Page 110 of Fake it for Keeps

“But now things have changed. I see the real him, not just the playboy persona. And I’ve let him see me, too. The real me.” I swallowed hard. “Even if this doesn’t end the way I expected, even if we don’t work out after the contract ends, at least we’ll be friends. At least we’ll have been honest with each other.”

“Mostly honest,” Hallie said pointedly.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you still haven’t told him that you signed the contract specifically to get revenge. That your entire motivation was to hurt him.”

My stomach dropped. “No. I haven’t told him that part. In my defense, I also signed for the money.”

“Hallie.”

“I know, I know. I should tell him.” I shook my head. “But does it even matter now? What if it ruins everything? What if he can’t get past it?”

“Then at least you’ll know,” April said gently. “But babe, you can’t build a real relationship on a foundation of lies. Even lies of omission.”

“I’m not trying to build a relationship. We’re just seeing where things go and eating sexy breakfast together.”

“Are you?” Hallie tilted her head. “Because from where I’m sitting, it sounds like you’re already in a relationship. You’re staying at his place every night. Having meals together. Meeting his sister. Going to his office. That’s not ‘seeing where things go.’ That’s a relationship.”

“Okay, so maybe we’re in a relationship,” I admitted. “But it’s still based on the contract. It still has an expiration date in July.”

“Does it have to end, though?” April asked. “Have you actually talked about July? About what happens when the contract ends?”

“No,” I said quietly. “We haven’t talked about it.”

“Maybe you should,” Hallie suggested. “Before you marry him in six days.”

Six days. Holy shit. My wedding was in six days.

“He never has to know,” I said, more to myself than to them. “About the revenge plan, I mean. It doesn’t matter anymore because I’m not going through with it. So why bring it up and cause unnecessary drama?”

“Because honesty matters,” April said. “Because if you really care about him—and I think you do—then he deserves to know the truth. All of it.”

“Uh oh,” Hallie said suddenly, her face going pale as she looked past my shoulder.

“What?” I turned to see what she was looking at.

And my heart stopped.

Frankie stood just a few feet away, her coat still over her arm, her expression shocked and hurt. She’d come back. For her scarf, or her phone, or something she’d forgotten.

And she’d heard everything.

“Frankie,” I breathed, standing up so fast I nearly knocked over my wine glass.

“You were planning to break his heart?” Her voice was quiet but sharp as glass. “That’s why you signed the contract? For revenge?”

“Frankie, let me explain.”

“Explain what? That you’ve been lying to us this entire time? That you’ve been planning to hurt him since day one?” Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. “I warned you not to hurt him, Hallie. I told you he’d been through a lot.”

“I know, but I changed my mind. I’m not going through with it.”

“When?” Frankie demanded. “When did you change your mind? Yesterday? Last week? After you’d already slept with him and got him to fall for you?”

The restaurant had gone quiet. People were staring. But all I could focus on was the betrayal on Frankie’s face.

“It wasn’t like that,” I said desperately.

“Then what was it like? Because it sounds like you used my brother’s feelings against him. Like you took advantage of him.” Her voice broke. “He said he was letting his heart lead because he thought you had feelings too.”

Guilt crashed over me like a wave. “I do have feelings.”

“Or are you just a good actress?” Frankie shook her head. “God, I should have known. I should have trusted my instincts when you first showed up. But he was so happy.” She laughed bitterly. “I thought you were actually good for him.”

“I am good for him. Frankie, please, just listen.”

“No. You listen.” She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “My brother has been through hell. I don’t give a fuck about the investors or the publicity!” Her composure finally cracked. “I care about my brother. And if you actually cared about him too, you’d tell him the truth and let him decide what he wants to do. But you won’t tell him, will you? You’re a coward. I’ll tell him. I’m stopping this before you destroy him.”

She rushed out of the restaurant. I turned back to my friends and felt dizzy. My head spun. I didn’t know what to do. I was going to lose him. But worse, I was going to hurt him.