Page 121 of Things We Fake
I hadn’t rehearsed this, but somehow the poetry of my confession was memorized in a deep part of my heart, a part that had remained hidden even to me until this moment.
“I’m glad you’re here.” I moistened my lips. “I want to say that I’m so sorry for snapping at dinner, andfor abandoning you. It’s unacceptable, but if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you—”
He shook his head and pressed a finger against my lips. “Don’t worry about it. I’m proud of you for standing up to your mom and everyone else.”
I felt tears shine in my eyes. “Thank you. I owe a lot of that to you, but I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I need to apologize to your mom and sister as well. I was horribly rude.”
“They understand. After I’ve explained the situation, they both got a chuckle out of it.”
I swallowed. “I made a mess of things, Cam, but there’s one thing I haven’t faked. I’m in love with you. I was afraid to say it, afraid to feel it, I kept reminding myself that it was all fake to you, but—”
I ran out of words, but it didn’t matter. Cam reached for me and pulled me into his arms, crushing his mouth to mine with an intensity that left me breathless. He kissed me as though his life and mine depended on it—and right now they did. He cupped my head, and I raked my hands through his hair, our breaths melding together and setting the night on fire.
When he finally drew back, his eyes were dark and hazy. “It was never fake for me, Susanne. I wanted you the very first time I saw you, and when I finally met you, you were more than any of my fantasies put together. Even though I didn’t know what the hell I was doing or why, my feelings were real.”
“Then you really didn’t need me to save you from Britt?”
He scoffed. “Brit was never the reason I accepted to be your fake fiancé. It was piece of cake to handle her.”
“Then what was the reason?”
He ducked his head to hide a sheepish smile. “At first it was the kind of reason why I always wanted to play house with Millie Morgan when I was six—so I could kiss her goodbye when I left for work, and so we could play the train and the tunnel.”
I nudged him in the ribs. “Even then you were a little pervert.”
“Well, I admit I wanted a lot more from you than from Millie. And once I got to know you... I didn’t want it to be just make belief anymore.” He dug into his pocket and held up the engagement ring I had been wearing for a blissful week. “Remember when you asked me what I was going to do with this?”
I stared at the sapphire. “You told me you were going to give it to your wife.”
“I was hoping that would be you one day.”
I felt the tears run down my cheeks. I had always believed in fairytales, but this confession was more potent, more beautiful than any fairytale I had ever read.
I cradled his hands between my palms, holding the ring between us as though we were trying to keep a flame alive from the wind.
“Cam, this is crazy. We’ve known each other less than two weeks. You can’t mean— What are you saying?”
He smiled down at me, framed by the sunset, his eyes wild and wicked, his mouth a promise of bliss. “How long is long enough for two people to realize they want to spend the rest of their lives together?”
I shook my head. “I’m not the right person to ask. I’d known Neil all of my life and still, it wasn’t long enough to realize what kind of person he was.”
“And I had known Britt for years before we were engaged. It was all a huge mistake. I know you and I are not a mistake. What I feel for you is the best, the most real thing I have ever felt for anyone. Love is not a check list. It can happen quickly, it can happen truly. I love you, Susanne.”
I saw the naked truth burning in his eyes. “I love you, too, Cam.”
He looked down at our joined hands. Slowly, he slid the ring back onto my finger, and the world fell into place around us. It belonged there, and I felt complete for the very first time.
“What more do we need?” he whispered, taking my hand to his lips. “We can have as long an engagement as you want. I want to spend all of my life discovering things about you. I already know your favorite color, your favorite flowers…”
I grinned up at him. “All those get-to-know-you questionnaires.”
“I know your favorite book…”
“I know your favorite foods. And the way you snore gently when you sleep.”
“Do I snore?”
“Just a little. It’s adorable.”
