Page 68 of Faking Romance

She smacks her forehead. “I’m such an idiot. I assumed Gray told them when you all decided to real date. I mean, it’s a pretty good story.”

“I guess it is…or was, whatever,” I mutter.

She frowns and pushes her chair back so she’s facing me. “What do you mean, was?”

I look around us, noting the last browsing customer who waves and heads out of the store. When we are alone, I turn back to her and tell her all about the crazy dinner at Gray’s parents’ home and our little fight about Pierce finding out we weren’t actually dating.

“Whoa! I mean, I’m sorry about the Pierce thing, totally my idiotic fault, but hekissedhis ex in front of you!” she yells.

“Chill. And he didn’t exactly know I was there behind him. But yes, he did,” I say. I feel my eyes burning and I blink back the tears.

"Damn. I really thought he was one of the good ones," Jocelyn says with a sigh.

"Me too,” I reply sadly as I play with a loose thread on the hem of my top. Was I really that wrong about Gray? He seemed so…right. He wasn’t anything like Richard. Or, at least I didn’t think he was. Ugh! I hate this. Why can’t I have a romance like in a novel? Hell, I’d take one half as good as in a novel. No, fuck it, I deserve the novel. I deserve the grand gesture. I deserve more than a man who doesn’t trust me and kisses his ex.

I’m about to say this when the door chime goes off. I look over to see Margie and Cornelia.

“Hello, ladies,” I say, hoping I sound cheerful and not like the angry woman I am.

Margie pokes Cornelia in the ribs and they walk over to us. “What’s wrong?” Margie asks.

Well, shit, guess I’m easier to see through than I thought.

“Oh nothing, just a little fight with Gray,” I brush off my true feelings with the little white lie.

Jocelyn rolls her eyes. “He was kissing his ex.”

Margie’s eyes widen and Cornelia’s narrow. “That little fucker,” Cornelia hisses. “Was it Lydia?”

Too shocked to answer, I simply nod.

“She’s a money-hungry, little hussy. Are you sure he wanted to kiss her? Because last I checked that woman nearly gutted Gray,” Cornelia states.

“I mean, I saw them kissing. Gray took me to his parents’ home for dinner and she was there. They went to the garden and I saw them kissing out there,” I explain.

“Well, it’d be just like her to try to sink her nails into him now that he’s going to make some real money. She was always so concerned about appearances. Hated that he was here and not some big, fancy apartment downtown,” Cornelia goes on.

“He told me about that,” I say as I remember Gray sharing a bit about his past with me.

“Sorry, Roxy. I hope you two kids work it out. We really thought you were a good pair,” Margie adds.

“Thanks, Margie.” I clear my throat because I don’t want to cry in front of these women. “So, what can we help you with?”

They look at each other and Margie elbows Cornelia again.

“What’s this ‘why choose’ thing we keep hearing about from Cam?” Cornelia asks.

Jocelyn snorts out a laugh. “This way, ladies. I know just the book for you,” she says with a wink.

I press my lips together to keep from laughing.

“I mean, seriously, how many dicks can you actually fit in there?” I hear Margie’s voice from behind a shelf. My body shakes with much-needed laughter.

“Well, according to this one…three,” Cornelia answers.

“Oh, wait, here’s an alien one,” Jocelyn adds and Cornelia starts laughing.

“Holy shit! This poor woman is going to need a cigarette, a drink, and some painkillers,” she says.

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