Page 12 of Falling for My Billionaire Fake Date

“Jake, are you alright? I thought you knew, honey. Didn’t Bella tell you already?” Mom says over the phone, her voice laced with panic and fear.

Mom is the only one I ever told about what had actually transpired between Sophia and me. She had seen me at my worst, spiraling beyond control. She had taken my hand and pulled me out of the darkness, inch by inch.

“I’m fine, mom, I’m fine.” I cough out the invincible rock particles in my throat, sounding hoarse.

So, this is why Bells had laughed weirdly. I should have known. She knew Mom would tell me and that’s why Mom’s calling me a few minutes after my conversation with Bella. I had to grin, despite the stress I’m feeling. My little sister getting mischievous is not something I thought I’d ever see.

“We could tell Bells the truth. She’d understand you, Jake. Your sister loves you, and you know that. You don’t have to go through with this, honey. Bella is stronger than you give her credit for, and you can’t protect her from all the bad people in the world. She doesn’t see the world in rainbows and butterflies anymore. She’s not a kid.”

No. Even if I were to tell Bella the truth, it shouldn’t be now, won’t be now, not when she needs her bestfriend at her wedding. Not now. Not ever. I will protect my sister as long as I can, as much as I can.

“That won’t be necessary, Mom. I’ve got a girlfriend, and I don’t think she’d be cool with another woman hanging on her man’s hand for his sister’s wedding.”

There was a pause at the other end of the line. A very pregnant, very disbelieving pause.

“Jacob? You’ve got a new girlfriend?” I wince at the use of my actual name. “Yes, mom. She’s beautiful, nice, and smart. You’ll love her.”

“How long has this relationship been going on, Jacob?” I can feel the perspiration growing on my forehead.

Mom knows how to sniff out a lie, and when she does, she never stops grilling you until she purges the truth out of you.

“Why don’t I tell you all about her over a date, mom? My treat. This coming Saturday, you might actually get to meet her.”

I grin to myself. Mom never travels without dad and as far as I know, dad will be going on a business trip that same Saturday. I breathe a sigh of relief, expecting her to tell me to reschedule, or to say she’d meet her some other time.

“That will be perfect! I’ll come along with Bells. She misses you. I miss you too, honey. And I’ve been dying to see your new place and the charming little town. See you then!”

And the line goes dead. Wait, what just happened? I feel like a total idiot. The lie has totally backfired. Since when has dad started traveling without mom by his side? Is he not traveling again? I want to pull my hair in frustration. This is very bad.I hear my phone ring again, and I do actually pull my hair in frustration when I see that it’s Mom again.

“What is it, mom?” I sigh, clenching and unclenching my fist. Hope is budding in my chest, hoping she’s changed her mind.

“Where are you?” she asks suspiciously.

I roll my eyes, definitely not a change of heart. “I’m in the office. Just getting some things done.”

She scoffs and blows out a sigh. “Who goes to work on a Sunday? Jake, just live a little! Bye now!”

I glance at my phone, the line going dead for the second time. I shake my head. She seriously called back to ask that? That isn’t even the issue here.

I have to introduce a girl I’m supposedly in love with to mom and Bella, and I’ve got just a week to do that. Just great!

Chapter eleven

Aurora – The Job Interview

I run as fast as my legs will carry me, my chest heaving hard and my heart slamming fearfully against my ribcage, begging for escape from the fear coursing through me. Shrinking it into an extremely painful, small size. I can’t tell exactly where I am, but my surroundings seem familiar. Suddenly, I find myself chasing down my coffee shop. It stands in one spot, but the harder I run, the farther away it seems to be.

I pump my legs extra hard, running to catch up with it. Then comes my pastry shop and bar, each getting farther away the harder I try to run. My mom whizzes by me, laughing. I try to grab her, but my fingers grasp nothingness. And then I am transported to the living room of the house where we all used to live, begging her not to go, tears running down my face in painful rivulets. And then I am back on the familiar but unknown road again, chasing my shops, and now my mom.

“Ror, be a good girl,” she says, in a very strange voice, which echoes through the strange street, her laughter ringing out as clear as a bell.

Then suddenly comes Alex, his pretty sky-blue eyes icy cold. He glares at me icily, shouting the words, “It’s over,” repeatedly at me. All I can do is run and run, breathing hard, legs burning. Alex’s voice keeps ringing shrilly, piercing through my mind.

I gasp awake, my alarm clock ringing annoyingly, and I slam the off button. I am drenched in sweat, despite having the air conditioner on. My silk nightie sticks to my body, and my hair is plastered over my face. It was all a nightmare. A familiar nightmare, but a different plot and different settings. But it’s the same content, the same message being passed.

I used to have these nightmares, but they stopped like a year ago. The first time I had a nightmare related to that, I’d just opened my bar, and some months later, I had opened my pastry shop. I named it Sweet Harmony Bakery and was already thinking about opening the coffee shop since the next-door space was available.

Britt had called my dad about the situation that I had tried my best to keep from him. He had rushed down to Birchwood, feeling guilty and extremely sad. He had blamed himself for leaving me all alone after his divorce from mom. That wasn’t true. I had suggested he leave for the city when the opportunity came to be transferred there. He hadn’t needed much persuasion though. He up and left.

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