Page 114 of Fake it for Keeps

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HALLIE

Istood in the lobby of Colt’s office building and felt my entire world crumble.

He was gone.

And I’d done that. I’d driven him away with my lies.

My legs felt like immovable redwood trees with roots so deep they would never move again. I wanted to chase after him, but my body wouldn’t respond. And I was so cold.

“Hallie.”

Frankie’s voice came from behind me. I turned to see her emerging from the stairwell, breathing hard, her face flushed from running down who knows how many flights of stairs.

“Frankie.”

“Save it.” She moved toward me. The fury on her face was the motivation my body needed to start moving again. Away from her. “I need to talk to you. Now.”

People in the lobby were staring. I could feel their eyes on us, could hear the whispers starting.

Colt Jesson’s fiancée?

What’s going on?

Why does she have raccoon eyes?

“Not here,” I said quietly.

She didn’t seem to care who heard, but I did. Not for me. For Colt. He did not need his personal business splashed all over the tabloids. I would not make this worse.

I started walking toward the bathrooms.

“Don’t you run from me!” Frankie followed.

“I’m right here.” I pushed open the bathroom and stepped inside. When she chased me in, I closed the door behind her and locked it. The open stall doors signaled we were alone.

And then she let me have it.

“You need to understand what you’ve done. What you’ve destroyed.”

“Frankie, I didn’t mean⁠—”

“Do you have any idea what Colt has been through?” Her eyes were bright with tears. “Do you know why he’s spent the last decade refusing to let anyone get close? Refusing to love anyone?”

I shook my head, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks. I didn’t know, but that didn’t mean I didn’t suspect something held him back. I felt it every time he kissed me. I saw it sometimes when he didn’t know I was watching him.

“He lost the love of his life,” Frankie said, her voice breaking. “Just before he went to college. He was so young.” She wiped her cheeks. “Her name was Lauren, and they were going to get married. He was nineteen years old and had a ring in his pocket and his whole future planned out.”

My hand flew to my mouth. Lost. Somehow I knew she wasn’t going to tell me Lauren left him. I could feel it deep in my soul. He lost her. As in there was never going to be a chance he ran into her at a coffee shop or stalked her socials.

She was gone.

“Oh god.” The words were a pained whisper.

“She was killed by a drunk driver. Hit and run. Walking home from his house.” Frankie’s face crumpled. “And Colt heard the accident. He ran outside and found her on the side of the road. Broken. Lifeless. He held her while she died, Hallie. While her parents came running out of their house screaming. He watched the woman he loved take her last breath.”

“No,” I whispered, but Frankie wasn’t done.