Page 77 of Faking with Three

A smile tugs on my lip. “Be serious Jax, for once.”

His small smile fades. “I’m with Marcus on this one. I don’t trust that snake.”

“If what you’re saying is true, she might try to twist our story before we come out with it ourselves,” Marcus says. “And that can’t mean anything good for us or Love Lab.”

“Marcus is right,” Ethan says, his voice surprisingly steady. He’s watching me, his expression unreadable, but there’s a determined glint in his eyes. “We need to take control of the narrative.”

“What are you suggesting?” Jax asks, his grin replaced by a wary frown.

Ethan takes a deep breath, his gaze flickering between the three of us before settling on me. “We put it on the channel.”

“What?” I say, startled. “Putwhaton the channel?”

“The truth,” Ethan replies, his voice firm. “We tell the world what’s really going on. That we’re…together.”

“Are you serious? That’s insane. People will lose their minds.”

“Maybe,” Ethan says, his gaze meeting mine steadily. “But it’s better than letting Charlie control the narrative. If we own it, no one can use it against us.”

Jax nods, his jaw tightening. “He’s right. If we come clean, it’s on our terms.”

Marcus, however, doesn’t look entirely convinced. “It’s a risk,” he says. “Not just for us, but for Olivia. Are you sure you’re ready for that kind of attention?”

I hesitate.

My career, my reputation, everything I’ve worked for—it could all be jeopardized by this one decision. Pretending to date three men simultaneously in front of cameras is one thing, but actually dating them…all at once, well, that’s definitely something.

“What’s on your mind?” I ask Marcus. “Ideas?”

He grins. “I thought you’d never ask.”

CHAPTER 24

MARCUS

The van joltsslightly as it pulls to a stop, and I glance toward the back where Olivia is getting her makeup done. She’s sitting in a cushy chair, eyes shut while the makeup artist dabs at her cheeks with a soft brush. There’s a nervous energy radiating from her, one that I can pick up from across the cramped space.

“You’re nervous,” I say from my spot across the van.

“I’m fine,” she says, not really meeting my gaze.

I arch a brow. “You’re forgetting who you’re talking to. I’m a brain doctor, remember? You can’t hide from me.”

That gets a smile out of her, soft and unguarded. “Brain doctor, huh? You’re really playing that card? Why would I be nervous? It’s just my entire childhood being broadcast to the internet, no big deal.”

“Hey,” I say quietly. “The audience already loves you. This isn’t going to change that. If anything, it’s just going to make them love you more.”

Her eyes soften, and she opens her mouth to respond, but the words never come. I don’t know what possesses me, but I lean in, my hand brushing hers on the armrest. Her eyes flicker down to my lips, and I’m about to kiss her when?—

“Showtime,” Ethan says, stepping in. His tone is neutral, but his eyes flicker between us, lingering on how close I am to Olivia. There’s a beat of silence, heavy and charged, before he adds, “You two ready?”

Olivia straightens quickly, nodding while avoiding Ethan’s gaze. “Yeah, just a second.”

I step back, schooling my expression as I feel Ethan’s eyes boring into me. There’s jealousy there, even if he’s trying to hide it. Hell, I can’t blame him. The green-eyed monster’s been rearing its ugly head in me plenty lately, too. Sharing Olivia is proving harder than any of us expected, no matter how much we try to pretend otherwise.

The first location is a quaint suburban street, lined with houses that look like they’ve been plucked from a postcard: white picket fences, manicured lawns, and kids riding bikes up and down the sidewalk. The crew has already set up the cameras and equipment in front of a cozy-looking two-story house with pale blue siding and flower boxes in the windows.

“This is where you grew up?” I ask Olivia as we step onto the sidewalk.

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