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“You got it, darlin’. Stella, make sure you remind her how good I look in a suit.”
“I bet you do.”
Stella’s words hang in the air, and Max gives me a final wink before he walks away to serve two women who just sat down. That gives me the clearance to slap Stella on the arm. “You can’t say things like that!”
“Why?”
“You’re engaged.”
“So? I can still appreciate. Plus, I bet he’d know how to use that tie as well…”
“Stella!” I yell, because all of a sudden, I feel embarrassed. “Stop it.”
“I won’t. Because you need to take him up on that offer,” she says.
“Stella. You know I can’t.”
“Why? He’s perfect. Give me one good reason why Max shouldn’t be your date. Because if I needed a fake boyfriend and Max was offering his services, I wouldn’t even hesitate.”
“You think he’d be able to go all night without trying to pick up another woman? Or sneak away with a bridesmaid? I mean, look at him right now.”
I point down to the end of the bar where he’s shamelessly flirting with the two women who just sat down. “There has to be someone else. I’m sure there is. I just haven’t thought of him yet.”
Stella laughs under her breath. “There isn’t. I know all of the men in your life, and none fit the bill. You’d have zero chemistry with someone you met on a dating app, and Craigslist is full of serial killers.”
She has a point…
“Okay, let’s say I took Max. Would James believe it? He’s met Max a few times. Would he believe we’re together?”
Stella and I take a glance down at Max, who returns our gaze as he pours drinks. His flirtatious smile hits me right in the chest, which is weird. Normally I’m immune from his smiles and winks. Why is this one hitting different?
“Oh, yes,” Stella says. “The way he’s looking at you right now? There is not a person in here, or that wedding, who wouldn’t believe you two were together.”
I don’t know if that’s true, but I have no choice but to trust Stella right now. I’m in a bind, and I won’t be able to sleep until I find someone to do this. So for the sake of my sanity, Max it is.
“Did you change her mind?” Max asks Stella as he stands back in front of us.
“I’m not sure,” she says. “Andi?”
“Yes,” I say with a slight groan. Max starts to celebrate, but I hold up my hand. “But I have a few rules.”
“I would expect nothing less.”
“First and foremost, you need to tone yourself down.”
He gives a small shake to his head. “Excuse me?”
“You, Max Beauregard, are the biggest flirt I know,” I begin. “And for this to work, I need someone who would only look at me. So I need you to promise me that you will rein in the flirt for the night.”
He takes his hand and makes a cross over his heart. “My eyes will only be on you. That I can promise.”
“Good,” I say. “Now, the wedding is Saturday. I know you have to work on Friday, so I can handle the rehearsal by myself.”
Max shakes his head. “Nope. I’ll be there.”
“You don’t have to.” And he doesn’t. Will it suck seeing James by myself? Yes. But I’m a big girl. Plus, it’s just the rehearsal at the church and a dinner after. We’ll be far enough apart that I’ll be okay.
“Andi,” he says in a low tone as he leans in toward me. It allows the scent of his cologne to overtake my senses and…wow…that was an unexpected, and heated, rush. “Do you want me with you?”
