Page 72 of The Holiday Fakers
His words are a knife to the gut, but he’s not wrong.
“No!” Erica cries.
“That’s not true, and it’s not fair,” Piper continues. “Brody’s … He’s …”
My stomach clenches. Even Piper can’t defend the undefendable.
“Do you have any idea how hard it was for him to come back after all this time?” she finishes.
“Daddy?” Martha asks, knowing something’s very wrong.
“Sorry, Martha Moo,” Piper says, plastering a smile on her face. “Everything’s okay, I promise.”
But it seems Ethan’s not done. “You’re just using her,” he repeats. “And what does Piper get out of it? Nothing except some publicity that won’t?—”
“Stop it!” Piper’s voice is low but she still spits the words at her brother. “I need Brody way more than he needs me. Without him, I might not evenhavea job next year.”
CHAPTER 14
PIPER
“What, honey?” Mom asks.
I let out a frustrated sigh. The last thing I wanted was to spoil their Christmas by telling them about my work situation.
“Piper?” Dad asks gently.
“Stanley Sr. is retiring, and the company is merging with another one in the new year. We’ll be competing for our jobs, and?—”
“But you’re so brilliant!” Mom cries. “Of course you’ll win.”
I shake my head. “The guy who has the same job as me at the other company is the boss’s son.” I leave out the part about him also being the man IthoughtI’d be bringing home for the holidays.
“Oh.”
“And how do you think Brody can help with that?” Ethan asks.
It’s a valid question, but I don’t like how he delivers it, like he’s looking to find fault.
“I’m working on a campaign for an office printer,” I reply. “And I’m going to pitch the idea of having Brody promote it.”
Ethan scoffs. “Seriously? That’s your plan? As if he’d?—”
“Hey,” Brody interrupts. “Piper’s helping me, and I’m going to help her.”
“Really? The famous Brody King, the face of a designer cologne, is going to put on a beige button-down and shill aprinter?”
Brody hesitates, his eyes darting to Marv, and my heart drops. No wonder Ethan’s so scathing. It’s never going to happen.
“I don’t care what people think,” Brody continues.
“Really? But you care enough about what people think to be here playing happy families, don’t you?”
“Son,” John says firmly. “That’s not fair. Brody’s doing what he believes will help him land a job. It doesn’t matter what anyone says about that online. We know the truth.”
“Do we?” Ethan asks coldly.
I grip Brody’s arm so hard, I’m surprised my nails haven’t gone through the fabric of his coat. Why does my eldest brother always have to be so damn perceptive.
