Page 38 of Fake Dating the Silver Fox

“Yeah?” Lark’s voice calls out. “What’s her name?”

I choke on a bitter laugh. “I was an idiot for not doing this sooner.”

Vanessa clutches my arm, her fingers biting into my flesh. “Leave this alone,” she hisses.

I glance down at her, tempted to flick her off like a flea. “I can’t leave it alone.”I won’t.

Her eyes narrow to dark slits. “I can’t represent you if you don’t listen to me.”

A thrill runs through me as I feel empowered by my right to make my own decisions. “Maybe you shouldn’t represent me.”

The color drains from her face. I’m her biggest client, and we both know it.

“I choose who I date.” I shake her hand away. “Mara Lang is my girlfriend. And for everyone here who had the audacity to think they could disrespect a woman like that, you should be ashamed.”

A collective gasp goes up through the crowd. Vanessa shoves me hard enough to knock me off balance.

I right myself and face the shocked crowd again. Some of them have their phones out, recording me.

“If you don’t want to buy my books because of who I date, that’s your right. There are plenty of books to read.”

“Graham!” Two blotches of color appear on Vanessa’s cheeks.

I look away from her and give the camera phones my best charming smile. “Mara Lang, I hope you’re watching. Can someone tag her?”

“I got you, G!” Lark shouts.

I focus on Lark’s phone, pouring my heart into my words. “As the World Turns, let’s spend the rest of theDays of Our Livestogether. We only haveOne Life to Live, let’s find ourPassionstogether.”

Lark starts clapping, cheering me on, even though she probably doesn’t get our inside soap opera title joke.

The sound of clapping fills the room. It’s so loud, I have to lean close to make sure Vanessa hears me say the words that should have been said months ago.

“Vanessa Blake, you’re fired.”

ChapterFourteen

Mara

I’mup to my elbows in dog hair when a message from Lark comes through on my phone. I wouldn’t normally check my phone in the middle of a grooming job, but Lark has always been there for me. And this could be urgent.

I press the screen with wet hands, nearly dropping the phone in my attempt to open the message.

“You’ve got to see this!” It says, followed by a link.

After a brief hesitation, I click the link. Graham’s face fills the screen. His silver hair is messy, and his beard is shaggier than I’ve ever seen it. He’s wearing a rumpled olive-green suit that makes him look paler than usual. Dark circles rim the undersides of his eyes.

My blood heats at the sight of his face. There’s no denying that his handsome face, even haggard, packs a punch straight to my heart.

I command myself not to click the play button and drop my phone in the pocket of my apron.

“Sorry about that, Puffins,” I tell the Labradoodle on my grooming table. “Personal problems.”

Puffins understands. His soulful brown eyes connect with mine and offer sympathy. I squirt some more lavender-scented shampoo on him and massage his long hair into bubbly suds.

“Men suck, don’t they?”

Puffins, being male, probably doesn’t agree.

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