2. Alex

Chapter 2

Alex

M arrying Jaclyn, albeit for show, was not on my election cycle bingo card.

I suppose my life could be worse. I'm not sure how, but it absolutely could.

Undrinkable water for millions, even in my home state...

Broken systems I'll never be able to fix…

Hungry children all over the United States…

Yes, life could be worse. Not worse than Jaclyn's if she doesn't marry my brother. She's right, the story of her being stood up would ruin her.

I'm putting my ass on the line, and with one wrong move, the truth will get out. My family will ensure my brother's indiscretions are covered up. I'll be seen as the power-hungry son who turned his back on his father's party, leaped across the aisle, and stole his brother's wife. I can almost taste the bitterness of the headlines now .

When I saw Jaclyn in her white satin gown, the way her breath hitched when she saw me… my heart squeezed in a way it hasn't in years. We've hardly spoken since college, but I'm having flashbacks of her laughing at my stupid jokes while cramming for finals, our late nights researching in the library, and how she would always insist on buying me a drink if she did better than I did on a midterm. Then one day, she distanced herself—stopped sitting next to me in our shared classes, and avoided me in every social situation we were presented with.

I never asked why, and she never explained.

But Jaclyn doesn't deserve to have her social and political reputation tarnished or destroyed because of my errant brother. She's stuck between a rock and a hard place, and now I'm right there with her. Except, it's all a game of chess and she's two moves away from checkmate. There are big players lurking in the background, pulling the strings. And I can't believe for one moment that Chris loves her; he can't, considering what he did. Does she love him? After today, I fucking hope not.

She deserves better, even if she chose this… chose him .

Once the door shuts behind us, I glance in either direction to ensure no one is within earshot and, with my hand on her hip, press her against the wall beside the door. "Before you go back, we have to practice."

"Are you insane?" she whisper-shouts, eyes molten, and I'm drawn to the heat .

As Jaclyn attempts to push me back, I hold my ground. "I'm serious. Does my brother go to the left or the right?"

"Alex," she sighs, "stop." I take a step back, and she takes a couple of deep breaths. Being the smart girl she is, she also checks the hallway before adding, "I don't need to kiss you to marry you."

I shake my head and close the distance again, placing my hand on the wall above her head. "Have you forgotten the very last thing the officiant says, princess?"

"He's a pastor, not an officiant," Jaclyn corrects, her dark blue eyes narrowing, and I can't help but admire the fight in her.

Her rebuttal does little to deter me from continuing, "The pastor will say, ‘You may kiss the bride,' and we'll be forced into it. We both know what the paps and the media expect, and I don't want to blow my cover here. So, does he go left or right?"

Jaclyn shuts her eyes tightly, lowering her head slightly as she exhales in defeat. "I'm sorry. I forgot I'm not the only one trapped; we're in this together."

"Keep your eyes closed," I whisper, and press a soft kiss to her cheek. She doesn't stiffen as I expect her to, instead letting out a relieved sigh. "I can fake a kiss. Closed-lipped. A few seconds too long. We can fool them into feeling like it's real. When we have to do it during the reception, wrap your arms around my neck, I'll hold you close to me, and kiss your cheek, just like that. The media will eat it up. "

Jaclyn's posture remains perfectly straight, but her shoulders slightly relax. "Thank you."

"Despite what your father may think of me, I respect the sanctity of marriage." Jaclyn scoffs, but I continue whispering beside her ear, "You and I will share one kiss. The rest will be a game of how to fool them into believing we're in love. So, we need to get the details right. Does he go left or right?"

"Right." We both swallow thickly, and as I pull back, her eyes flutter open. The moment her blue eyes find mine, I'm lost in them, so entranced that I nearly forget her soft reply.

I'm unable to hide my smile, though I have a pang of jealousy that my brother is marrying her, despite his absence today. She never asked for this—she's more than a prize to be won, especially since she graduated first in her class from college, rightfully stealing valedictorian from me.

There's a chance I'm very wrong about her. She could be playing her own game, one where she's not the pawn, I am.

Leaning in once more, I brush the left of my nose to hers. "We'll get through this. It should only be for the night."

Our lips a hair's breadth apart, it takes everything in me to not kiss her; I can almost taste the strawberry and champagne on her. But… she's not mine, and she doesn't want me. If she did, I'd already have her dress hiked up around her waist, kissing a hell of a lot more than her cheek .

"Chris!" a woman shrieks behind us, making Jaclyn chuckle softly; we've already fooled someone. "You're needed in the groom's suite, and you know you're not supposed to see the bride before the ceremony!"

I pull back an inch, mesmerized by Jaclyn and her deep blue eyes. They aren't just cerulean, there are streaks of dark navy around the edge of her irises. I'm not sure how my brother got so lucky with such a beautiful and intelligent bride, but those eyes have haunted me, and will continue to forever. She doesn't tear away, doesn't flinch, keeping her gaze locked on me.

"Chris will be there in a moment. There was horrible traffic. He'll be ready in a few minutes," she replies on my behalf.

"We're down the aisle in a few minutes , Jackie!" A flash of anger appears in her eyes at the name, a small recoil, but she is otherwise unmoved.

" Jaclyn ," I correct, not wanting to leave the magnificent creature in front of me, "will be in her suite momentarily. I'll get changed and will need someone to adjust my hair before I'm at the altar. Want to look my best for my future wife."

Jaclyn's lips part and she sucks in a sharp breath, drawing my attention to them. If I leaned in, would she let me kiss her?

For practice, of course.

No. She isn't mine .

"Right this way, Mr. Blake," the insufferable woman sings as she attempts to pull me from Jaclyn.

I shouldn't be the least bit attracted to my brother's fiancée. Coupled by the fact that she's a Taylor, in no world could she be mine.

Resisting temptation, I willingly follow the woman, and she finally introduces herself as we walk away from Jaclyn. "I'm not sure if you remember me. I'm Lisa, your event coordinator, here to elevate your wedding experience. We've had a few bumps, but everything is going according to plan now."

Everything is not going to plan, Lisa. It's a fucking shit show

We continue down the hall to the groom's suite. As she opens the heavy wooden door, she asks with a sickeningly sweet voice, "Is there anything else I can assist you with? The groomsmen are staged."

Chris would bark at her, and I'm no longer Alex. I take a quick breath and growl, "No. I need hair and makeup in here immediately. I'll be changed in three minutes." I walk in and shut the door in her face, hating every part of that interaction.

I swiftly change into a tuxedo that fits too snugly, and with things no longer going as they were supposed to, I message the one man who could ruin my political career at the snap of his fingers.

I'm standing in for Chris.

The Taylors have been briefed.

As I stuff my phone in my pocket, Lisa is knocking on my door precisely three minutes after I walked in here. I wouldn't be surprised if I opened the door and found her with a stopwatch.

"Everything all right in there?"

"You're late," I grit out, fastening my lavender snapdragon boutonniere to my jacket.

Lisa rushes into the room with two other people—both have short, black half-aprons. One has a variety of brushes and combs, the other with fluffy makeup brushes peeking out.

"Your brother, Alexander, appears not to be in attendance," Lisa hesitantly admits.

I do my best to school an indifferent expression. "Yes, he had an emergency." My father will likely ask where I am, since I should be seated behind him. I hate lies, particularly when it comes to family, but there's no way around this—Alex is missing, not Chris. I'll have to fill him in after the ceremony, if the fixer, Ned, hasn't beaten me to it.

With a curt nod, Lisa looks at the women. "Okay, girls, work your magic!"