Page 68 of Faking With You

“That doesn’t mean do something stupid,” Matt says. “How are any of us married?” he asks, more to the universe than the room.

“You’re not,” Grayson points out.

“Yet. I have every intention of marrying Zoey, and she knows it.”

“You’ve at least told Zoey you love her,” Josh says and hikes his thumb towards me. “This idiot hasn’t even told Eliza that.”

I look at Grayson and ask, “Are they still at your place?”

“Yes, and you’re not going over there and pissing my wife off.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

Grayson shrugs. “I don’t know, but know we’re all on Eliza’s side.”

As hard as that is to hear, I’m also grateful that Eliza has a group that will rally around her when she needs them. I nod, and Matt slides a coffee cup across the counter to me. We don’t talkabout Eliza or the girls, we talk about hockey and they talk about their kids, and I’m just thankful they let me stay.

CHAPTER 51

Mac

Idecided to take advantage of the days I was supposed to be in London and stay home. I text Eliza several times asking her to talk, to let me explain, and I get no answer to any of my texts. It’s the middle of the day on Tuesday when I hear a key enter the lock of the front door, and I stand immediately. Eliza and my father are the only ones with keys to my place, and I highly doubt my father made the trip.

I’m surprised when I see Hannah’s the one who pushes the door open, a suitcase pulled behind her.

“Oh,” she says when she sees me. She holds up the key and says, “Eliza said you should be at work. She asked me to pack up her things.”

“Why?”

She scoffs. “Because you’re moving to London and she wants her things.”

I shake my head. “I’m not moving to London.”

“So she misheard your conversation with your father and the question that guy asked her at the gala about moving? Eliza isn’t stupid.”

My brows furrow in confusion. “Of course she isn’t stupid. She’s the furthest thing from it. My father made assumptions because he wanted me to move. I never told him I would, in fact, I told him the morning after the gala I wasn’t moving unless it was what Eliza wanted.”

Hannah crosses her arms over her chest and assess me. “You should know she told us everything.”

I nod. “I figured. How is she? She hasn’t responded to any of my texts.”

“She’s heart broken.”

I circle the couch and grab her favourite blanket and fold it up and walk to Hannah. “Can you take this to her and let her know I want to talk. If she wants to pack everything up after that, I’ll do it for her. I just need to talk to her.”

Hannah takes the blanket and holds it against her chest. “Why can’t I take her stuff now? She’s not coming back here.”

I run a hand down my face, finding I’ve been doing a lot more of that recently. “Because I’m hoping I can convince her to come back.”

“And how exactly are you planning on doing that?”

I sigh and head into my bedroom before returning, finding Hannah hasn’t moved from her spot. I hand her the black velvet box with the ring inside. She opens it slowly and inhales sharply.

“That morning I was planning on taking her to one of my favourite spots with a great view and telling her that none of it was fake for me and that I’ve fallen in love with her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

“Why do men suck at communicating?” Hannah asks, but I’m not sure she’s asking me specifically. “You didn’t mention anything to her about more.”

“She didn’t either. And when you were all reminiscing about these big gestures, I knew I needed to do one too. I needed to something where Eliza couldn’t question that I love her.”