Page 60 of Faking With You

When I wake up in the morning it’s with Eliza still in my arms as she softly drags her finger over my chest and stomach. She seems lost in thought and like she’s doing it to distract herself.

“Morning,” I whisper, and she looks up at me, a soft, hesitant smile on her face.

“Morning,” she whispers back.

“Everything okay?”

She nods and forces a bigger smile. “Yeah, everything’s great.” She slips out of bed and heads straight to her suitcase and pulls out clothes. “Can we go to that café again? I really liked their breakfast, and I could really use some food.”

I push myself up in bed and lean against the headboard. “Yeah, of course, love. Whatever you want. Are you sure you’re okay? You can talk to me.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. In fact, everything’s perfect. We’re back in London and the weather is amazing and we’re going to get food and then explore. It’s all perfect.”

I know there’s more going on, but I don’t push. I get out of bed and find my own clothes and meet her in the living room so we can leave. I can’t take my eyes off of her the entire walk to the café. I almost run into a lamp post because my eyes were glued to her. She’s wearing the dress she bought the last time we were here, and it’s just as perfect as when she tried it on. The second I saw it on her today, I was immediately thinking of peeling it offof her later tonight. If her behaviour hadn’t been so weird when we woke up, I probably would have tried to convince her let me do just that before we even left the flat.

While we’re eating Eliza asks if we can see if there are any tickets available last minute for a show at the Globe and I manage to find us two tickets. The seats aren’t great, but they’ll do. We decide to spend the day in a park and browsing shops before heading back to the flat to get ready.

Eliza looks at everything while we walk, inside the windows of store, the flowers planted in the flower pots, and the dogs walking with their owners. I love the way she does what she can to immerse herself in the city. No phone, just her walking down the street. She pops into a few stores, looking at a variety of different things, ultimately not buying anything, but still enjoying all the new things she finds.

We finally make it to the park, and I lead her towards the pond where we take a seat. She watches the birds and people.

“It really is lovely here,” she says. “Do you ever think of moving back?”

I shake my head. “I like living in Vancouver. I still love London and don’t get me wrong, the tea in Canada is nothing compared to here, but Vancouver has become home.” I don’t tell her that before I met her my answer may have been different. I didn’t have anything tying me to the city except my job, and really that can move to any city where my father's company has a branch, or I could find another job. She’s become my tie to the city and her my deeper connection with my teammates has turned them more into friends. She’s quite literally changed my life and the way I view it.

CHAPTER 45

Eliza

Yesterday was more perfect than I could have imagined. Knowing that Mac lied to his dad about when we were arriving specifically so we could have a day together had me melting. As if he needed to do something else to make me fall more in love with him. Following that with a walk, people watching in the park, and a show at the Globe was like a dream come true.

Mac kisses my forehead as he slips out of bed, and I stretch my arms above my head. Normally I’d go back to sleep, but I want to get some reading in before I meet his mom later for brunch. She has plans for us after that she’s kept close to the chest and has refused to share anything about.

After we left London last time, Isobel has been texting me almost every other day, checking in and seeing how I am, asking about this trip and our plans. She barely asked me about Mac, and it was kind of nice to have a motherly figure checking in on me. My mom reaches out occasionally, but nowhere near the amount as Isobel, and her’s often feel more like checking to see if I’m alive rather than how I am.

Before Mac leaves, he gives me a kiss and tells me he’ll try to be back as early as possible. I grab my Kindle and open my book to where I left off.

Isobel smiles at me widely when I arrive at the restaurant. She’s pushing out of her chair and wrapping me in a hug the second I’m at the table. It’s warm and feels so much like what I’ve always thought a warm mother's hug would feel like.

Even while we eat, she’s tight lipped about our plans, instead asking me questions about my friends and family, wanting to get to know about all of them. Every time I think I’ve answered all the questions about them, there seems to be another. She mentions wanting to meet everyone when she comes to visit, also finding a way to drop that she’s planning to come for Christmas this year.

A weight drops in my stomach at the mention. Mac and I won’t be together when she visits, she won’t have the chance to meet all these people she’s asking a million questions about. I force my smile to stay on my face though, because I’m not ruining this perfect day with thoughts about the future. I promised myself I’d spend this trip living fully in the present. The here and now. The future can wait until I’m back on Canadian soil.

I go to pay for the bill, and Isobel waves me off, leaving cash and offering me her arm when she stands. I take it, and we make our way onto the street.

“Now for the next part of our day, dear. I hope you’re ready.”

I smile and shake my head. “I don’t even know what we’re doing, Isobel. How can I be ready?”

She pats the top of my hand. “All in good time, dear. All in good time.”

She finds us a taxi and gives him an address and we’re on our way. I stare out the window, still not used to riding in a car on the wrong side of the road. We eventually pull outside a shop, and Isobel ushers me out of the car and pulls me into a dress shop. There are gorgeous gowns everywhere, and my jaw drops.

“We need to get you a gown as gorgeous as you, dear, before you head into that gala.”

I turn and face her. “I brought something.”

She waves me off. “You deserve something new. If you’re going to put up with Reginald for an entire night, you deserve some new armour.”