Page 46 of He Falls First

“Since when do you get to work on projects?” Marianne doesn’t believe me. I can tell in her tone.

“Since I stopped waiting for someone to notice I’m capable. I talked my way onto this project, just like the top guys do, and then I proved that I belong there.”

Ha! It’s pretty much true, isn’t it? Okay, so maybe the top guys don’t do it by snooping through the boss’s files in their pajamas at three in the morning, but I did kind of barge my way into LocalLink, which led to Hendrix inviting me on.

“Little Lizzy, getting feisty. I like it,” Dad says, smiling.

“Feisty” isn’t what I’m going for, though. I want to be taken seriously, without the need for theatrics. But then again, as the dinner conversation lulls and I look between my dad and my sister, I realize maybe it might not be such a bad thing to disrupt some more peace around here.

Why should I have to be the one who holds back just to make them comfortable?

“Anyway,” I interrupt to continue what I was saying before, “it’s not just about work. Hendrix and I have a good relationship.”

“Good enough to let you in on big projects, huh?” Marianne asks, eyeing me across the table.

“Exactly,” I say, nodding more to myself than to her.

Hendrix might be pretending to fall for me, but I’m learning that faking confidence can sometimes lead to the real deal. And right now, I need my family to buy into this new Elizabeth—the one who’s done being the doormat at the Summers’ family door.

“Hendrix values my input,” I add.

Marianne’s eyebrow arches, a silent challenge to spill what’s brewing inside me. Dad’s fork clangs against the plate as he shovels in another mouthful of food, oblivious.

“Sure, Lizzy. Just make sure they see you as more than just the help,” Dad says.

And there it is, the nudge I need. I straighten in my chair. It’s time to shake things up. I’m done being the peacekeeper tonight.

“Actually,” I start, my heart racing, “there’s someone at work who sees quite a lot in me.”

“Is that so?” Marianne doesn’t know where I’m going with this, but she knows something’s up.

“Yep.” My grin grows bolder. “More than you both might expect. I have some news I’ve been meaning to share.”

Dad finally pays his full attention to me, his knife pausing mid-air. Marianne leans back, her arms folded across her chest.

“I’m engaged.”

“Engaged?” Dad’s knife clatters onto his plate, his mustache bristling as he twists his mouth. “To whom?”

“To Hendrix,” I say, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch into a defiant smile.

“Hendrix? Your boss?” Marianne’s tone is dry.

“Yep.” I fold my hands in my lap.

Dad’s face reddens, anger seeping into the creases around his eyes. “You mean to tell me you’re engaged to the man who employs you?”

“Uh-huh,” I say, forcing nonchalance into my voice. I push around the remains of the green beans on my plate, avoiding eye contact with Marianne.

Dad sputters random syllables before he gets a sentence together. “That’s entirely inappropriate.”

“Isn’t it though?” Marianne mutters under her breath, looking away.

“Look, Dad,” I say, standing my ground even as my heart races, “I know how it sounds. But Hendrix and I, we’re really in love.”

The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, my voice taking on an edge of desperation. I could almost get away with calling the engagement part true. We’ve got a contract. It’s something like that. But now, talking about love, I’m just telling full lies. It doesn’t count that sometimes I wish it could be true.

“Love, Lizzy?” Dad sounds exasperated, like he’s just realizing he’s forgotten to teach me something very basic, like how you shouldn’t put aluminum foil in the microwave.

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