Page 66 of Faking With You

I shrug. “I don’t know and don’t know if I care. His dad said he wants this all finalized before the end of the fiscal year, which Mac’s mentioned is the end of July. So sometime in the next month.”

“Did he ask you to go with him?” Hannah asks, and I swing my head to her so fast I almost get dizzy.

“Why would he? This was all fake, why would he ask me to move with him? Also, why would I go when my entire life is here. My friends, my family, my job, all of it is here.”

“Because we do crazy things for the people we love,” Liv says.

“I love him, but he doesn’t love me, that’s the part you’re missing.”

“From the way he looks at you and watches you when you’re not looking at him, I think you might be wrong, babe. I definitely think he’s in love with you. There’s no faking that look,” Zoey says.

I shake my head and wipe at my fresh tears. “Nope. We’re not doing this. We are not doing the ’give Eliza hope’ thing. I came here to drink with my best friend and cry and maybe eat all the worst possible food for me.”

“We wouldn’t be your best friends if we didn’t give you a little tough love,” Hannah says. “You did the same with all of us, so now it’s our turn. Don’t give up yet.”

I shake my head. “I can’t do hope right now. Can you please just sit and wallow with me, at least for today?”

The girls all exchange looks before looking back at me and nodding.

CHAPTER 50

Mac

When I return to the flat after my very unwelcome meeting with my father, the air in the place feels different. Something feels wrong immediately. I look around and notice Eliza’s purse isn’t on the kitchen counter, and I rush into the bedroom and don’t see any of her things. There’s no sign that she’s been staying here. I move into the bathroom, and everything is gone in there, too.

I fish my phone out of my pocket and open her location that she shared with me months ago, and her little blue dot shows she’s at the airport.What the fuck?

I grab the first thing within reach and throw it at the wall, sending it smashing to the ground. I pull up the list of flights for the day and see there’s one departing in an hour a half. I have a feeling it's the one Eliza is taking, and I know there’s no way I’m making it on that one. I pack as fast as I can and reschedule my flight to the next possible one to Vancouver, knowing I’m going to be a few hours behind Eliza.

While I sit and wait for my own flight, I track hers as it travels over the Atlantic. She won’t land for hours, and I don’t know forsure she’s on that flight, but tracking it seems to calm my nerves slightly, if that’s even possible. I’m a mess.

I wait until I’m on board to email my father that I’m heading back to Vancouver. During our meeting, he tried to tell me that I was required to move back to London to run the company, and I refused, right to his face. He then tried to tell me then he wouldn’t give me the position. I pointed out how he wouldn’t look very good publicly announcing me as his successor only to turn around and change his mind. He continued to try to get me to move, but I told him that unless it’s what Eliza wants, I’m not doing it. He looked affronted when I said that, and I reminded him that it was him who wanted me to get a serious girlfriend. I’m not sure why he’d want me to do that while living in Vancouver only to want me to drop everything and move to London. It doesn’t make sense to me, but most of what he does when it comes to personal lives rarely makes sense.

I put my phone onto airplane mode the moment the email is sent and prepare for takeoff. I’ve flown hundreds of times, but this time feels different. I’m now chasing someone. But not just Eliza, I’m chasing this life we could have together, one I’m not ready to give up on.

I spend the entire flight making a mental list of all the places to stop and look for her and who to text when I land as well as putting together what I want to say to her. Even after the flight, I feel like I don’t have it all down.

I checked her location again when I got off the plane, but couldn't see anything. The first place I go is her apartment, I knock several times and don’t hear anything on the other side of the door. Even if she was inside and ignoring me, I feel like I’d hear something at least. I head to my place next, bringing my bags with me, and check everywhere. Her stuff is still here, but she’s not. I open my suitcase and pull out the only thing I need before heading out again.

I open my phone to text one of her friends and realize I don’t have any of their numbers. I text Grayson instead.

Mac

Can you send me your wife’s number.

Grayson

Why?

Mac

Because I need to get ahold of her.

It’s about Eliza

Grayson

Again, why do you need my wife’s number?