Chapter 17Selling the Dream, Living the Lie – Kerry
Chapter 17
Selling the Dream, Living the Lie – Kerry
W elp, here we are, sitting in a restaurant, putting on the performance of a lifetime.
All eyes are on us, but we’re avoiding looking at one another at all.
I’m still mad.
I’m still shutting him out.
But I’m also a woman of my word, and I agreed to help Mr.
Flip-Flop Feelings over here look good in front of the man who holds the keys to his restaurant’s success.
Across from us are Kendra and Jeff Jones, the City Manager and his wife.
They’re all smiles and enjoying the warm, easy flow of conversation.
Meanwhile, Vic and I?
We’re just two actors in a romance neither of us believes in, but somehow, we’re selling the hell out of it.
Kendra beams at us.
“So, how long have you two been dating?”
“Five months,” I say at the same time Vic says, “seven months.”
I pause.
He pauses.
We literally practiced this a million times!
Kendra tilts her head, amused.
But Vic lets out a deep, amused chuckle and shakes his head as if he and I have some inside joke.
“See, this is exactly why I adore her.”
I blink.
Adore?
Excuse me?
Doesn’t he mean ignore?
“Kerry’s adamant it’s been five months because she’s only counting from the day I finally convinced her to give me a real shot.” He smirks, leaning in, lowering his voice like he’s about to tell them the cutest story ever.
“Before that, she kept saying we were just hanging out or casual.”
Kendra gasps, hand over her heart.
“Oh, I love this! ”
Jeff chuckles, shaking his head.
“Man, I know that game. Women have flipped the script on us. Got us chasing them around.”
Vic grins, really laying it on thick now.
“Right! I kept telling her, ‘Kerry, you’re literally at my home five days a week.’ I mean – my kids even love her. She’s practically their teacher at this point.”
Ooh, I’m going to kill him!
But Kendra is eating this up.
“Oh, my goodness, and what did she say?”
I open my mouth to correct this absolute nonsense, but Vic beats me to it.
“She said, ‘Nope. Until we go on a real date, I’m single.’ ” He shakes his head dramatically, squeezing my hand again.
“So, if you ask her, we’ve only been together five months. But if you ask me, I was hers the moment I saw her.”
Kendra lets out a dreamy sigh.
Jeff claps him on the damn back like he’s just won an award.
I sit there, stunned, because this lying, sneaky, manipulative bastard just spun our blatant mistake into the cutest love story of all time.
And worse?
I can’t deny any of it without looking like a total ass.
So, instead, I do the only thing I can, I smile and lean in just enough to sell it, and then…
I jam my elbow right into his side.
Vic tenses, his grip on my hand tightening just slightly before he lets out a choked laugh, covering like a pro.
“So, Jeff,” I say sweetly, smoothly pivoting the conversation to business, the actual reason we’re here.
“What do you think about outdoor patio dining?”
Jeff’s eyes light up.
“I think it’s a great idea. Outdoor seating is in high demand these days, especially with the town’s rapid growth. It’d be perfect for your new restaurant, Vic.”
I nod.
“Exactly. He definitely wants to incorporate it. We think it’d be great for the community, a perfect addition to Main Street’s charm.”
Vic, for once, plays along.
“But of course, I want to make sure it aligns with city regulations. If it’s too complex to add, I completely understand.”
Jeff rubs his chin.
“Actually, I think the approval board put that on our priority list for the third quarter planning review. It’s on our radar, but it’s not set in motion yet.”
Kendra waves a dismissive hand.
“Oh, Jeff, you need to push that up for our new friends. Or rather, our dear old friend Kerry.”
I gush at that, shooting Vic a look as if to say, See?
Some of us actually know how to make and keep connections .
Vic shakes his head with a humble chuckle, “Oh no, please don’t go out of your way on my account. I wouldn’t dare want my small request to take precedence.”
Liar.
Jeff waves him off.
“No problem at all. I got you covered. Any friend of Kerry’s is a friend of mine. My knucklehead sons wouldn’t have made it to high school if it weren’t for her.”
Dinner goes well, and though a slight layer of tension still lingers between me and my fake-ass boyfriend, we’re just charming enough that no one notices.
However, there is one person who has the potential to ruin our evening.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my Kerry and the man who has no idea who he’s dating.”
Every muscle in my body locks up at the sound of that voice.
The four of us look up, and there stands Cory.
And beside him?
A brooding, big-bellied man, already opening his mouth to say something disrespectful and downright disgusting.
“Well, Son,” he starts, smirking at Cory before leering down at me.
“If I were blind, I’d wonder why you married such a useless woman, but my eyes always remind me why. Kerry, it’s good to see you… and even better to look at you.”
Then he licks his lips like I’m a piece of meat and my stomach turns.
The way they look at me like I’m nothing makes my skin crawl.
He wants me to feel small like I used to, but not anymore.
And Vic?
Oh, he’s fuming.
His entire body goes still, the kind of stillness that’s more dangerous than rage.
His arm tightens around my shoulders, pulling me closer, sealing me into his space like a shield against them.
His chest expands as he slowly sits up straight, broad, and imposing, with lethal energy rolling off him in waves.
When he speaks, his voice is low and controlled.
“Well, I’d stand up and introduce myself, but I see we aren’t showing respect this evening.” His sharp, deadly glare locks onto Cory’s with a quiet threat.
The entire restaurant notices.
Even Jeff and Kendra go silent.
Vic doesn’t blink, doesn’t move, doesn’t give Cory or the foul-mouthed man an inch of power.
Instead, he leans forward, just enough for his presence to loom, just enough for the tension to snap tight like a loaded trigger .
“We’re enjoying a nice dinner with friends,” he continues, voice smooth.
“And I’d appreciate it if both of you—” he finally stands up, towering over both men and forcing them to step back.
“tear your eyes away from Kerry, or I’ll make sure they never open again.”
We, along with nearly everyone in the room, are still stunned by Vic’s warning.
Cory and the man are appalled.
But it’s time for me to step in before Vic ends up in a world of trouble.
“Um, hon—” I stand up quickly, placing a gentle hand on Vic’s chest, my touch a silent plea to keep him from fully snapping.
“You’ve met my ex-husband Cory, but this is his father, Police Commissioner Martin.”
Vic barely acknowledges him.
He’s unphased, unbothered, and so damn sexy.
But the Commissioner puffs out his chest anyway, trying to assert whatever power he thinks he has.
“That’s right. I’m the law around here.”
Vic grumbles out a low, dark laugh, the kind that raises the hairs on my arms.
“And you’re all this town’s got?” He exhales sharply, shaking his head, his voice mocking and drenched in disdain.
“That’s a damn shame.”
“Listen, boy—” Martin steps up to Vic, attempting to meet him eye to eye.
But an authoritative voice sneaks up on us, smooth and commanding.
“Look what we have here, our local government all in one place, along with our new celebrity couple.”
Kendra and Jeff immediately stand.
Their posture shifts and their movements are quick.
I glance between them, trying to place the woman and her husband.
“Celebrity?” Cory scoffs at the woman like she just told the world’s funniest joke.
“Kerry’s far from that.”
Police Commissioner Martin nudges his son, his irritation barely concealed.
“Show some damn respect, you idiot.”
For the first time tonight, Cory shuts up.
The woman, poised and completely unbothered, extends her hand toward Vic, smiling warmly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chef Grimes. We love your restaurants and are so excited you’re bringing a cooking show to Greer.”
Vic shakes her hand, nodding politely, but it’s when she turns to me that I sit up straighter .
“And you,” she continues, voice filled with genuine warmth.
“You must be Kerry Kind. I’ve heard so many great things about you.”
My brows shoot up.
Who is this woman?
I press a hand to my chest, glancing around at the obvious higher-ups in our town before looking back at her.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am, but I’ve been on the Beverly Mills side of town all my life, so I don’t think I even know who you are.”
Cory snorts under his breath like I just proved his point, but the woman simply glances at him, her expression dripping in disappointment.
She doesn’t dignify his ignorance with a response.
Instead, she looks back at me, lifting her chin with grace.
“I’m Governor Carter. Well, former Governor, but they still like to call me that still.”
Oh, she’s important.
She gestures to the man beside her, proud and confident.
“And this is my husband, the honorable Judge Boom.”
Jeff and Kendra exchange knowing smiles before stepping forward to hug them, all warmth and familiarity.
Everyone receives a warm welcome.
Everyone except Cory and his father.
Then, Governor Carter turns back to me.
“Ms. Kind,” she says, voice softer now but still steady, strong.
“Vicky Grimes is a new friend of mine, and she told me about you…” She lets the words linger before finally flicking her gaze toward Cory.
“About everything .”
The table stills, and the entire restaurant feels like it’s holding its breath.
Jeff and Kendra don’t flinch.
Because they know.
They all know.
Who hasn’t heard a version of the story of what happened to me?
Well, Vic hasn’t.
And when I turn toward him, I see the confusion on his face.
He’s trying to understand, trying to piece together the weight in the governor’s words, but he doesn’t know.
He doesn’t know the kind of monster sitting just a few feet away.
Then, it dawns on me.
This is who Vicki was talking about—the people she wanted me to meet.
The people who would help me break free, once and for all.
Governor Carter gently squeezes my hand.
“I understand the new town merger has put a strain on a lot of families, especially on your side of town. Many great people have unfairly lost their jobs, but I assure you, things will be made right. And crimes that were committed and covered up? They will be exposed.” Her words land exactly where she intended them to.
“You matter, Kerry. Jeff and the judge’s office will call you soon. A friend of Vicky Grimes is a friend of ours.”
Without thinking, I hug her tight, full of emotion.
For years, I assumed people in Greer were just greedy, corrupt, and untouchable, but it’s my own town, Beverly Mills, that condemned me the most for surviving something I had no control over.
Governor Carter gives one last withering glare toward Cory and his father before she and her husband exit the restaurant.
I don’t look to see their reaction, but I know Cory hates it.
He hates that I’m winning without him.
He hates that I got out and got over him.
He hates that I’m still respected.
He hates that I’m still here.
For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have people on my side.
The rest of the evening passes easily and laughter flows between me and Vic like nothing ever happened.
Like he didn’t fumble his chances with me.
Like his stupidity doesn’t drive me crazy.
Because when we’re like this, just existing in each other’s space, we fit.
By the end of dinner, I’ve somehow agreed to help organize the End of Summer Block Party and resume my old duties as co-organizer of the Fall Festival, thanks to Kendra’s relentless convincing.
The drive home is quiet at first, just the sounds of soft music and the occasional flicker of streetlights painting the inside of the car.
I try to act like I still have an attitude, like I’m not feeling completely in my element after tonight, like Vic didn’t just charm the hell out of me at dinner by being the kind of man who stands firm in a room full of powerful people to makes sure I’m seen.
I shift in my seat, look out the window, and refuse to acknowledge the energy radiating from his side of the car.
“So,” he drawls, voice laced with amusement.
“You just gonna sit over there and pretend like you’re still mad at me?”
I blink, slow and unimpressed, before dragging my gaze to his.
“Oh, I’m not pretending.”
He chuckles, shaking his head.
“Right… Well, I should be the one who’s mad. I had to salvage my business tonight all by myself. ”
I whip my head in his direction and scoff, folding my arms across my chest.
“ I salvaged your business, Victor Grimes. You were just there to flex your charm every now and then.”
“Mm,” he hums, stretching his long legs out like he owns all the space in the world.
“And yet, here you are, sitting next to the most charming man you’ve ever met, treating him terribly.”
I make a face.
“Your arrogance is repulsive.”
He smirks, leaning in just a little.
“And so is your bluff.”
I dramatically huff, then turn back to the window, but Vic isn’t done with me.
I can feel it.
He’s quiet for a beat too long.
Then his voice dips low and firm.
“Kerry.” He says my name like a command that demands my full attention.
I exhale slowly before finally looking at him.
“Tell me about your ex-husband.”
I stiffen, caught off guard by the sudden shift in our conversation.
Vic tilts his head as if he’s studying me, waiting for me to answer with the whole truth.
“I don’t like him. Not after I met him, and definitely not after tonight.” His voice is steady and calm, but there’s a weight behind it.
“I don’t like the way he looks at you. I don’t like the way he talks to you. I don’t like him being around you. And I damn sure don’t like the way he thinks he still has power over you.” His jaw clenches and fingers drum against his thigh.
Then his eyes flicker to mine again, locking me in place.
“I promise, I won’t let him or any man talk to you like that again.”
Vic speaks with intense conviction, and I just know he’s making a promise he intends to keep.
“I can handle Cory,” I declare, though it comes out weaker than I want.
His eyes darken.
“You shouldn’t have to.”
I inhale as I’m caught between the truth in his words and the warmth spreading through my chest.
I don’t know what to say, so I do the only thing that feels natural.
I slide in a little closer, just slightly.
Just enough to let his presence wrap around me.
Vic’s eyes flicker downward before returning to mine.
He’s searching and waiting for me to open up.
So, I give him just enough .
I tell him about the little girl who grew up surrounded by love—a love so steady and unwavering that I never once doubted it.
Parents who had been together since high school.
Grandparents who spent a lifetime together, who danced in the kitchen well into their seventies.
A town that felt like a family, where everyone knew your name, where love wasn’t just a feeling but a foundation.
Naturally, I wanted love too.
I wanted the fairytale I grew up in—the kind of love I saw in my parents’ faces and my grandparents’ intertwined hands.
So, I let myself believe I found it when I met Cory in middle school and started dating him in high school.
He was my prince, and I was his princess.
But after college, everything changed.
When I grew into a queen, I was too powerful for him.
I had too much potential.
I was too loud.
Too beautiful.
Too ambitious.
Too loved.
And he did everything in his power to break me down.
I don’t go into the worst of it.
I don’t tell Vic about the nights I spent curled up on the floor, feeling smaller than I’d ever felt in my life.
I don’t tell him about the gaslighting, the manipulation, the way he made me question my own worth until I almost lost myself completely.
I don’t mention the bruises.
I don’t need to.
Because Vic gets it.
I can see it in how his entire body tenses, and his fists clench like he’s trying to hold back something dangerous.
He exhales sharply through his nose, jaw tight, nostrils flared.
And then, he moves.
Not aggressively.
Not forcefully.
Just intentionally.
He drapes his strong arm across the back of the seat, right behind me, while his other hand grips my thigh—not too hard, not too soft, but just enough to make me feel the comfort and security he’s offering.
He turns his head just enough to look me in the eyes, and his voice comes out low, deep, and steady.
“I don’t care what he tried to take from you, Kerry. He didn’t win. Look at you,” He pauses, his gaze trailing over me like he’s seeing and adoring the deepest parts of me all at once.
Like he’s daring me to see myself the way he does.
“You’re still standing and still too damn powerful for any man who isn’t strong enough to be with you. And I swear to God, as long as I’m around, no man, especially not him, will ever make you feel small again.”
I swallow hard, and my heart nearly slams against my ribs as his eyes flicker to my lips before meeting my gaze again.
I nod.
And for a moment, we sit there, locked in a silence that feels heavier than words.
I don’t move.
He doesn’t move.
But every feeling and emotion inside us does .
When the truck slows to a stop in front of the house, Vic exhales and drags his hand from my thigh with great reluctance.
He steps out of the car, moving with the same quiet authority he always carries, rounds the vehicle, and opens my door before I can reach for the handle.
I stare at him with a pounding heart as he extends his hand toward me.
“Come on, Ms. Kind,” he murmurs, voice rough yet impossibly gentle.
“Let’s get inside.”
I slide my hand into his, and he helps me out, steady and firm with his fingers lingering around mine even when my feet hit the ground.
“This isn’t just my home, Kerry. It’s yours. Your sanctuary. Your castle. Whether this is real or not, whether you want to believe it or not, this is where you reign, where you’re seen and cherished. Where no one will ever make you feel like less than the queen you are.”
Something unravels inside me, something deep, something fragile.
My fingers instinctively curl around his, holding onto him, this moment, and his words.
Then, with one last lingering look, he gently tugs my hand.
“Now, let’s go inside, where you belong.”
And just like that, hand in hand, we step through the doors of the Grimes estate—into my castle, into my fairytale, into what this fake turned something more may become.