Page 79 of Her Fantasy Husband

That’s what families should be for. To give you unequivocal approval. Love without conditions. Could he do that? Maybe he’d mess up. Maybe they both would. But also maybe he deserved the chance to try.

Did Lexi really love him? Or was it her fantasy husband she loved?

“I’m pretty sure she loves you,” Evie said.

He smiled. “You only met her for a few minutes.”

“She told me you’d be the best brother ever.”

“She did?”

“She believes in you.”

Now, all he had to do was believe in himself—and somehow convince Lexi to give them both another chance.

…

Lexi had told them to meet her in the coffee bar at the Ritz. She’d thought a public place would be better. If her grandmother lost her cool, she’d be less likely to make a scene in front of strangers.

“No husband today, Alexia?” her grandmother said as she took a seat opposite Lexi. Daniel sat beside her, then Harry on one side of Lexi, Melissa on the other. She twitched with the need to escape.

“Josh couldn’t make it,” she said. “Family matters.” Gosh, she hoped he and Evie were getting on. Hoped he would find some sort of peace if his sister came back into his life. And maybe one day he’d come to believe in love. Too late for her, but she wanted him to be happy. He deserved happiness.

“What a surprise.” Her grandmother sniffed. “Lost interest already, perhaps? Or I think it’s more likely he was never interested in the first place.”

Lexi shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what you think.” That was one good thing about the whole Josh debacle—her grandmother’s cruel jibes had lost any power to hurt her.

“I believe you’re mistaken in that. All I want is my due. Your father was my son after all.”

“He left you plenty.”

“He left you more.”

“Maybe he knew you’d waste it.”

“Really, Alexia. What I do with my money is really no concern of yours.”

“How about what you do withmymoney?”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about. I believe you’re the one in the wrong here. How will it look when it gets out that you had to pay a man to marry you?”

Lexi felt the nausea churn in her stomach. Just once, she’d like her grandmother to surprise her and behave nicely.

“I always knew that a man like that would never be interested in you.”

It was official, her grandmother was a bitch. Lexi clutched the envelope in her hand and decided she was actually going to enjoy this.

“Actually,” Harry said. “That’s not exactly true. They can’t keep their hands off each other.”

She shot him a look of surprise. He was standing up for her?

He shrugged then patted her arm. “Hey, what are brothers for?”

She gave him a smile and turned her attention back to her grandmother.

“This is really none of your business, Harry.”

“Of course it is. I was sent to spy, after all. I’m just reporting back.”