Page 30 of Faking it with my Off Limits Neighbor

Troy takes his plate and gives his sister a look. “Are you happy now?” he murmurs.

“It’s not about me,” Milly quips back. “It’s about Grandma.”

“Sure it is,” he says.

When everyone finishes eating, a great hubbub occurs. A second later, I hear everyone singing “Happy Birthday” as Troy’s mom brings out a beautiful cake. I join in, of course, but I still feel a little out of place. Everyone here is family. Everyone but me.

I slip inside to the bathroom a little later, and as I’m wandering through the house on my way back, I hear my name. I spin around to see Mrs. Heaton standing there with a warm smile on her face.

I’m about to apologize for the misunderstanding when she says, “I’m so glad you came, Charlie. More than that, I’m thrilled to hear the news about you and Troy.”

I’ll admit it: I’m dumbfounded. As thoughts fly through my head, it occurs to me that it was likely Mrs. Heaton who told her mother that Troy and I are back together. Something Milly did not make clear at all. Of course, Mrs. Heaton could only have heard it from one person. But I knew it had been Milly’s meddling all along. Troy was right; Milly did have a lot to answer for.

“Thank you,” I say, trying to keep my composure.

Mrs. Heaton is still smiling broadly. “You know, he never did get over you. There has never been anyone else since he left.”

And now, I’m completely floored. I had imagined that Troy enjoyed all the delights that Paris had to offer, including the beautiful women. But apparently, my imagination was way off.

“Is that right?” I murmur.

Mrs. Patterson nods with conviction. “It is. But then, he was always besotted with you, my darling.”

Someone from the backyard calls for Mrs. Heaton, and hearing her name, she smiles at me again and heads toward the back. I’m left to stand there and try and process what she’s said.

First of all, I have no idea what to do with the information. Everything I have assumed about Troy while he was living in Paris has been wrong. He was working hard to better himself; he wasn’t living it up in France’s capital city. Nor was he spending every night with a different woman at his pleasure. Well, according to Mrs. Heaton, at any rate.

He’s returned home as this mature man with a whole future planned for his success. But that’s not my main thought. I’m now wondering if everything Troy has done for me since his return has just been about showing his remorse.

“Are you okay?”

Troy’s voice catches me off guard, and I spin to look at him. He’s standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Just like that day when I first knew he liked me. A wave of nostalgia washes over me, and my stomach does a somersault.

“I’m fine,” I lie.

“You want me to take you home? You’ve played your part now.”

And then the strangest sensation comes over me, and I realize that I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with Troy. I want to stay here with Troy and continue pretending that we are together.

Careful, Charlie.

“No. It’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” Troy presses, clearly wanting to know if that’s what I truly want.

“I’m sure.”

He holds his hand out, and I walk across the room to take it. He gazes down at me with a look that makes my legs feel like jelly. It’s a look he gave me often when we were together for real. It’s a look of affection that takes my breath away.

I’m in trouble. Big, big trouble.

14

Troy

It’s been a heck of a day, and yet, I’ve loved every minute of it. Seeing my grandparents and all my relatives again has been far more enjoyable than I thought it would be, but the cherry on the cake has been having Charlie by my side.

I’m not sure if she really knew what she was getting herself into when she agreed to come to this party, but she’s handled it far better than I might, had the shoe been on the other foot. And of course, she looks stunningly gorgeous to boot. My cousins’ wandering eyes have not gone unnoticed.

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