Page 28 of Faking the Face Off

Technically, not a lie. Also, technically not the truth.

Molly softens, her gaze sympathetic. “I’m glad to hear that. Neither one of you needs to have anything weighing you down right now. I hate to see you upset.”

Before I can respond, Molly’s phone lights up with a notification. She picks it up, scrolling for a moment beforeturning the screen toward me. It’s a picture of me and Ollie, sitting at an outdoor table, laughing over ice cream. The caption reads:Hockey’s golden boy and his mystery girl. #OllieAnna

“There’s also this,” she says and then puts the phone back down on the counter. “I know you two are close, but are you hashtag close?” Her voice is somewhere between curious and amused.

I nod, trying to keep my expression neutral. “We’ve been spending more time together.”

“More than usual.” Molly crosses her arms as she leans back in her chair. “The photos from a dinner date with him last night, and the ones from the arena parking lot before that—are all of those a couple of buddies hanging out?”

“We’ll see,” I say as I lift a shoulder and let it drop, trying to be so casual that I’m like a lounge chair.

Molly holds up a hand and does some quick, albeit easy, math. “Three days in a row, Anna. That’s more than good friends, it’s making a statement.”

“Honestly, it’s nothing.” I try not to twitch, hoping I look more casual than I feel. “It’s…a thing,” I say, my words carefully measured. “Like that old saying. The one where ‘it’s a reason, a season, or a lifetime.’”

“And this is?”

“A reason,” I say, staring into space at nothing. “Or a season. He is a hockey player.”

Molly doesn’t look convinced. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you in these photos. There’s something there.”

“It’s not what it looks like,” I blurt out, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.

Molly’s eyes widen slightly. “Then what is it?”

I glance at my bag, debating whether I should tell her the truth. She’s my boss, yes, but she’s also Ben’s wife—but if anyonewould understand the crazy lengths you go to for family, it’s Molly.

Taking a deep breath, I sit down across from her. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but youcannottell Ben.”

Molly leans forward, intrigued. “You have my word.”

I hesitate for a moment before diving in. In the course of a few minutes, minus an interruption from Lucas who wakes up from a bad dream and screams wildly for his mom, I manage to fill Molly in on all of it. From the Ponzi scheme to the threats that both my father and Ollie are getting from outside sources.

When I’m finally done, Molly’s mouth opens in surprise, but she quickly composes herself. “This is a right mess you’ve strolled into.”

“I think I leaped, rather than strolled, before I did any thinking.” I rub my forehead, feeling the weight of it all. “But my first payment came through a few minutes ago, and I’m transferring the money to Dad’s account tonight so he gets it in the morning. This arrangement helps both of us.”

Molly shakes her head slowly, processing what I’ve said. “Anna, that’s…a lot for you to take on. I’m not sure how much your dad owes, but will that ten grand even scratch the surface?”

“It helps now, but are we going to need more? Simple answer is yes, but ten grand gives Dad time to take a hot minute to figure out what to do next.”

Molly’s bright green eyes stay focused on me. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Not at all,” I admit, a nervous laugh escaping me. “But it’s working for now. And I can’t let my dad down.”

She studies me for a moment before reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “Just be careful, okay? These things have a way of getting messy.”

“I will,” I promise. “And thank you. For not telling Ben.”

“I won’t tell him for now, however, I’ll ask that you consider letting him in on it. There could be a time you or Ollie need him.” Molly smiles, though there’s a hint of concern in her eyes. “Your secret’s safe with me but, Anna, make sure you’re protecting your heart, too.”

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. Because deep down, I know she’s right.

And the truth is, I’m not sure my heart is as safe as I’d like to believe.

The familiar humof the car engine fills the quiet space around me as I head home, the street lights flickering in time with the steady rhythm of my thoughts. As I slow down and pull into the drive, my phone buzzes on the console. Cutting the ignition, I glance over as Ollie’s name lights up the screen.

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