Page 47 of Faking With You

Good things come to those who wait.

Her words have my mind instantly back in the bathtub with her as she squirmed against me.

“Mackenzie?” My father's voice pulls me from my thoughts.

“Pardon?”

He sighs. “Is whatever that is really that important?”

I brace myself, because to me it is, when it comes to Eliza everything is important, but I know my father won’t see it that way. “Yes, it was Eliza.”

I clock the look of irritation that crosses his face before he quickly masks it. He won’t let anyone he does business with see that side of him. When the meeting ends, he asks me to stay back.

“Is Eliza okay?” he asks.

“Yes,” I answer warily, knowing that he’s not asking out of concern for her wellbeing.

“Then I expect your full attention to be on our meetings.”

“How was I to know she was okay when she first texted? I’m also not going to ignore her when I’ve barely seen her since we arrived because I’ve been in the office the entire time.”

“It’s starting to sound like you don’t want this job. Maybe I should just give it to Arthur and you can head back to Vancouver and relax.”

You’re supposed to love your parents, even respect them, but right now I want to throttle my father.

“It’s not that I don’t want it. I’m aware of a little balance especially now I have someone in my life. She’s been understanding about me leaving her by herself so far, so when she texts me, I’m going to respond.”

“Didn’t you say she’s working while here? So you’re not exactly leaving her by herself.”

I sigh. “Yes, she is, but she also isn’t working until nine or ten at night. She finishes work, does her own thing, makes food, and is usually asleep on the couch when I get home.”

“Sounds like everything is exactly as it should be.”

Patricide is looking more and more appealing right now.

I check the time on my watch and gather my files. “I’m going to head to my next meeting. I’ll see you on Monday.”

He raises a brow. “Are you not coming in tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to check in with Eliza before I make any decisions.”

He waves me off as though he’s dismissing me and not like I said I was leaving. I was contemplating coming in for a few hours early in the morning tomorrow just to satisfy my father, but after his reaction today, there’s no way. I’m going to wake up in bed beside Eliza and I’m going to spend the day with her ensuring that she gets to experience some fun while here.

I push through the rest of my day, and when the clock hits six, I’m out the door, determined to eat a meal with Eliza. I can tell how much I’ve been gone when she looks surprised when I walk in the front door.

“You’re home,” she says, shock filling her voice.

“I am.” I wrap my arms around her as I pull her in close. “I wanted to have dinner with you. I hate that I haven’t been here with you this week, but we’re going to spend tonight together and this weekend. No work, just you and me and whatever you want to do.”

She grins up at me, excitement radiating off her. “Really? I was planning on hitting the British Museum tomorrow and maybe a few other things if I have time!”

I smile down at her. “We can do all of it. Anything you want.”

She bounces up on her tiptoes and kisses me in a casual way that once again has me questioning this arrangement and what it really means to both of us.

She slips out of my arms and bounces around the kitchen as she finishes the meal she was working on. She waves me off when I offer to help, so I lean against the counter and watch her. There’s a pep in her step that wasn’t there when I walked in, and the thought that I might have put it there has pride rushing through me.

She serves us and tells me about the shops she’s stopped by after work while I’ve been out and her video call with her friends while she walked around the city. I’m glad that she’s found a way to enjoy it while I’ve been at work, but a little part of me is also sad that I wasn’t with her as she made all those memories. It only pushes me to make sure this weekend is everything she deserves and more. It’s our only full weekend here, and next Saturday we’re meeting Mom for dinner.