Curvy Fake Wife for the Player

25. Alex

Chapter 25

Alex

“ W hat do you think?” I stood on the elevated platform in a black tuxedo, arms spread wide and a smile on my face as I looked at Dante through the half-circle of mirrors that surrounded us.

Dante looked me up and down, his gaze assessing like the fashion mogul he was. “Looks good. But are you sure black on black is appropriate for a wedding?”

I frowned. “Why not?”

“You look like a spy or a gangster, especially with your light coloring.”

My shoulders slumped. “So I have to go with a basic black and white tux?”

Dante’s lips curled into an amused grin. “No. There’s a world between a basic tux and this,” he waved his hand at the tux. “What does Sasha say?”

His question hit harder than it should. “Nothing. She hasn’t said much about the wedding. Isn’t that odd?” The wedding planning was complete except for wedding attire which was why I was putting myself through the hassle of shopping.

Dante shrugged. “Why? The wedding is real but this isn’t a love match. Is it?”

It didn’t start out that way but I couldn’t deny that I felt something for the curvy nanny. “It wasn’t supposed to be.”

Dante arched a brow. “But it is now?”

I nodded and told him about the news I received about Dixie’s mother. “Sasha and I were together when I got the news and you know what she did? Slid closer and soothed me, tried to make me feel better that I didn’t remember anything about the woman who had my daughter.” I still couldn’t believe how kind and caring she’d been at the moment I was sure I deserved it least. “What am I supposed to do about that?”

Dante’s lips tugged up into a smile. “Keep her?”

I nodded because that was exactly what I wanted. I could picture it as clear as day since it was the life I lived now, except we snuck around to be together as though we shouldn’t be, despite the fact that soon we would be married. “I think I’m falling for her, Dante.”

“That’s good. Isn’t it?”

“It is,” I answered easily. “Or it would be if I had any fucking clue how she felt about me.” Sasha was a nanny sure, but she came from money which meant she didn’t need mine which was a plus. But it also meant she might be worried that I would tarnish her image or lineage or something, especially the whole situation with Dixie.

Dante replaced me on the elevated platform, closely assessing his reflection from all sides. “You know, we could have done this at my place,” he grumbled.

“Yeah,” I smiled. “But then I wouldn’t get to see you being such a grumpy asshole.”

He flipped me off and I laughed. How the hell we’d become friends was a perfect storm of events that culminated in both of us dodging fortune hunters at some rubber chicken charity event years ago and from there a friendship was born. A friendship that had seen a lot of ups and downs, which meant I knew my friend was gearing up to tell me something I didn’t want to hear. “Have you tried actually talking to Sasha about what or who she wants?”

I snorted and shook my head. “Of course you go straight to talking about feelings. Lucy has trained you well.”

“Maybe. Or maybe I just realized that however uncomfortable it is to talk about shit, it’s not nearly as uncomfortable as trying to fix something due to a miscommunication.”

My gaze narrowed at Dante as I shrugged out of the black tuxedo jacket. “What are you saying?”

“Talking about how you feel now is better than living in limbo.”

Yeah, I understood what he was saying but talking about my feelings just wasn’t my style. “The thing is, I think she does feel the same. She hasn’t said so but when we’re naked it feels so perfect, ya know? But afterwards she’s skittish and distant.”

Dante gave me a look that said he thought I was a dumbass. “So you’re having sex but you’re not talking about what your relationship will be once you’re married?”

My brows knitted into a frown and I nodded because that was exactly it, but Dante’s tone, once again, said he thought I was an idiot. “What’s there to talk about? We’ll be married and having sex, just how it should be. Now neither of us has to go in search of it outside the relationship.” It would make everything easier for both of us, and it would appease my sponsorship deals.

Dante shook his head but a ghost of a smile broke through his scowl. “You really are just a pretty face, aren’t you?”

I shrugged off his backhanded compliment. “But at least I’m pretty.”

“Look Alex, I know the last thing you want to do is open yourself up and be vulnerable with a woman, especially one you haven’t known long, but dammit you need to sit down and talk about this. Lay out your expectations before you take the vows.”

“Why,” I asked seriously. “We’re going through with the wedding no matter what.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Because this whole thing could blow up in your face.”

“There are contracts,” I insisted weakly. As much as I hated to admit it, Dante was starting to make sense.

“Yes, but you know the number one reason contracts are broken? Because someone’s feelings gets hurt. They feel lied to or disrespected or some other emotion that they can’t or won’t get over. I’d hate to see that happen to you, Alex.”

A broken contract. It wasn’t something I wanted, not professionally or personally. “You think that could happen?”

He nodded. “I do. What if she doesn’t want to continue sleeping together after the wedding for fear she might fall in love with a man who hasn’t given any indication that he feels the same?”

“Shit.”

“Now he’s getting it,” Dante said with a small laugh.

“You know, maybe we should have just done this at your place since you’re kind of raining on my parade.” It was an immature thing to say when he was just trying to help but I was only half kidding.

Dante roared out a laugh and clapped me on the back. “Sorry about that but I’m not sorry. It’s time for you to be a grownup about this, man. You don’t want to lose Sasha, especially now that you know Dixie isn’t going anywhere.”

My scowl darkened and my so-called friend laughed louder.

“Just tell her how you feel and give her the choice going into this marriage. Don’t just hope it all works out, make it happen.”

“How do I do that?”

“The same way you became the best in hockey. Hard work. Effort. Blood and sweat. Tears if it comes down to it.”

Dante was right. This was too important, Sasha was too important to leave anything to chance. I was a master at setting a goal and achieving it, like Dante said it was how I became who I was. I just had to do the same with Sasha. “Thanks, man. You’ve helped a lot.”

“Good. Try not to screw it up, Lucy likes Sasha and she thinks she’s good for you.”

I smiled. “She’s right. Lucy is a smart cookie.” Sasha was good for me, the only question left was did Sasha think I was good for her.

Only one way to find out.