“Uh, yeah. I saw them. Is there”—she glances around the boisterous clubhouse—“is there anywhere else we can talk?”
We duck into an unused office, trying not to knock over stacks of half-opened boxes. The space is more cramped than I’m comfortable with, but telling Alex her fake-dating scenario is about to blow up in her face is more important than how I’m feeling right now.
Alex might be the biggest pain in my behind this season, but I don’t want to cause problems between her and her grandmother. Besides, it’s my fault she’s in this scenario in the first place, because I played into the lie at the hotel.
“As my texts said, your grandma mentioned our relationship to Mallory and Kenzie.”
Alex runs her fingers through her hair. “Of course she did.”
“Then Kenzie got excited and said that she liked you a lot more than my last girlfriend.”
I wince at the memory. I’d known Kiera and I weren’t a good fit from the second date, but I stuck it out because no one has ever stuck it out for me.
“But then Mags put two and two together because Kiera and I broke up six weeks ago and—”
Alex covers her gasping mouth with her hand. “My fake relationship with ‘Max’ has been going on for six months.”
I nod. “Mallory then reassured your grandma that my relationship with Kiera had been fake—a publicity stunt to help a friend with the release of her newest makeup line. You knew all about it and gave your blessing because it would divert people’s attention from thinking that we”—I gesture between us—“were dating, especially on the heels of accepting your new assignment to the Waves.”
Alex’s eyes widen, but nothing escapes her parted lips.
“I know. Mallory’s quick on her feet. The only reason I’m telling you any of this is because Mallory called me, realizing we probably weren’treallydating, and asked me for the truth. After that, she sweet-talked your phone number out of Daphne so I could warn you. She came up with a ruse about you doing a feature on Kai’s family life or something.” I blow out a breath. “A word to the wise, never get on Mallory’s bad side. She’s a force to be reckoned with.”
“Noted,” she says, staring at the OSHA regulations poster on the wall beside us for several beats.
“So…” Alex slowly focuses back on me. “We have a fake relationship within our fake relationship?”
“Looks that way.”
Her fingers come to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Maybe I should just tell the truth. This is all getting too complicated.”
“You could.” I shrug, even though I feel very invested in this weird situationship. “How long is Mags staying in Phoenix?”
“Just through the weekend,” Alex tells me, letting her hand flop to her side. “She wanted to surprise me with a quick visit since I’ll be living on the other coast for the foreseeable future.”
My mind is already moving a million miles a minute. “So, three more days.”
“Yeah.”
“I could pretend to be your boyfriend for a few days.” The investment would be minimal because we’d be at work most of the time, and while we’re in the ballpark, we’re supposed to be pretending to not be involved with each other. “Though, maybe after you’re settled in Virginia Beach, you should break things off with ‘Max.’”
Her posture straightens as her gaze narrows. “Sure. I guess you’d need me to free you up for your next conquest. It’d be weird to havetwofake relationships inside our fake relationship.”
Alex’s stinging words resonate like spiky barbs as I try to catch my breath.
“Do you really think I’m like that?”
Her assessing gaze makes me feel scrubbed raw.
“I follow the facts, Tenny. Your dating history is well documented.”
I shift a half a step back, crossing my arms to protect my aching heart. “If you know so much about me, then tell me why those relationships ended.”
Alex shrugs, the movement entirely too collected. “You got bored. You found another woman who seemed more interesting. You—”
“How do you know it was me ending the relationship?”
She scoffs, leveling me with aBe seriousglare. “Who in their right mind would give you up?”
