Page 133 of Fake As Puck
Except we barely discussed it. We didn’t confirm any details.
“Room 337,” he says, handing me a key card. “I’ll help you get settled.”
“Actually,” Linda says, appearing at my elbow like she materialized out of thin air, “I was hoping to steal Liv for a few minutes. Girl talk.”
“Mom—” West starts.
“It’s fine,” I say, even though it’s definitely not fine. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“You sure?”
I flash the keycard at him. “I’m sure.”
He looks like he wants to argue, but Linda’s already linking her arm through mine and steering me toward the terrace.
“Now then,” she says once we’re alone, “let’s have a real conversation.”
“About what?” I ask.
“About whatever’s really going on between you and my son.”
My stomach sinks. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Honey, I’ve known you since you were a teen. I’ve watched you grow up. I’ve seen the way you look at West, and I’ve definitely seen the way he looks at you.”
Now I’m confused. “How does he look at me?”
She guides me to a small table overlooking the vineyards, and we sit down in the late afternoon sun.
“So,” she says, settling back in her chair, “is it real?”
“Is what real?”
“The relationship. The feelings. Any of it.”
I want to lie. Want to stick to the story we’ve been telling everyone. But something about Linda’s expression—kind but knowing—makes me tell the truth.
“It started fake,” I say finally, but I say it slowly.
She seems like she was expecting that. Did Tessa tell her? No, I don’t think Tessa would. “And now?” she asks.
“Now I don’t know what it is.”
“You don’t know, or you’re scared to know?”
“Both.”
She nods like this makes perfect sense.
“Have mercy on my boy,” she says gently. “He’s loved you since high school.”
“What?”
“You heard me. He used to ask Tessa about you all the time. What you were studying, who you were dating, whether you ever asked about him.”
My inner teenage girl is screaming, but I keep my composure. “I had no idea.”
“Of course you didn’t. West’s never been good at expressing his feelings. Takes after his father that way.”
