Alex sighed. “I wish we could get a dog for you guys, but I’ve been told time and time again, the answer is no.”
Roman filed that piece of information for later. The kids started to draw a dog, and Alex attempted to step away, but he captured her wrist and pressed a kiss to her inner wrist. He didn’t want her to leave.
What was wrong with him?
He wasn’t dependent on a woman. He never felt this way, but when it came to Alex, she was fucking with his head.
****
The basement wasn’t so bad.
Several years ago, Liam had donated the money to get it decorated and to turn it into a hangout room for the kids. Just another room for them to enjoy.
Sitting on the sofa in front of Marlo, Cash, and Antonio, Alex started to feel like it was more of a horror movie as they kept looking at her, and she felt so out of place. She didn’t know what to say or do.
They just stared at her and Roman as they sat on either end of the sofa. A nice large gap between them.
“This won’t do,” Antonio said. “You need to sit closer together.”
“Noted,” Roman said.
“So do it now.” Marlo held his hands out and waved them in front of him, pointing for them both to get closer together.
“I don’t think we need guidance for this. How hard can it be?” Alex asked.
“When you both came down here, you took the furthest space possible together. If you need to convince a roomful of people staring at you like you’re under a microscope, every single little detail of your actions is going to be watched,” Cash said. “From the way you both look at each other. So, Alex, you need to get out of eye rolling. That is a serious mark against you.”
“Thank you,” Roman said. “I told you, you do it all the time.”
She rolled her eyes. She just couldn’t help it. “He did that on purpose to see me fail.”
“And he did it so easily.”
“Roman, you’re not free from error either. You glare, way too much. A man who glares shows disapproval.”
Alex couldn’t resist sticking her tongue out at him, and of course, Roman glared. This time, she burst out laughing. “I’m so sorry, but there was a time you looked scary but now, I think you’re super cute.”
“It’s the rainbow,” Roman, Antonio, Marlo, and Cash all said at the same time.
To Alex, Roman had lost that scary edge, which wasn’t a bad thing. At least, she didn’t think so. He was cute and adorable, sexy, manly, and she was so going to stop there. She had never thought of Roman as sexy and manly. Cruel and mean at times, but never sexy.
She had to get her head back on straight. “Let’s take this seriously,” Alex said.
This was a job for them. They had to be tutored in the art of appearing to like and love each other. It wasn’t something she should be turning into a joke, no matter how funny it seemed.
Hands clasped together, she stared at the three men who were watching them.
“This is good,” Antonio said. “Being able to laugh at each other and with each other, it is a good sign.”
“Think of our audience,” Roman said. “Half of the people there hate each other.”
“We know that,” Marlo said. “But you’re not trying to sell an arranged marriage anymore. With your disappearance, you’re adding a whole different spin. You’re the rare couple who fell in love after an arranged marriage.”
“Hold Alex’s hand,” Cash said.
Roman took her hand, holding it as if they were strangers.
Cash tutted and approached, arranging their hands so that their fingers were locked together.