Page 121 of Faking it For Summer

“Ooh, one more guess, one more guess. Did you get it at Marshalls?”

“No.”

“You got it at Ross or Kohl’s, or?—”

“You know what, Talia? You’re trying to insult me, but I really like those stores and shopping there.”

“Oh, I can tell, darling,” Talia says, shaking her head. “I can very much tell that you shop at those stores, and that’s where ninety-nine-point-nine percent of your clothes are from. The other percentage is probably from thrift shops, right?”

“I don’t see anything wrong with thrift shops,” Mia says, and her tone escalates.

“I thought I heard your voice,” Rafe says.

Both Mia and I turn to the side. Rafe takes a step toward us and then notices Talia.

“Oh, hey, Talia.”

“Hello, Rafe. Fancy seeing you here.” There’s something in her expression that tells me that she and Rafe have had it out.

“Well, you know, the local vet does get invited to these things.” He walks over to Mia and gives her a big hug. “Looking beautiful, sis.”

“Thank you.” He looks over at Juniper and offers her a small nod.

She smiles at him in return.

Interesting, I think to myself.

There seems to be some sort of coldness between them, and I don’t understand what it is.

Finally, he turns to me and offers me his hand. “Good to see you, Luke.”

“You too, Rafe.”

I want to speak to him. I want to thank him for protecting Mia. I know it’s weird to thank him, seeing as he’s her brother, but I love her with all my heart, and anyone who is there for her is a quality guy—be it a family member or not. I want to tell him I will always protect her. I want to tell him I understand why he’s been cold and nervous and that I have nothing but the best intentions for her. I want to become real friends with him. It’s important to me that he and I become like brothers becauseI hope we will be one day. Though that’s not anything I dare to voice out loud.

“So, Luke, what does Mia have to say about your potential move to England?”

I freeze at Talia’s words as I see Mia’s expression change.

Fuck.

I haven’t had the opportunity to tell her anything about the offer I was given by my boss to lead a new branch in England for the company.

“I—”

“Are you going to go as well, Mia? It seems to me like you never want to leave Coconut Beach.”

“Yeah, well, that’s something Luke and I have to discuss,” Mia says, looking at me with murder in her eyes.

I know I’m in trouble, which sucks because I was already in trouble with her, and even more trouble means that this relationship is going deeper and deeper into the hole.

“Can I speak to you, Luke?” Mia says suddenly, grabbing my arm. “There’s something I forgot to tell you.” She drags me away from the group, hastily to the side of the room.

“You’re fucking moving to England?” she says through gritted teeth.

“No, I’m not—I mean, I might. And how does Talia know?”

“I just—what the fuck is going on, Luke? You’ve got so many secrets from me and I?—”