felt wrong. Max and I, we had no idea what was going on between us. Fake or not, I sensed that something real could develop despite everything.

Christian steered the conversation towards more innocuous topics, and I was relieved when, after almost an hour, he said he would leave me alone to run the show and went outside. I checked the sauce, gave tips and instructions to the assistant cooks, and kept an eye on the entire process while still pondering what Christian had said. This moment was crucial for me and my career; I needed to distance myself and show the people out there that I had what it takes. Moreover, I didn’t want to disappoint Ian and Lizzy under any circumstances. It was their wedding, and they were so kind and had trusted me. So I pushed all thoughts aside and focused solely on this menu.

As the waiters and waitresses brought in the empty dessert plates and smiled broadly, I took a deep breath and tossed the dish towel from my shoulder onto the work surface. The assistant cooks and helpers nodded and smiled as well, so it couldn’t have gone too badly, could it?

»You did a great job. It was a pleasure working with you,« said Patrick, one of the cooks, patting me on the shoulder.

»Ivy, the food was perfect! And everything went smoothly!« Lizzy came into the tent and hugged me.

»I didn’t cook it alone, plus the menu was already set,« I said.

Lizzy shook her head. »The idea for the new dessert, simply unique! I thank you from the bottom of my heart and will recommend you to all my marriage-minded friends!« she said, laughing.

»Thank you!«

»Now come! Let’s celebrate!«

»I wanted to clean up first, and besides, I smell like frying oil from head to toe...«

»Nonsense, Max is already waiting for you!« She winked at me.

»We’ll take care of it,« said Patrick, and I smiled and nodded at him.

»Thank you. It was a pleasure for me too; you guys are great!«

Lizzy pulled me outside. As we approached the dinner area, I could see Max’s broad shoulders from a distance. He stood in front of the bar and accepted two drinks. As he slowly turned to me and a smile lit up his features, my heart skipped a few beats. Good heavens, this man, this gaze, and these lips made my knees feel like jelly.

Lizzy whispered to me that she would leave us alone while we walked towards each other.

»I thought you might be thirsty after all that hard work.« He held out a cocktail glass filled with a red liquid. He himself was drinking red wine.

»Thank you, that’s very thoughtful.«

»I’m proud of you; the food was perfect,« he said. Proud. Someone was proud of me, someone who meant something to me. I couldn’t deny it. I still couldn’t get used to this feeling.

»That was only a tiny part of my doing.«

»You can accept compliments when they’re directed at you.« He smirked. I sipped my drink to hide my own embarrassed grin. Slowly, he leaned in and brought his mouth close to my ear. I felt his warm breath on my skin. »And I had to restrain myself from coming into this tent with you. The evening without you was pretty dull.«

He leaned back, and his lips brushed my cheek. Instantly, that feeling stirred within me again, the one only Max could evoke.

»We should go to our tent; I’m quite tired,« I whispered.

Max slowly nodded. »We should.« He placed his hand on my back and led me away from the area. »But we won’t be getting any sleep, darling,« he rasped hoarsely.

25

Max

Ivy had earned the right to spend the entire next day in our tent. With me. After Ian had called me and told me they had found a chef to take over today’s wedding dinner, it was clear that I wouldn’t let Ivy go anywhere quickly.

Tonight was the wedding, and tomorrow was the day of departure. What that meant for us, I couldn’t say precisely. Us. Did that even exist?

I knew I enjoyed every second with Ivy, and she was no longer as averse to me as before our arrival. But I didn’t want to spend these moments with her dwelling on it. Eventually, as the sun circled the area and stood on the other side of the campsite, we got ready and walked hand in hand to the spot where the ceremony would take place. A forest clearing, not far from the lake where Ivy and I had already sat. It was a peculiar sight, as people streamed across the vast meadow to the edge of the forest. Some wore fancy evening clothes, while others belonged more to the hippie faction like Lizzy’s parents. But everyone was excited, the tension in the air palpable like a shimmering, electric pull.

Even I had to admit that the clearing was beautifully arranged. In the center lay a white carpet, leading to a round arch adorned with cream-colored flowers. Underneath stood Ian, nervously looking around and constantly rubbing his neck. Lizzy’s dad, who would marry the couple, stood in the middle of the arch, trying to calm Ian with soft words.

Ivy squeezed my hand, and I leaned down to her as we reached the empty chair in the first row with her name on it. Gently, I pressed a kiss on her lips and felt her melt into my touch. I had to admit, I was a little nervous too, and Ivy gave me a sense of security.

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