Chapter 3 Miranda #2
I straightened my spine even as my right knee bobbed against his.
“You get the gist of everything going on with Stone, right? How the part of the internet that cares about these sorts of things thinks he’s cheating on Naomi Butler with a mystery girl who is, in fact, me?
” Leo bobbed his head. “Well, Shoshanna—you remember that’s Stone’s assistant—doesn’t think a simple denial is going to cut it.
Once they figure out who I am, and they will, it will be even more real.
Stone and I have done a decent job keeping our relationship private.
You’re the only person in my life who knows about him and me, and he’s been guarded too, so our friends and family will have plausible deniability.
But Stone and I haven’t been total mole people, either.
There are resort staff and other guests who might have seen us on vacation, and not just on that Hawaii trip.
I’ve accepted food deliveries at his house and driven his car to the mall—little things that didn’t matter when no one was paying attention. But now those details might add up.”
“I see,” Leo said thoughtfully. “I suppose there’s no possibility of just telling the truth? Admitting the relationship with Naomi was for publicity?”
“Not that I’m an expert, but that would probably be just as bad as his being a cheater. Either way, the fans would feel duped.”
His mouth turned down. “What’s your solution?”
“To explain to the public that Stone and I are just friends, that there’s no way he and I could be in a romantic relationship because I’m already in one with someone else.” I eyed him.
“Me?”
“Uh-huh. There are so many pictures of us together, and we look so relationship-y.”
“Relationship-y.” With his flat delivery, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He pressed back into the couch cushions.
At his lack of response, I continued rapidly.
“The idea is that Stone’s people release a bunch of photos of you and me from the past few years, proving we’ve been a couple.
And even though I don’t have personal stuff on social media, both my sisters do.
There are enough pictures of us on Maureen’s and Marley’s public profiles to prove our case. If it came to that.”
Leo stood and began pacing. “So you want to tell people we’re in a relationship and have been for a while?”
“Yes. We say that we’re both friends with Stone, maybe Naomi too, but that it’s you and me who have been dating.”
“What if people think you and Stone are cheating on me and Naomi with each other? Why does our being in a relationship prove different?”
In my conversation with the PR team earlier, we’d addressed this possibility.
“Shoshanna thinks that as long as you and Naomi confirm the story of us all being friends, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Once the public knows about you, it’ll be easier to believe this was all a misunderstanding.
Even if they were ready to turn on him this morning, people want to believe Stone and Naomi are in love. ”
His lips pursed. “What about our family? Our friends? What do we tell them?”
I drew in a breath. “This is the part I think you’re gonna like least.” The part Shoshanna and I argued over the most. “It’s best if we do everything we can to truly…sell the story.”
Leo’s eyes widened. “Wait… You want to tell them we’ve been dating? Like, this whole time? And kept it from them? My brother and my parents?”
“Yes.” I fixed my gaze on him. “It’s believable. Everyone always says how close we are, and as far as they know, I’ve been free to date you.”
Leo resumed pacing. “And what reason would we give them for hiding our relationship? I’m fairly certain my parents have been a pinch away from asking me directly why we aren’t a couple. What am I supposed to say?”
Unlike Leo, I’d had hours to answer all these questions in my mind.
“We tell them we were only dating casually at first, maybe since James and Marley got engaged. They would understand why we wanted to be careful and not risk our friendship. Plus the family dynamics. After that, we didn’t tell them because we didn’t want to steal any thunder from the wedding.
And we worried about disappointing them if things didn’t work out, so we kept it to ourselves.
I know that explanation might hurt them a little, but it’s plausible enough that they’ll accept it.
I’ve been quiet about my love life for years, so that’ll track.
And you don’t talk about dating either, so they won’t question it. ”
“You know why I don’t talk about it, Miranda.”
My breath caught. Of course I knew. I was one of only a handful of people who did. “I think they’ll be so happy for us they won’t dig too deep. They’ll see why we chose to do it at this moment once I’m linked to Stone in the media.”
“And when they find out the truth?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. But we’re grown adults, Leo. As much as I love my sisters, they’re not my primary consideration here.”
“No. That would be Stone.” A rare bitterness crossed his features before he turned away.
I stood, hovering a hand above his shoulder from behind.
“Stone is important to me. You know that. But that’s not entirely the reason.
I’m the one who made this mess. Now I feel obligated to fix it.
I realize none of this is on you, and I’m asking you to help me clean up a problem I created.
But I am asking… Please help me make this better. ”
Leo spun to face me. His features appeared heavy with resignation but also, thankfully, affection.
“Of course I’ll do it. You know I’ll always be there when you need me.
” After a beat, he opened his arms, and I stepped gratefully into his embrace.
“If the reverse were happening, I know you’d do the same for me. ”
“Absolutely, I would.”
“Okay. Then how about you eat some of this food before it gets cold, and we can go over specifics tomorrow? Get our stories straight.”
“We’re doing this?” I needed the extra confirmation.
“Yeah, Miranda. I will be your pretend boyfriend so you can help your dumbass real boyfriend out of a PR problem he’s having with his fake girlfriend.”
I laughed. “Okay. I think it’s going to be easier for us to create this illusion than it would be for a lot of people. Between our matching timelines, photos, and how often we’re together, it shouldn’t be hard to convince anyone, friend or stranger, that we’re a happy couple.”
23 MONTHS AGO - DECEMBER
The boxes and furniture fit neatly on one-half of the carport.
The last of Mom’s things, ready to go to charity.
I put my hands on my hips, contemplating the piles.
It didn’t seem real sometimes that she’d been gone for over a year, but I was glad Marley was finally moving into her old room.
No use for the biggest one in the house to sit empty.
Still, seeing the scarred oak bed frame in pieces cut deep.
I’d spent so many nights in it as a child, huddled with my mom and sisters watching movies.
I didn’t regret moving to California for college, but each time I came back to Coleman Creek, everything felt a little different. A little less like home.
I heard shoes shuffling on the concrete floor.
James’s brother, Leo, walked in carrying my mom’s old dresser.
I’d met him the day before at the Coleman Creek High School Talent Show.
James sang a holiday song to Marley, declaring his undying love for my sister with a sappy slideshow backing him up.
They were both teachers, so I supposed nothing said “I love you” like a well-executed PowerPoint presentation.
There was no doubt in my mind that Marley and James were in it for the long haul, so I figured Leo would be a part of my life too.
Good thing he seemed like a nice guy. We’d exchanged small talk over the past twenty-four hours, and he’d been nothing but friendly and approachable—all smiles, which was how people often described me.
He placed the heavy dresser down carefully on the concrete. “Hi, Miranda.” Puffing out a breath, he straightened. “Everything okay? Can I help you carry anything?”
“No, thanks. I’m just sort of taking a minute to…sit with all of this.”
His eyes softened as he wiped an arm across his brow. “Gotcha. Sorry for intruding.”
“Oh, no. Don’t even worry about it. You’re not intruding. Truly. I’m not feeling sad…only being mindful of the moment.”
He dipped his chin. “I’m sure your sisters appreciate that you’re here for this. I’m glad to help as well. Marley’s told me some great stories about your mom.”
I hummed. “She was really something special. And as much as I agree with donating her things so Marley can move into the big bedroom—it is her house now, after all—it’s still hard.
” I ran my palm over the dresser. “When I’m away at school, I can almost convince myself Mom's still here, waiting for me. Then I come home, and each time, it’s like she’s slightly more… gone.”
Leo put his hand over mine, patting it gently. “You’re still grieving, and it’s okay to take it slow. The fact that you’re helping Marley move into your mom’s old room tells me you’re probably doing okay, even if it’s a lot to take in.”
The acceptance in his eyes settled me. My sisters and I talked about our mom all the time, and of course we’d mourned together, but it was nice to hear from an outside source that it wasn’t an overnight process.
Or a linear one.