CHAPTER 66: AN UNSETTLING FEELING

Evelyn’s face heated. "Patricia, what are you saying?"

Patricia snapped her fingers. "Oh and let’s not ignore the important thing," She jumped excitedly, "Have you seen his hips?"

"What hips?" Evelyn mumbled.

Patricia clasped her heart dramatically. "Those HIPS, woman, God made them for one purpose."

Evelyn covered her face. "I cannot with you." She slapped Patricia’s arm.

"And the muscles?" Patricia went on, wild and proud. "He could break a bed. Hell, he could break ME. If I were a biscuit, he would crumble me."

She grabbed Evelyn’s arm and sighed, "That man does not have a small wiener, trust me, I know."

Evelyn helplessly shook her head. "And how exactly do you know that?"

Patricia raised an eyebrow so slowly it was almost obscene. "Girl, look at his walk, his confidence and the way he stands. He has Big Dick Energy written in BLOCK LETTERS."

She then grinned, proudly, "And that is not a man who disappoints."

"Oh my God." Evelyn groaned. "You are impossible."

"No, listen—men with small ones walk like penguins," Patricia said with a snort. "But Alexander walks like he is carrying a weapon of mass destruction."

Evelyn burst into a helpless laugh she had tried so hard to hold back.

Patricia grinned, victorious. "See? You already feel better."

"I do not but—" She said in between her laugh. "That one was good."

"I know right?"

Evelyn sat down, rubbing her forehead. "It’s just—" she sighed, "Getting married so suddenly doesn’t feel right. It’s too soon, too big and too fast."

Patricia softened immediately. She sat beside her and took her hand again. "Evie, it’s only too fast because you are scared."

Evelyn didn’t respond.

"But your heart?" Patricia tapped her chest. "I know you. You look at him like he hung the moon and he looks at you like you are the only person who has ever existed."

Evelyn’s throat tightened. "You think so?"

"I know so." Patricia rested her head on Evelyn’s shoulder. "Alexander is the kind of man women pray for and men like him don’t come twice in a lifetime."

Evelyn swallowed hard. "It wouldn’t be that bad I guess."

Initially she was finding the whole marriage ultimatum thing very ridiculous and also furious but after listening to whatever Patricia had to say, it didn’t sound that ridiculous.

"And if you do end up marrying him—" Patricia smirked, wiggling her eyebrows, "At least you know the wedding night is gonna be memorable."

"Patricia!" Evelyn slapped her arm again.

"What? I am just saying that if you are doomed to marry someone, at least marry the man who could bench-press you while kissing your soul out."

Evelyn hid her face in her palms again but this time she was smiling.

"It doesn’t sound that bad, does it?" Evelyn asked.

Patricia leaned back smugly. "No, babe. It sounds like a dream. I mean, if you really have to make a choice, Alexander Reid is definitely the choice."

Evelyn took a deep breath and for the first time since the ultimatum her chest didn’t feel impossibly tight.

.....

[The Hangover Bar]

The bar was dimly lit with warm golden lights reflecting off rows of polished liquor bottles and soft jazz hummed in the background, the kind of music that made secrets feel safer.

Lucas dropped into the booth opposite Alexander, eyeing him suspiciously as he loosened his tie.

"Okay—" Lucas said, squinting. "Start talking."

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"No, don’t ’what’ me," Lucas leaned forward dramatically. "You, Alexander Reid, the man who thinks socialising is an Olympic sport he refuses to participate in, invited me."

He placed a hand on his heart. "So be honest, who is dying?"

Alexander stared at him.

Lucas blinked and then gasped. "Oh f*ck—am I dying? Did my doctor call you first? Because you know I have anxiety and abandonment issues—"

"Lucas," Alexander said more firmly. "Can you stop talking for like five seconds?"

Lucas finally shut up.

Alexander took a slow sip of his drink. "I need to talk to you about something."

Lucas relaxed back into his seat, folded his arms. "Aha, so this is a feelings meeting." He grinned, "Cute, please proceed."

Alexander ignored his infuriating grin and continued, "Gregory gave Evelyn an ultimatum."

Lucas frowned. "Okay, what kind?"

"Either marry me," Alexander said, "or marry someone else."

Lucas froze, as if his brain needed a moment to translate the sentence.

Then he slapped the table, excited. "That’s it, I am getting this man a fruit basket. Finally he did something good."

A few people glanced at them and Alexander sighed.

Lucas leaned in again. "So? What did Evelyn say? Did she faint? Did she cry? Did she run to you dramatically? OH GOD—did you run to her dramatically?"

"Lucas, people are watching," Alexander glared at him.

"Okay, fine," Lucas huffed. "Now tell me, what happened?"

Alexander exhaled. "She came to see me, told me about the ultimatum and expected me to panic. Instead I told her yes."

Lucas’s jaw dropped but he controlled his excitement. "Okay so let me get this right, Evelyn proposed to you and you said yes."

"She didn’t propose," Alexander corrected him. "She just told me about the ultimatum and I told her I don’t have any problem marrying her."

Lucas sat back, stunned. "Well f*ck, Gregory accidentally speed-ran your entire love life."

But when he noticed Alexander wasn’t smiling, amusement faded from Lucas’s face. "When the ultimatum is definitely on your side, why do you look like someone stepped on your soul? What’s wrong?"

Alexander didn’t answer immediately. He turned the glass slowly in his hand, watching the liquid swirl like his thoughts.

"It feels too convenient."

Lucas blinked. "What?"

"Everything," Alexander murmured. "Gregory was furious yesterday. I mean, the man practically dragged Evelyn away from me and now suddenly he wants us married?"

Lucas frowned as humor drained from his expression completely. "Well, yeah. That is weird."

Alexander’s voice dropped lower as he continued, "And I can’t stop thinking about my father."

Lucas’s entire body language changed. Suddenly his guard was up.

"What about him?" he asked.

"Dad doesn’t change his mind and he likes to control everything," Alexander frowned. "He struck a deal with Gregory once and he wanted Evelyn for something."

He then paused for a while and added, "Then suddenly he is against it and now Gregory pushes us to marry?"

....