Page 110 of Fake As Puck
“Are you really here?” she says, staring at me with wide eyes.
I nod. “I’m really here.”
Her head tilts a little. “In LA?”
“In LA.”
“At your sister’s house.”
I smile. “At my sister’s house.”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “No. This is not happening. You cannot just show up in my city without warning.”
“It’s not your city. Tessa lives here. I’m from here.”
“It’s my city today.”
“Auntie Liv!” Charlie jumps up from the blocks and runs to her, wrapping his arms around her legs. “Look, Uncle West is here! He brought toys!”
“I see that, honey.”
Emma waddles over and demands to be picked up, which Liv does automatically, settling the toddler on her hip like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“You two slept together, didn’t you?” Tessa says from the doorway, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
“What?” Liv and I say in unison.
“The tension. The awkwardness. The way you’re both acting like you’ve seen each other naked. You totally did got it on.”
“We did not—” I start.
“That’s completely inappropriate—” Liv says at the same time.
“Oh my god!” Tessa claps her hands together. “I knew it. I absolutely knew it.”
“Tessa,” Liv warns.
“What? I’m happy for you. It’s about time.”
“There’s nothing to be happy about,” Liv says.
“Is there not?” Tessa looks between us. “Because the way you’re both acting suggests otherwise.”
“We’re not acting like anything,” I say.
“You’re acting like two people who have unresolved… tension and possibly feelings for each other.”
“Tessa,” Liv says again.
“Fine, fine. But for the record, none of that in my house. I have children.”
“Oh my god,” Liv mutters, covering Emma’s ears even though the kid is probably too young to understand what we’re talking about.
“I’m just saying. Keep it PG while you’re under my roof.”
“There’s nothing to keep PG,” Liv insists. “Nothing’s happened.”
“If you say so. I’m leaving now. Bye.”
