My Stand-In Groom Is A Secret Tycoon (Audrey) novel Chapter 7

At the city hall, a sleek black Volkswagen was parked right at the entrance. As soon as a staff spotted Alistair stepping out, his face lit up with a smile as bright as a sunflower. "Mr.—"

Before he could finish his greeting, he noticed Alistair had given him a playful wink. Not entirely sure what it was about, the staff, an astute fellow, quickly regained his composure and exclaimed, "You're here to get married, right? Come on in, let's get this going!"

His enthusiasm was so over-the-top that Audrey found herself questioning whether they had the right place.

The building was bright and tidy, with freshly polished floors, though only one window was open. After Audrey filled out the paperwork, she glanced around and said softly to Alistair, "Looks like not many folks are getting married these days, huh? I mean, we're the only couple here on a weekday."

Alistair smirked subtly and handed the director Audrey's completed form. The staff, about to take the form, nearly tripped over himself upon hearing Audrey's comment.

Normally, city hall would be packed with long lines. But today, they'd cleared the whole place out just for Alistair.

Collecting himself, the staff beamed, "Everything looks good. Now, care to take a photo?" His kind eyes made it easy to feel at ease, even if the situation was a bit odd.

Alistair and Audrey sat down, each at a distance. The staff eyed them, noticing the gap between them, then raised a hand. "Come on, lean in closer. Don't be shy."

Audrey hesitated for a moment, but she heard the soft sound of Alistair dragging his chair nearer. Suddenly, she felt the warmth of his shoulder against hers.

"Alright, look at the camera and smile," the staff said.

Audrey managed a smile while Alistair flashed a charming grin. Click. The staff admired the photo of the attractive couple, his smile wide. They looked like a perfect pair.

Yet, something felt slightly off. The staff rubbed his chin thoughtfully before proposing, "How about you two share a deep gaze?"

As soon as she heard that, Audrey instinctively turned her head, and at the same moment, Alistair did the same. The next thing they knew, their faces were just inches apart, and then, they kissed.

'Wait, did I just kiss Alistair?' Audrey thought.

She felt like she was going to lose it if she didn't stop dwelling on it. Audrey softly patted her cheeks and was about to sit up straight when she heard the driver's door swing open.

It was Alistair getting in. Caught off guard, Audrey quickly lowered her head again. That was when a couple of big hands came out and crossed right in front of her.

Audrey's eyes widened in fear, and she tensed up even more as she sensed Alistair getting closer. 'What's he planning to do?' she wondered.Alistair was so close that she could see the shadows beneath his long lashes. 'Is he really about to kiss me?'

Audrey held her breath, instinctively shutting her eyes. In the next moment, she heard a smooth, magnetic chuckle paired with a deep, rich voice that sent a shiver down her spine.

"You forgot to buckle up," he explained, reaching over to help her fasten the seatbelt with a smile.

Audrey was utterly speechless.