Page 64 of Fauxmance in the City

“Who’s this?” He turns to Gillian, waiting for an answer.

“I’m Jessica Crossman. Jess.” The woman takes a few more steps into the room toward Max.

Max furrows his brow and half-stands, studying Jess from head to toe.

“Hi, Max. I…” Jess falters, glancing at Gillian for guidance.

“What a surprise!” Gillian stands, then pulls Jess next to Max and sits her in the chair that is conveniently open next to him. “Max, do you know who this is?”

Max drops his forehead into his hand, his fingers squeezing his temples. He looks up again. This time, there’s recognition in his eyes. Not bad, Max. His acting almost convinces me.

I hold back a scoff. Gillian was lecturing me about integrity, but what would she do if she found out Max has been lying? Nothing, I’m sure. She’d be thrilled everything was about to work out as she hoped this entire time.

“Jess?” Max asks, his eyes brightening.

Gillian practically yelps. “Do you remember her?”

He knits his eyebrows and leans closer, tenderness in his gaze. Max raises his thumb to her cheek and rubs it over her smooth skin, and she smiles softly.

“Hey, babe,” she says.

He folds her in a tight embrace.

“I remember,” he says into her hair. Max glances from Gillian to the rest of us, tears welling up in his eyes. He sinks onto his chair, dropping his head, and Jess rubs his back. “It’s coming back. Wow. Oh, wow.”

“Who is she?” I ask, already suspecting the answer.

“It’s Max’s girlfriend,” Gillian answers.

Natalie and several crew members gasp. The words rush over me, and I’m surprised but not shocked. I sneak a glance at Sam. He’s watching the scene unfold, but his expression is neutral, unimpressed by these final fireworks.

“Hi,” she says shyly, sitting next to Max, her knees touching his.

Max is staring at her like he’s trying to process everything that’s happening in his mind, then he sways, gripping the edge of the table with his fingers as if this is all too much.

“Drink some water.” Jess holds out a glass to him, and he gulps it down.

“How did you… Where did you…” My jaw flaps as if I’m trying to comprehend, pretending along with Max and Jess.

Once Jess settles and the crew moves the cameras around to capture their joyous reunion, she dives into their story.

Despite myself, I lean forward, intrigued.

“I met Sam a year ago while he was covering my troop in Afghanistan,” she says, squeezing his hand. “I hated babysitting a civilian, but then a suicide bomber attacked a café we were in, and despite having little training, Max helped pull people from the burning building. We saved everyone but one guy. A friend.”

Jess’s eyes glaze, lost in the story.

“We were devastated—everyone in my unit was. We’d seen death before, but this guy…he was special.” Jess’s chin quivers. She takes a deep breath, then continues. “As everyone else gradually dealt with the loss, Max and I clung together, and in the middle of our anguish, we found comfort. After he turned in the article, he left, working on lighter stuff for a travel magazine. Until he saw that girl being kidnapped and got injured. The next thing I knew, his story was scooped up by the media. Then Gillian found me and made arrangements with my captain for me to take leave to help Max.”

She kisses his cheek, and he pulls her to his side. It’s a wild story, and I’m moved. There are several crew members with wet eyes. I have to hand it to her. Gillian knows how to make good TV.

“I guess it worked.” Max blinks several times, then scans the table. “Everything is coming back. I remember your house, Aunt Gilli. That painting I loved with the swirly sky and hayfields. And Uncle Charles, when you taught me to drive your car and I crashed into the side of the garage in the Hamptons. And the little girl in Greece.” His chin quivers, and I’m as mesmerized as everyone else. Max seems genuinely moved. “I remember chasing after those assholes, then I woke up in the hospital.”

Caught up in the moment, I rest my hand on Sam’s knee, but he shifts away from me. I bite my quivering lip and pretend the tears are because I’m overcome by Max and Jess’s story.

Jess hugs him, and Gillian clasps her hands in glee.

“I’m so happy, Maxie. I thought Jess would do the trick.”

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