Page 63 of The Pucking Fake Marriage

“I’ve been seeing photos and reviews of your restaurant,” she says with a cheeky grin. “Your menu looks awfully like our weekly rotation.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I should have asked you before I took your ideas for inspiration.”

She waves a hand. “It’s the best compliment you could have given me. Please, use what you want. You’ve always been obsessed with my cooking, and I’ve got myself some bragging rights. Looks like you’ve perfected the recipes too. Ken is a good teacher.”

It’s hard to maintain a smile now, but I do it anyway. “You’re right, Ken walked me through a few steps.” A sinking feeling forms in my gut as I acknowledge the obvious. No matter how many walls I build between myself andKen, I’m always going to have to live with the fact that he helped me rebuild my life.

And I don’t even know how to feel about that.

“You’re doing great, sweetie,” she says, giving me a warm hug. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks,” I say, some of my tension oozing out. For a second, I wonder what my life would have been like if Elizabeth was my mom, how much more supported I would have been. But then, I recall what Ken’s life was like and push away that thought. We did bond over feeling rejected by our parents.

“Where’s Ken?” I ask now, in as casual a tone as I can muster. Maybe I can keep a physical distance between us until I return back to the city.

She rolls her eyes. “You know him, moping around the house and casting a dark cloud over everyone. He only came back this morning, but I think he’s slipped out again. Or maybe he’s back, who knows?” With another cheeky grin, she turns back to her friends.

Moping around the house.My mind instantly goes to wondering if Ken’s upset about what I said. But then I hate myself for thinking that. I don’t want to know what Ken feels like about anything. All I know is what he did.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I catch Kali coming out to the porch with my mother. He’s talking rather loudly about his flight, catching the attention of everyone. Bile rises in me, but I decide to follow them. Ken’s going to be anywhere but near his brother, and maybe I can use that to my advantage.

Most of the people seem to be drinking wine while chatting about their upcoming cruises or grandchildren. Kali walks past them, stopping under a lamp.

“Didn’t I tell you that you were going to love this?” Kalimutters to my mom. “Beats talking about your children’s marriages, doesn’t it?”

My mother beams lovingly at him. “Yeah, especially when I’ve got nothing to report.”

Disgust swirls within me as I watch them nibble on finger food. Ken isn’t exactly the poster child for a great romantic partner right now, but it still stuns me that I wasted so much time with Kali. How was I so blind to what a dingbat he is?

“You know, Bettie’s kid is getting married,” my mother is saying to Kali, who is nodding thoughtfully. “She keeps going on about color schemes and whatnot.”

“Charlie’s going to get married soon.” Something about the evil grin on Kali’s face is a giveaway that he’s merely saying what he believes to be a consoling lie. “You’ll be in the thick of it soon enough.”

I try to muster the urge to go up to him and punch him in the face, but I can’t bring myself to. I’ve dealt with the Edwards twins long enough to tire of them for a lifetime. I’d rather listen and boil with fury than immerse myself in this mess even more.

“I don’t know. We always hoped Charlie and you would get together, but…”

My mother stops talking at the sound of someone shuffling around. I turn toward the direction of the noise.

Ken is suddenly standing on the porch, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

My entire being ossifies into stone. I want to disappear back into the house and keep running from there. If I have to endure being around him even for one second, I will combust into flames. But somehow, I find myself drawn in. Compelled to justlookat him, unable to move.

He’s wearing a Philly Titans tracksuit, the brown colorcontrasting oddly with the Christmas decorations strung around the porch. His face is a mask of cold indifference. He looks like he’s gotten a new haircut over the last two weeks, and something about that makes me hurt a little, to know that life has proceeded normally for him.

All the while I’ve been with Ken, I’ve been scared of many things. Of being hurt again. Of getting too attached. Of forming a real friendship.

But it’s the one thing I never thought to fear that is now happening to me.

The fact that I’m in love with him. No matter how much I fight and run, it’s the truth. Deep down, I always loved him. Even when I turned him down because Kali was the safer option.

Ken takes a few steps toward the entrance, raking his eyes over the crowd huddling under the lamps. Suddenly, there’s an uproar, most of the men turning to him to greet him and thump him on the back. Outside of his little ballet-loving family, Ken is a hero in this town, the only kid good enough to play in the league. He barely seems to notice the adoration. His gaze keeps sweeping over the porch…looking for me.

My heart stops beating as our eyes meet. I notice a few more details, the bags under his eyes, the fact that he’s not even smiling—a rare occasion. For a second, I wonder what he’s going to do next. Come to me? Take me upstairs? And—my cheeks glow with heat—claim me as his?

I hate myself for it, but I wouldn’t mind that one bit. Picking up from where we left off.

But Ken’s eyes stay on me for only a second longer. The next moment, he’s looking away, his eyes moving to the man standing with my mother and enjoying a drink. His eyes stay on Kali, and I notice them darken.

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