Page 59 of Faking Ever After

“So am I, and I only just joined you,” I admitted. “But it’s not up to us anymore.”

Clamoring and chatter died down when someone clinked a silver spoon against the wine glass. We turned our attention to my parents standing on the deck, all doors wide open to let the people flow in and out of the house and hear the speeches from afar.

“Friends, family, thank you all for coming,” my father began, his eyes taking the shape of cartoon hearts when he looked at my mother. “Truly, the reason we are all gathered here is love. Love that lasts decades, never losing its warmth, its beauty, its passion. I wish I could tell you that I am equally responsible for all the wonderful moments that this marriage has afforded me, but I would be taking credit from the person who put in the real work—my wife, my companion, and my best friend, Alicia Davenport. You are, darling, the sunshine of my life.”

People sighed dreamily while my heart beat faster and I thought about the future. Finn was the sunshine of my life. I hadn’t known how gloomy and grim my days had been until this confetti of a person brought color to my monochromatic world.

I had thought I had been happy, or at least content, with my way of living. I had thought my work had a purpose. I had even thought my time was filled with meaningful activities. But then fate put Finn on my jet and he taught me what it was to love as passionately as my parents loved one another.

As if he read my thoughts, Father spoke, “You have given me so much, never holding anything back. When others would save their love, spare it as if it could be spent, you shared yours freely. And to everyone asking us how we remained so happy for thirty-five years, the simple truth is that love is not a pitcher of wine. It’s not a platter of cakes. The more you give, the more there is to be given. That, and Alicia’s divine level of patience.” The last bit caused a ripple of chuckles.

My parents kissed then, as if they were all alone in their bedroom with the door safely locked, and I grunted, looking at Finn instead.

Finn’s gaze on me was warm and powerful as if he could read all my thoughts.Yes, I will love you without holding back, I thought, and the corners of Finn’s lips ticked upward.

After the speech, the crowd relaxed a little more, and people stopped Finn and me for a quick chat, a business pitch, or an embarrassing anecdote from my childhood every step of the way. We worked through the crowd until we reached the main dining table where my parents sat, flanked by Emily, Aunt Judith, my godparents, and Richie. The stiffness in Finn’s muscles at the sight of Richie sitting like an evil Bugs Bunny with one leg over the arm holder of his chair was so swift that I felt it under my hand.

“Here he is,” Emily said with delight. “Come, sit with me.”

Finn forced a smile, although I noticed Richie’s intent gaze before he pulled on that expression of indifference. Finn sat next to Emily, and I pulled a chair next to him, with Richie sitting straight across from me. Our gazes met and he smiled casually. “What a surprise,” Richie said in a tight voice.

“Are you alright, Richie?” I asked. My mother and father sat next to my old friend, busy feeding each other cake and giggling like young lovers on their first date. Aunt Judith kept mygodparents entertained with tales of Benny Tupper. “You don’t seem too happy.”

Emily spoke quietly to Finn, asking him if he wanted anything.

Richie scratched his cropped stubble and held a breath of air. He exhaled in frustration a moment later. “Me? I’m perfect, Percy.” He glanced around the table with rising irritation, then zeroed in on Finn. “So glad to see you back, Finn. I thought you’d run away when the ex arrived.” He stretched his lips into a mirthless smile. “But there is truly nothing to worry about. Isn’t that right, Percy? Oh, we always give a piece of our heart to our first love, but that’s all far behind us.”

“My heart’s always been yours, darling,” Father said to Mother, listening to our conversation.

“I’m not sure I’m the jealous type,” Finn mused with enough confidence to make me beam with pride.

I checked the time on my wristwatch and glanced at my love. He looked at me with a pleased smile and I knew we had won. No matter the outcome, Finn was done. He was at peace, his battle behind him. He found someone who trusted him no matter what, someone who watched his back. And while I was happy to see him at peace, I was not done.

I looked at Richie, inhaled, and sorted through my thoughts.

My old friend caught my glance and stiffened.He knows everything, I realized, although I had suspected as much. He cleared his throat to attract attention. “Gah, I really am sorry to be that guy, especially on such a lovely occasion, but I simply can’t watch my best friend walk into a trap. You’ve told me all about the predators trying to get in and milk what they can out of you, but sometimes, they’re not so easy to spot.”

“What are you talking about?” Mother asked, concern coming over her face.

Finn shot me a worried look and I opened my mouth to speak.

“The man you know as Finn might as well be called that, but I knew him as Matthias,” Richie announced loudly enough for everyone at the table to hear. My parents stiffened, Emily cocked her head, and Aunt Judith observed us keenly from her end. My godparents whispered to each other. “You don’t know this guy, Percy. You told me yourself that it was all an act.” Richie looked around, smug as fuck and victorious.

My mother and father looked at one another, then at Aunt Judith, and all three burst out laughing.

Under the table, Finn’s hand grabbed my thigh, and he let his fingers sink into my flesh.What’s happening?But I neither knew the answer nor how to communicate it to him. I gaped at my mother, father, and aunt, all quivering with laughter. “Darling, Richie, of course it was an act,” Mother said. Glancing at my horrified expression, she said, “Don’t be silly. We could tell from the minute you walked in. But it didn’t matter if you thought it wasn’t real. Any fool could see the way you two looked at one another. It wasn’t just business.”

Finn looked at me, his lips parting, eyebrows rising, and a small smile creeping to his face.

But Richie interrupted again. “Be that as it may, he is still a thief. I should know. Your darling Finn and I met in New York and he stole something valuable from me.”

“Pray, tell,” Mother said skeptically.

“No, he’s right,” Finn said, his voice a little shaky.

“Should I go back on Grindr?” Aunt Judith asked worriedly.

“I did steal something from him,” Finn said clearly enough for everyone to understand. “Something Richard would like me to give back, I’m sure.”

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