Inwardly, I groaned. "Does that mean Max has to know too?"
"Max is my husband. It wouldn’t be right not to tell him."
I looked down again, feeling uncomfortable. The more people who knew, the more that could go wrong.
"Max will keep the secret. He knows how important you are to me."
I arched a brow. "He'll think I'm just like Dad, just like you did."
"And I'll tell him it's different. I'm telling you, James, if you get married in a Vegas quicky-chapel, the board is going to find it suspicious. We should do it here."
She was right. "Okay." Maybe I should confer with Reyna first. Isn’t that what husbands do?You’re not a real husband, James.Oh, yeah.
She smiled triumphantly. "Good. Now let's go in the living room and check on the baby and your fiancée."
I followed Amelia back to her living room. When we entered, Reyna was holding my nephew, looking down on him with a sweet smile as she cooed at him. My heart thumped hard in my chest at the sight. I was beginning to wonder if I was on the verge of having a heart attack as it sure acted weird when I looked at Reyna.
She looked serene and beautiful holding the baby in her arms. I could tell that she would be a good mother. The strange feeling in my chest morphed into guilt. I would be taking away a year of her life. A year where she might be able to find a man who could really love her and show her how to live. A man who could give her a family.
Reyna lifted her gaze toward me and smiled. I sucked in a breath as the thought that I could be that man flickered in my brain. Oh, hell no.
I scowled, and Reyna’s smile faltered, making me feel like an asshole. "Excuse me a minute." I stalked off under the guise of going to the bathroom.
Of all the women I’d picked to fake marry, why did I pick the one that was fucking with my head and heart?
CHAPTEREIGHT
Reyna
I watched James as he left the room, wondering why he’d gone from looking fine to irritated. Was it something I’d done? I hadn’t done anything but make friends with Vivie. Maybe it was his discussion with Amelia.
I hated that it had me second-guessing what the hell I was doing, so I turned my attention back to Vivie. I'd only known her for a few minutes, but I already knew I wanted to be close friends with her. She had a wonderful energy and attitude about her. In the couple of minutes we’d chatted, I'd learned that she had traveled the world after she finished college. She was still sorting her life out, unsure what she wanted to do as a career, but in the meantime, she seemed to live her life full-throttle. She said her parents expressed some concern that she hadn’t yet found a career, but they clearly weren’t dictating her life. They were letting her find her way. I envied her.
Once I spent a year with James, I’d be able to do the same. I could travel and find my purpose. That is, if we were still going through with the plan. The way he scowled and stalked off had me doubting.
Amelia joined us, sitting in a chair across from the couch where Vivie and I sat with the baby. He was the cutest little thing, and I yearned to have one someday.
"Is everything okay with James?" I asked.
"You know James. He can be the sweetest and kindest guy in the world, but he’s also prone to moodiness. He’ll be okay." She studied me, making me uncomfortable. I felt certain that he had told her about our plan, and while I didn't see disapproval in her expression, I was sure that I saw worry.
I handed the baby back over to Vivie. "He's beautiful."
"Do you plan to have a family?" Amelia asked me.
I blinked, surprised by the personal nature of the question when I suppose I shouldn't have been. "I'd like to, someday. Right now, my focus is elsewhere."
Amelia nodded. "Oh, excuse my manners. Would you like something to drink, Reyna? I have coffee or orange juice?"
I shook my head. "No, thank you." I already felt like I was intruding on the family. I didn't want to be a burden.
The door opened in the foyer, and it sounded like a herd of people came walking in.
"Well, Andrew, it's been nice. But your grandparents are here, so I'm going to have to let you go."
A man I recognized as being with Amelia at the party the other night entered the room. Behind him was a man who looked almost exactly like him, and with him was a woman carrying a baby that didn't look much bigger than Andrew. They were followed by a middle-aged couple.
Amelia stood to greet her guests, giving them a hug. “Everyone, I want you to meet Reyna, who is a friend who works with James. Reyna, this is Sam and his wife Kate and their son, Jake. And this is their parents, Drew and Juliana Clark."