Family Games
751 Words
The morning of the wedding rehearsal dawned crisp and bright. Amelia Hart sipped her coffee, glancing at her reflection in the polished glass of her kitchen. Her hair was pinned perfectly, her dress flowing as it should, and yet she felt a nervous flutter in her stomach.
Not from the wedding. From him.
Ethan Black arrived promptly, as always, carrying himself with an effortless confidence that made Amelia’s pulse skip.
“Good morning,” he said smoothly. “Ready for round two of family chaos?”
Amelia smirked. “I suppose I have no choice.”
⸻
By mid-morning, the Hart family descended upon the venue in full force. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and even distant relatives Amelia barely remembered arrived with questions, critiques, and a surprising amount of unsolicited advice.
Ethan was by her side the entire time, handling every encounter with precision.
“Amelia, who’s this?” her cousin whispered sharply, eyeing Ethan as they arranged chairs.
“My… friend,” Amelia replied quickly, not wanting to reveal too much.
Ethan extended his hand politely. “Ethan Black, pleased to meet you.”
Her cousin blinked, then smiled politely. “Nice to meet you, Ethan. You’re… very composed.”
Ethan’s smile was calm, unflappable, but his eyes briefly flicked to Amelia with a subtle spark of amusement. She felt a small thrill at the glance, a flutter she wasn’t used to feeling around strangers.
⸻
As the rehearsal progressed, Ethan managed to diffuse several tense situations.
When her younger cousin spilled wine on the tablecloth, Ethan leaned in, offering a charming wink. “Don’t worry. Accidents happen to the best of us.”
Amelia watched, slightly amazed, as her usually chaotic family relaxed in his presence. Even her mother seemed impressed, though she would never admit it aloud.
“You’re very… attentive,” Amelia said quietly, leaning close to him.
Ethan’s lips curved into a faint smile. “It’s part of the job. And perhaps I enjoy keeping you calm.”
Amelia felt her cheeks warm. “Professional, remember?”
“Professional,” he agreed, though the faint glint in his eye suggested he was enjoying more than just his work.
⸻
During a lull in the chaos, Amelia’s uncle cornered her. “So… who is he really?”
Amelia froze. She opened her mouth to deflect, but Ethan’s calm presence beside her was reassuring.
“He’s a friend,” Ethan said smoothly, stepping slightly forward. “A very dear friend of Amelia’s.”
Her uncle gave a skeptical look, but Ethan’s confidence disarmed him. “Well, he seems… dependable,” the uncle muttered, backing away.
Amelia exhaled quietly. “You make this look too easy,” she murmured.
Ethan’s smile was small, almost secretive. “Appearances are everything.”
⸻
By afternoon, the family had dispersed for a brief break. Amelia and Ethan found a quiet corner in the garden.
“You’re… not what I expected,” Amelia admitted. “I thought you’d be all charm and no substance.”
He looked at her, expression unreadable. “And what did you expect?”
“Someone… ordinary. Predictable.”
Ethan’s smile was subtle but knowing. “I’m rarely either.”
Amelia felt a shiver run down her spine at the hint of mystery in his words. Something about him was… unreadable, layered, and impossibly intriguing. She tried to push the feeling aside, reminding herself that he was just a rented boyfriend.
Professional. Temporary. Nothing more.
But as he offered her a hand to steady her over a garden step, Amelia’s resolve wavered. Something told her that Ethan Black was far from ordinary, and that pretending this weekend would be simple might be more complicated than she ever imagined.
⸻
Later, as the sun dipped low, Amelia caught him standing alone near the fountain, gazing at the water with a quiet intensity.
“Thinking about family games again?” she asked, approaching him cautiously.
He turned, expression softening slightly. “Family games are easy to read. You… are not.”
Amelia blinked. “Not?”
He shook his head slightly, a hint of mystery lingering in his gaze. “You’re complicated, Amelia. And fascinating.”
Her heart skipped. She forced herself to smile. “Professional. Temporary. Nothing more.”
Ethan’s lips twitched in that familiar, enigmatic smirk. “Of course. Temporary.”
But neither of them could deny the small sparks that had begun to ignite between them—moments of attraction that were no longer just part of the act.
- Writer
