Page 128 of The Holiday Fakers
“They’re not replacing her. You think your folks loved you any less when Piper came along? Hudson? Harper? There’s room in your heart to fall in love again.”
“No, there isn’t. I’ve got room for Martha and my family, and that’s it.”
“Even in Hideaway Harbor? The town founded on true love?”
He huffs. “I had my one true love. There isn’t going to be a number two.”
But what if Martha wants a mom who can talk back, not just gaze at her from a photo frame?
I don’t ask the question. I may not agree with Ethan’s decision for himself, but if there’s one thing I know about him, once he’s made up his mind, it doesn’t often change.
“I love Piper,” I say, just to make sure he knows. “I always have, and I always will.”
Taking my wallet from my back pocket, I open it and show him the photo I’ve had in there for the past twelve years. The one taken by Mia at our graduation party, the same one on his parents’ wall.
“You think I’d be carrying this around with me if I didn’t care about her, or you?”
Ethan’s hand reaches out, and he touches Olivia’s face. I don’t even know if he’s aware he’s done it.
Then he withdraws and takes a drink. “But what about your job? Constantly flying all over the world? The shit Piper’s going to get from the press.”
And he doesn’t even know my next job might be in New Zealand …
“We’ll make it work. I’m not losing her again.”
We watch the game in silence till the next ad break, then Ethan clears his throat.
“I also need to apologize for what I said to you about your job. It was an ignorant dick move. I spoke to Walter earlier about how you found Billy. You could only have done it if you knew what to look for.”
I nod. “I did a TV show and spent months with a professional tracker and bushcraft expert learning as much as I could. During the filming I then went a bit method and built my own shelter and lived outside.”
Ethan’s eyebrows raise. “When you could have been in a hotel suite?”
“I did take a bar of soap from the bathroom. I didn’t want to stink like an animal around my colleagues.”
He smiles. “Do you remember when we built a tree house and claimed we would stay the night in it?”
“Hey, that owl was right on top of us and hungry.”
“Don’t forget we were convinced the coyotes had learned to climb.”
“I stand by that. They’re wily.”
Ethan lets out a small laugh, and I remember that was his natural state when we were growing up. He was always upbeat and happy.
“What else have you learned for a role?”
I puff out my cheeks as I think. “Tons. I’m proficient in sword fighting, both rapier and broadsword, archery, horseback riding, precision driving, and rock climbing. I’m also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a G5 level in Krav Maga, and have a smattering of Muay Thai and Karate knowledge. It’s enough toqualify me for stunt jobs, but I’m too attached to my face to do that kind of work.”
Ethan lets out a whistle. “That’s a lot. Tens of thousands of hours of work.”
“I suppose so.”
“No wonder you could find Billy and have the strength to carry him and his dog back.”
I don’t reply, suddenly seeing myself as if I were Ethan, someone who understands just how much hard work I’ve put in, and what skills I’ve acquired over the years.
I shouldn’t look down on my career as somehow lesser. I’m not just a pretty face who’s good at pretending to be other people, I’ve gained and retained knowledge across a vast range of subjects. And that’s not due to some contractual obligation, but down to my interest and dedication.
