Page 99 of Fake It 'Til You Sleigh It

“You know? When did you find out?”

“Pretty much the second you said you were bringing Chase home for Christmas.”

“So why did you let us pretend?”

“You’re a grown man, Ethan. I assumed you had your reasons.”

A laugh escapes me, hollow and brittle. “I have no idea what the hell I’m doing, Dad.”

“Kid, that’s the way love goes.”

Unbelievable… My dad casually drops the L-bomb like it’s no big deal.Love.Here I am, caught up in this cyclone of emotions, trying to understand all my twisted-up feelings, and my father nails it with one word.

“I let her down.”

“I’m sure you did,” Dad says plainly. “And you will again, and then you’ll figure it out. That’s the nature of relationships.”

“But how the hell can Chase trust me when I keep screwing up?” I run a frustrated hand through my hair. “She’s been let down her whole life. She doesn’t trust anyone.”

“You plant your ass down and don’t budge. Every time you take a tumble, you get back up and keep at it. Let her know you’re sticking around, no matter what.”

As his words rattle around in my brain, I fixate on Chase. Goddamn, she’s incredible. The sheer intensity radiating from her, the passionate drive that fuels her every move—it’s like watching lightning strike in slow motion.

And I know, deep in my bones, that this is why I’m so completely, utterly gone for her.

“Son…” Dad’s voice pulls me back. “Ever notice the common theme in all your movies?”

“Let me think—happily ever after?” I say sarcastically.

“In every single one of ’em, the girl gets scared and runs off ‘cause she’s too afraid of getting hurt by love.”

I nod slowly, still unsure where he’s going.

“Since the girl you love is the very same girl who wrote those movies, who do ya think she’s been writing about this whole time?”

My heart jumps. It all clicks into place. All those scripts Chase has written, filled with characters wrestling with love and fear and the terrifying prospect of opening their hearts—they weren’t just stories. They were her, laying her soul bare on the page, grappling with her own fears of falling in love.

I look back at Chase, seeing her with fresh eyes. The way she dives into her work, the defenses she’s built…

“Holy shit,” I breathe. “She’s pushing me away because I’m scaling those walls. She’s freaking out because she’s actually letting me in.”

“I reckon so. But as your mama says, a little shove ain’t the same as getting kicked out the door.”

“I don’t know if I can be the man she deserves,” I admit, voicing the fear that’s been gnawing at me. “I’ve never been that person before. To any woman.”

Dad squeezes my shoulder. “I get it, son. It’s downright scary. But there’s only two options. Show up trying every day, or walk away… What’s it gonna be?”

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Ethan

Live television is onanother level, and I’m crushing it.

“987,211… 212… 216…” I announce, my eyes fixed on the colossal digital countdown clock on the stage. “We’re so close, folks! Just a few more, and we’ll hit a million!”

The words leave my mouth, but I barely hear them. My heart’s pulsing so intensely I can feel it in my teeth. The crowd, the lights, the adrenaline—it’s exhilarating.

The network execs told Chase to put on a big event, and man, did she ever. Not to jinx it, but everything’s been flawless. The stage is electric, every performance topping the last. I would sweep her off her feet, kiss her, and tell her how incredible she is, but that’s not in the script.

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