Page 93 of Fake It 'Til You Sleigh It

“Don’t worry,” he murmurs. “We’ll sort this out.”

His phone chimes. “It’s my mom,” he says, glancing at it before answering the FaceTime call.

Darla’s concerned face fills the screen. “Ethan, sweetie, y’all okay?”

“Hangin’ in there, Mama.”

“Let me get a look at Chase,” Darla demands.

I paste on what I hope is a convincing smile.

“Oh, thank goodness, hun. I was worried to bits about you being in that jail cell.”

“We were both there,” Ethan interjects.

“Yes, but you’re not some pretty little thing that needs protecting.” Darla says and then quickly adds, “Not that a tough cookie like you can’t handle herself, Chase. Still, who knows what kind of ruffians they have in there.”

I pause, not sure how to respond, when Doug’s face suddenly crowds into the frame. “Okay, you two,” he says, his tone serious. “Time to fess up. Are you fakin’ it like they’re saying on the news?”

My heart plummets. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep lying to these people who’ve shown me nothing but kindness. They deserve to know, even if it means losing everything I’ve worked for.

Ethan takes his phone back, angling it away from me. “It’s real,” he says firmly. “Gail, my fan club president, has hated Chase ever since we got together. She’s behind the rumors.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded. Why is he lying? Why is he digging us deeper into this hole? I want to grab the stupid phone and spill the truth. But I'm speechless.

“Ooh, I knew she was a freaky one when she turned up at our door last night,” Darla says.

I’m so exhausted. I’m tired of pretending, worn down by this whole charade. If I just take the fall and bare my soul right now—

My phone buzzes in my pocket, the screen lighting up with an incoming call. The caller ID readsWiley and Riley.

Oh, fuck.

“Sorry, but I have to take this. The network is calling.”

At the same moment, Ethan’s phone chirps. “It’s my agent. I’ll call you back. Love you both.”

He ends the FaceTime with his parents. Then, without warning, Ethan pulls me in for a kiss so nuclear that my mind melts and my legs almost give out. A soft, needy moan escapes my lips before I can stop it. My phone’s ringing sounds are distant compared to the roaring in my ears and the feeling of his hard body pressed against mine.

He shifts away, still cradling my head in his hands. His piercing eyes fix on mine. “I’m here,” he says gently. “We got this.”

Is he right?

Could we make this work?

RIINNGGG!

Is that what Ethan really wants?

Do I?

RIINNGGG!

No time to untangle the mess of my thoughts; the network is waiting.

I steady my breath as I step out onto the balcony, the Gulf breeze doing little to cool the heat in my cheeks. With a calm exhale, I answer the call. “Chase Pemberton.”

Riley’s angry voice crackles through the speaker. “Jail? Cherish Channel associates donotget incarcerated in penal institutions.”

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