Page 30 of Faking it for Gran's Sake

Lauren stamps her foot. “Explain unrepenting standards.”

My mouth twists to one side, and I lower my voice. “It’s called unrelenting standards.”

She huffs. “Don’t tell me. You’ve been hanging out with Clive again.”

“Yeah. We meet for lunch on occasion. I find it all interesting.” My friend is studying psychology, and we unpack some fascinating ideas. Then he dropped the mic and told me about schemas. Unrelenting standards. Clive was probably hinting at how I’m never happy when I reach a goal. I don’t stop to celebrate or take a break. I keep climbing to the next level. Maybe I should be looking in the mirror rather than trying to find fault with Lauren’s high commitment expectations. By the angry look on her face, she’s thinking the same thing. But I can’t help myself. Deflecting onto her is better than me having to make DNA changes. That’s what it feels like. Impossible to change something that my dad instilled in me from birth.

“Unrelenting standards is when you expect perfection from others or oneself. I could never live up to your ideas of what a husband should be.” I don’t tell her the other stuff I learned.

“But, we didn’t get married.”

“Because I wasn’t good enough for you.”

She crosses her arms and faces the windows. “Wrong. You were too good for me, except for one thing.”

I dare to approach her and place my hand on her shoulder. I turn her slowly to face me. “What’s the one thing?”

Lauren looks past me. I peek over my shoulder to find Page ducking into the commercial kitchen area. I face Lauren, and my heart squeezes. Her face softens, and she’s opening up to me.

She dips her head. “You should know, Mason. I told you plenty of times.”

I lift her chin, and we make eye contact. “Quality time?”

She nods. “Quantity matters too.”

I rest my forehead against hers. “I’m sorry.” I wish I could change. I do. I don’t know how yet. And I can’t give Lauren empty promises. She deserves better than that. Actions speak louder than words. Gran always drilled that into me.

Chapter Ten

LAUREN

It’s another glorious day at the rapids, with the sun glistening off the waters surrounded by green riverbanks. But I’m freezing from assisting another tourist who had slipped from the back of the boat when their partner steered in the wrong direction.

I towel my hair in the changerooms and slip on a sweater even though it’s meant to be a warm day. Digging in my tote bag, I find my phone and switch it on to discover three missed calls from Mason. He should know by now that I have my phone off during work hours. What’s with all the calls? A lump forms in my throat.

Gran.

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