Page 68 of Fake it For Good
“You’ve been single all this time,” she said. “Because she did a number on you.”
“Fuck, yeah she did.”
“I’m sorry,” she murmured and dropped a soft kiss on my lips. “You deserve so much better. I, being your fake fiancée and all, will never do anything like that.”
“I think you might change your mind after you spend more time with me,” I said.
“Not a chance in hell,” she said. “Fake or not, I see you, Cane Carver. You’re so much better than that woman. You didn’t deserve what she did to you. No real woman would ever fuck around on you.”
24
NOELLE
Iwalked into the coffee shop and ordered two peppermint barks. Marie was going to be meeting me on her lunchbreak. We had not gotten the chance to see each other since our last coffee date. She was working on the new case, and I was doing all I could to visit every orphanage and shelter I could. I had nothing to give but my time. But that was going to change soon. I had spent the money three times over. I was going to have to sit down and work out a budget eventually.
“I’m here, I’m here,” Marie said and rushed into the coffee shop.
She shook off the snow from her jacket and flopped into the chair. “Did you see snow in the forecast? I didn’t. I refuse the snow. This is bullshit.”
“It’s supposed to be a light dusting,” I assured her. “It will be gone in a matter of hours.”
“I hope so,” she complained. “I want snow but not right now. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
“Drink your coffee,” I said. “You’ll feel better.”
“Tell me all about your big soiree,” she said. “I’m just a little jealous you are getting to do all these awesome things and I’m stuck filing briefs.”
“Sorry,” I said, laughing.
“How was it?”
I held up a finger. “At first, it was amazing. I was nervous as hell, but it wasn’t terrible. It was magical. I was rubbing elbows with all the beautiful people. Most of them were pretty normal. I had this idea they were all royalty and I would be expected to bow. But they’re just like us.”
“I could have told you that,” she said with a laugh.
“It was just weird,” I said. “I’ve never been a part of anything so fancy. It was my Cinderella moment. And then, just like the Cinderella story, there was an evil villain.”
She immediately looked mad and concerned at the same time. “What? Who? Did he do something?”
“Not Cane,” I said. “His ex-wife found me the one minute I was alone. I think she was waiting and watching for her moment. She swept in like a hawk attacking an unsuspecting mouse. I had no idea who she was. She was snotty but I just assumed that was her personality. Then she really turned up thebitchmode. I didn’t know what the hell her problem was. I was ready to kick her pretty little ass. Then Cane showed up to save me. Or her. I’m not sure who he was saving.”
“What did she say?”
“She was just being a bitch,” I said with disgust. “Trying to imply I was making everyone at the party uncomfortable by talking about the nonprofit, which Cane is the one that brought it up. She talked shit about me drinking beer, like that somehow made me a piece of shit.”
“What a bitch,” Marie growled. “I hope you let her have it.”
“I got to say a little before Cane pulled me away,” I said with a sigh. “He was probably worried my street girl would come out. That would have embarrassed him.”
Marie laughed. “Does he know your background?”
“Not all of it,” I told her. “I took him to the roof of that building I crashed in forever ago. I told him I had been homeless for a few months.”
“Wow,” she said with a nod. “You never tell anyone about that.”
“He seems safe enough,” I said. “Besides, who is he going to tell? I don’t hide it. I told him it helps me in my job. He opened up about his failed marriage. It was a nice bonding moment.”
“I can’t believe you’re still going to that place.” She shook her head. “It isn’t safe. The building was condemned for a reason. It’s going to crumble down on top of your head one of these days.”
