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“I’m just going to get up out of this chair and leave. You’re creeping me out,” I told her.
“We should go get coffee. I need some form of sustenance to get me through the next few hours. I’ll be a busy worker bee,” Valerie said with a stretch.
“I’m avoiding you. Didn’t you get the hint?” I asked her, getting up. I needed to get out of there before she put even more ideas in my head. Love? It wasn’t possible.
“Come on,” she pouted. “It’s just coffee”
“Fine,” I said, resigned to my fate. She probably just wanted to dig at me some more. “If you bug me about the ring, I’m leaving,” I told her as we moved out of her office and down the hallway past the reception desk to the exit.
“I would never,” she said pressing her hands to her heart and proclaiming her innocence.
“No one who knows you would believe that,” I said laughing.
We separated, walking to our cars. Valerie would be returning to her practice after coffee, while I, still jobless, would be heading home. I pulled out of the parking lot and gave her a wave. She’d be following behind me.
Valerie could be a worry wart about the simplest things. She was usually right, too, but little did she know that what was happening between me and Christian was far beyond any of that. In a way, though it was simple, at least on the surface. Christian and I both knew where we stood. We'd done what we set out to do: Convince our parents and friends we were together. And it had backfired. But there was no need to overstep our bonds. Feelings and emotions would only make this entanglement even more difficult to get free of.
Chapter Nine
Alex's POV
Christian had to travel abroad for some work meetings, and he had invited me along. I didn't think much of it until he brought it up for the second time, this time with a sly grin on his face.
"You want to come with me?" he asked.
“For work?” I asked surprised. I'd thought he was joking.
“Well, I won’t be in meetings the whole time. It’ll be fun. We could work on our manners together, and plus, you’ll be away from your mother,” he said wryly.
I didn’t particularly want to leave the country right then, not while job hunting. But he was right, and I also needed to be away from my mom. She’d been on my neck the whole time, trying to get me to commit to a date for the engagement party and the wedding.
“Where are you heading?” I asked him.
“Italy and then on to Paris. We’re opening a new branch in Paris, and I’d love to see how things are going over there,” he said.
Italy and Paris. How could I say no? “I could always use a mini vacation. When are you leaving?” I asked, moving to the kitchen to make coffee. It was too late to be drinking coffee, but sometimes our indulgences controlled us.
A few days later, we found ourselves at the airport, checking in for our first-class seats, and I felt a sense of familiarity wash over me. The first-class seats and attentive service were things that I was accustomed to but didn't take for granted, and the fact that I was experiencing those things with Christian made them all the more special. We resolved most of our issues after Sophie's wedding. Sort of. Although we were still in the same bind.
As we settled into our seats, Christian took my hand and squeezed it gently.
“Are you ready for this?" he asked, eyes twinkling. "Actually, can you believe we're doing this?"
It felt surreal, and impossible, Christian and I were on a trip together when just a few weeks ago we might have murdered each other. I didn’t let myself think much about why I was on this trip with him or why he’d invited me in the first place.
I grinned back at him, feeling a sense of anticipation building up inside me. "I'm ready for anything," I said, my voice filled with excitement.
"I'm glad you decided to come with me," he said, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine.
I leaned over and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
“So am I,” I told him linking my hands through his.
As the plane took off, I felt a rush of adrenaline. This was it, our first trip together, and I could feel it would be a memorable one. Christian and I never would’ve done this a month ago, but time had certainly helped us along in our relationship. Pretend or not.
We arrived at our destination, a beautiful seaside town, and made our way to Christian's Italian home, a stunning villa overlooking the ocean. I felt a sense of awe as we walked through the door. The view was breathtaking, endless cliffs that looked like they were hanging off nothing.
I was impressed by the grandeur and style of the house, but more than anything, I was happy to be spending time with Christian. It was strange that I actually wanted to be here, together with him, just the two of us, alone.
