Alec shrugs. “If it makes you feel any better, she never mentioned you either. Unless . . .” He turns to me and cocks a brow. “Is this the creepy guy you were telling me about?”
I shoot Alec a hard look. It’s one thing to step in and be the hero, but I don’t want him to alienate my client. “That was someone else,” I say.
Justin’s jaw goes tight, but he forces a smile. “Well, thanks for the training,” he says awkwardly. He gives Alec a curt nod before striding past us to the locker room.
I close my eyes for a beat. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend to be my boyfriend. Put Justin in his place. All of it.”
Alec searches my face. “Maybe it was just wishful thinking.”
I stiffen and step away. “Alec . . .”
“Sorry.”
My stomach flip-flops and my heart tumbles awkwardly. It’s not like I don’t like the idea of Alec being more than a friend to me. This man is amazing, and the concept holds a lot of appeal. But the day I showed up on his doorstep and realized Oliver was his brother, I had to stop my relationship with Alec dead in its tracks. That was two and a half years ago. Ever since, we’ve been friends—a civilized alternative to being lovers or maybe even more, but one that leaves me empty.
I grab a spray bottle and wipe down Justin’s equipment, aware of Alec’s eyes on me. I’m too much of a coward to face him. Every time I see him, I panic that Oliver has told him the truth about me. About us. About the past.
I swallow hard, hoping to push my heart out of my throat and back where it belongs. “What brings you to The Orchid today?”
“Actually, I need to ask you a favor.”
“What’s that?” Alec’s richer than God, so he’s certainly not here to ask for money, and it’s not like I have any decent business advice to shell out. Not that he’d need it. Alec and Marston’s consulting firm is incredibly successful.
“I think we can help each other. I heard you need a temporary fiancé for a meeting with The Rage CEO?”
“Brinley told you, didn’t she?” Tipping my head back, I sigh. “She means well, but I’m sorry she dragged you into this. I made the mess, and I’ll clean it up.”
“Why not let me help? And in exchange, you could help me?”
“How?”
“My sister is getting married.”
I grin. I’ve never met Alec’s sister, but the night we met in Vegas, he sang her praises. “That’s incredible. Pass on my congrats.”
“Of course.” He pauses a beat then clears his throat. “The problem is, she’s decided on a destination wedding. Mother’s a maniac with stuff like this, and Rose doesn’t want a huge ordeal. So she’s getting married in Orchid Valley to limit the guest list.”
“If she’s looking at The Orchid for her venue, you’re talking to the wrong girl. You need to hit up Brinley.”
“Already done,” he says. “Wedding’s in two weeks, and she’ll be here tomorrow to iron out the details.”
I toss my towel into the dirty bin and tuck the spray bottle back under the counter where it belongs. “Sounds like you don’t need me at all.”
He grimaces. “That’s just it. My mother is coming as well, and she’s planning to meet my girlfriend while she’s here.”
I freeze. “Oh.” I’m not allowed to be jealous of the women Alec dates. That’s not fair to anyone—not when I’m the one who insisted we couldn’t have a relationship. Not when I’m the one who doesn’t deserve him. But that doesn’t help with the ache in my chest at the thought of him with someone other than me. And worse, a local? I swallow back my nausea at the thought of seeing them around town together.
“Do I know her? I didn’t realize you were dating anyone.”
Alec closes his eyes and sighs heavily. “I’m not. My mother has been trying to set me up with her best friend’s daughter for years. Recently, Portentia ended a long-term relationship, so Mom’s returned to her regular schemes and pushing the issue.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I may have lied to get her off my back. Since Marston lives here, it was believable enough that I’d have met someone special in Orchid Valley. The family’s all coming down to plan for the wedding, though, and I’m afraid they’ll discover my lie.”
His whole family? Oliver too? My head spins and I white-knuckle the counter. “Why would you lie to them? Why not just tell them you’re not interested in this girl?”
“You don’t understand. It’s not that simple in my family.” He shakes his head like it’s not worth explaining. “Mistake or not, I have to think about how this plays out. If I admit that I lied, then suddenly my mom’s going to insist that Portentia come to the wedding.”
“And you don’t like this Portentia?”
“She’s a nice girl,” he says, but something about the way he cuts his gaze away makes me think he doesn’t actually believe that. “I’ve done my best to keep her feelings in mind through all this, but I also have to consider my little sister. Coming clean now will put the focus on me when it’s supposed to be Rose’s time.”
“Understand what you’re saying, but . . .” But I couldn’t possibly meet your family. But you would hate me if you knew my history with Oliver. Or, at the very least, think less of me. “Surely there’s someone better for this job.”
“All I’m asking is for a few days now, and then a few more when we’re all here for the wedding. In exchange, I’ll go with you to the meeting and pretend to be your adoring fiancé.”
Sighing, I take a seat on the nearest bench and grab my bottle of water. “The whole fake-dating thing might look easy in the movies, but I’m pretty sure it’s a recipe for disaster in real life.”
“I feel like we could pull it off okay.” His eyes are so tender, and . . . Gah. My heart.
It’s such a small favor. Honestly, I wouldn’t hesitate . . . if it weren’t for Oliver. “Just tell them your girlfriend is out of town.”
Alec tucks his hands in his pockets and frowns. “May I ask if I did something to offend you?”
“What? No. Of course not.”
“Is it that even pretending to be my girlfriend for a few days would be that distasteful to you? So distasteful that you wouldn’t even do it to land your dream job?”
“Alec . . .” My shoulders sag. “Is your whole family coming down? I mean, how many people would I be pretending for?” Oh God, this is awkward, but even if I’m not Alec’s fake girlfriend, I have to know if I’ll be facing Oliver. Maybe I will leave town.
“The whole family will come. There will be about five of us this weekend, and then probably thirty the weekend of the wedding—plus everyone on Rose’s fiancé’s side. I guess I don’t know for sure, but Mom will expect all the aunts and uncles to make the trip. The only one she won’t guilt into coming is Oliver. He hasn’t been in the same room as her since Dad’s funeral, and I don’t think either of them want that to change now.”