Page 49 of The Pucking Grump

Zach and Kate exchange glances again. Then Kate says, “Tell us a little bit about that—why you felt the need to pretend your romance with Benjamin Hart was better than it really was.” Her tone bears the slightest hint of reproach, but it’s mostly curious.

I decide on impulse not to lie. “I thought singing it into existence would make it true. Also, when it went on so long, I didn’t see a way out of it. I was writing songs about the love I wanted to experience. I already had a boyfriend. It would have been stupid to tell millions of people I didn’t feel anything even remotely matching what I was singing about.”

“I get it,” Zach says, and he sounds like he does. “Sometimes, when I listen to love songs hard enough, I can pretend that I’m in love.”

A smile forms at the corner of my lips. I didn’t expect to feel comfortable around Zach and Kate, but we’re slowly easing into it.

Kate, who still seems hung up on the dynamic I have going with my father, asks, “So you’re telling us that every single thing your dad told us about you ending your wedding for lilies and a missing photographer is not true?”

“You’ve heard my songs, Kate. I’m a die-hard romantic. Do you think even a tornado would have stopped me from walking down the aisle if the love of my life was waiting for me?”

Kate and Zach titter. “Yeah, I see your point,” Zach admits.

The producer signals for a commercial break, and Kate turns to the camera with a smile and announces it. The moment we are off the air, the producer comes running up to us.

“You’re doing amazing,” he says with a thumbs up, like we’re merely acting, and I’m not revealing the deep secrets of my life. “People are tuning in like crazy. We’ve got two million people listening to you right now.”

I suddenly feel woozy. Two million. For some reason, I find myself wondering if Blake is one of them.

A producer announces the break will be over in five seconds. In a little while, Zach and Kate have their artificial smiles pasted back on.

“Alright, we’re back!” Zach exclaims. “We’ve heard a whole lot about Faye Strummer’s past, and whether you believe it or not, she’s had a few things to say! But on to the present . . . Faye, where do you see your career heading from here?”

“Well, I’ll have to start by firing my father.” Zach and Kate cackle. “Afterward, I intend to settle down and write more music that’s true to me.”

“We saw the clip of you singing at that bar,” Kate chimes in, and it’s obvious she disproves of the quality of the place. “The song sounded amazing, but it’s quite different from anything we’ve heard you sing before.”

“It’s also more real than anything I’ve created before,” I admit. “And I intend to keep things that way.”

“You’ll tell us more about the song later,” Zach butts in. “But I’m sure we’re all dying to hear about something else—the man-candy who took your breath away at the end of the clip. Also, we want to know about the video that was released a few weeks ago. The one that broke the internet.”

For a moment, I falter. I’ve spent the last seven years lying and pretending my relationship with Ben was good, and it led me into this mess. Starting this new phase of my career by lying about a relationship isn’t going to end well.

But then, I can’t exactly tell them that I’d fallen into the arms of a random stranger and began a sexcapade with a man who thinks romance is nothing but a joke. That would shatter my reputation beyond reckoning.

I flash a sweet PR smile at them—one that I practiced with Kevin. “Yeah, it wasn’t our intention to go public yet, but you never know when you have a camera pointed at you.”

Kate leans forward, practically on the edge of her seat. “So, you are in a relationship with Blake White. That’s crazy. A week after your failed wedding—was this relationship already happening before you left Ben?”

“No,” I say, as firmly as I can. “Blake and I met when I needed help escaping my wedding. I wanted a place to clear my head, and he let me stay with him for a few days. And then . . .”

“He comforted you during one of those days?” Zach says with a wink.

I bite back a smile. “Not exactly. We’re still new at this and figuring it out, but it’s great to finally be able to make my choices independently.”

There, I think, looking at Zach and Kate as they process the information. I’ve given just enough information to hint that we’re in a relationship, but I didn’t need to lie too much.

Maybe I can get through this, after all.

“I understand that,” Kate croons. “You’ve been in a loveless partnership with Ben and your dad for so long. Not surprising how happy you seem now, finally experiencing freedom.”

“Yes. Moving to Philly, away from my father, has been transformative,” I chirp.

The producer signals something, and Kate looks at the teleprompter in front of her. “Ooh, and it seems our listeners agree! Look at this post. “So sorry I misjudged Faye. I should have known there was something off about her not saying anything on her socials. Abusive parents are the worst.”

I couldn’t agree more.

“And look, they’ve got a hashtag going already—Justice for Faye.”

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