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“I’m a good actress,” she says.
“I know. I watched a couple episodes of Bridge.”
Her eyes flick to my face, startled.
“It’s good. You’re good. Really good.”
She waves off the compliment. “Thanks. And I can do that—pretend to be in love with you.”
“That means not just for Weggers but for the whole world. Family, friends, fans…the more people who will corroborate our story and stand up for us, the harder it’ll be for Weggers to make a case that this isn’t real. And the whole thing will be on a need-to-know basis. We don’t tell anyone the truth unless we absolutely have to, and then we swear them to secrecy. We can’t risk that they might out us and it might get back to Weggers.”
She chews her lower lip. “I, uh…can’t actually lie to my sister. Or her girlfriend. I already told them about the pro—proposition. So if I come back and tell them I’m marrying you, they’ll know why.”
“Can they keep a secret?”
“Absolutely.”
I nod. “Okay. It’s also not realistic to think I can keep it from my family, since they know what’s at stake. If I show up with a fiancée, it’ll be obvious what’s going on. But they’re all just as invested in the outcome as I am, so they’ll go along with it. At least in front of Weggers, and that’s all we need. We need to make it so he can’t find any proof that we aren’t what we say we are, even if he knows in his heart of hearts that we aren’t.”
“Understood.”
“In return for all that, Hott Springs Eternal will give you dibs on use of the barn for—how long?”
“Six months. Then we can use the community college’s auditorium.”
I talked to Hanna about this after my first conversation with Ivy. We discussed whether we could postpone starting up weddings in the new barn—and still survive, from a cash-flow perspective. It’s a squeeze, but it’s definitely doable. And of course, the bottom line is if we don’t make this wedding happen, we won’t have a business to save.
I nod. “Six months. I can’t extend it any longer than that, but we can give you that.”
For the first time since we started this conversation, Ivy looks relieved. She exhales, a long rush of air that makes my own shoulders drop. “Thank you,” she says. “This means so much to me. And it’s going to mean even more to the kids. A lot of them have a tough time in school, are bullied, or just need an outlet for their creativity. And they need peers who feel the same way, who get them.” She stops. “It’s been lifesaving for a few of them.”
The passion in her voice is unmistakable.
“I’d believe it,” I say. “I remember when I discovered acting. It changed everything for me. I wasn’t like some of the kids you’re talking about—not bullied, not anything like that. I had my family—or at least my brothers and Hanna.” Until I left and threw in my lot with my dad. “But acting…I felt like I’d just figured out the meaning of life.”
“I know,” she says, and our eyes meet. “When it’s in your blood, it’s in your blood, I guess. Anyway.” She blushes and looks away. “I guess what I’m saying is that I’m really grateful I don’t have to let these kids down. So thank you.”
I feel a stab of intense guilt. It’s not like I gave the gift outright, from the goodness of my heart. There’s a remarkably large string attached. More like handcuffs, actually.
“Don’t thank me yet,” I tell her. “You’ll probably be cursing me by the time we’re done.”
9
Ivy
Shane delivers his warning, then rakes a hand through his hair.
“You, uh, have a minute to figure out our story?” he asks.
“Sure.”
I figure the quicker we get our story up on social media, the less likely Anthony is to decide there’s any upside to releasing his video. After last night’s incident, I checked my social media a few times today, and it doesn’t look like he’s posted anything. Nor have any of my neighbors, which feels like a minor miracle, but I’ll take it.
The idea of letting Anthony use me (again) to boost his career makes me sick to my stomach.
I’m hopeful that Nia’s quick thinking and the hit to Anthony’s pride will keep him from making me his pawn this time.
Anthony shut down.
