Page 60 of Faking the Shot

“Your aunt?”

“My mom’s older sister. She’s been sick.”

His face softened. “I’m sorry.”

His sympathy clogged her throat. She cleared it. “So it’s always good to see her when I can.”

“Family is forever, some say.”

Except when it obviously proved not. Like her real dad walking out, her aunt’s husband abandoning her when she got sick, and what her grandfather had done.

“Speaking of family,” he continued, “my mom would like to meet you.”

“Oh, that reminds me, my dad is desperate to meet you.”

He smiled. “I’d like to meet him too, and all your family. Maybe at Christmas?”

She nodded. “Maybe at Christmas.”

Then she blinked. But meeting her fake boyfriend’s family suddenly felt a lot more real than not. “Um, so was there anything else?”

The good humor left his face. “Oh, right. I forgot. I should probably let you get some sleep. But hey, before I go, how are you? Like really.” He shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about when we were having dinner and you were sharing that stuff, and it’s been on my mind. I’ve been praying for you,” he added, humbly.

Her heart clenched. He might’ve prayed aloud for her, but when had a guy volunteered to pray for her—and done it? “Th-thank you.”

His lips tweaked. “I know you probably have a lot going on, and a lot to think about, so if ever you need to talk to someone, I’m happy to be your man.”

Her insides shivered at those last words.Come on, girl. Pull yourself together. “Actually, I got some good news today.”

“You’re getting a gritty role?”

“That’s probably a little way down the track.” But how good that he remembered. “No, this is something I’ve been praying about for a while.”

His eyebrows lifted, like he was inviting her to share.

Oh, what the heck. Shewasexcited. And he was her friend. “So, I bought a house.”

He blinked. “You bought a house?”

She nodded.

“I thought you had an apartment.”

“I do.” She picked up her phone and showed him the living space.

“And a cat, I see.”

She peered over her shoulder. Turned back to the phone. “That’s Louie.”

“Hey Louie,” he called.

Louie hissed.

He laughed. “I don’t think Louie is a fan.”

“That’s okay. I am.”

Her words fell into a space of time that seemed to magnify her meaning the longer she left it. He’d pressed his lips together, but from the way his cheeks pushed up she guessed he was trying to hold back a smile.

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