Page 47 of Fake It True

After she left, Leo sat beside me and reached for my hand under the table, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

My mother looked at me. “I’m sorry, honey.” She burst into tears.

I stood up and rounded the table to give her a hug. Straightening, I handed her a tissue from the box in the center of the table. “Mom, none of this is your fault. The only part I knew for sure was that Callie was getting her drugs from Nathaniel and that they were kind of dating. He suspected I knew the rest. I think he tried to pressure me into getting involved with him because he hoped that would keep me in line. When Officer Blankenship reached out to me, everything I suspected turned out to be true.”

“I’m so sorry. I miss Callie. I wish we could bring her back somehow.” My mother took a shaky breath and blew her nose, while my dad stood up to give me a long hug.

After that, I sat back down and explained how I’d gotten suspicious about Nathaniel. “I knew Callie was having trouble. She told me she had it under control. I didn’t know Nathaniel was purposefully giving her stronger drugs.” I swiped at my tearswith my fingertips. Leo circled his palm between my shoulder blades, his touch comforting me.

My dad looked at Leo. “Are you really her fiancé?”

Leo waited just long enough that I cut in. “I’d like him to be. He’s really my boyfriend, and—” I looked over at my mom. “Since you were trying so hard to sell me on Nathaniel, I needed a way to get you to back off. Honestly, I know that’s stupid now. I should’ve just told you the whole story, but I didn’t know if I could ever convince anyone of my suspicions. His mom has been your best friend since before I was born.” I let out a heavy sigh as the enormity of what Nathaniel had done struck me anew.

My dad reached for my mom’s hand. “I don’t think his mom knew.”

“You don’t?”

Leo chimed in, “That’s not what I’m reading from her either. His dad knew something. Maybe he didn’t know the whole story, but I think he knew enough of it. They’ve been banking on you, literally, to pay his attorney bills.”

My dad narrowed his eyes. “I already texted the attorney that we are no longer covering any bills. They can pay for it themselves.” He shook his head before leveling his gaze with mine. “I’m sorry for this whole mess too. Your mom always thought it would be so perfect if Nathaniel married one of our kids. We should’ve trusted you and let it be. We got swept up in grief.”

The relief I felt at the whole truth being out there lifted an immense weight off my shoulders. We didn’t have to wait much longer before Rex came in and updated us that they were holding Nathaniel until they made arrangements to transport him back to North Carolina.

He shifted his focus to my mom. “I’m not gonna charge you, but…” Rex shook his head. “Next time, try to refrain from kicking him in the balls.”

My mom was unabashed. “He was trying to run away and that was an effective way to stop him,” she said tartly.

Chapter Forty

CASEY

A month or so later

“Okay, now, we need to adjust that.” I pointed to the speed setting on the kitchen stand mixer.

Dora was standing beside me on a stool while we were in the kitchen making cookies.

It was Thursday night, my first night here when Dora was here. Leo had gone into town to pick up pizza at Dora’s request.

“What’s the setting?” she asked.

“About there.” I pointed to the center.

She carefully adjusted it, and we watched as the cookie dough hook spun slowly.

A few minutes later, Dora was carefully shaping the dough into balls and placing them on a baking tray when Leo came walking into the kitchen. Dora was so focused on what she was doing, she didn’t initially notice him. He caught my eyes and waggled his brows as a slow grin stretched across his face.

My belly did a little flip and heat spun through me like little sparklers.Mmmmm. I kept wondering if my hormones wouldever chill out around him. All evidence thus far didn’t indicate they would. It only seemed to get worse.

You’ll get over it. You can’t think he’s this hot forever, my cynical mind chimed in.

My hormones shouted that train of thought down.

Leo held up a grocery bag. “I got the powdered sugar, as requested.”

Dora beamed. “Do we roll them in the powdered sugar now?”

I shook my head as I took the bag from Leo. “We do that after they’ve baked.”

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