Page 16 of Fake It Till We Fall
I tried to smile, ignoring the prick of guilt beneath my ribs. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself. It’s just…”
But she wasn’t letting me hedge. “The two of you…” She blew out a breath and nodded. “Sometimes these things take time to come back around, but I’m so happy it’s finally happening.” She squeezed my hand a little. “Because the one thing I know for sure is that time is precious. We don’t have as much of it as we think, Harper.”
There was more behind her words. My heart squeezed so tight my chest ached.
“Grandma, I…”
“All I’ve ever wanted is to see you happy, Harper,” she said softly, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “To be loved by someone who sees you for everything you are. I can rest easy knowing that it might finally be happening for you.”
“Grandma,” I tried again, but the words I needed to say caught in my throat. “I?—”
She gave my hand one more squeeze and let go. “No need to say anything. That’s all I need.”
Later, alone in the restaurant kitchen, I tried to lose myself in the mixing and measuring of the quiche that would be the dinner special, but I couldn’t focus. My mind kept replaying the whole conversation.
The big, bold lie I’d just told the most important person in my life.
But I knew why I’d done it. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for the woman who’d given up her entire life to raise me. She’d loved me and supported every single decision I’d ever made. She’d given me the space and encouragement I’d needed to truly follow my dreams.
The least I could do was make her dream come true, too.
Especially if she didn’t have long.
She’d yet to tell me the details, but I could see it in the way she moved. The little things she said, and the things she didn’t.
Would this be her last Christmas?
I couldn’t bear the thought.
Yes. I’d do anything for her.
Even if it meant letting her believe something I wasn’t sure could ever be true.
Chapter Five
Harper
I’d been awake almost all night, running through exactly what I was going to say to Grayson. I decided early on that I couldn’t go back on the lie. Not if it meant disappointing Grandma. No way.
Which meant I needed Grayson to go along with my little fib.
Somewhere around three in the morning, I settled on a flawless plan. I’d be logical, calm, and persuasive enough that Gray wouldn’t be able to say no.
He loved Grandma, too. Proved by the fact that he’d been helping out with free delivery, decorating the restaurant for Christmas, and countless other things over the years.
There was no way he could say no.
My plan was perfect.
In reality, my stomach was in knots from the moment I woke up. We’d agreed to meet at the Bean Bag for coffee at ten.
I got there early and waited in the cold outside, hoping to spot him before he went in. I saw him before he saw me. Broad shoulders filled out his black parka; a knit toque covered hisdark hair. He looked completely at ease. Like a man who had no idea he was about to be ambushed by his ex-girlfriend with an insane request. “Grayson!” I called before I could chicken out.
He turned, that familiar slow smile curling up his lips when he saw me. “Hey. I thought we were meeting?—”
“I know.” I cut him off. “I was hoping to catch you before you went in.” My heart thumped hard enough that I almost forgot to walk. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about in…well…in private.”
His smile dipped. “Is everything okay?”
