Page 72 of The Fake Play

Passion, respect, happiness… love?

I swallow hard. “I don’t know…”

“As far as your career is concerned, you need to learn from this.”

“For my next job, right?” I mumble, my voice shaky.

“What next job? What are you talking about? I knew I wouldn’t be able to hang onto you for long, but damn.”

“What areyoutalking about? No! I mean, after you officially fire me.”

“I’m not firing you.”

“Why the hell not?” Why am I arguing this?

“You do great work, that’s why. A little more thorough than I had in mind, but you’ve been a huge asset, Keke. I’m not firing you over this.”

I stammer, “But I fucked everything up.”

“Not everything, but I’m certain you’ll never do this again. You’re a smart girl, one who learns from her mistakes. And falling in love is rarely a mistake. I’m not firing you. If you want out of here, you’ll have to quit, and you better not quit on me. I’m starting to like you.”

I laugh, unsure what to say. “Um, thanks.”

“Back to your love life… if you constantly assume everyone will hurt you, you’ll never find happiness. So tell me, what are you going to do about Luke?”

I take a deep breath, weighing her words. “I–I don’t know. I’m terrified of being a mother, of bringing a child into this mess. I’ve always wanted to be a mom, but the right way, you know? With a husband and a house and all the things that give a kid a stable home life. What if he walks away once things get hard?”

Whitney leans in, her tone softening. “You’re not alone in this, Keke. You have me, and you have Luke—whether you believe it or not. You can make this work if you’re willing to open up. I know trust doesn’t come easy, but maybe you should give it a chance.”

“But what if I get hurt again?” I whisper, the fear bubbling to the surface.

“Then you’ll learn from it. It’s part of life, Keke. You can’t protect yourself by shutting everyone out. Sometimes, you have to take a leap of faith. You just might be surprised by what you find.”

Can I do that? Really let someone in? I think about Luke, about his goofy smile and the way he looks at me with such sincerity. Those damn eyes. Maybe I have been too harsh, too quick to dismiss him. “What if I end up trusting him and he breaks my heart?”

Whitney shakes her head. “That’s the risk we all take. But you won’t know what he’s capable of if you don’t give him a chance. Trust is built, Keke. It doesn’t happen overnight.”

My head tips back against the cushions. “Why is it so damn hard for me to believe that? I should be able to trust my instincts but all I feel is doubt.”

“Doubt is normal,” she reassures me. “Everyone has doubts. You’ve been through so much and it’s okay to be cautious. But don’t let that caution blind you to the good things in life. You’re going to be a mother soon, and you need to decide what kind of life you want for yourself and your child.”

“Whitney, I’m so scared.”

“Of?”

“Everything. I’m scared I’ll screw it all up.”

She reaches across the table, squeezing my hand. “You’ve got this. You know you do.”

I swallow hard. “What if he walks away once the baby isn’t a baby anymore?”

“Again, you deal with itifit happens. But right now, he’s here. He’s trying to be a part of your life. Let him.”

Just as I’m about to respond, my phone buzzes on the table. I glance at the screen and my heart drops. It’s a text from Luke.

I’m sorry for the way things went down tonight. Can we talk?

“What should I say?” I ask, after reading it out loud to Whitney, anxiety coursing through me.

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