Grayson snorted. “Come on. Why are you lying to everyone?”
She folded her arms across her chest and gave him her best glare. She didn’t appreciate the ambush. “My business was failing.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “You didn’t have to tell Mom you were engaged. Why did you?”
She huffed. “If you must know, I did it because I didn’t want Blake to find out it was a lie.”
“And why did you want Blake to think you were engaged? Did you think he’d find you more desirable that way?”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Grayson looked at her like she had two heads. “Then why?”
The answer was too much to bear, and she blinked back tears. “Because I didn’t want Blake to stick around. I didn’t want to fall for him again.”
The server walked up to their table, smacking on her gum. “Are you ready to order?”
Sidney was too upset to speak, so she ducked her head. Grayson sat forward. “She’ll have the cheeseburger meal with a vanilla malt. I’ll take the cheese frenchee meal.”
“You got it,” she said. “Can I have your menus?”
Grayson handed them to her, and she left. Then he placed his hand on Sidney’s arm. “What do you mean? You’ve been in love with him since we were kids.”
She sniffed. “I know. Then something happened, and it took me ten years to get over him. I didn’t want to do that again.”
Grayson looked puzzled. “What happened ten years ago?”
Great. Now she had to tell him. The only positive thing to come out of the whole ordeal was that Blake had never told anyone what had happened. He’d had the decency to keep her humiliation between them. Sidney rubbed her temples and tried to think of a way to say it that wasn’t so embarrassing. “I was sixteen.”
He nodded, and when she didn’t go on, he prodded her. “And?”
“I wanted to show Blake I was interested in him. So I got dressed up, and Leena put makeup on me.” She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “That was the day Blake came for dinner.”
Grayson frowned. “Blake was always over for dinner.”
She shook her head. “No, he was in college. This was the last time he came over for dinner.”
Apparently, Grayson didn’t remember the event, because he shrugged. “So?”
“So, I flirted all through dinner, and Blake didn’t even look at me. He was looking at Natalie.”
“She was more his age. You can’t blame him.”
She stared down at the table. “You’re right. But I was young and stupid.”
The server came back with their food, and they waited until she was gone to continue.
Grayson picked up his soda and took a sip. “Okay. You flirted and he ignored you. Was that it?”
Sidney shifted in her chair, the seat suddenly uncomfortable. “Unfortunately, no.” Did she have to say the next part? Heat crept up her neck, and she blurted it out. “I kissed him.”
Grayson choked on his soda. “You what?”
“I know! I can’t believe I did it, but as Blake walked by my bedroom, I yanked him inside and planted one on him.”
He cringed. “Oh, I bet that didn’t go well. What was he, like twenty? You can’t blame him for not kissing you back.”
“I wish that was all it was.” Why was it so hot? It was like a hundred degrees. She picked up a desert menu and fanned her face.
Grayson took a bite of his cheese frenchee. “So, what happened?” He was really getting into the story now.
“He kissed me. Like, really kissed me.”
Grayson about choked again. “He did?”
The next part she couldn’t say out loud, so she whispered. “He thought I was Natalie.”
“Oh no,” he said, his face showing his empathy.
“When he found out it was me, he freaked out and left.”
“I’m sorry.” He put his hand over hers. “I’m sure that was embarrassing.”
She nodded. “Yes, but that wasn’t the worst part.” She blinked more tears away, and her stomach clenched. “He was so disgusted, he never came back.”
Grayson shook his head. “No, that’s not what happened.”
She massaged her forehead. “Yes. That was the last time I saw him, until he came into Blissfully Matched.”
“Okay, but he was in college. He was trying to get into medical school.” A look of pity filled his face. “He wasn’t staying away from you.”
She could barely speak over the lump in her throat. “Yes, he was. I know, because he’d come back to Bishop Falls and visit his mother, but he stayed away from me.”
“Sidney,” Grayson said, his voice low. “He was older than you. He couldn’t have dated you.”
She looked down at her fingernails. “I know that.”
“You can’t think he was staying away because of that kiss.”
That was exactly what she thought, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she stared at the jukebox sitting in the corner and tried to hold it together.
“Okay. I understand,” Grayson said.
She looked at him.
He blew out a breath and leaned back in his chair. “I can see why you lied. You were hurt.”
“I was over it.”
Grayson looked at her with skepticism. “But you hadn’t forgotten.”
“True. And I didn’t want to get all caught up in my Blake crush again.” She stared at her cheeseburger, unable to take a bite. “So I told him I was engaged.”
“And when are you going to tell him the truth?”
She froze. “Never.”
He plopped the last of his cheese frenchee in his mouth. “That’s real mature.”
She sulked. “I know. But if I tell him I made up the engagement, I’m going to have to tell him why. And I can’t put myself on the line like that. Not again.”
“Then you’re going to lose him.”
“I think I already have,” she whispered.
Chapter 21
Sidney stared down at the untouched food on her plate. Grayson nudged her. “You gonna eat that?”
She shook her head and shoved the plate toward him. “No.”
He shrugged and picked up the burger. “You really should talk to Mom.”
That was the last thing she wanted to do. “Why?”
“Because she’s upset that you told her you and Ted were engaged.”
Sidney frowned. “Ted says she took it well.”
“She didn’t scream or murder anyone, if that’s what you mean. But she’s hurt.” He wiped his face with his napkin and stared at her. “Did you really think you’d get away with lying to Mom and never have to face it?”
She sighed and ran her finger along the edge of the table. “I guess I didn’t think about it.”
“If you don’t clear the air between you, it will just get worse.”
The door dinged and she glanced over to make sure it wasn’t anyone she knew. “I’ll talk to her.”
Grayson nodded. “Good.” He finished eating the rest of her cheeseburger while she watched people come and go, her stomach tightening with each minute. At last he said, “You ready to leave?”
She nodded and stood, grabbing her purse.
After Grayson pulled into her apartment parking lot, they got out and he walked her to her door. “I know it’s none of my business, but you really should tell Blake the truth.”
She looked down at her shoes. He was probably right, but she didn’t think she could bring herself to do it.
Grayson gave her a hug. “Hang in there.”
“Have a good flight.” She blinked back more tears. Then she socked him in the arm. “And don’t forget to call once in a while.”
He chuckled. “Okay.”
Sidney said goodbye to Grayson and entered her apartment. Natalie was sitting on her couch, her head in her hands, her feet up on the coffee table. A box of tissues sat on the couch beside her. “Natalie? What are you doi
ng here?”
Natalie moaned and put her hands in her lap, revealing the tears streaming down her face. “I’m a horrible person.”
Sidney sat down next to Natalie and put her arm around her shoulders, searching for something to say. “It can’t be that bad. What happened?”
Natalie plucked a tissue from the box and blew her nose. “It is. It’s bad. You’re going to hate me.”
Sidney clenched her teeth. Had Natalie come on to Blake again? Horrible thoughts pushed their way into her head, and she had to know. “What happened?” she repeated.
“I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”
“What did you do?” Her panic was rising. If Natalie didn’t tell her, she was going to smack her.
“It was just a kiss, I swear.”
Oh no. Natalie kissed Blake. Her gut clenched and she tried not to picture it in her mind. Ugh. Too late. “Tell me what happened,” she said, fearing the truth but needing to know.
“Ted came over this morning. He was helping me with some new software.”
“Wait…Ted?” Her head spun and relief flooded over her. Her sister hadn’t kissed Blake.
“I’m so sorry!” Natalie wailed. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. He’s just so nice, and he doesn’t look at me like other guys. He talks to me like what I think really matters. But I promise, it will never happen again!”
Guilt washed over her, and Sidney bit her lip. “No, it’s okay. Ted and I aren’t engaged.”
Natalie looked at Sidney, her eyes watery. “What?”
“I’m sorry, this is horrible, but Ted and I were never engaged.”
Confusion settled on Natalie’s face. “You weren’t? You mean…you lied?”
“Ted was pretending to be my fiancé to help my business. It was only supposed to be a photo on my desk, but then Mom found out and things got out of hand.”
Natalie whacked Sidney’s arm. “I can’t believe you lied. I felt horrible all day, thinking I’d kissed your fiancé!”
Sidney swallowed, tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. “I know. I’m rotten.”
Natalie suddenly burst out laughing. “Look at us. We’re a mess.”
Sidney chuckled and wiped at her eyes. “We are.”
“So, you and Ted were never a thing?”
“No.”
Natalie put her hand on her chest. “Thank goodness. I thought I was a horrible person for liking him.”
Sidney sat back on the couch and put her feet up, mimicking Natalie. “You like him, huh?” She turned to her sister. “Like, like him?”
Natalie nodded. “I think so.”
“Wow.” Sidney giggled. “What did he do when you kissed him?”
Natalie’s eyes grew wide. “He didn’t have time to react. I was so mortified that I’d kissed him, I shoved him out the door.”
Sidney gasped. “You did what?”
“I know! I need to go talk to him. He must think…” She stood up from the couch. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”
“Sure.”
Natalie rushed out the door so fast, she didn’t close it all the way. Sidney got up from the couch and secured the door. Natalie and Ted? The thought made her head reel. What an unlikely pair.
But she had to admire Natalie, rushing over to Ted’s to talk to him and clear things up. That was what she should have done this morning, instead of lying again. Why couldn’t she be more like Natalie?
The thought wormed its way around her brain. She wasn’t ready to tell Blake, but she needed to face her parents. Grayson was right. She looked at the clock. Nine-thirty. Her parents usually went to bed at ten. Maybe they were still up.
She texted her mother to see if she could come talk.
Phyllis: We’re up. Come on over.
Nerves assaulted her as she drove to her parents’ home. She pulled up in front and cut the engine. This was just something she had to do.
Her mother met her at the door wearing her mumu nightgown. It suited her. “Come in.” She ushered her into the living room.
Her father sat on the couch, no expression on his face. Her mother joined him.
Sidney took a seat and wrung her hands. This wasn’t going to be easy. She looked at the quilts her mom had spent her life creating, displayed around the room, each one meticulously stitched. There were no shortcuts. She’d spent the hours needed to get them perfect.
“I need to apologize,” Sidney said. No one spoke, so she went on. “Ted and I were never engaged, and I shouldn’t have lied about it.”
Her mother smiled. “We know, dear.”
Sidney stared. Who was that, and where did her real mother go? She swallowed nervously. “I’m sorry I lied.”
Mom’s smile widened. “We know this time of your life can be confusing. You’re growing, and things are changing…”
Heat rose to her neck. What was her mother doing, giving her ‘the talk?’ Sheesh, how old did she think she was? “Hold it, Mom.”
Her mother continued, undaunted. “When two people love each other…”
“Mom!” Sidney wanted to sink into the floor. “Ted and I don’t love each other.”
“Oh, I know, dear.”
Her father patted her mother on the knee. “I think it’s best if we let Sidney figure things out on her own.”
Her mother folded her hands in her lap and nodded. “Very well.”
Thank you, heaven above. “I’d better go. I just wanted to apologize.” Sidney stood.
Her father came and gave her a hug. “You’ll be just fine.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
When Mom hugged her, she patted her on the back. “You know you can tell us anything. We love you, no matter what.”
“I know, Mom.”
She left her parents’ house, breathing in the cool night air, glad that was over. Now the only person left to talk to was Blake.
Either that, or crawl into bed and never come out again. The latter seemed like a good option.
Chapter 22
Sidney clicked through the computer profiles, trying to narrow down a third match for a client, Mickey Phillips. As she clicked, the song Hey Mickey rattled around in her head, and soon she was clicking to the beat. After a minute of that earworm, she turned on the radio. Adele’s voice rang out.
Better.
Sidney flipped through a few more profiles until she found herself staring at Angie’s face. Why was Angie still listed in with the available profiles? She should have moved her over. Sidney’s mouse hovered over the unavailable box, but she didn’t click it.
She stared at the phone number. Since she’d been the one who matched Angie and Blake, it wasn’t unreasonable for her to call and check up on how things were going, right? She usually left clients alone after they said they’d found a match, but maybe she wasn’t being hands-on enough. Maybe it would help her build her business.
Before her head could talk her out of it, she punched up Angie’s number. The line rang three times before someone answered.
“Hello?”
Sidney clenched the phone. “Hi Angie. This is Sidney Reed. How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s good to hear. Hey, I was just calling as a follow-up. Since Blissfully Matched was the service that matched you up with Blake, I wanted to see how things are going.”
“Oh. Well, the date was fun.” Her voice sounded chipper. Almost forced.
“I see. And how many dates have you been on with Blake?” Sidney’s gut tied in a knot. Did she really want to know this?
“Just the one. Blake’s nice and all, but we didn’t really mesh.”
Sidney stared at the computer screen. “Sorry, I think I misheard you. I thought you said just one.”
“Yes, that’s right. We only went on the one date.”
Sidney’s heart pounded in her chest. “You and Blake didn’t hit it off?”
“Sidney, are you okay? You sound surprised. I thought Blake would have told you it wasn’t a match.
”
The realization that Blake had lied to her sank in, and her palms began to sweat. “Oh, yes. Sorry. I must have typed it into my computer wrong. I apologize for bothering you.”
“It’s no bother. Thanks for checking up on the date.”
Sidney hung up the phone, her heart in her throat.
Blake had lied. He’d told her he and Angie were dating. But why?
He must have wanted an excuse not to see her again. She thought back to the night he told her. He hadn’t come around her place since then.
He was once again running from her. She sat in her chair, too stunned to do anything else. Blake wanted to cut ties.
Sidney’s week turned into a stressful one. Two clients backed out of their contracts, and she found out her rent was going up. She tried to talk to the landlord about it, but he was evading her. On Friday, she needed some alone time. After work, she ran to the grocery store and bought some chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. It would go really well with a movie on Netflix.
She curled up under the oversized quilt her mother had made for her when she left for college, turned on the television, and dipped her spoon in the carton. The cold felt good on her throat. She scrolled through the movies, avoiding the sappy romantic ones, and selected a nice campy horror.
She was glad she’d changed into her sweats. Much more comfortable while curling up in the chair. She turned off all the lights and watched the movie in the dark. It turned out to be scarier than she’d been thinking. Less campy and more edge-of-your-seat slasher. That’s why she screamed when a knock came on her door. She paused the movie.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she stared at the door. Who would be coming over at this hour? She stood, wrapped the quilt around herself, and peeked out the window.
Blake? Not again. She couldn’t take any more of him. She leaned up against the door, hoping he’d go away.
Another knock sounded. And then a muffled, “Sidney? Open the door. I know you’re home. I heard you scream.”
Crud. She slid the lock and opened the door. “What do you want?”
He frowned. “What are you doing in here? Why are the lights off?” Then he looked at the television. “You’re not watching a scary movie, are you? You know you can’t handle them.”
A Fake Marriage Romance Collection Page 63