Page 84 of Fake It Till You Make It

Bethany smiled then. “After he had his lawyers put it in writing. I felt like a failure when we walked back into thathouse, your little face crumpled when you called for Princess, and she didn’t appear, tail wagging in happiness. Your father had followed through on his threat, but I had the documents in my hand that secured your future. Then, you came home with Russell,” she deadpanned.

“Forget Russell. I can’t believe you kept your deal with Daddy Dearest from me.”

“Hello,” Russell drawled, “I’m standing right here.”

“Shush, you,” Amarie shooed him away. “Mom and I are talking. So rude.”

Bethany cut him a withering glance before continuing.

“I wanted to protect you. Our marriage is separate from the relationship you could’ve had with Russell. I had hoped he would be a better father than husband. Turns out he was more interested in chasing tail.” She shrugged. Again, who was this carefree woman who’d hidden away under her husband’s thumb?

“What are you going to do about Dad? He’s going to be furious once Russell snitches on us. How you failed to marry me off.”

“Oh, I’ve decided to leave your father.”

“What—when did this happen?”

“Just now. My daughter is a college graduate and a licensed nurse. Weren’t you listening?”

“Yes, ma’am. I am.”

“Now, what are you going to do about Eli’s other woman?”

“Eli and I are together, Mom. Cara. Russell. There’s nothing either of them can say that will matter to us.”

“Hello,” Russell yelled, “I’m still here.”

Leah walked in, rolling pin in hand. “You don’t have to worry about Amarie. My Eli knows the makeup of a good woman.”

As if conjured by a sorcerer, Tobias, Noah, and Eli stormed in behind their mother, jaws tight, limbs loose.

Noah looked at the wooden rolling pin in Leah’s small hand and frowned.

“Who do I need to smack into Middle Earth?” Noah announced, eyes locked on Russell’s slack-jawed face fading to an increasingly pale complexion.

“You ain’t never lied,” Tobias added, stepping in Russell’s personal space.

“Amarie. Mrs. Walker.” Eli came right up to Amarie, wrapping her in his capable arms. “You okay?” he asked kissing the top of her head.

“Perfect,” she whispered. “You?”

When Eli didn’t respond, Amarie lifted her head from his chest and looked up at his face. The mask, hard and frozen, was back. That couldn’t be good.

Chapter Twenty-Four

WITHRUSSELL GONE,and Amarie safe, it was past time for Eli to make it clear to Cara that he would never be an option for her again. Heavens, if he’d met Amarie instead of the woman hanging around his office and currently looking through his files, he would probably be a father to one, maybe two, little Calvarys.

“What in the heck are you doing?” Eli barked. Beside him Hiccup released a woof, his teeth bared in defense of their territory.

Cara jumped, banging her knee on his desk. “Ow, you scared me.”

“Good. You hunting for the penny you left behind?” he prompted. The pout on her face would’ve had the old Eli running to soothe her pain. This time he stood, arms crossed over his chest, fury simmering close to the surface.

“Eli, you were never cruel,” she said, slinking closer. “Why are you treating me this way?”

Eli backed away, not wanting to inhabit the same space. “You showing up here has a direct correlation with my foul mood. So, again. What were you searching for?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Some clue as to what you’ve been doing since we’ve been apart.” She held a stack of his correspondence in one hand. Cara carried them unceremoniously back to his desk, where she straightened them into neat stacks. Watching her rearrange his papers, the way she’d done their futures, ignited the distrust he’d harbored for months, a cancer that could’ve ruined him for Amarie.