Page 13 of Fake it With Me
She disappeared. Just vanished back around the doorframe like I’d said something terrifying instead of a simple greeting. I heard the sound of small feet running down the hallway, getting fainter.
“Great first impression,” I muttered.
Really nailed that one. Scared off a seven-year-old with a single word. I was going to be a super great fake-almost-stepmom.
I would be the first to admit I didn’t have much experience with kids. Early in my educational journey, I’d had the chance to work at an undersea aquarium. All the kids. So many kids. Such awful little shits. They tapped the glass when they weren’t supposed to. They licked the glass and asked stupid questions.
I didn’t dislike kids. But they were foreign to me.
I stood there for a moment, wondering if I should follow her or wait or just pretend it hadn’t happened. Before I could decide, I heard footsteps again. Adult footsteps, accompanied by the lighter patter of child-sized feet.
Darek appeared in my doorway, looking slightly apologetic, with Daisie half-hidden behind his legs like he was a human shield.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “Daisie wanted to see who was staying in this room. She’s a little shy around new people.”
“That’s okay.” I smiled at the space where I could see part of Daisie’s face. “I’m shy around new people too.”
Daisie peeked out a bit more but didn’t say anything.
“Daisie, this is Liza,” Darek said, his voice gentle in a way I hadn’t heard before. “She’s going to be staying with us for a little while. Liza, this is my daughter, Daisie.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Daisie.”
She ducked back behind her father’s legs.
Darek looked down at her, then back at me with an expression that was somewhere between amused and concerned. “Would you like a tour of the house? Daisie’s an excellent tour guide. Aren’t you, kiddo?”
Daisie nodded but still didn’t speak.
“I’d love a tour,” I said. “This place is huge and I’m pretty sure I might get lost.”
That got a tiny smile from Daisie. Just a flicker, but it was there.
We walked through the house, Darek pointing out various rooms while Daisie stayed mostly hidden behind him. The kitchen was enormous, with professional-grade appliances and countertops made from some kind of black stone. It was all very dramatic with the stainless appliances. The living room had views that would’ve made a real estate agent weep with joy. I should say one of the three living rooms. Which technically they weren’t all living rooms. Sitting room. Family room. Den.
What-the-hell-ever.
There was a media room with a screen the size of a small car. A library with actual built-in bookshelves that went from floor to ceiling, filled with books that looked like they’d been curated by an interior designer rather than actually read. A home gym that had equipment I didn’t recognize. A mudroom bigger than my bedroom in New York.
“And this is the deck,” Darek said, sliding open a glass door that led outside.
The breeze hit me immediately, carrying the smell of the ocean. It was warm enough to be comfortable but not hot. I walked to the railing and looked out at the water. It was stunning. The waves rolled in with a gentle rhythm. I could see birds diving for fish in the distance. And the sound—that was one thing I missed about Garibaldi. The sound of the ocean.
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
“We spend a lot of time out here,” Darek said, coming to stand beside me. I noticed Daisie had moved slightly out from behind his legs, drawn by the view even though she was still wary of me. “Daisie especially loves it. Don’t you?”
Daisie nodded. “I like watching the boats.”
“Me too,” I said. “And the birds. Do you ever see whales from here?”
She shook her head, but there was interest in her eyes now. She’d moved out from behind Darek entirely, standing at the railing a few feet away from me.
“Sometimes you can,” I told her. “They migrate along this coast. They’re just passing through, but if you’re lucky and you know when to look, you might spot them.”
“Really?” Her voice was filled with curiosity.
“Really. I study whales for my job.”
