Page 19 of Silver Fake

“See you both tomorrow,” Bill says.

I wave bye and stand still watching them walk away. Once they are out of view I turn to John. “What the hell?”

John opens his mouth to reply, but a sudden ringing from his pocket cuts him off. He retrieves his phone and glances at the caller ID, his face immediately taking on a more serious expression.

"Fuck," John says, tension creeping into his voice. "It's Victor."

Victor Folkes. The words sink into me like stones in still water.

Victor, the firm's managing partner and a perpetual thorn in John's side. Ever since John started at the firm, their relationship has been hostile at best. Victor has never made it a secret that he sees John as a threat, constantly trying to undermine him and discredit his work. It's like a never-ending chess match, with Victor always looking for a chance to put John in check.

If Victor is calling John now, trouble must be brewing. Watching John step away to take the call, I can't help but feel a surge of apprehension.

"You should take it," I tell.

John brushes his thumb across my cheek and, to my surprise, place a kiss on my forehead.

"I'll call you later, we'll talk about everything, I promise," he says over his shoulder, already deep in conversation as he walks away.

CHAPTER7

Lisa

After I leavethe Barton Beach Hotel, I walk over to the Sugar Breeze Bakery to fill Denise in on everything that just happened with John.

Denise inherited Sugar Breeze two years ago after her mom passed away. It's a quaint little gem, nestled amidst the hustle and bustle of the Barton Beach Boardwalk.

Her mom, Sylvia, was famous for all of her delicious cakes and pies. And people from all over Texas still travel to Barton Beach just to experience the magic of Sylvia's secret recipes.

When I arrive, the line is already out the door. I'm happy to see that the place is packed with tourists brunching lazily throughout the dining room.

There was some major drama last year when Denise's crazy brother tried to get the whole place shut down. But fortunately, it all worked out. Thanks to Denise's boyfriend Brett, Sugar Breeze is back in a new location and more popular than ever.

Denise is behind the counter at the front, putting a fresh tray of muffins into a glass display case. Her brown hair is tucked neatly into a navy blue Sugar Breeze cap, while her pink apron is dusted lightly with flour.

I ring the little bell on the counter and she spins around, a huge Cheshire grin on her face.

"How did it go?" Denise wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. "Did you find your future husband yet?"

I sigh heavily, already feeling the weight of everything that I have to tell her. "Not exactly." I say, trying to prepare her for what's to come.

"What do you mean, 'not exactly'?"

"I mean it's a long story."

"Uh oh," She frowns and unties her apron. "I can already tell that this story is going to need a mimosa to go with it."

I laugh. "Since when does Sugar Breeze serve mimosas?"

Denise's eyes sparkle mischievously and she walks around the counter. "Since the new manager I hired added them to the brunch menu and we doubled our profit in a month."

She leads me to a cozy table by the window before giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Now, wait here. I'm going to let my servers know that I'm going to take my lunch break now. Then you can tell me all about it."

As I sit at the table, glancing out at the picturesque view of the bustling boardwalk, I shake my head and groan.

Visiting a matchmaker at my age is bad enough. But being John’s fake girlfriend? The whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

If someone had told me a few days ago that I would be sitting in Sugar Breeze, preparing to tell Denise about my fake boyfriend, I probably would have laughed in their face. I can almost hear the sitcom laughter track playing in the background.

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