Page 63 of Faking the Face Off

Molly’s eyes almost bug out of her head. “You’re in love with Anna?”

Laughing, I nod. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Then who were you at lunch with the other day?” she asks, threading her arms tightly in front of her chest.

“At lunch?”

“Claire’s. With that woman.”

“My sister?”

As Molly’s face falls, I look at the disappearing brake lights as Anna leaves.

“Oh, Ollie,” Molly says as she covers her face with her hands. “I totally stepped into something when I shouldn't have.”

As Molly explains to me what she saw, and subsequently told Anna, I feel a sickening bolt from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.

I need to fix this. Now.

CHAPTER 22

ANNA

The next morning, lying in bed, I replay the movie in my mind, which was the night before. It all seems surreal, like it never happened. I’m ready to put this behind me, all of it. As much as I can.

The smell of coffee hits my senses, telling me my dad is awake. And I get to race downstairs and tell him the good news. A quick time check tells me I’ve slept in a lot later than I normally do, which is about right. I didn’t get home until close to eleven, but made it to bed at midnight. However, sleep didn’t come until close to two.

While I wasn’t fibbing one hundred percent, I did bend things slightly so I could slip away. My dad texted me saying he didn’t feel well, but he only wanted me to know in case he stayed in bed in the morning. Sometimes if he’s not feeling great or hasn’t slept well, he’ll tell me so I know that he needs the house to be extra quiet in the morning so he can get a few hours extra shut eye.

But when his text came last night, I saw it as a sign from the Universe to go. In truth, I’m exhausted. Depleted. I had nothing left to give. I wanted to curl up in Ollie’s arms and have him tellme it was all okay, which he did. More than that, he and Ben got the whole team to agree to give their stolen money to my father.

When I realized what he’d done, I was thrilled. Excited. I felt like I was the “pick me!” girl, the chosen one, finally. The one that her man was moving heaven and earth to make sure that I was okay and safe, and so were those around me.

I realized last night that Ollie makes me feel more than special. He makes me feel seen. And heard. And respected.

And that I am so in love with him that it makes me shake inside and WOW. This. Is. Intense.

Sitting up, I stretch my arms overhead and think about the course of the morning. I’ll jump in the shower, then go downstairs to tell my dad about all the good things that are happening, then I’ll…

What, Anna? What’s next?

I can’t see any farther ahead than “call Ollie” or “go by Ollie’s.” Closing my eyes, I tug at my hair. It’s funny to think that Molly telling me about that other woman should have spun me out, but in reality, it didn’t. I’m not even worried about who it was because I know him. I know my man, my Ollie, and he’s not like that.

I also knew something inside had clicked in a forever kind of way for me because for the first time, ever, I did not trip out. I’ve had the glorious opportunity to date some amazing men in the past who, if I was told they were seen out somewhere with another woman, I knew instinctively that I was being played.

But not with Ollie. Our connection is different. It’s…more. There have been times in the past when being with someone, in a relationship, felt like death by a thousand tiny papercuts. Add in being sprayed by lemon water on top of it, and you get my drift. But not with Ollie. He’s like home-baked cookies beside a cozy fire on a blustery day. He’s a glass of lemonade, chock full of ice,that you sip on during a hot summer evening. He’s what I think I’ve always needed and I could not see it––until now.

And it scares me.

I put my feet on the floor, the coolness of the hardwood waking me up as I grab some clothes. Once I’m dressed, I pull a brush through my hair and head to the kitchen. I can’t wait to tell my father the good news.

I’m a few steps away when I hear his laugh, then his voice as it floats on the air and down the hall to greet me.

“Do you want milk with that?” he asks.

I can hear someone murmur a reply. Who’s here visiting with my dad now? He never talks to anyone but me before ten.

As I round the corner and walk into the kitchen my heart stops, a huge grin taking over my face so my cheeks hurt.

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