Page 71 of The Holiday Fakers
“Sorry, I meant a master … bater.”
Even Ethan laughs, and it’s so nice to see his severe face soften into someone I remember.
“You’re …” Hudson shakes his head, then glances at his niece perched on Ethan’s shoulders, tracking every word, and doesn’t say anything else.
“Hilarious?” Mia supplies. “A genius?”
“A piece of work,” he mutters.
Mia drops a curtsy. “Why, thank you.”
Marv appears at our side and holds out his hand to John. “Mr Locke, I presume?”
Piper’s dad shakes his hand.
“Marvin DeVille, Brody’s agent. But you can call me Marv.”
“Nice to meet you,” John says. “Are you here for the festivities?”
“Yeah, kind of. Great little town you’ve got here. And this is Cara, my assistant.”
Cara’s eyes scan the six-foot-plus wall of Locke men, like she’s trying to find an escape route.
“I see you’ve all met Marv and Cara?” Erica cries, swooping in to rescue the situation. “They’re coming to dinner tonight, so I hope you all can make it.”
“I’m on duty tonight, Mom,” Hudson says.
“And I’m taking Martha to Eleanor and Garrett’s,” Ethan adds.
“Well, will we see you tomorrow then at the sock-running championships?”
“When I win,” Hudson says, stretching his arms over his head.
Mia coughs the word, “Second place.”
Erica gives her a side hug. “Will you ever let him be?”
“Probably not,” Mia replies, then lifts her camera. “Huddle up, people, this’ll make a great photo.”
Marv steps to the side, followed by Cara.
“You both, too,” Erica says.
Marv shakes his head. “This would be a good one for … you know.”
Erica winks, and I inwardly groan. She’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer.
“Mom, what’s going on?” Ethan asks, his tone sharp as a blade.
“Shush! It’s a secret!” she hisses, then beckons everyone closer. “Circle of trust!”
“It’s a secret!” Martha repeats loudly, even though she has no idea what’s going on.
“Erica?” John asks, his tone making me want to stand up straighter.
“The thing is,” she whispers. “Brody’s going for a very important job, and … and he needs to look like, I mean, it’s got to look like he?—”
“Hasn’t spent the last few years getting drunk, punching people, and talking shi—” Ethan’s eyes go to his daughter’s legs dangling over his shoulders as if he’d forgotten she was there. “So, he’s using Piper and our family as a way of rebuilding his reputation.”
