I could see her eyes getting all starry. She was definitely picturing the wedding down to the last detail, her brain working to make the absolute picture-perfect moment for me and Ford.
“How involved do you think Ford will want to be?” Tori asked.
“In planning a wedding?” I raised my eyebrows. “I imagine he’d rather stick a red-hot poker in his eye than discuss table settings and color palettes.”
The Wives laughed.
“Stefan was the same,” Tori said. “Though my stepmother did most of the planning in the end. Thank God for Michelle.”
“How are things going between you and Ford, by the way?” Brooklyn asked.
There was a suggestive tone to her voice that made it clear she wasn’t asking about our contract negotiations.
“Fine,” I said, even though I could feel my face heating up.
“Justfine?” Tori asked with the same tone.
“Have you done the deed yet?” Brooklyn pushed, never one to beat around the bush.
I thought about the other night, in the back seat of the car, Ford using his fingers and his voice to give me the hottest orgasm I’d ever had. Under the table, I squeezed my knees together, trying not to get distracted by the memories.
“No comment,” I finally said, still blushing furiously.
Tori and Brooklyn were both studying me openly now.
“It hasn’t happened yet,” Tori finally guessed. “They’re still tiptoeing around it.”
I kept my mouth shut, knowing that if I disagreed, I’d just put fuel on the fire.
“Ahh.” Brooklyn let out a dreamy sigh. “I remember that stage.”
“I told you, this is different,” I reminded them again. They were still convinced the sham would turn real before too long. “I’m not expecting anything real to happen with Ford.”
Tori and Brooklyn nodded, their expressions kind but patronizing.
“Of course not,” Tori said. “I certainly never expected anything real to happen between me and Stefan.”
“Or me and Luka,” Brooklyn said.
“It’ll all work out,” Tori says. “It just takes some time. And patience.”
“I really don’t think it’s going to shake out that way just because it did for both of you,” I said. “Ford and I have known each other for too long. He just sees me as a friend.”
That was a lie, of course. He’d said that he was attracted to me, and he’d shown me very clearly what he would be capable of if we ended up in bed together. I had no doubt it would be amazing. But I also knew that his heart wasn’t connected to his dick. He might want me, but he’d never love me. Not the way I loved him.
“Fake weddings are the new true love,” Brooklyn said with a wink.
And that was that. Even if I could convince them the truth about my relationship with Ford, I knew they would continue to hope. Which wasn’t helping me any.
To be honest, the whole thing was a lot of pressure. All the plans and the investment of their time and concern was weighing heavily on me. And what would happen when I had to let down everyone else with the news of my eventual divorce? The list of people I’d be disappointing seemed to be getting longer and longer by the day. Which was part of the reason I said, “I do have one request.”
“Of course,” Tori said. “Anything you want.”
“No gifts. No physical gifts, at least. If people want to give us something, I’d like it to be a monetary donation to my charity.”
“We can arrange that,” Brooklyn said.
I let out a small sigh of relief. Even if everyone hated me at the end of this, at least some good would come out of it.
