Page 43 of Faking It Right
“That you two were perfect for each other.” She took the photo from my hands and traced a finger over our grinning faces. “A mother knows these things. I could see how you looked at him when you thought no one was watching. And how he practically glowed every time you entered the room.”
A heavy knot of dread twisted in my stomach. It wasn’t about fooling Ryker’s mom anymore. There were genuine feelings involved, at least on my side.
“That’s why I kept inviting you for holidays and family gatherings. I figured if he spent enough time with you, he’d finally realize what was right in front of him.”
I concentrated on hammering the nail, terrified my expression might betray me. “Not all parents would be so open to the idea.”
She shrugged. “Love is love, Harley. All I’ve ever wanted is for my children to be happy. And I’ve never seen Ryker happier than when he’s with you.”
I grinned at Jacinta, a cheeky thought bubbling up. “Wait, is that why you sent Ryker on so many disastrous blind dates? Were you secretly playing matchmaker all along?”
She gasped, clutching her chest in mock horror. “Harley! I would never stoop to manipulation!” But the mischief in her eyes and the smirk tugging at her lips told a different story.
“Wow, you totally were,” I laughed, setting down the hammer. “All those women who were spectacularly wrong for him were part of your grand design, weren’t they?”
Jacinta busied herself with straightening a frame that was already level. “I simply introduced my son to some lovely young women who would give him a little perspective about you.”
“Lovely young women who discussed writing erotic fan fiction about breakfast cereal mascots, shared their headless doll collection, or hosted a conspiracy theory podcast about how the government is pumping mind-control chemicals into the air inside potato chip bags,” I countered, raising an eyebrow.
She pursed her lips, fighting a smile. “In my defense, I didn’t learn about Tina’s podcast until Ryker told me about it after the fact.” Jacinta’s composure cracked, and she burst into giggles.
“You’re diabolical,” I said with admiration. “He would have the tantrum to end all tantrums if he found out about your scheme.”
She passed me another photo to hang, showcasing Sawyer and Gia in a beach embrace. “Good thing you can keep a secret.”
Had she seen through our charade? Did she know our romance was fake? I studied her face, searching for any signs that she’d caught on to our deception.
“After all,” she continued, oblivious to my internal panic, “you’ve kept it a secret for three years that you’re in love with my son.”
I exhaled, the tension draining from my shoulders because the truth was finally out in the open. I picked up the hammer again. “Was I that obvious?”
“Only to someone who was paying attention. And I was definitely on the lookout.”
I hung the high school graduation photo, taking a moment to regain my composure. “Damn, and here I thought I was being subtle.”
“About as subtle as a booby-trapped glitter bomb going off,” she teased. “It reminded me of how Danson used to look at me in college.”
I felt my cheeks flush. “It’s amazing Ryker never caught on.”
“My son is many things, but Sherlock isn’t one of them,” Jacinta said with a fond shake of her head. “That boy wouldn’t notice someone was interested in him if they tattooed ‘I love you’ on their forehead and danced naked in front of him.”
“That’s actually a spot-on assessment,” I admitted, recalling all the times I’d flirted shamelessly with Ryker, only for him to completely miss the point.
Jacinta held up another nail for me to take. “I remember the first time you came home with him for Thanksgiving break freshman year. You were so sweet helping me in the kitchen and laughing at all of Danson’s dreadful jokes.”
“They weren’tthatbad.”
“They were atrocious, and you know it. But you laughed anyway. That’s when I knew you were exactly what my son needed.” She placed a gentle hand on my arm. “Someone who sees the best in people, who brings joy to every moment. Someone who could match his stubbornness with patience.”
Her words were like a direct hit. The lie felt heavy on my tongue, and I had to swallow hard before I could respond. Yes, I’d been in love with Ryker for years, but until recently, he’d never shown any interest in me beyond friendship.
“I just want him to be happy,” I said.
“That’s all I want, too.” She squeezed my arm. “He’s happier now than he’s ever been. At least when he’s not shitting kittens over all our teasing.”
I snorted at her choice of words, even as guilt gnawed at me. The happiness she saw was genuine, at least on my part, but the relationship was built on a shaky foundation of deception. Yet, something had shifted between us since we arrived. The way Ryker looked at me now and responded to my touch suggested he wasn’t acting anymore.
Jacinta pulled me from my thoughts. “He needed time. Some people take longer to understand their feelings.”
