Page 75 of The Holiday Fakers
Brody gazes intently at me. “Can I ask you a question?”
I swallow. There are so many hecouldask, and a long list of ones I don’t want him to.
“That depends on what it is,” I reply, my voice wobbling.
He nods like he understands, then pauses, his eyes moving up and to the left as if sorting through his list of questions to find the one I’ll most likely answer.
Then his gaze falls back to me. “Can I see your art?”
Unfortunately, my brain decides to hear, “Can I see your arse?” said in a British accent, and I gulp.
“Piper?”
“Oh my god, I thought you said … never mind. I’m sorry. Um … Maybe?”
He cocks an eyebrow. “What exactly do you draw? Because now I’m imagining … well, I don’t know.”
“No! It’s nothing weird!”Much… “Or pervy!”Apart from the pictures I draw of you looking so hot I have to break out my rechargeable toyfriend…
“Then why do you look so horrified? You know I’ll think they’re amazing.”
You’ll also know I’m borderline obsessed with you … and have been since I was about twelve.
“I’m sorry about what I said in Love at First Sip,” I blurt out, trying to change the topic of conversation, but immediately landing on an even more embarrassing one.
He frowns. “What did you say that you should be sorry for?”
Oh god. “Ahahaha!”
His lips twitch like he’s trying not to laugh. “Piper?”
“When I said it would be a great idea for us to kiss … Funny, right?”
He freezes. “Oh, that.”
Then he waves his hand as if dismissing a minion. “Don’t worry about it. We’re cool.”
I’m mortified. But rather than keep my mouth shut, all the anger spills out.
“Don’t you care about me atall?”
“Huh?” He blinks. “What are you talking about? Of course I care!”
“This is just a means to an end.I’mjust a means to an end.”
“What? No! It’s not like that.”
“But what happens if people don’t buy a bit of hand-holding? What if all this doesn’t get you the job because we haven’t put on a good enough show?”
I’m rambling but I can’t stop.
“And if you don’t get the job then you’ll never advertise the damn printer, will you? I’m trying to help you here, but all you can do is swat your hand like I’m an annoying fly.”
Brody pinches the bridge of his nose. “What are you going on about?”
“I can’t kiss on demand, and I’ve got no idea if I can fake it like you’re used to doing.”
“Huh?”
