Page 70 of That Fake Feeling
Shit,Ididn’t put the bathmat by the shower.
Mywet feet splat against the tiles and shampoo bubbles splodge on the floor asItiptoe across to grab my phone.
It’snotConnor.It’sSterling.
Irun one hand down my side to dry it on the towel before tapping the phone onto speaker soIdon’t have to hold it against my wet face and hair. “Morning,Sterling.”
“Mor-ning!”Hissing-songy voice echoes around the tiled room. “Thepictures from the eveningChezDashwoodare awesome.”
Myhead falls back in relief, sending water trickling into my ear, whichItry to fish out with my finger.ButthankGod, we managed to get something right.
“Youtotally look like you belong there.Likeyou’re a real part of the family.Likethey adore you and you adore them.”Itsounds likeSterling’sclapping. “Bravo, everyone.”
AndI’dtotally felt likeIbelonged there too.Iwould never have allowed myself to kissConnorif the whole thing hadn’t felt as real as it did, if we hadn’t sat and chatted in the candlelight and opened up about our lives, like it was a real date with two people who actually liked each other.
“Sinceyou’re doingTheLearningVillagetoday,”Sterlingcontinues, “I’lllet the coverage of that get out first and hold onto these pics for next week.Thenthey’ll consolidate the work you do today.”Hepauses. “Becauseyou will do good work today, won’t you,Rose?”
Itsounds like a rhetorical question, but he stops talking like he’s expecting an answer.Ihalf-unwrap the towel to mop up the now cold shampoo-y water dripping onto my shoulders and running down my back and cleavage.
“Yes.Oh, yes.We’lldefinitely do good work.”Idab at the ends of my hair to ward off more dripping.
“Excellent,” he continues. “Connorwill meet you there.”
Ifreeze mid-dab.Connor’sso totally pissed off about the kiss that he doesn’t even want to travel there with me?
Theatmosphere on the drive back yesterday was definitely awkward, andI’mstill upset he wouldn’t talk about it properly, but refusing to be in the same vehicle as me is a bit much.Imean, it’s not like he didn’t kiss me back.Boy, did he kiss me back.It’shis fault as much as mine.
“Hewent to work early,”Sterlingsays. “Sohe’ll go directly from there.Acar will pick you up in an hour.”
Andno doubt he went into work early deliberately, as an excuse for us to travel separately.Well, ifIneeded another indication that he regrets what happened and wants to avoid me as much as possible, there it is.
“Oneof the tasks today is decorating the music room,” he continues. “Ifyou could get some paint on the end of your nose, that would make anadorablephoto.Gottarun.Bye-ee.”
Andhe’s gone.Butat least he’s happy.Sothat bodes well for me getting the final payout.
Andthat’s whatIhave to focus on—the reasonI’mhere in the first place.Notthe tightness in my chest that’s creeping up to my throat.
Isplosh back to the shower to rinse out the shampoo.
* * *
“We’vemissed you!”Patriciashrieks in my ear as she wraps me in a giant hug. “Wethought you might forget us now that you have your fancy boyfriend.”Shesteps back and holds me by the upper arms like she’s looking at a whole new person. “Butlook at what you’ve done.You’vegot your fancy boyfriend to finish our renovations.”
Oh,God.Ihate misleading such good people. “He’shappy to help.Hewants to support the things that mean a lot to me.Andthis place—and you folks—mean the world.”
Patricialinks her arm through mine as we head pastTheLearningVillage’shalf-built playroom and toward the part of the new building the previous contractors managed to finish before funding was pulled.
“AndImight be as in love with him as you are,”Patriciasays. “Hesure has a magic touch.”
Ican certainly vouch for that.Ascan my ass, my cheek, and my lips.
ButIassume that’s not whatPatriciais talking about. “Whatdo you mean?”Iask.
“Comesee.”
Sheswings open an unpainted door and leads me along a hallway toward the joyful sound of singing children.
Weduck under a plastic sheet where the door to the music room should be, and there are about twenty kids sitting on the floor of the unfurnished, bare drywalled room, belting outIfIHadaHammer.Andwho should be sitting on an upturned packing crate, leading them and playing the guitar, butConnor.Oneither side of him are two other staff members,JeremyandSeeta, gazing at him adoringly and clapping along.
