Page 81 of Fake It Till You Make It

Her ex spoke. “You made your point. Time to come home.”

“He came to try and take you away,” said Eli, at the same time.

Then Eli just stared at her, a ferocious scowl on his face. But then she realized he was looking right past her at Cruella.

“Cara,” Eli hissed.

Amarie swung around to stare at the woman behind her.

“Who. Her?” she asked, anger surging that she’d lent a helping hand to the woman who’d hurt her boyfriend.

Eli morphed from a grumpy vet to a six-foot angry ogre. “Cara, what the hell are you doing in Service?”

“Where did you think I’d go when you locked me out of our house? I decided to come home to you, my once-loving husband.”

“Husband?” Amarie’s mother and Russell parroted in unison.

“You never mentioned your boyfriend was married,” her mother demanded.Drop. Drop. Splat.Amarie said nothing as the food slipped from her hands in a slow-motion reel. The contents spilled onto the floor, leaking away just like her good mood.

Chapter Twenty-Three

AMARIE HOPEDELIhandled his ex-wife in Service better than she tap-danced around her mother and Russell. What possessed the woman to bring trouble to her daughter?! Not that Eli should have concerns with Dr. Russell Feldman parading around town in his electric blue 2023 Range Rover Sport.

“Mama, what are you doing here?” Amarie whispered. “And why would you bring Russell?” Amarie had pointed him in the direction of the restroom, then speed-walked her mother into the front parlor with privacy. Clearly there were questions that required answers.

“Hmm, I received your text message about your exam. Congratulations,” her mother said, sipping the iced lemonade Leah served them both.

“Mom, that was like… an hour ago.”

“Russell showed up in Florida looking for an ally. He promised to come here with or without me, so,” she shrugged her lean shoulders, “I accompanied him. Now that I’ve answered your question. I’m concerned about Eli’s ex-wife being here.”

Amarie ignored the Cara question, continuing with herinquiry. She trusted Eli. Her ex, he had the reliability rating of cheap toilet paper.

“So, you’re Russell’s ally?” Amarie whisper-yelled.

“No, but,” she smiled with a mischievous grin, “I did get a free car ride to come lay eyes on my baby girl. You’re always so animated about new surroundings. I thought… what the heck. Service, West Virginia. Here I come.”

Amarie’s eyes widened in realization. While Russell thought he’d gained a bargaining chip in negotiating her surrender, Bethany had hitched a ride to carry out a private agenda.

“Heaven above,” Amarie sputtered, “Mama grifted my ex.”

Leah, who had been sitting quietly while she and Eli managed their individual disasters, chuckled. Not that she had voiced a distaste for Russell, but Amarie knew how welcoming Leah could be when she enjoyed the company.

“That fool of a man deserved it,” her mother hissed, while Russell was out of earshot, “taking advantage of you for years. About time he got a dose of the nasty he enjoys funneling for others to swallow.”

She shook her head, her relaxed curls brushing the shoulders of her tan St. John float jacket with tweed sparkle. Wait… when had her mother ever worn anything that drew attention to her presence?

“Do you know he had the nerve to bring his laptop into my house asking if I knew how to set up a WordPress website?”

“And?”

Bethany actually rolled her eyes. Amarie felt as if she were seeing her mother for the first time in, well, ever. Who was this bold and animated woman who mimicked the hiss of an angry rattlesnake and rolled eyes better than a teenager? Something miraculous had transformed thecompliant, ever-seen-but-not-heard housewife who knew her husband of thirty plus years was a cheating bastard into a she-wolf.

“I played dumb just like I do with your father. My working-for-free days are over.”

They all snickered, but abruptly stopped when Russell strutted into the room in starched khakis with a polo shirt beneath his Ivy League sport coat, a six-figure peacock in full plumage.

“This is a nice house,” he snorted, grabbing a lemonade glass, a tea sandwich, and a slice of homemade poundcake with his fingers before walking to the fireplace mantel to strike a pose. His attempt to impress had the opposite effect. Why couldn’t he enter the room and take a seat like a normal person? Who exactly was he trying to impress? “Didn’t expect much from the outside.”