Page 56 of Fauxmance in the City

“Carol,” Adam admonishes, and she raises her shoulders and hands in an innocent shrug.

“What? I’m just saying it might be nice.”

I stifle a laugh. Carol is not subtle, but I’m secretly flattered.

“I’m absolutely in love with your coat. Could I persuade you to be photographed for the magazine’s Insta account?” I say, changing the subject. “We’ll post it on our fashion stories.”

The husband debacle is quickly forgotten, and I pull out my phone and hand it to Adam, who snaps several shots.

Sam and Gillian walk back toward us, Sam glaring in my direction.

“We’ll finish this discussion in the morning, and I’ll have contracts drawn up by the new year,” Gillian says.

The air lightens when Gillian’s imposing presence is gone, but Sam glares at me murderously.

“We’re on our way to BAM for a concert, but I wanted to stop by and finally meet this lovely girl,” Carol says, all smiles, oblivious to the tension between Sam and me.

“We’ll walk you to a taxi,” Sam says, but my attention has been tugged away by Max. He’s at the edge of the bandstand in a tense conversation with a young woman. My spidey senses perk up.

“You go on ahead,” I say. Sam cocks his head in question, but I shoo him off.

When Sam and his parents are at the edge of the park, I circle the opposite side of the bandstand near Max and this young woman. I may finally find out what Max has been hiding.

fourteen

My back is against the cool stone of the coved bandstand, and I scoot inch by inch around the circular perimeter. When I hear the low timbre of Max’s voice in hushed conversation, I stop.

“When did she call you?” Max asks.

The girl is young, maybe twenty, with corn-silk hair that runs to the center of her back. She wears a puffy pink coat and a white wool hat. She’s slim with no curves.

“Yesterday before she boarded the plane,” the girl says. “Gillian wants her arrival to be a surprise.”

Max exhales loudly. “I already know about her surprise appearance. We’ve been texting since I left Greece. As soon as filming’s over, we’re meant to go skiing in Colorado.”

My stomach clenches. Who is this young woman? He obviously knows her. And who’s the woman he’s talking about from the plane?

The string quartet begins to play, and I jump, holding back a yelp.

“What I don’t understand is why Jess called you,” Max says.

My ears perk up. Who’s Jess?

The young woman is quiet. I wonder if they’ve walked away, but when I pop my head away from the wall to take a look, Max is staring in my direction. He’s seen me.

“Er, hi.” I step out, waving sheepishly.

Max and the young woman exchange a glance, a silent conversation going on between them.

“Who’s this?” I ask, stepping closer.

“I…” the girl starts, but she bites her lip, stopping her words.

“It’s okay,” Max says. “You can tell her.”

“I’m Sari.”

Immediately, the name strikes me. “Sari Darling?”

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