Page 62 of My Real Love Affair

“She’s great at it,” Austin cut in, his voice full of pride that almost sounded real. “She’s built her entire platform from nothing. Helps thousands of women feel confident in their bodies.”

Armand made a sound that might have been skeptical. “And how exactly does one make a living from that?”

“Dad.” Austin’s voice had an edge now.

“It’s okay,” I said, placing my hand on Austin’s thigh under the table. I felt him tense beneath my touch. “I partner with brands, Mr. Bancroft. Create sponsored content, collaborate on campaigns. It’s similar to traditional modeling, just with a different platform and audience. I earn money from people watching and engaging with the content I post.”

“Hmm.” Armand took a sip of wine, his expression giving nothing away.

The dinner continued with Kathy asking friendly questions and Armand watching us like a hawk. I answered as best I could, trying to play the role of devoted girlfriend while also being authentic.

“Do you have family in the city?” Kathy asked as the main course was served.

“My parents actually split their time between here and Belize,” I said. “They spend winters down there. They fell in love with it a few years ago. They’ll be back in June.”

“How lovely! And siblings?”

“No, I’m an only child.”

Austin’s hand found mine under the table, squeezing gently. I squeezed back, grateful for the anchor.

“And your parents approve of this relationship?” Armand asked, his first direct question to me all evening.

“They haven’t met Austin yet. But they trust my judgment.”

“Do they.” It wasn’t a question.

The rest of dinner was excruciating. Every answer felt like a test. Every glance from Armand felt like judgment. Even Kathy’s kindness felt performative, like she was trying to compensate for her husband’s coldness.

How could two people who were so different be in love? She was all warm and bubbly and he was cold and rigid.

Austin played his part perfectly. His arm stayed around me. He refilled my wine glass. Made jokes that made me laugh despite my nerves.

By the time dessert arrived, I was exhausted from keeping up the performance. I just wanted to get the hell out of there and never look back.

I liked Kathy and I hated lying to her. His father on the other hand, I wasn’t sure what to think about him. It was offensive that he didn’t trust me, but technically, he was correct not to trust me, which took out some of the sting.

Deception like this wasn’t something I was used to. Guilt gnawed at me, and I had to shove it down into a dark corner of my mind. I had to survive the rest of the evening.

I could deal with the emotional fallout later.

CHAPTER 19

AUSTIN

After dinner, we relocated to one of the sitting rooms. The room was all dark wood paneling, leather furniture, and a fireplace with fake logs that ran on gas. It was comfortable. Lived in. Like they actually spent time in the room. Our mansion back in Vancouver had several rooms that were for entertaining only.

Kathy played hostess, pouring expensive liqueur into crystal glasses. The kind of after-dinner drink that was more about ritual than actual enjoyment. The bottle probably cost a few thousand dollars, which meant we were supposed to sip it slowly and appreciate its complexity.

I sprawled on the leather sofa, hands clasped behind my head, trying to look more relaxed than I felt. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. Melody sat beside me, straight-backed and proper, holding her glass like it might explode.

She took the tiniest sip. I watched her face try very hard not to react. She hated it. Absolutely hated it.

I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing.

“How is it, dear?” Kathy asked, settling into an armchair across from us.

“It’s lovely,” Melody lied.