Page 46 of Kissed By Her Fake Fiancé

“That sounds like good news,” Faith said.

She didn’t know much about the Ana-Trevor romance, but it sounded like they had the gossips all riled up. If Trevor could somehow convince Ana to move back to Misty Mountain, life would be perfect.

Well, not so perfect. Not as long as she was living in the same town as Holden but couldn’t be with him.

“I guess I never really figured out what I want to be when I grow up,” Faith said. “You have your successful interior design business and Nic. Ana’s on TV every week.”

“My business may be doing well, and yes, I’ve found the man of my dreams, but how do you think I felt, hanging around here while you were over in Europe and Ana was a supermodel turned TV host?”

Faith laughed. “Even when you say it like that, I sound like a loser in comparison.”

Charity gasped. “Don’t you ever call yourself a loser. All three of us are winners, in every sense of the word. I think...”

She didn’t finish. She just hesitated, staring off to the side of Faith as she seemed to gather her thoughts. Or maybe she was gathering the courage to say whatever was on her mind.

“You think what?” Faith finally prompted.

At that, Charity took a deep breath, shifted her gaze to Faith’s face, and blurted, “I think we all worry way too much what other people in this town think. You know what? In the end, we’re basically just entertainment for them. Whatever they ‘think’ of us will go away as soon as the next big thing happens.”

Faith knew her sister was right. And it wasn’t that she worried all that much what people said about her. It was more that...

“I want to make my family proud,” Faith blurted as the thought hit her brain. “I want Mom and Dad to smile when they brag about all my accomplishments. You and Ana, too. I want to know that all of you are happy to brag about me when you run into Josephine Strongblossom at the grocery store or Charlotte Edmonds at the post office. Does that make sense?”

Charity began slowly nodding, but then she said, “No. It makes no sense at all. But I totally get it. I think we all want the same thing. Even Josephine Strongblossom and Judi Trapp want their families to be proud of them, whether it’s a sibling or their kids or their spouses.”

“They don’t have spouses,” Faith pointed out.

“Exactly. And even if they did, they’ve settled into a nice, comfortable, predictable life. They’re probably happy as clams, but it’s still not the same as falling in love. I’m in a new relationship and even I’m all swoony over the way you and Holden look at each other.”

The way she and Holden looked at each other. Was there a way? She knew when she looked at him, all kinds of emotions rushed through her, and she’d seen something in the way he looked at her, as well. If Charity saw it, even knowing that they were just putting on an act with the engagement thing, it stood to reason others did too.

And if everyone saw that the two of them had feelings for each other, it had to be real, right? She wasn’t imagining the way he looked at her. He was battling the same feelings she was.

That made her feel better, even if she knew it didn’t matter. Even if she knew that he had no intention of getting married and having children again. Even if they could never be together because their lives were on two completely different tracks.

“There’s nothing like new love,” Charity said, staring off to the side again wistfully. “We’re all just living vicariously through you. If it doesn’t work out.” She shrugged. “So what? Even the biggest gossips in town will feel bad for you. They won’t see it as a failure on your part. They’ll just see it as it not working out.”

“It’s not going to work out,” Faith said.

“You can’t say that,” Charity said. “I know you have feelings for him, and it’s plain as day that he has feelings for you. It has to work out, just as it eventually worked out between me and Nic.”

But Faith was shaking her head. “You and Nic are different. You have similar goals.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Holden doesn’t want children.” Faith took a deep breath, realizing she wasn’t explaining this correctly. She tried again. “He has a daughter, I know, but he doesn’t want more. He said from the start, as we were coming up with our plan, that he has no intentions of getting married until J.J. is grown. He wants to dedicate his life to raising her.”

“And you don’t think those plans can change?” Charity laughed. “Nic never planned to move back to Misty Mountain. No way. But love has a way of rearranging your plans.”

Faith shook her head again. “No, this is different. This is about his daughter. She already lost one mom—”

“He’s scared she’ll lose another,” Charity finished for her. “I get that. But…things change. Trust me on this. Now, we need to get to Lucky’s house before our guys give up on us. Put a pin in this for later?”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Faith nodded and pushed herself to her feet. This was definitely something that wouldn’t be resolved today. But she could go to Lucky’s house with her sister and have a good time. Maybe, just maybe, she could forget her worries and enjoy her evening with Holden.

25

Faith was late. Not just a few minutes late, either. She was over an hour late, and Charity was late with her.

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