Page 43 of Faking it with my Off Limits Neighbor

I lift a hand. “Don’t ask, Dad. That’s Charlie’s department.”

The words are out of my mouth before I realize what I’ve said, and suddenly, there’s an influx of gasps and questions from three completely bewildered faces.

“Hang on. Hang on, and I’ll tell you,” I say, calming everyone down. “I hired Charlie as my interior decorator.”

This elicits even more gushing from Mom as she presses her hand to her chest and looks at me adoringly. Dad beams a great big grin, and Milly bounces up and down on her chair. “I told you. Didn’t I tell you? I told you,” she chants, clearly feeling vindicated after her earlier suggestion that I take Charlie on.

“Yes, Milly. You told me. Are you happy now?” I sigh with a smile.

“No. Not really. You should have done it sooner,” she quips back.

I roll my eyes playfully and shake my head. “You’re incorrigible,” I say, stealing Charlie's line. It gives me a warm feeling inside when I say it because it takes me back to our time in the restaurant when I got to kiss her twice in one day. How lucky am I?

“I’ve seen Charlie’s work, son,” Mom says. “She’s going to do an amazing job.”

“I know.” I smile confidently. “That’s why I hired her.”

“So you are still paying her, even though she’s your girlfriend?” Milly said feistily.

“Of course I’m paying her. Geez, what do you take me for?”

“A bum,” Milly says and then bursts out laughing.

“Maybe you could bring her over for dinner one night?” Dad suggests.

“Oh, yes. You should,” Mom adds eagerly.

“I told you already,” I say adamantly. “We’re taking things slowly. I don’t want you guys to scare her half to death.”

“Scare her half to death?” Mom cries. “While you’ve been gallivanting around Europe, who do you think has been here for her?”

I’m a little stunned by that reply, and my eyes move around the table, looking at each of them individually. Dad’s nodding, Milly’s giving me a cocky look, and Mom has her eyebrows high on her forehead to make her point.

It hadn’t occurred to me that my own family had been there for Charlie. How could I know? I’d made it clear, very early on, that I didn’t want her name mentioned in our calls. It’s another blow to add to my guilt. I’d left her, and my family stepped in to make sure she was all right.

“I’m so sorry,” I say heavily. “I should never have—”

“We all know you didn’t go of your own accord, Troy,” Dad says. “The only person who doesn’t know that is Charlie.”

“But how—?” And then I look at Milly. “You told them.”

“They were hurting, Troy,” Milly says gently. “What was I supposed to do? Mom and Dad thought they’d done something wrong.”

“Never,” I say, looking intently from Mom to Dad. “You were the best parents I could have hoped for.”

Mom has a tear in her eye, and Dad inclines his head, acknowledging the praise. Even Milly looks a little emotional.

“When I found out, I wanted to go over and speak to Paul Woods,” Dad says. “But Milly and your mom persuaded me not to. I think they were too worried that my fists would do much of the talking.”

“The past is the past,” Mom says, trying to lighten the conversation. “It’s gone, and none of us can do anything about it.” She looks at me with such love in her eyes. “But your future, Troy, is right ahead of you. And I just know that young woman will make your life whole.”

I nod and smile. “I know, Mom. That’s why I’m going to do everything in my power not to mess this up.”

19

Charlie

I’ll admit it; it’s better than I could ever have expected. I don’t really know what I expected. All I know is that it’s been just under a week since Troy and I decided to give our relationship another try, and I feel like I’m sixteen again.

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