Page 100 of Faking It

“Gideon didn’t say it outright, but he suspects Micah’s the mole. At least, that’s what I think.”

Tori sputters. “Micah is the biggest gossip there is, but he’d never do a thing like that. Besides, where would he get the information?”

“Exactly. It makes no sense,” I mutter, dropping my head against the back of the couch. Though, I’d rather him as the mole than Gideon. How long has it been since he stormed out of here? Twenty minutes, and I’m already missing him.

Get a grip, Ana. Think about what he’s done.

Tori sighs as the anger bubbles inside me again. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m not referring to things ending with Gideon. Although we talked about it last night, it bears repeating. You’re a strong woman, Ana. You’ve been through hell and back, yet you’re still pushing on. I’m really proud of you.”

Her comment brings a fresh wave of tears. I break into a sob.

“Don’t cry, sweetie. You should be proud.”

“I am proud, it’s just…” I sniffle, wiping my cheeks. “I regret telling my secret to the wrong person. It bugs me, knowing I should’ve confided in you, not him.”

“Water under the bridge, babe. Honestly, I’ve been a little salty over your secretive ways, but I now understand why. I’m sorry that I misjudged you.”

“You just said it. Water under the bridge. Let’s just promise to be transparent going forward, and I’m sure everything will be okay.”

Tori agrees, and after mentioning she’s heard that Logan’s film is now complete, news that earns a derisive scoff from me, she bids me goodbye and hangs up. Throughout our entire relationship, Logan was the superstar, or so he believed. It’s a pleasant irony that I’m the one who’s in the spotlight. He must be kicking himself for not being true to me, wherever he is.

The sudden pounding on the door makes me drop the phone. My heart flutters in my chest as I stand. Gideon. He came back. He’s here to talk things out.

Do I want to fix this? Can we get past what he’s done?

“Are you people decent in there?” Jared calls out, and my heart sinks.

He draws back with a gasp as I open the door. “Jesus. You look terrible. Where is the doll that just brought Xavier to his knees?”

“Mila has retired,” I answer dryly, releasing the door and making my way back to the couch. He comes in and looks around, puzzled.

“Is Gideon next door?” He peers at the partition. “Gideon! We’re about to start the pre-wrap party celebration!”

“He’s not over there,” I reply glumly.

Jared opens his mouth to say something, but then does a double take, scrutinizing me. “Did you guys have a fight? Is that why you’re looking so messy?” he asks, running his finger up and down my frame.

“Yes, we had a fight.”

“About what?” He drops beside me, crossing his legs. “I can’t imagine what two people in a fake relationship could be arguing about.”

His sarcastic tone tells me he knows it’s no longer fake. Well, it was. My stomach dips as the sudden about-turn of our relationship hits me.

“I confided in him, and he told someone else,” I reply, hoping the Cliff Notes version will suffice. Knowing Jared, that’s wishful thinking.

He proves me right the next second when he replies, “There must be more to the story. There’s no way a simple gossip has you looking like an oversized racoon.”

I touch my face with a gasp, glancing toward the makeup counter.

“Oh, sweetie, and that’s me being nice. You don’t need to look in the mirror, trust me.” He pats my thigh. “I need the full story.”

Without going into details about my past, I tell him as much as I can. He shakes his head when I’m done. “Gideon’s not the mole.”

“I just told you; he’s the only one who knows about—”

“Someone else knows,” Jared interrupts, his tone much firmer this time. “I’ve known Gideon all my life. He’s the most loyal guy you’ll ever find. You give him a secret; he’ll protect it with his life.”

That sounds like the man I’ve gotten to know these last few months, but my brain can’t conjure another possibility. There’s no way my mom’s in town and hasn’t come to see me. No way.

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