Page 7 of Faking All the Way
“Oh, I’m sure it is.” His tone suggests he’s sure of precisely the opposite. “It’s just such a challenging field, you know? So unstable, so unpredictable. But hey, good for you for sticking with it, Kat. That’s very… brave.”
He stretches the word out like it actually means “foolish” or “unrealistic” or “destined for spectacular failure.”
I’ve heard that particular inflection before, usually from people who measure success exclusively by bank account size and business card prestige.
“It’s working out well for her,” I say, letting a hint of steel creep into my voice. I’ve dealt with enough media vultures to know how to make my point without raising my volume.
“Is it?” Daniel meets my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Because when we were together, she was barely scraping by. Remember that month you couldn’t afford groceries, Kat? I had to help you out.”
Irritation prickles under my skin. Jesus. What kind of person broadcasts someone’s financial struggles to strangers? The kind who needs everyone to understand how generous and indispensable he is, apparently. The kind who gets off on being the hero of every story he tells.
I glance at Kat and see her face has gone pale, her hands twisted together so tightly that I worry for her fingers. She looks like she wants to disappear, to melt into the leather upholstery of the car.
“Everyone has rough patches when they’re building their career,” I say, reaching over to uncurl her clenched hands and pull one back into mine. “The difference is having someone who supports you through the challenges versus someone who doesn’t.”
The temperature in the car seems to plummet several degrees. In the rearview mirror, I watch Daniel’s jaw tick, his grip on the steering wheel going tight.
Good. Message received.
Beside me, Kat’s fingers curl around mine. She shoots me a quick look, something soft and surprised in her green eyes, as if she can’t quite believe someone just stood up for her.
I don’t know this woman. I have no idea what her story is or why she felt driven enough to drag a stranger into her relationship drama. But I’m not the kind of guy who’ll just sit back and watch an obvious asshole talk down to his ex without speaking up.
“So,” Maya interjects after a moment that stretches like taffy. “How long are you planning to stay in town for the holidays, Asher?”
“A while, probably. We’re still working out the specifics,” I reply, which is true in the most technical sense. “Depends on several factors.”
“The holidays are always so hectic,” Kat adds weakly. “So many family obligations to coordinate.”
“Right.” Daniel glances at us in the rearview mirror again. “Actually, you know what? Why don’t we drop you at your parents’ house, Kat? You can grab your old car. They still have it, right? I figured that’s how you were planning to get around while you’re in town.”
She hesitates for a second, and I almost get the feeling she’s being pulled along by this chain of events the same way I am.
“Um, sure,” she says after a beat. “That sounds good.” She glances at me. “Is that okay with you?”
The smart play would be to thank her ex and his fiancée for the ride, extract myself from this car, and let her handle whatever fallout comes from her impulsive airport deception. I have my own complicated shit to deal with—finding my father, figuring out exactly what kind of help he needs, and avoiding any local media attention until I can get back to focusing on salvaging my career.
But thatthingthat’s pulling me along keeps tugging at me, and instead of shaking my head, I find myself saying, “Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Perfect.” Daniel takes a left turn, and I catch his satisfied smile in the rearview mirror, as if he’s won some game that only he is playing.
As we head toward what I assume is the Sanders’ family home, I realize I’m more curious about where this is all headed than I probably should be. But it’s nice, in a way. After the disastrous year I’ve had, I was starting to feel a little too numb, losing myself in my daily routines, my life turning dull and colorless.
But whatever I’ve inadvertently become a part of, it’s anything but dull.
Chapter Four
Kat
My stomach twists over on itself as Daniel pulls into my parents’ driveway a short while later. This whole thing has spiraled so far from one stupid impulse at the airport. What started as a panicked lie to save face in front of my ex has somehow turned into this elaborate charade that’s about to involve my entire family.
I can see them in the front yard as we roll to a stop. Dad is up on a ladder stringing Christmas lights around the porch railing while Mom holds the bottom steady, calling out directions about spacing. Josephine is trying to keep Oscar and Megan, her four- and six-year-old kids, from tangling themselves in the extension cords with what looks like mixed success. It’s such a normal scene, my family getting ready for the holidays… and I’m about to blow it up with this insane lie.
Unless I just tell the truth right now. Admit that I made the whole thing up in a moment of panic and let Daniel have his moment of vindication. Watch my family’s faces change fromsurprise to confusion to that particular brand of disappointed concern they reserve for my more questionable life choices.
I tell myself that maybe that would be the best course of action, but as we get out of the car and my parents look over with surprised smiles, the words stick in my throat. I can’t quite bring myself to confess, not with Daniel standing right there as if he’s just waiting to see me crash and burn.
“Look who I found at the airport,” my ex-boyfriend announces with a wave, clearly enjoying the drama of this moment.
