Page 82 of Fake It 'til You Make It

When Abbey and Anna have left the dining room, Terry moves to two wingback chairs by the window, looking out over the land at the side of the house. Fir and pine trees dominate the view but there’s an area near the house with lying tree trunks surrounding a fire pit that looks very inviting. I can imagine the family sitting out there together, the fire burning, sharing a drink or two.

‘Let’s take a seat; the girls will be a while,’ Terry says, grabbing a bottle of red wine and two glasses from the table before we sit side by side, a short glass-top table between us. It feels more by design than accident that Abbey and her mom might be missing for a while.

‘Anna’s a formidable woman but she keeps this family together.’ Terry leans forward, filling my glass. ‘Always has. And with all our children in New York these days, her protective instincts are constantly working overdrive.’

I nod. ‘I can understand that.’ I’ve known Abbey for three weeks and I don’t like when she’s out alone in the city at night. I don’t like that she dates men from Tinder – for more reasons than one. And I really hate that she moved to the city for her ex and he screwed her over.

I really hate her ex.

Terry lifts his half-full measure of wine to his lips and I drink from my glass in response. Then he rests back in his seat and exhales, as if that one mouthful has gone some way toward removing the stresses of the day from his body.

‘You know you’re fighting an uphill battle here this weekend, don’t you, son? Ball player or not, Anna and Victoria – that’s Andrew’s mother – they’ve been planning for Abbey and Andrew to be together since they were in diapers.’

I nod, holding my drink between my hands. What can I say? Andrew’s an idiot and a liar but Abbey has chosen not to tell her family why they ended. She’s chosen to hide from them or shield Andrew. I’d love to know which is her main driver but I don’t and the reality is, I’m just some guy to her. I could have been anyone. I could have been my brother. A man to fill a gap and make her ex jealous.

My wandering mind makes me take another, longer drink.

‘I don’t follow baseball closely but I do know that to be at the top of your game in any sport or business, it takes guts and commitment. I commend you for that.’

I clear my throat. ‘Thank you.’

I want to be grateful as Mike, to accept the praise as my brother would, but it doesn’t feel right that I’m misleading Terry.

I decide he mentioned business and I am doing well in business. I take the endorsement on those grounds but recognize the missed opportunity – Terry and I could have more in common than I’m at liberty to explore. Exactly as I could with Abbey.

He sets his wine glass on the table and suddenly he’s regarding me in a way that makes me want to leave the situation. ‘But I’m no stranger to hard work and I know that success comes at a price. Sacrifices have to be made.’

Here we go…

‘Sir, are you asking about my intentions with your daughter?’

He stares as if he’s boring holes into me, eventually saying, ‘I should imagine it’s still too early days to know your full intentions. That’s for the pair of you to work out. But she cares enough to bring you up here, so I would be interested to know your plans for the future.’

‘Business, sir. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and hard workers. Contrary to what the media might have people believe, I don’t blow every dollar I earn on women and champagne; I have investments.’ I don’t know what possesses me to say my next words but they come. ‘My brother has a tech company in Silicon Valley and I’d like to get in on that.’

‘He does? What is it your brother does?’

‘He develops software. Right now, he’s working on a big AI product, which might just be the biggest development he’s ever created, once it’s finished.’

Terry’s eyes narrow on me, then he continues to ask more questions about my business and I lose myself in my passion for what I do. I’m animated as I speak, more than a little nerdy. And I almost blow everything when I tell him, ‘Abbey’s been giving me – my brother, I mean – advice on business strategy, actually. She’s pretty incredible.’

Though Terry has been listening to me intently, watching me closely, he smiles now and gently chuckles, his pride evident. ‘She’s always had a natural flare for business analysis. Not that she’d say as much herself.’

I scoff. ‘Tell me about it. She’s lacking self-belief but certainly not business knowledge. She knows her stuff.’ I hear my own pride in my voice, too. ‘Though she’s obviously acting now, so I don’t suppose it matters.’

Terry lets out a short laugh. ‘Ah the carefree switch. My darling wife is thrilled about this rebellion.’ He considers mebefore adding, ‘Perhaps she’s finally sewing her wild oats or whatever. Personally, I think it’s good for her. It will be good for her self-esteem, but don’t let Anna catch me saying that.’

I’m starting to get the sense no one really believes in Abbey being an actress, though I know she is because I’ve been to her set. Plus, the Abbey I met three weeks ago fits that typecast.

Yet, the Abbey I’m increasingly coming to know, less so.

‘I’ve got to tell you, son, you seem to have your head screwed on more than I would have given you credit for. Don’t judge a book by its cover, isn’t that right?’

Right. I’m Mike. But I agree, my brother might prefer sports banter to any other kind of conversation but he isn’t stupid.

‘People aren’t always who they seem, that much is true. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way recently.’

‘It’s a hard but necessary lesson in life and business.’ He sips his drink, his focus never leaving me. ‘People can always surprise you.’

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