Page 105 of Faking It with Mr. Uptight

Hailey's brow furrowed, confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean?"

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It means that Molly and I can't be seen together in public as much. We're going to have to keep our relationship a secret, at least for a little while."

To my surprise, Hailey didn't seem as upset as I'd expected. In fact, she almost looked... relieved?

"Oh, okay," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "That's not so bad. I mean, it's not like you guys were super touchy-feely in public, anyway.” She looked down at her hands, tracing circles around her thumbnail, and biting her lip. “Do they know who had the photos?"

I frowned, something about her reaction setting off alarm bells in my head, but I wrote it off as her being worried. I tried to put her at ease. "No. We’re going to find out though. But it’s okay, it’s not like we’re in danger."

Meeting Jake’s gaze I shrugged, and he said, “It’s all weird right now, but I’m sure we’ll figure this out soon.”

She waved a hand dismissively, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "I'm fine, Molly. Seriously. I mean, it sucks that the school board is being so dumb, but it's not like it changes anything for me. You and Dad will still be together, just... more secretly."

I nodded, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something about Hailey's reaction just didn't sit right with me. It was almost like she'd been expecting this, like she knew something we didn't.

And then, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Was it possible that Hailey knew that Natasha was behind this? Maybe she had seen something on her phone. I doubted Natasha would go as far as telling Hailey about it willingly. Their relationship was too brittle, and it would have been too much of a risk.

My blood boiled and my hands clenched into fists at my sides. I wanted to march right over to whatever hole Natasha was hiding out in and give her a piece of my mind.

I knew I couldn't do that without proof. As much as I hated to admit it, Jake was right. We needed evidence, something concrete, that would tie Natasha to this whole mess.

So, I took a deep breath, forcing myself to smile at Hailey. "You're right. Your dad and I will still be together, no matter what. I plan to spend lots of time with you guys, even if it has to be in secret."

I needed a plan and a disguise, or at least a cute heist outfit. If I was going to go undercover and dig up dirt on Natasha, I was going to do it in style.

Watch out, Sycamore Valley. Nancy Drew had nothing on me.

After our talk with Hailey, Jake decided to make a quick run to grab some takeout for dinner. As soon as he was out the door, I turned to Hailey, my mind still reeling with suspicions about Natasha's involvement. Jake had yet to tell Hailey about her mom’s true intentions for hanging around, so it felt safe enough to broach the topic.

"Hey, Hailey," I said, trying to keep my tone casual. "I was just thinking, with everything that's going on, it might be a good idea for me to have a little chat with your mom. You know, to clear the air and make sure we're all on the same page."

Hailey's eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of panic cross her face. Just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by a carefully neutral expression.

"Oh, um, I don't know if that's such a good idea, Molly," she said, picking at a loose thread on the couch cushion. "Mom's been really busy lately, and I don't think she'd appreciate you just showing up out of the blue."

I raised an eyebrow, not buying her excuses for a second. "Really? Because last I heard, she was just sitting around twiddling her thumbs and waiting for the next opportunity to cause trouble."

It was a bold move, but Hailey was used to my strange brand of humor.

Hailey sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Okay, fine. You're right. She's been acting really weird lately."

I leaned forward, my heart racing with anticipation. "What do you mean, weird? Like, 'cackling maniacally while stroking a hairless cat' weird, or 'constantly muttering about revenge while staring into the middle distance' weird?"

Hailey cracked a smile. "More like, 'constantly asking me questions about you guys and money and getting all huffy when I don't give her the answers she wants' weird."

I nodded, that all tracked with what Jake said. "How do you feel about all that?" My mission aside, Hailey was still just a kid, and her situation was a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

Hailey bit her lip, looking torn. "I don't know, Molly. On one hand, I feel like I’m trying really hard to forgive her and make space for her. I want her to like me and want to be around me, but part of me feels like she doesn’t really care. She’s just doing it because she thinks she has to or because she feels bad about the past."

I reached out, taking her hand in mine. "I know, sweetie. I'm sorry you're in this situation. Just know that you are loved no matter what. Sometimes when it comes to family, we feel a sense of obligation or duty, but if it makes you uncomfortable or is hurting you, you don’t need to subject yourself to that for the other person’s sake. You need to do what’s best for you. For the record, I do think it’s great that you’re trying. Natasha is lucky that you are a loving and mature girl. "

Hailey was silent for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. Finally, she looked up at me, a bashful glimmer in her eye.

"I wish you were my mom. It’s easier with you. That’s why I wanted my dad to be with you. I’m glad you guys aren’t breaking up because of those stupid pictures.”

I grinned, a rush of affection for this incredible girl. "Whether your dad and I are a couple or not, you can always count on me." Tears betrayed me, running down my cheek. I tried to swipe them away before Hailey could see me.

Hailey giggled, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Okay, you wanted to know where my mom is. I don't know exactly where she's staying, but when she took me out for dinner last, she had a napkin in her car from someplace called The Rusty Hook.”

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