Page 53 of Faking With You

Mac reaches over and tucks my hair behind my ear, his hand lingering just a few seconds longer than necessary. “I’m sure we can find time for you and Mom to spend some time together during that trip.”

Shock fills me. That trip is supposed to end our arrangement. His father is supposed to officially name him as his successor at the retirement party, and when we get back to Vancouver, this ends. Why would he want me to spend time with his mother just the two of us right before we end this?

I can’t be questioning all of this right now, so I just say, “I’d love that.”

“Let me know what days you’ll be here and we’ll plan something. Why don’t you give me your number and we’ll keep in touch.”

My chest tightens. This poor woman. Mac and I are sitting across from her actively lying to her, and she’s being the sweetest person ever. I can’t say no to giving her my number because it will be rude or force me to blow our cover and explain that we aren’t actually dating and she doesn’t have to build a relationship with me.

She hands me her phone, and I input my details. We stay in the restaurant long after we finish eating. The longer we talk, the more I relax, but there’s this thing niggling in the back of my mind telling me how horrible I am for lying to her. When we finally decide to call it a night, we wait outside for Isobel’s car to arrive and then head back to the apartment.

When Mac and I fall into bed together, the sex isn’t fast and passionate, but rather slow and intimate, like we’re both lookingfor a way to stay in this place between us even though we both know it will all change once we go home.

CHAPTER 39

Eliza

Inap and read the entire flight home, trying to find ways to distract myself from the anxiety-inducing thoughts and questions invading my brain. I know I need to eventually stop and think about them, but now is not the time. I’m too exhausted to handle any of it and know that once I get home and have to deal with the jet lag I won’t have the capacity then either. I feel Mac glancing over at me throughout the flight and do my best to ignore it and to avoid looking at him.

When we land, we head to his car in long-term parking and he takes me to my place, helping me to carry my bags upstairs. We linger in the entryway. I’m unsure of what to say, and he seems reluctant to leave. He cups my face and leans in for a kiss, and I lean into him. It’s as though my entire body is drawn to him in a way I can’t explain. I almost want to ask him to stay, but I know I need some space mentally to go through everything I’m thinking and feeling.

“When will I see you next?” he asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Can we do dinner sometime this week?”

The near desperation in his voice has me agreeing.

“Text me the details for dinner with your parents and I’ll put it in my calendar.”

I nod, and he kisses me softly again before slipping out the front door. I head to my room and strip out of my clothes before hopping in the shower, the warm water relaxing my muscles.

When I’m out of the shower, I check my phone and see the group chat has blown up with the girls asking questions and wanting to meet. I know I need to get back in this time zone and shouldn't head to bed right now so I can sleet tonight and head into work tomorrow, so I agree to meet them for lunch at our favourite diner.

After quickly putting myself together, I head out the door. Stepping onto the sidewalk outside my place, I feel the difference of being back home versus London. The street seems louder and more compact, lined with towers in every direction.

I immediately spot the girls when I enter the diner and join them. I’m greeted excitedly by all of them, and I soak in the feeling of being with some of the people I love most in this world.

Hannah is the first to jump right into it. “So tell us everything! What was it like spending two entire weeks with Mac? How did meeting his parents go?”

I take a deep breath. “It was nice. With us both working, we didn’t see a lot of each other the first week, he worked a lot of late nights. I didn’t really see his father, but his mom is lovely.” I smile at the memory of our dinner together. “We’re going back sometime in June for his father’s retirement party, and his mom is already planning for us to meet up again.”

“So you’ve gotten his mom’s approval,” Zoey says. Once again, that feeling in the pit of my stomach rears its ugly head.

I nod. “I think so. She’s very sweet, and it was nice to see her and Mac together.”

“You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” Bailey asks, and I feel like my world has collapsed beneath me. Hearing someone else make the observation rather than me fighting myself about it brings it all into reality. I wasn’t supposed to fall for him. I thought that this would be easy. I figured the ten-year age difference and his apparent lack of desire for a relationship might mean that he was bad at them and I could go about my life and be fine, but I was very wrong. I was an idiot who has jeopardized her heart all in an attempt to step out of a box I had found my life falling into.

I don’t even realize a tear has fallen until Hannah uses her thumb to wipe it away.

“Oh, babe, it’s not a bad thing,” she says softly.

I shake my head and force myself to laugh slightly. “I just never thought it would hit like this.”

She smiles at me softly, and I look around the table and see all of my friends looking at me with the same look. They’ve all experienced falling for the loves of their lives, the difference is they thought there was at least a slim chance their relationships could work and last. I don’t even have that slim hope. What I have is the inevitable chance that my heart is going to be crushed by the only man I’ve ever let myself fall for.

I wipe at both my eyes, let out a breath, and give my body a little shake. “Okay, enough of this. No tears, just happy thoughts and things.” I turn to face Bailey. “Are you ready for baby’s arrival?”