Page 32 of Faking With You

“Hello, Father.”

Mac looks down at me as he listens to his father on the other end. I smile up at him as he starts to slide off the couch.

“I’ll be right back.”

I nod, and he makes his way back down the hall as he tells his dad, “Eliza.”

I blush, guessing his father was asking who he was talking to and he now knows I’m over. It’s the whole point of this, though, for his father to think we’re in a serious and committed relationship. I move into the bedroom and grab a few things out of my bag that I brought knowing Mac wanted me to leave some things behind to make it look like I stay here on the regular in case his dad just shows up.

When Mac returns, I point to the books, hair clips, brush, and a couple other knick-knacks I’ve placed on the coffee table.

“I brought these to leave behind. I’m not sure where you want them, you know, in case your dad comes by.”

He kisses my forehead, and I roll my lips together while he takes his place on the couch again.

“Wherever you might usually leave them is fine.” Mac sighs and turns towards me. “I have a question for you,” he says.

I sit up straighter and face him.

“Will you come to London with me in a few weeks? I have a few meetings I need to attend, and I’d love to show you the city.”

Travelling with someone is a big deal, but this is also a different situation. Mac and I aren’t actually dating, we’re putting on a show for his father and that includes doing those things that look like big steps. Being in London will also give us a better chance to show his father that we’re real. I guess I could work remotely while he’s in the office, too, so really it’s just me working from a different location that happens to be the hometown of the man I’m fake dating, which also happens to be thousands of kilometres and an ocean away.

“Yeah, when are you going?” I ask.

“In three weeks, for about two weeks.”

I nod, trying to figure out mentally how that impacts my schedule. It’s leading up to the busy time at work with taxes, but if I work from London, it should be fine.

“I should be able to make it work. Let me check with my boss, and I’ll let you know on Monday.”

My answer seems to make his entire body relax. I lean back into his side, and we stay like that until my stomach makes so much noise that Mac gets up to make food.

CHAPTER 25

Mac

While I quickly whip together some lunch, I watch Eliza on the couch reading. She looks like she’s right where she belongs. I haven’t relaxed as much as I have the last two days in years, and it’s all because of her. Normally I’d be in my office reviewing files or doing research for future projects, but instead I’m finding time to read the book I’ve been trying to finish for over a year. I don’t think any of this is what my father had in mind when he told me to find a serious relationship.

When the food is finished, I bring the plates to the couch and hand one to Eliza, who takes it with a smile.

“What is your ideal weekend?” I ask as I sit beside her.

She covers her mouth as she chews and gets ready to answer. “It’s really boring,” she says.

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“My ideal weekend involves never leaving my apartment, never putting on a bra, and either reading or pulling out a craft and watching a TV show I’ve seen a million times.”

“So you’re ideal weekend is you decompressing after a long week. Doesn’t sound boring.”

She snorts. “You’re probably the first person to say that. What about you, what’s your ideal weekend?”

I pause; I’ve never really thought about it. I’ve spent so many years stuck in the same cycle that thoughts of deviating from it haven’t really hit me. I’m not actually sure what my ideal weekend would look like, but right now I know having Eliza there is part of it.

“Um, I haven’t really thought about it,” I finally confess.

She stares at me. “You don’t know how you’d ideally spend your weekend?”