“And now you’re his intern,” her mom said, looking pleased as punch. “I know you said you were worried about finding something to do over the summer. Hopefully this helps out with the bills.”
“How much are you paying her?” my dad asked all authoritatively.
“That hasn’t been discussed yet,” I said crossly. “We’ll have to look at the budget.”
“Yeah, but you can probably find some money to make sure your sister is taken care of.”
I shuddered. “Please don’t call her that.”
“Your sister? She is. Well, stepsister. I can see how that might be weird, but no one here is going to care. It’s not like anyone has a problem with nepotism around here, right? In a way, it’s like adding another child to the family business.”
My dad and new stepmom laughed at this, but their offspring remained silent. If they only knew what their children had been up to, they’d be horrified. Miranda was kind to me now, but I didn’t think she would be if she knew I had her daughter bent over my kitchen counter just a few days ago.
“I’m just so shocked by all of this,” Rebecca muttered from her corner.
“I know,” her mom said apologetically. “I wanted you to meet before we got married, but there just wasn’t enough time. It was a complete surprise for both of us.”
“When did it happen?” she asked weakly. “Where? What did you wear?”
Her mom beamed. “I’ll tell you details over dinner. Should we leave while you meet with your new boss?” she giggled.
“No,” we said in unison.
“We don’t have to do this today,” I said, loosening my tie a little. “The internship doesn’t even start for a few more weeks.”
“Great.” My dad smiled. “We should head to the restaurant. Are you coming with us, Alex? You said you weren’t busy today.”
“Uh, I have some—I have some stuff to do,” I lied. “Why don’t the three of you go and enjoy yourself? I’m sure we’ll all see each other soon.”
“Okay,” Miranda said. “I hope we get to spend some more time together soon. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you.”
“Likewise,” I lied again. “It was lovely to meet you, Miranda.”
I gave Rebecca’s mother a hug and was struck by how similar some of their features were. They both had the same thick, dark hair and emerald eyes. Miranda was still very pretty in middle age. I wondered if Rebecca would look like her mom at fifty, not like it would matter then. In twenty-five years, we would have long parted ways.
From what I could calculate, I decided that Miranda would stick around for a while. She didn’t seem interested in taking my dad’s money the moment things went belly-up. And, if she was anything like her daughter, she was intelligent and kind. Keeping these things in mind, as long as my dad behaved himself, he could reasonably keep things going for a year or two before ruining a good thing.
Unfortunately, I didn’t necessarily plan on keeping Rebecca around for that long. If things ended poorly with us, would I have to avoid family functions for her benefit? Even worse, would we have to stop sleeping together because we were related through marriage?
It was more than I wanted to think about. For the first time in recent memory, I was very happy with my social life. I had found one girl that ticked all the boxes for me, and I wanted to keep seeing her until the fun ran out. Now, my dad had to go and spoil everything for me. It was childish to not be happy for him because it meant that my life became complicated, but I didn’t know how else to feel.
As I waved goodbye to my new, fucked up family, an involuntary giggle came out of me. Rebecca must have heard this, because I heard the same incredulous giggle come from her, too.
I poured myself another drink and knocked it back. I was glad I had nothing to do for the rest of the day. Usually, I hated spending a nice day indoors, but with everything going on, it seemed like a nice afternoon to get drunk and hide out in my office.
21
Rebecca
It took all the strength I had to sit politely through our early dinner without screaming. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Winston or I was upset with my mother for hastily getting married after being single for twenty years. If Winston were just some guy, things would be different. But, I felt like I knew Winston, and he might not be the right man for my mother.
Don’t get me wrong—Winston was the total package. He was a very handsome man and had impeccable manners with my mother. When we were seated at our reserved table, he pushed her chair in for her. He opened all the doors for her and said all the right things. She giggled as though she were a spinster going to the ball with a prince. I loved seeing her happy, but I feared it might not last.
At the same time, I was conflicted with the news of having a new stepbrother. Alex seemed very unhappy about the whole thing, which didn’t surprise me. But, since I was typically the uptight one, it was weird seeing him so damn tense. It was a side of him I had never witnessed before. Sure, I had only truly known him for about a week, but every other experience with him indicated he was a super chill guy. Back at his office, he looked ready to crawl out of his skin.
“So, your mother tells me you’re going to business school so you can become a hedge fund manager,” Winston beamed. “It’s such a fantastic coincidence that was my career for many years, and it’s what my son is doing.”
“Yeah, well, that’s what my dad did,” I replied between bites of dessert.
“I’ve heard about him,” Winston said solemnly. “It sounds like he would be very proud of you.”
I shrugged. “I guess.”
“I’d be happy to help you out in any way I can,” he said. “I know we’ve only just met, but your mom talks about you all the time. I know that business school is going to be a pretty big expense.”
“Yeah,” I said, wondering where he was going with this.
“Since we’re family now, I just want you to know that your mother and I decided we would pay for the rest of your schooling. It’s the least we can do to help you achieve your dreams.”
“Really?” I asked skeptically.
“Of course. I paid for all of Alex’s school. I expect that he’d do the same for his own kids one day, but it’s looking more and more like he’s never going to have kids. I’ll expect that he starts a scholarship fund or something instead.”
I laughed at the thought of Alex becoming an old, rich philanthropist. Even funnier was the thought of him chasing kids around the house.
“Thanks,” I said. “That will help a lot.”
The couple beamed at each other again, thinking that they were just sprinkling blessings upon their combined children. If only they knew what the real issue at hand was. I hoped that my mom would never find out about Alex and me. In all fairness, we met before they did, but I still think she’d be shocked to learn that I was canoodling with a professor.
When our meal was over, my mom invited me back to Winston’s place to hang out. I declined, feeling too weird about going to what was once his bachelor pad. My brother and I weren’t terribly close, but at that moment, I wished I had some backup. It would be less awkward to have another family member around.
So, I used the homework excuse to get out of another engagement. There was no way I was going to do any homework now. I needed to vent to someone who would enjoy the preceding events way too much.
“You’re fucking kidding me!” she exclaimed. “She got married?”
“To Alex’s dad, of all people,” I whined. “How awful is that?”
“That is super weird. You’ve got an incest thing going on now, don’t you? He’s technically your brother.”
“We don’t share any common ancestors,” I yelled.
“Yeah, I know,” she giggled. “It’s still funny to think about it, though. So, you’re going to see him at Thanksgiving and Christmas from now on. Do you sneak from your bedroom to his at the family home?”
“No!”
“But you wouldn
’t even think about it?”
I bit my lip. “I don’t know.”
“Is your mom happy?”
“Happier than I’ve seen her in a very long time.”
“That’s good.”
“I don’t know if it is,” I said wringing my hands. “Alex told me about his father. He’s not the kind of man that I want my mother married to.”
“Why not? Is he an ass like his son?”
“He’s very nice. Perhaps he is too nice. This is his sixth marriage.”
Carol gasped. “His sixth?”
“I know. The last five have all been within the last ten years or so. He’s gone through more wives in that time than I’ve gone through bras. It’s absurd. I laughed about it when Alex told me because I couldn’t believe that anyone would marry someone with so many ex-wives. I mean, there are a million red flags.”
“Then why did she do it?” Carol asked. “I’ve met your mom, she seems like a reasonable woman.”
“She usually is. I don’t know what’s come over her. I’ve never known her to get serious with a boyfriend, let alone want to marry one. This is so unlike her. I want her to be happy, but I’m worried.”
“Maybe he’s good in bed like his son,” she suggested.
I cringed at the thought. “Never mention my mom having sex again.”
“Okay, okay,” she giggled. “Who knows what she sees in him. Love makes you do crazy things.”
“I guess. I wouldn’t know.”
Carol raised an eyebrow at me. “No?”
I shook my head.
“I’m not so sure about that. You’ve been acting stranger than ever since you started hooking up with Alex. It’s like you’re a completely different person. It’s not a bad thing, either. You’re suddenly much more badass than you’ve ever been.”
I frowned at this assertion. “I’m not in love with Alex. It’s nothing even close to that.”
“How do you know if you’ve never been in love before?”
I thought for a minute. She had me there, but I knew that I wasn’t in love.
“I’ve only been with him for a little longer than a week. We’re not exclusive. I’m not interested in having a long term relationship. He’d be a terrible partner and an even worse spouse. He’s crass and rude sometimes and thinks of himself before anyone else.”
“So? None of those things disqualify you for being in love with him.”
I stood up and started pacing around as I thought. “Infatuated, sure. Love, absolutely not. I do not love Alex Rye. He does not love me.”
“So you wouldn’t try to take your relationship to the next level if you could?”
“But I can’t,” I objected. “We’re stepsiblings now!”
“So it’s over?”
I hung my head. I hadn’t wrapped my mind around that part. It was shocking to find ourselves more connected than we once thought, so much so that I forgot about the finer details.
The truth was, I was in no way ready to stop seeing Alex. I knew that inevitably, the day would come when our affair would fizzle out or explode. We were not meant to be forever. There were just too many things keeping us apart. But, I fully intended on seeing him for as long as it was enjoyable. We were just two consenting adults who happened to have spectacular chemistry.
“I’m not sure if I can see him anymore,” I said as I came to the realization.
Carol nodded. “That’s understandable. What terrible timing.”
“Yeah,” I said gloomily. “What do I do now?”
“Go back to normal?”
I sighed. I wasn’t sure how to do that. I could hardly sit through a minute of class without imagining Alex on top of me. If I couldn’t be in his presence without wanting him, how was I supposed to do a summer internship in his office? My future depended upon what I learned in that internship. But, it was just too awkward and uncomfortable now.
“I’m not sure if I can,” I said.
“Well, you probably need to talk to him,” she said.
I cringed. “And say what—welcome to the family? Ask for pictures for the family photo album?”
“Maybe figure out what you’re going to do next. What if he isn’t as freaked out by this as you are? He’s probably used to getting a new family every few months. You’re the one who’s having a hard time coming to terms with this new arrangement. What if he wants you to work with him? What if he still wants to hook up with you? Is your relationship one where you could still be friends without the sex?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then you should talk to him. Give him a call and tell him what you’re worried about. Listen to what he has to say. Try to figure out an arrangement that works for both of you.”
I nodded. “I will—eventually. I just want a little time to myself. My mom is married to a serial cheater and I don’t know if she’s aware of it. I should probably make sure everything is okay on her end before I even worry about my problems.”
“Suit yourself,” Carol said, heading back to her room. “You can’t procrastinate on this conversation forever, though. Eventually, you’ll have to talk to him.”
“I know,” I replied, even though I was considering never discussing the topic with Alex ever again. My current plan was to leave him alone for as long as possible.
I retreated to my room and sent my mom a quick text, telling her I was happy to see her so happy, and that I would be turning off my phone so I could get some studying done. While this was mostly factual, the real reason was that I didn’t want to be tempted to talk to Alex, nor did I want to respond to his messages. But, perhaps most of all, I didn’t want to sit by my phone, waiting for a call that never came.
These things had a way of working themselves out. In time, the familial upheaval would settle down, and life would remain unchanged for me. Yes, it would be heartbreaking to see my mother get divorced years down the line, but we would get through it when the time came. There was no use in worrying about something so far in the future.
And, with any luck, I may be so successful by then that I could just buy myself a private island and work from there. I would not let a Rye get to me, no matter how rich and charming one might be.
22
Alex
As no surprise to me, my father didn’t try pushing his new marriage on me. By now, he knew that I was not amused by his rotating door of wives. I’m sure I’d hear about it again whenever they planned their reception, but until then, I preferred to be left out of the whole thing.
I knew it would be nice to reach out to Rebecca about the whole disaster, but I wasn’t in the mood. I wanted to reassure her that everything was okay, but I didn’t want her to get the wrong idea about us. I liked her, but clearly, things were not going to go any further. Ignoring her sent the message that there was nothing going on between us, so it was best to move on.
I was relieved to go days without a call or message from Rebecca. Perhaps she was already on the same page as me and wanted to forget that any of this ever happened.
Class this week was going to be rough. I hadn’t finished grading the papers, I had to input grades into the system so the university knew if they could print out diplomas, and I would have to face Rebecca for the first time in days. And, I still planned on naming her the summer intern, even though we weren’t on great terms. I was not looking forward to it.
Our personal problems aside, she was still the best student for the job. I was impressed with her paper on the financial crisis, even though she didn’t choose the topic I handpicked for her. Though in her defense, I think she covered that topic very well in person. There was no doubt in my mind that she would be great for the company, but I would have to create a new plan for her summer. Suddenly, it didn’t seem like such a good idea to have her in my office, working right beside me.
Any of my colleagues would be happy to have her around, so I wasn’t too worried about pawning her off on someone else. And, for all I cared, we could just stick her in the mail room
with the copying machine, or have her run personal errands for the employees. She’d get the experience she wanted, she’d get paid, and she would be happy with that.
Expecting to have to talk to a bunch of students after class concerning the internship and their final grades, I came to class early, instead of exactly on time as I usually did. I nearly walked straight into one as I made my way to the front of the classroom.
“Professor Rye,” the kid said. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“Go ahead,” I told the nerdy-looking guy. “Make it quick.”
He pulled out a file folder. “Oh, I think you’re going to want to listen to this,” he said, pulling out photos.
“What’s that?” I asked, already bored at whatever he had to say. I had no problem answering easy questions. I just didn’t want to engage in long-winded conversations that did not interest me.
“That’s you,” he said, pointing at a blurry figure. “That’s Rebecca Hunter. That’s your apartment building.”
I squinted at the photos. It’s very clear that we were holding hands.
“You can’t prove anything with a blurry photo,” I said. “I have girls at my place all the time. That can be anybody. It’s definitely not one of my students.”
“How about this photo?” he asked, pulling a professional photograph from the event we attended. I hadn’t even thought about there being cameras for the event, but there always were. They used these things for publicity. In the photo, we danced in the background, our faces very close. It was obvious that we weren’t just there as friends.
“Coincidence,” I said. “We just happened to be at the same event.”
The student pulled out another picture. This one was outside of my office. Rebecca was wearing business attire, unaware that someone was taking a picture from afar. It was creepy, to say the least.
Finally, he revealed a blurry photo of a classroom door. In the narrow, rectangular window, I could make out some shapes that looked like people. Only I knew that it was Rebecca going down on me in the classroom.
Faking It_A Fake Girlfriend Romance Page 12
