Page 34 of Faking It with the Off-Limits Doctor

As the evening plays out, pretty much the same scenario happens over and over again. Dara certainly wasn’t wrong. Everywhere we go, we bump into someone she knows. The same dialogue plays out, and practically word for word, she repeats the same thing, over and over.

By the end of the evening, I’m sure she’s sick of saying the same lines. I’m sure sick of hearing them. But this evening was important, and as we travel back in the car, I tell her why.

“Jack Norton is a savvy businessman. If he’s going to agree to this venture, he’s going to do his homework. He might not speak to a single person in Riverdale, but what if he happens to stop by on his way to my house, and mentions me and my fiancée? And what happens if no one has the first clue about what he’s talking about?”

“I get it,” Dara says. “Just please tell me I don’t have to do that again.”

I glance across the car with a half-smile. “You did great tonight, Dara. I’m sorry you’ve had to lie to people you’ve known all your life.”

“Yes, that was the hardest part.”

“But remember what I said. We’re not doing any harm. No one’s going to get hurt.”

“It still feels wrong,” she counters.

“I know.”

When we reach her house, I round the car, open the passenger door, and watch her elegantly climb out. I then follow her down the narrow path that leads to her front door.

“As guilty as you feel,” I say, “I still had a really good time tonight. There are some good people in this town.”

She tilts her head and gives me a look. “It’s not that I didn’t have a good time. I did. In fact, getting to know you a bit better makes this easier.”

“You mean I’m not just a selfish billionaire anymore?” I smirk.

She rolls her eyes. “I’ve already apologized for that.”

“I know,” I say lightly. “Just teasing you about it is fun.”

“For you, maybe.”

We stand there for a minute, neither of us speaking, and I find myself lingering and not wanting to leave. Tonight, I had seen Dara in a new light. It was obvious that everyone she met respected her. There were a few comments made of how sad they were that she hadn’t made in it the city, to which Dara had swiftly changed the subject. But I saw tonight, how much a part of Riverdale she truly is.

“Well, I suppose I ought to get going,” I say eventually. “Again, thank you for tonight, Dara.”

She nods. “You’re welcome.”

As an afterthought, I say, “You can skip coming over to prepare breakfast tomorrow. Eating so late tonight, I won’t be hungry. Just come over to make lunch.”

“You sure?”

I nod. “I’m certain. See you tomorrow.”

I leave her at the door and stride back to the car. Jumping in, I start the engine and make the short journey back to my place. But even in that short trip, I find myself feeling a little unnerved.

Tonight was supposed to be about showcasing our fake relationship. But as I think about it and recall the fun we had together; I can’t seem to pinpoint any part of it that didn’t feel real.

14

Dara

Tonight has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It’s one thing to lie to people that you don’t know, like this Jack Norton guy, but these are people I’ve known all my life. People who’ve watched me grow up. People who are good friends with my parents.

I know why we need to do it. I also know we’re not really harming anyone.

But still. Lying is lying.

I’ll admit it got easier after the first hour. Repeating the same narrative over and over, it became more rote, even though I still had to act the part. There were plenty of surprised faces, which I hope originated from the fact that no one had met Alex before, and not because I couldn’t possibly be engaged to a billionaire surgeon.

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