Page 10 of When Javi Dumped Mari

Javi

Now

Okay, maybe it was the fake girlfriend that made my relationship with Mari go off course.

And yes, I’m aware that lying was a bitch move.

But to be (self-servingly) fair, I was young and foolish and couldn’t imagine that dating Mari would end in anything other than a total annihilation of my vulnerable heart.

Mari claims she knew within seconds and played along.

Still, I’m positive Mari and I wouldn’t be as close as we are today if we hadn’t friend-zoned each other all those years ago.

I wanted her in my life; the minor trade-off was a hookup that wouldn’t have blossomed into anything of substance anyway.

So, no, while I’m not sure precisely when I screwed up, it wasn’t fictional Fantasia that got me into this mess.

Which brings me to Mari’s very real fiancé. Damn, even the word fiancé makes my gut churn.

“So, let me guess what happened at the auction,” Alex says as he squeezes a lemon wedge onto his fish. “ You won the bid for a date with Marisol.”

“Actually, no. I had a girlfriend, remember?”

Mari leans forward. “Who was totally made up, by the way.”

“Right, but you didn’t know that at the time,” I say.

“Sure I did. You’re a terrible liar.” She snorts, her lips quirked up in amusement. “What guy would date a woman named Fantasia and not know about the famous singer with the same name?”

I’m never telling her about the Fanta bottle.

“Anyway,” I say, stretching out the word, “my roommate at the time, Jeremy, was and still is loaded, so I begged him to win the date in my place. And he did, for five hundred dollars.”

“Nice,” Alex says, nodding.

Mari huffs out a breath. “But Jeremy didn’t even want to go on the date with me. Said it was a gift to LASA.”

I shake my head. “Jeremy’s a damn liar. It sure wasn’t a gift. I had to do his laundry for the rest of the semester to pay him back.”

Mari’s jaw drops, her fork suspended in midair. “Seriously? Why am I just hearing about this?”

“Because I didn’t want you to worry about it. The goal was to get rid of Spencer and that’s exactly what I did.”

“That’s one of the sweetest things anyone’s ever done for me,” she says, her voice cracking with emotion. “I’m touched.”

Alex looks between us, a placid expression on his face.

“It was worth it.” I clear my throat, pushing around the lasagna on my plate. It’s a rare day when I can’t destroy some pasta, so I’m extra annoyed. That doesn’t mean I can’t be civil, though. “So, Alex, did you grow up on the island?”

“Yeah, in Guaynabo,” he says. “I lived there until I was seventeen, then came out here for college.”

He probably comes from money, then. Interesting . And perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising. It makes sense that he and Mari would share similar backgrounds. But is this a love match? I have my doubts.

As Alex tries to regale us with colorless stories about his childhood in PR—how that’s even possible is beyond me—I stare at Mari, willing her to look in my direction.

She refuses to meet my gaze, however, and instead stares off into the distance.

I bet she’s just as bored as I am. I mean, Alex doesn’t immediately strike me as a jerk, but he’s no charmer either.

He’s like stale bread: not inedible but also not ideal most of the time.

Speaking of, the object of my lukewarm contempt is studying me, and because I spaced out I have no idea why.

“Sorry?”

Alex grins amiably. “I asked if we could expect you to bring a plus-one to the wedding.”

Why the hell does he care? Oh, I see.

“Highly unlikely,” I tell him. “I’m not dating anyone.” I peer at Mari. “Plus, I’ll be too busy fulfilling my man of honor duties. Wouldn’t want my date to feel like I’m ignoring her.”

Alex’s smile slips, and then he studies me as he grinds his jaw.

I hope he chisels it down to sawdust. I’m not sure if he’s harmless or toxic.

That alone would have made me pause had Mari asked for my opinion when they first began dating.

Which means I have six weeks to find and expose this guy’s faults.

“Well, at the very least, I can introduce you to my sisters,” he says. “They’ll be dateless too. Either one could work for you.”

Either one? As if they’re interchangeable? Yeah, no, this guy’s a menace. “I’m sure I can manage to be on my own that day,” I tell him.

“Suit yourself.” Then he rises to his feet and runs a hand up and down his breastbone. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to visit the restroom real quick. The wine is going right through me.”

My eyes snap shut in disgust. I can’t stand when a person mentions their own bodily functions, especially at a dinner table. Keep that shit to yourself, for fuck’s sake. I add another tic to Alex’s “con” column.

As soon as he steps away, I pounce on Mari, crossing my arms on the table and leaning forward. “What the hell, Mari? Marriage? To that guy?”

Her expression hardens before she takes another swig of the wine she’s been guzzling ever since the server took our orders. “Yes, Javi. Marriage. To that guy. Have you seen him?”

I ignore her maddening rhetorical question. What could I possibly say? That he’s a ten but his ass is a little too plump? “You’ve met his parents?”

“His father passed away several years ago, but yes, I’ve met his mother. She lives in Puerto Rico, so we’ve chatted on video calls.”

“His friends?” I press.

“Also yes.”

“What does Patrícia say?” If there’s anyone who might be a voice of reason here, it’s Mari’s mother. She doesn’t mince words, and she takes her role as Luiz Campos’s counterforce seriously.

“She knows about Alex, but I haven’t told her about the engagement. This is all very new, and we keep missing each other.”

If Patrícia isn’t even aware of what’s going on, she won’t be much help—yet.

I don’t know what else to say. Maybe I need to sleep on the situation and regroup.

Mari’s deep sigh fills the silence. “Listen, I know this is a lot for you to take in, and I truly regret not telling you sooner, but Alex is a good guy. We have tons of things in common too. We truly do fit as a couple.”

What a ringing endorsement of her lifelong mate and the potential father of her children. He’s sentient, Javi. And he walks upright. He even eats with utensils. I don’t buy it, and I don’t think Mari buys it either.

“Does your father like him?”

“My father’s his mentor.”

I sit back and blow out a harsh breath. Jackpot.

I knew I’d find Luiz’s dirty hands all over this farce.

But as usual, I need to tread lightly where Mari’s father is concerned, so I switch tactics.

“Why didn’t you put him through our normal vetting process?

If you’re so sure about him, it would have been an easy thumbs-up. ”

“Sometimes you just know it’s meant to be.”

I point at her face, tracing the shape of her in the air. “That right there, that starry-eyed expression. The whole reason we made the pact was to avoid basing our decisions on flimsy shit like that.”

She twists her mouth into a grimace and gives me a pitying look. “I was wrong, okay? If you really like someone, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”

“No, it matters a whole hell of a lot,” I argue. “If someone’s worthy of you, the people who know you best will see it too.”

“But that doesn’t mean I should relinquish my autonomy over my own love life.

Javi, it’s time for us to admit that we’ve been using our dating audit as a crutch.

The moment I realized it was holding me back, I was able to let Alex into my life, and now we’re committed to each other.

Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted for me? ”

I could confess my feelings now, but how crass would that be? Her fiancé is only a hundred feet away—what’s taking him so long anyway?—and Mari would think I’m only panicking in the face of her unexpected announcement. Besides, I don’t want my big moments with Mari mingling with Alex’s.

Play the long game, Javi. It’ll be worth it in the end.

So I dodge her question. “You should know, this guy isn’t getting a pass from me. I’m going to be watching him like a hawk until you say ‘I do.’?”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” she says, plainly amused.

She has no idea how seriously I’m taking this situation, though. “Mari, I hope you know I only want the best for you. That will never change.”

She places her hand on mine. “Then be happy for me. And be the best man of honor in the admittedly short history of men of honor.”

I can’t picture myself standing next to Mari as she marries someone else, but that’s exactly what she’s asking of me. My throat is at risk of closing, so I force out the words I know she’s expecting to hear. “Sure, I can do that.”

Thing is, being the best man of honor must mean I’m responsible for ensuring that the bride doesn’t make the biggest mistake of her life. After all, isn’t that what friends are for?