Series: Webs We Weave Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 145038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Phoebe relaxes, but I think it’s mostly because she can’t see him—and her eyes are only on mine.
We watch each other while Jake talks. “Personally, I don’t want my mother to get what she wants, but for you two to be together, the matchmakers will have to succeed, right?”
“They’re not matchmaking us,” Phoebe says before I can. “I’m not agreeing to it, so your mom can fire them.”
It’d end their con, and it’ll raise red flags in front of our parents. They’ll wonder why Phoebe, the greatest team player of all fucking time, is sabotaging easy earnings.
Getting out from under them was always going to be a mess. I’d rather create it with her than keep living inside their lies.
Jake looks more hopeful. “Would you be willing to fake date for a couple more months then?”
She winces. “I don’t think I can, Jake.”
“It won’t be that long.”
I glare. “You’re not fake dating Phoebe while I’m with her. Break up with her within the week.” He’s lucky I didn’t say within two minutes.
I see Phoebe’s lips begin to rise.
Jake doesn’t notice her smile. “Phoebe?” he asks her.
She looks steadfastly at me. “I’m with Rocky. It’s over, Jake. Sorry.”
“I’m not sorry,” I say.
Jake rubs at his eyes, which causes the camera to shake. Then I hear Phoebe’s phone buzz. “It’s Hailey,” she says, and before long, she’s out the door to take my sister’s call.
I’m left with Jake.
He drops his hand off his face, and his eyes are noticeably reddened with grief. Like he’s lost a lot more than a fake romance.
“She’s not your meal ticket,” I tell him.
“You don’t understand,” Jake says in a pained laugh. “You can’t understand.”
I frown. “Then help me to.”
He considers but then slowly shakes his head.
“I don’t have many friends here,” I remind him. “It’s not like I’ll rat out your secrets to your brothers or your mother or anyone at the club.”
“You might not have many friends, but you’ve rubbed enough elbows. And locals, they love talking about you.” He sizes me up through the phone. “Grey Thornhall. The man who chased down his ex-wife in hopes of winning her back. It’s romantic to some.”
“Creepy to you,” I add.
He doesn’t deny it. I’d think he was full of shit if he did. “If you gave anyone here anything, they would fall all over you, Grey. They want to know you. They want to be close to you. They want to be the one you share everything with. You’re a part of the social ether of Victoria. And that is…”
Power.
He’s scared of me. Because he trusts me about as much as I trust him. Again, we’re on a trust teeter-totter, and I’ve never dealt with a situation this fragile. He’s not a part of a job. He’s not someone I’m supposed to manipulate. He’s just Phoebe’s fake boyfriend and my sister’s landlord.
“You’re going to have to trust me again,” I say to him.
Jake has a weighted frown. “I don’t know if I should.”
“I’m keeping your secret about your sister. What’s bigger than that?”
His long neck strains. His squared jaw noticeably tightens. He’s protective of her, and Jake on the defense is like a knight from King Arthur’s round table grabbing a sword. He looks like he wants to cut my throat. “And you keep mentioning Kate.”
“It’s leverage. Wouldn’t you bring it up if you had it on me?”
“Maybe,” he admits, and cools off at my honesty. “How’s your sister doing?”
I narrow my eyes. Tit for tat, huh? “Why do you care?”
“She didn’t show up for work today.”
“She’s fine, Jake.”
He nods.
I nod back.
We’re not getting anywhere I want to be. “Trust me or don’t. You’re the one with something to lose. Not me.” I give him a few seconds. His indecision is killing me, so I hang up. If he’s serious, he’ll call me back, but I have more important things to deal with.
The godmothers are in town.
I switch gears to the car. My life has been wrapped up in my parents’ plans, their jobs, their decisions. Phoebe and I and our siblings have always said yes, and we’re about to find out what happens when we finally try to take control.
FOUR
Phoebe
“How does it feel?” Rocky asks me late at night.
We’re in the tiny kitchen of my cute and quaint loft that resides above Baubles & Bookends. Sharing a cheap bottle of Pinot Noir, which I bought last week for a girls’ night with Hailey. It’s probably sacrilege drinking it with her older brother while she’s asleep. Especially knowing that she’s clueless about me and Rocky hooking up.
She doesn’t even know that I love him—let alone like him.
I’ll be a better friend tomorrow.
Tonight is a wine night. Or a date night? I don’t know what this is with Rocky—other than the aftermath of total chaos. It’s one a.m. It’d be normal to be tired from the endless curveballs thrown at us in just forty-eight hours. But I’m seated on a high.