Page 108 of Fake It 'til You Make It

‘Hell, yes!’ Shernette says.

‘I’m coming!’ Dee adds.

‘I’ll drive you,’ Mom says.

‘Over my dead body – you’ll kill them all,’ Dad says, grabbing his keys. ‘I’ll drive.’

52

TED

It’s already been a long day, since waking up in Abbey’s guest bed to finally heading toward security for the flight I managed to book on as a standby.

I’ve done nothing but think. About Abbey, about how I got it so wrong. About Fleur and Roman and moving on.

But I get nowhere because all I truly want is Abbey and she doesn’t want me.

I set my luggage on the belt for security and stand in line to be called through the scanner.

Good came of all this, I’m sure of it. If only Mike’s confidence rubbing off on me and Abbey’s heart last night as she stood up for herself. I need a little more Mike and a lot more Abbey in me.

I’m going to stop running.

There are two more people ahead of me in the line, elderly and slow. They fuss each other like they’ve never been on a flight, each one encouraging the other to go through the scanner first. Each giving the other orders and directions.

I smile at their cuteness and hope I’ll be catching flights,going on adventures and making memories with the woman I love when I’m gray and old.

And finally, the proverbial penny drops. ‘What am I doing?’

I’m telling myself I’m a better person for this whole mess, telling myself I’m through with running, but that’s exactly what I’m doing.

I dart out of line and grab my luggage right before it becomes irretrievable.

‘Sir, what are you doing?’ the security agent asks me as I hop around, pulling on my shoes.

‘Can you bag those things up for me? I have to go. I’m in love with a girl and it’s about time I started fighting for what I want.WhoI want.’

The security guy smiles and starts shoving my liquids and electronics back into my bag. He’s too slow.

‘Don’t worry, I’ve got it,’ I tell him, calling my thanks as I run back through security and to Departures in search of a cab?—

‘Abbey?’

‘Ted.’

She’s wearing shorts and a T-shirt but her hair is wet like she’s just gotten out of the shower. A little way behind her, Dee, Shernette and her mom are looking our way.

‘What’s going on?’ I ask through panted breaths.

‘Well… I couldn’t let you leave before I told you a few things.’

She puts her hands on her hips and her sass reminds me of when we met in the elevator before myGQinterview, when she stormed to my apartment claiming noise pollution, and when she huffed over losing our bet and cleaning Mike’s apartment. I can’t help the smirk that draws on my lips.

‘You messed up. I mean, big style messed up. And you have so much making up to do for it.’

I nod. Happily. I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it, if she’ll have me.

‘But it would be hypocritical of me to hate you for lying when I’ve been lying to everyone I know up here, and I think lying to myself for even longer. It’s time I started doing what I want for me, not other people.’

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