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And what did good even look like?

Right now, Tessa wasn’t so sure.

Chapter Sixteen

“You should have seen it!” Tessa said as she told the story in Auntie Athena’s kitchen later that evening. “He walked around the store for five minutes before he realized his ass crack was hanging out.”

Trevon threw his head back and laughed so hard the entire table they were sitting at shook.

Tessa wouldn’t have been surprised if it shook the walls of the breakfast nook too.

“That’s great! If there was ever a guy who deserved it, it’s him,” Trevon said.

Tessa liked hearing that. She felt a tad guilty about what she’d done, though she’d seen firsthand that Max Arden was a jerk.

“So, he’s not a good guy?”

Trevon took a drink of lemonade and shook his head as he swallowed it. “Nah. Not at all. One of those industry types. Always thinking about the next deal. How to make a buck. Wants to be seen as the king of the business and Hollywood and all that.” He wrung his hands and then made a motion of tossing away garbage. “Goes beyond that, though. You hear lots of rumors in this town. Word on the street is he consolidates his power by pretending to be someone’s friend—or romantic partner—until he gets what he wants out of ‘em. Then, once the contract is signed and the ink has dried, he moves onto the next one. Sees them all as projects. Not people. I don’t have any use for someone like that.”

Tessa thought about what Trevon had just revealed. It confirmed everything she’d already feared. Plus, it spelled bad news for Lissa.

But what more could she do other than what she was already trying to do: help Damon get Lissa away from that fake Daddy!

Trevon lifted his glass. “As far as I’m concerned, you did the Lord’s work today.” He laughed again as Tessa clinked her own lemonade against his.

As they both drank, Auntie Athena and Caroline came into the kitchen.

“Don’t encourage that bad behavior,” Athena told Trevon.

“You know if anyone deserves that sort of thing it is Max Arden,” Trevon countered.

Perhaps Athena couldn’t deny that, because she didn’t say anything else about it.

The Aunties sat down at the table.

“So what’s the next step in this plan of yours?” Caroline asked, her southern accent not exactly thick but still very present.

That was a good question, Tessa thought. One she didn’t necessarily have the answer to.

“I suppose we just keep up the charade until the big party at Max’s place,” she finally said. “I mean, we can’t do this forever. So, I think that’s kind of the deadline.”

Athena leaned back in her chair. “You can’t do this forever? Really?”

Tessa kept her eyes fixed on the glass of lemonade that rested on the table before her, rather than across at Athena.

Finally, she answered. “I don’t really know Damon. I’ll admit, the thought of having a Daddy is pretty nice. And it’s been fun pretending. But it’s not like I’m falling for him. Just the idea of him. Know what I mean?”

Tessa wasn’t sure the others bought it.

Of course, she wasn’t sure if she bought it, either.

“I’m not trying to pry. Your life is your business. Though remember I care about you and always will.” Athena smiled warmly. “Honey, I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt. Please remember what we talked about earlier.”

Tessa flashed back to the conversation they’d had on the playground at the store.

“I’m going to be careful,” she said. “I promise.”

“Well, keep that in mind now,” Caroline chimed in. “Because he’s calling you.”