Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane

Chapter 62

-MILLIE-

A bride walking down the aisle in a princess–like white dress had becan

eyesore since my engagement with Hunter ended. It’s ironic, I know. Being

excited about attending and planning weddings was nothing but a distant

memory.

Bitter, that’s what I am. I could hear Andrea saying, ‘Now you’re getting it.

Weddings are nothing but a waste of money and time.

Yet here I was, drinking a glass of wine at Natasha and Jonah’s wedding

reception, torturing myself by faking a cheerful smile every tNatasha would

look my way. The bride was too sweet forto decline her invitation. She

almost teared up when I hesitated to answer her request.

Looking on the bright side, though, I don’t have the responsibility of making

sure everything at this wedding was spot on. I got endless free drinks, and the

food was great, too. That’s the perks of being a guest. I have the luxury of

enjoying the beautiful arrangement and decorations their wedding planner’s

team had done with the place.

This wedding was blessed with pleasant weather. They were able to execute a

garden wedding without hassles. Lanterns fioat above the tables, circling a

space in the middle of the garden, which they turned into a dance fioor.

The newlyweds were the epitof a joyous couple. The band played a

rendition of Ed Sheeran’s Perfect for their first dance. Then guests approach

them one by one, attaching dollar bills on Natasha’s wedding dress and Jonah’s

tux. As the song ended, Benjamin Franklin’s face replaced the fiower embroidery

on Natasha’s signature gown. Jonah’s grandma even made a sash out of 100–

dollar bills and draped it over Natasha’s shoulder like a Miss Universe sash.

“I was thinking of hiring an event organizer for the farm,” Dad said as we swayed

to “The Way You Look Tonight. Natasha was dancing with her father, an arm’s

length away from us.

“Are you asking for my opinion or informing me?” I narrowed my eyes on my

father, There was a catch to his statement. I can feel it.

He lifted our joined hands and madespin, catchinglike he used to do

every twe danced since I was three.

“Both,” he murmured, pullingback into his arms. He lowered his voice and

added, “It’s been a nightmare working with demanding event planners.” He

looked at the buffet table. Vivian, the wedding planner, was speaking with one

server; her hands were parked on her hips, and her mouth moved without

pause. The server looked like she

Chapter 49

was about to empty the pitcher of water over Vivian’s head,

A giggle fell from my l*ps, Dad frowned at me, suppressing a smile.

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“She’s a handful, isn’t she?” I commented.

I don’t personally know Vivian. From what I heard, she’s a freelance event

planner. But witnessing how she’s micromanaging the event from the band to

the server, I understood where Dad was coming from. I know Dad’s chef, and the

food was nothing short of delicious, yet Vivian had so much to say about

everything.

“But not all event planners are like that,” I mumbled.

Dad hummed, makingspin again. “I know someone sweet and smart and

knows how to work with people.”

“Yeah?” I feigned interest, tilting my head to the side. “She sounds interesting.”

“Yep. She’s my daughter,” he chuckled. The vibration rippled through me. The

little girl insidewill always feel elated to hear Dad’s praises, I guess.

I sighed, my shoulders falling a little. “I don’t know, Dad. I can’t just leave

Effortless Events. Candice would kill me. It’s our baby, you know.”

“Your mom said you might say that, but hear out your old man.” This sounds

more like a business proposal than a casual father–and–daughter conversation.

“You don’t have to leave Effortless Events. We can be partners.”

I mulled over his words, considering all my options. Dad could be convincing if

he wanted to be. How else would he win over the heart of this place?

“You don’t know how many bookings Sasha had turned down this year,” Dad

added. Sasha was the villa’s manager. “Your mother had scoldedfor letting

the opportunity pass, said she could do the planning herself, but I want her to

enjoy her tnow. In fact, I was planning on taking her on a cruise next year.”

Ugh, he’s not using that card on me, is he? He knew how much I wanted them to

enjoy their ttogether. I pushed them to focus on themselves ever since I

graduated college.

“Really?” I shriek, excited for my mother nonetheless.

“Don’t tell her yet. I want to surprise her.” The song ended, and the guests on

the dance fioor moved back to their seats.

“So, what do you think?” Dad asked as we settled back to our table.

“You told her?” Mom asked. The two of them were clearly teaming up against

me.

Chapter 62

Dad draped an arm on the back of Mom’s chair. “Yeah. She said she’ll think

about it.” He winked at me.

I huffed and rolled my eyes at him.

Mom giggled, reaching over the table for my hand. “This place will be good for

Hun.” Concern and hope sparkled in her eyes.

you,

Dad’s business offer was sincere, but Mom’s words revealed their true

intentions. They wantedout of Roslin City.

I smiled at Mom. “I’ll think about it,” I echoed Dad’s words and extracted myself

from our table as soon as I got the chance.

They arranged a minibar in the corner, and I found an empty barstool at the end

of the counter. Nursing a glass of vodka cranberry, I hid away from the crowd

and got lost in my head in the dimly lit corner.

Will they ever stop worrying about me? I thought this weekend was a break from

the constant ‘how are you doing,‘ ‘how are you holding up,‘ questions back in

Roslin City. Mom and Dad’s hidden agenda intensified these doubts in my head.

I know where they were coming from, but do I really have to move cities just to

get over everything? I am stronger than that, aren’t I? Hesitations slithered

down my spine. Will I ever get past the ghost of my kidnapping?

“This was a wedding, right?”

My downcast mood took a tailspin as I heard the sarcasm in Xander’s voice. He

inserted himself between the lady sitting on the bar stool next to mine and me,

ordering a bottle

of beer for himself.

“Why does it feel like you’re at a funeral, Princess?” he facedwith his bottle

of beer at hand, an elbow resting on the counter.

Rolling my eyes, I faced him, stunned to see how handshe was in his dress

shirt and pants. I would die first if a word got out of this, but he doesn’t look

bad. His long hair was tied in a ponytail. I could smell his cologne and

aftershave. He looked neat and smelled expensive.

He frowned at me. “Are you confused? You need help in sorting out your

thoughts?”

My eyes slanted. If only he could keep that mouth shut. Maybe I could tolerate

breathing the sair with him for Natasha’s wedding. “I was stunned to see

you tonight, is all.”

He smirked. “Why? Haven’t seen a handsguy before?”

BD

Chapter 62

The nerve of this man? My eyes twitched as I returned his taunting smile. “Nope.

Just didn’t expect you to own a dress shirt. Did you steal that from a grave

somewhere?”

He surprisedby laughing so loud; he invited attention in our direction. “Now

that you’ve insulted me, would you care for a dance?”

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This was the second the offered that hand to me. It looked big and could fit

my face in it.

I glowered at him. People were looking in our direction, waiting and watching us

patiently. He intentionally drew attention to putin the spotlight. I could

decline his offer. I don’t mind being called a snob, but that would also refiect on

my father’s image.

Tossing my drink down my throat, I placed my hand on his. Xander grinned from

ear to ear, knowing he had won this round again.

A rendition of Can’t Help Falling in Love crooned in the air. Xander guidedto

the middle of the dance fioor, curled a hand around my waist, and yanked me

closer to him, an ump sound tumbling from my l*ps. I placed a hand on his

chest, feeling his drumming heartbeat as I pushed him away from me. The man

was made of pure muscles. He wouldn’t budge and draggedlike I weighed

nothing, swaying us around.

“Have you ever heard of personal space?” I groaned and pushed him away

again.

He lowered his mouth to my ears. “You look beautiful, princess.” I froze and

gazed up at him with wide eyes. A smirk slowly stretched on his l*ps. “But I like

you better in jeans.”

My cheeks burned. I wore the only dress I brought with me. A fioral off–shoulder

fioor- length dress with a long slit.

This isn’t the first tI received a compliment, but it’s the way Xander said it.

He was blunt but sincere, like he really meant it, so I said, “Thanks.”

Through the song, it felt like I was dancing with a different person. No words

were exchanged between us, but Xander blatantly watchedthe entire time. I

can’t say am comfortable dancing with Xander; but I no longer feel him crowing

my personal space. Just one dance, I thought, so I settled on listening to the

words the band was singing.

When the song ended, Xander kept his hold on me.

“The song is over,” I groaned, pushing him away.

I

He opened his mouth, a mischievous glint glowed in his eyes, but before he

could utter a word, someone spoke behind him.

“Can I have this dance?”

My b*dy stilled. My heart galloped in my chest. I know that voice so well, and my

b*dy

does, too.

Damian.