Page 49 of Things We Fake
“A fight over what?”
His grin was sheepish. “Maybe because you shot me down at school.”
God, if only I hadn’t gone out with Sam. If I’d just stayed home that night… what might’ve happened instead?
Almost like he read my mind, Cam’s gaze found mine. “By the way, that date you mentioned—was that real or just a clever way to get rid of me?”
I grimaced. “Unfortunately real. My friend Ange set me up. He turned out to be the kind of guy who collects murderabilia and talks about serial killers over a vegan lunch.”
Cam’s jaw had tensed, just briefly, and then relaxed at my words. Had that been jealousy? No. That would be ridiculous. My ego was just trying to flatter me.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “I’m relieved to hear you didn’t like it. I couldn’t compete with that. Asfor our backstory, Sebastian already knows I’ve been interested in you for a while. I hounded him for details about you. He’ll believe I’m head over heels. Lust, love—take your pick.”
His face turned faintly pink, and something fluttered inside my chest.
“What about you?” he asked. “How will you explain me to your parents?”
Busted. My stomach did a little barrel roll. It was time to come clean.
“Okay, so… Remember when I told you I may have told my mom I was seeing someone?”
“Yeah?”
“Well… I told her it was you.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Me? When?”
“Last Sunday,” I admitted, rushing through the words. “The day after I walked in on you at Sebastian’s. She told me they were coming to New York for Easter and that Neil would be there, too. She wanted him to have Easter dinner with us. She still thinks we’re perfect for each other.”
He winced.
“Exactly. So I panicked and said I had a boyfriend. It wasn’t the first time I invented one, but in the past they were always conveniently unavailable. One even died, he was hit by a train.”
“Ouch.”
“So this time, they called my bluff. Mom asked for a name, Michelle asked for a description, and Paul made some crack about me dating the invisible man. I got mad, and your name just… fell out of my mouth.”
Cam was already laughing, holding his stomach. “Let me guess—your father looked me up?”
“My brother, Paul. He found your social media, confirmed everything I said, and my dad said I should hold on to you.”
Cam rubbed a hand over his face, still grinning. “Well, that actually works out. Now, they’ll see the paper and think everything fits. That might be the only good thing Brittany’s done in years.”
He stretched and stood, energy returning to his voice. “Come on, let’s grab brunch. I’m starving.”
He reached down and tugged me to my feet, the warmth of his hand lingering longafter he let go.
Chapter Sixteen
Cam
The second we stepped outside, I instinctively reached for Sue’s hand.
“Just in case Britt convinced Charlotte to watch us,” I muttered. “We want to make sure her spies see what we need them to see.”
My gaze drifted across the street, casual on the surface, calculating beneath. Nothing obvious, no cameras in sight—but that didn’t mean anything. The fact that Sue and I were leaving the same building at eleven in the morning was bad enough. No one would care that we’d slept in separate beds, in separate apartments. Perception would do the talking, and people would happily listen. Especially the kind who clutched pearl necklaces and morality clauses in the same white-knuckled grip.
I enveloped her small hand in mine, wishing I could protect her just as easily. A part of me was grateful for this because it meant being close to her. Was I taking advantage of the situation? Tough question. It wasn’t my fault exactly that Britt had started this mess, but also I knew Susanne wouldn’t be here if not for me. Wherewould she be, though? Fighting off her overbearing mother and ex fiancé? Scrambling to find someone to pose as her boyfriend? Over my dead body. If I could help her and help myself, I was going to do everything it took.
