Page 110 of Fake it With Me

I looked at him and saw the vulnerability in his expression.

“I love you,” he said quietly. “I’m in love with you. And I know I screwed up, but I’m asking for another chance. Please.”

Daisie came running back, oblivious to the tension. “Can we go out on the boat tomorrow? All three of us?”

“That depends on Liza,” Darek said, not looking away from me.

Daisie climbed onto my lap. “Please come home, Liza. Please. I miss you so much. And Daddy’s really sad without you. And I’m sad without you. And the house is too quiet. Please?”

I wrapped my arms around her, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo, feeling her small body pressed against mine.

I missed this. I missed the feeling I belonged somewhere, with someone.

“Okay,” I said and felt both of them exhale in relief. “We can try again.”

We ate dinner as the stars came out. Daisie talked about everything and nothing, and slowly, the hurt started to ease. Not disappear. It was still there. It was a tender spot that would take time to heal. But I could breathe again.

I was going home.

As we walked back to the SUV, I waited to get into the front seat. He shut the back door after making sure Daisie was secure. I grabbed his hand and pulled him close.

“I love you, too,” I whispered.

His whole face lit up. “Then we can fix anything.”

It wouldn’t be perfect. We did have things to work through and trust to rebuild, but we would.

38

DAREK

Iwoke up slowly, gradually becoming aware of warmth beside me, soft breathing, the faint scent of Liza’s shampoo on my pillow. For a moment, I just lay there with my eyes closed, afraid that if I opened them, I would discover it was all a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time. The same dream had happened before, and the second realization dawned, it had turned into a nightmare.

But then she shifted slightly, her arm tightening around my waist, and I knew it was real.

Liza was back. In my bed, in my arms, in my life.

I opened my eyes to find her already awake, watching me with a soft smile.

“Morning,” she said quietly.

“Morning.” I pulled her closer, needing the reassurance of her physical presence. “You’re really here.”

“I’m really here.”

“And you’re staying?”

“I’m staying. We talked about this last night, remember? Multiple times.”

We had. After dinner at the seafood place, we had come back to the estate. Daisie had been so excited to have Liza home that it took an extra hour to get her to bed. And then Liza and I had stayed up talking until nearly two in the morning, hashing out everything that had happened.

It was a little sad to admit, but I could honestly say it was my first adult relationship conversation. I never had that with Sasha. I suspected some part of me knew early on that we weren’t going to make it forever. And I just couldn’t fully invest my heart and soul into the relationship. Maybe if I would have asked her what she needed, we could have saved things.

No. No. There was nothing to save. I didn’t love Sasha the way I loved Liza. It felt more adult. Like my heart had fully developed and I was capable of the love I heard so many people talk about. It made me think of Pinocchio. I was a real man, now.

The conversation had been raw and honest and sometimes painful. But we’d gotten through it together. It felt good to just put it all out there. I knew it was a risk and I knew she had every capability to break my heart.

But I had to trust her.