Page 103 of Things We Fake
“Susanne, darling, are you sure you want to eat all that?”
“Excuse me?” My fork hovered mid-air.
She smiled, tilting her head in that way that always made me feel like a child caught sneaking an extra cookie.
“It’s just… that’s quite a rich meal. And with the wedding coming up, you’ll want to feel your best in your dress, won’t you?”
I saw Cam’s hand tighten around his fork.
Becky let out a dramatic sigh.
Michelle rolled her eyes.
“I think she looks perfect,” Cam said smoothly, his voice light but firm. “Her appreciation for food is one of the things I love about her. We are both gourmands.”
I speared a piece of steak a little too aggressively, shoving it into my mouth before I said something I’d regret. It was fine. I was fine. This was just how she was.
But Cam, for the first time since we sat down, wasn’t smiling anymore.
My mother gave a tiny shrug. “Of course, darling. You always know best.” She reached for my left hand, oblivious of her faux pas. “Now, let me see this ring properly.”
I set the fork down and extended my fingers. The sapphire and diamonds caught the light, sparkling madly.
Helen reached out to touch my hand, a smile lingering on her face. “It’s beautiful.”
Becky leaned in, her lips pursed. “It’s stunning. Cam, you’ve set the bar ridiculously high for the wedding band.”
Cam beamed at me. “She inspires me to outdo myself.”
My heart did another flip. I should have been happy everything was going so well. Cam had my family eating out of his hand. Instead, these little demonstrations of love got on my nerves. Maybe because they didn’t let me forget for a second that my life was a big fat lie right now.
My mother nodded almost grudgingly. “It’s quite lovely.”
Dad tapped his chin. “So, when did you decide to propose?”
Cam didn’t even hesitate. “The moment I realized that I couldn’t imagine my life without her.” His eyes locked onto Dad’s. “That I wanted to spend the rest of my days loving and respecting her.”
Holy macaroni! I swallowed a sudden knot in my throat. He said it as though he meant it. How could he lie so easily about something like this? Just when I almost convinced myself we could get through the night without lying, or with a minimum of fudging the truth, he went and said this.
I didn’t dare look at him. I was too afraid he’d see in my eyes how much I wanted this to be real. And it was too humiliating to bear.
My father nodded slowly, his demeanor exuding approval. My throat tightened thinking how broken hearted he would be when Cam and I ended the so-called engagement. My mother would be annoyed and disappointed, Paul wouldn’t care much, but my dad would be sad. He truly liked Cam, and he wanted me to be happy.
Michelle broke the moment with a soft sigh. “I, for one, am thrilled for you two. Sue, I’ve never seen you glow like this.”
Becky grinned. “Have you two set a date yet?”
I stiffened. “Not yet.”
Cam barely missed a beat. “We’re still deciding. Right, honey?”
I nodded quickly. “Yes. We’re, uh… weighing our options.”
Becky wiggled her eyebrows. “Big wedding? Small? Destination?”
My mother perked up, her attention snapping into predator mode. “Oh, we’ll be planning it in Warwick. I have so many ideas already. Of course, we’ll need to book a venue soon. The good ones fill up fast. Have you thought about colors?”
Cam and I exchanged glances, but my mother’s question had been rhetorical. She was already mentally organizing the wedding of her dreams.
