Page 121 of The Holiday Fakers
“Awesome, man. That’s great news. I just wanted to tell you Cara’s on her way home.”
“Thanks for getting that sorted. She didn’t need to be here.”
“Not when we’ve got Piper’s mom and her gang on our side.”
“Did you want us to do anything today?”
There’s a brief pause before he replies, “Nah. The Billy story’s gonna run for weeks and bury any other crap out there.”
“I saw what Marisa’s been saying.”
“Ha! She can’t beat a shirtless you, saving a little boy and a freaking puppy. She must be kicking herself after yesterday. She shoots her mouth off, and a couple hours later you turn into Wolverine after a trip to the barbers.”
I grin. “So, what about you? Going to head back to New York?”
“Dunno yet. Maybe. It’s nice here. Festive without the risk of getting mugged for your Rolex, y’know?”
Piper nudges me. “Ask him if we’ve done enough to get you the job.”
I hesitate. Yes, of course I want the job, but if I get it, what does this mean for Piper and me?
“Piper wants to?—”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard. Tell her I dunno, okay?”
“Will do.”
“Okay, be good. I gotta bounce.”
When Marv hangs up, I face Piper. “He doesn’t know.”
She nods, but there’s something behind her smile—probably the same thoughts I’ve been having: If Idoget the job, how can we make a relationship work when we’re on opposite sides of the planet?
CHAPTER 23
BRODY
“Brody! Piper!”
I blink as a bright-eyed kid launches himself at me.
“Billy?” I stutter, lifting him into my arms.
“Who did you think it was?” he asks, giving me a look like I’m the class idiot.
His cheeks are flushed, and he seems excited.Thisis the kid I remember from the library, not the one we pulled from a hollow under a snowy tree.
I glance past Billy to his mom.
“Children get sick very quickly,” she says. “And they also recover just as fast.”
Billy wriggles out of my grip, slides to the ground, and grabs my hand. “ItoldMom I was better.” He gives an exaggerated sigh. “Now come and see Lucky. She’s not allowed outside the house for a few days.”
Piper and I take off our boots and follow him through to the family room, where Lucky body slams me, her tail swooshing madly and her tongue attempting to give me an all-over bath.
“Hey Lucky!” I say to her, and she barks in reply.
The space is filled with warmth and family love, with photos of Billy from when he was a baby adorning the walls and festive decorations everywhere. There’s a Christmas tree in one corner of the room, surrounded by a metal enclosure, like it has to be corralled.
