Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane

Chapter 54

-MILLIE-

If Sonja hadn’t gone missing under police protection, I would’ve fought

Damian’s insistence on having Riggs followeverywhere. He refused to let me

see him, for crying out loud! And he wantedto follow his request like an

unbreakable rule? I want to make things difficult for him, too, but then I

understand it’s for my safety.

While I was meeting with the catering service for Constance’s wedding, Riggs sat

a few tables away, nursing a cup of coffee. Riggs easily blended in with the

crowd, dressed in a simple vintage gray tee and fitted jeans. I’m glad he doesn’t

carry a gun with him. He said it was Damian’s instruction to makefeel less

agitated about having a b*dyguard. It gavea sense of normalcy.

When Ce spent a weekend here in Roslin City, she enjoyed the food at Crave

Boulevard, owned by Felicity Adams.

Setting my dislike for Felicity aside, I sat across from her, tasting the food she

cooked for this meeting,

We just finished tasting the classic shrimp coc ktail, hot artichoke & red pepper

dip, and deviled eggs. While waiting for the salads, I scribbled my suggestions in

my notebook.

“So, how are you doing?” Making small conversations with Felicity about my

personal life wasn’t part of my plan. I still remember how my lies exploded into

chaos the night of the reunion. She kept pushing and pushing until all I could

do was spit lies to save myself from public humiliation.

“I’m fine.” I answered, eyes laser-focused at my notes.

“I wouldn’t if I were in your shoes, Imagine Damian and Sonja? I get that she’s

pretty and all, but she’s married!” Scandalized, she pressed a hand on her chest.

I know she was delving for a reaction, and I should keep my cool. But her tone

turned my frown to a glower. I focused on my notes, trying to remember what I

was writing again. “Don’t believe everything you read online, Felicity. None of

those people spoke to Damian or Sonja. Their accusations are based on hearsay,

and their personal assumption doesn’t count.”

She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. “Did you know about it,

though?” She pressed, hunting for more

information.

Lifting my head from my notebook, I met Felicity’s prying eyes. She had her hair

in big curls today, her l*ps coated with red l*p gloss, and huge gold bangles

dangling from her ears. Dressed in gold glittering tulle, I recognize it from

Chanel’s latest runway collection. It costs more than my monthly salary, and I

just wish that Felicity would ask sophisticated questions like how she dresses

up.

“Whatever his past with Sonja might or might not have been is none of my

concern. He never cheated on me, Felicity,” I said nonchalantly. “All I know is

that Damian is being accused of something he didn’t do.”

Felicity nibbled her lower l*p, wanting to press more on the matter, but the

servers cwith two plates of salads.

“Constance loved your green garden salads,” I said, swerving from our current

topic and continuing to jot down my notes. “Can we proceed with the entrees?” I

smiled sweetly at Felicity.

“Sure.” She instructed the server to bring out the entrees.

“Thanks.” I said, then a familiar face caught my attention as the servers left.

Natalie. She was at the bar, not as a customer but wiping the counters. I looked

away when she turned in my direction. I hadn’t seen Natalie since the reunion.

I’ve also unfollowed her social media accounts, but the drastic physical change

in her appearance surprised me. She lost weight, and I could see the trouble in

her eyes even at this distance.

“Natalie?” Felicity followed my line of sight, waving at her friend She’s struggling

with money again.”

“I don’t wanna hear it, Felicity,” I said bluntly..

Felicity raised her hand. “Alright… geez, you don’t have to be so pr ickly. I’m just

trying to make a conversation.”

09:30 Sat, Feb 10 M.

Chapter 54

I sighed, guilty of Felicity’s accusation. Just a pinch, though. She goes with the

stactics she did at the reunion. She knows how to push my buttons.

“Sorry.” I said and rubbed my temple, allowing Felicity to glimpse what I felt.

“I’m just trying to focus on work right now.”

my

fiance is

Felicity reached over the table for my soda water and handed it to me. “You’re

stressed out; I would be too if being accused of attempting to murder his ex-

lover.” No matter the situation, I would always be cagey around Felicity.

~Thanks. Accepting the water, I took a small sip, looking back at Natalie. She was

speaking to a customer and started tending to his order. “Why is Natalie working

in your restaurant?”

I was both curious and concerned about Natalie. Her mom died when we were

in junior year, and her dad wasn’t really fond of her. She was alone, and hearing

her struggle financially again madeless antagonistic toward her. She was in

this ssituation when she ctofor help.

“She’s not doing well,” Felicity mumbled. “She hadn’t had any endorsement

offers for the last two months, been living in her car when I saw her two weeks

ago, so I offered her a job. She’s staying in one of the quarters upstairs.”

“What? What about Hunter?”

Felicity shrugged. “Don’t know. She’s still wearing your engagement ring, so

maybe they’re just fighting.” My b*dy went stiff, “Don’t look so surprised. I know

about the ring. I saw it in one of your posts before. I’m surprised you didn’t call

her out at the reunion, actually.”

“There’s no use in making a scene about a ring I throw on my ex-fiance’s face. I

threw it away for a reason. There was no need to hide that from Felicity now.

Was she really that obsessed with me, or just a keen observer? I guess I’ll never

know.

Shaking her head, Felicity’s l*ps pursed. If I were in Natalie’s shoes, I wouldn’t

accept someone else’s ring. My G od,” she lowered her voice, her eyes sweeping

on the tables next to ours for eavesdroppers. “What kind of life would a man

offer you if he couldn’t even buy you a ring?”

She had a point. The price doesn’t matter, but the intention does

When the server brought the entrees, roasted prrib, and grilled chicken,

Felicity quickly shifted to business mode. “What you have is bone-in prrib. If

Constance wants it boneless, we could also do that, though this one will be

better. It’s our most requested wedding entrée.”

I cut through the meat and took a small bite; the fiavors exploded in my pallet,

makingmoan. “I get why,” I said, jotting down what Felicity had said.

“Thanks,” she said and moved to the grilled chicken. “This is fireman chicken.

The secret is in the marinate,” s as I cut through my chicken. It was moist inside,

and the fiavors of the marinate stuck through the meat.

“This is really good, Felicity” Although we don’t see eye to eye on things. I am

not shy about giving compliments they’re due.

“Thank you, I’m very hands-on with our menu, so don’t hateif I’m soaking in

your compliment,” she murmured proudly. She deserved it.

Our meeting went smoothly after that. At the end of my note, I put down a

reminder to tell Candice about Felicity cateri for Georgina’s wedding

anniversary. I’d say this was a dull, typical day at work until I went to the ladies’

room to freshen u before leaving

After doing my business in the cubicle, I was stunned to see Natalie standing by

the counter, washing her hands. Shutting her presence out of my head had

proven to be impossible. She was watchingthe entire tI was washing my

hands.

I met her eyes in the mirror. She looked thinner up close, her black Crave

Boulevard uniform made her pale skin stand out. Her eyes lost their sparkle,

and her frown lines were more profound. When the ring on her finger caught the

overhead lights, I was reminded why I cut all my connections with her.

Like a butterfiy effect, it all crushing back to me. The sympathy I felt quickly

vanished. I sucked back to the day I found her f ucking Hunter. The anger, the

pain, and the humiliation.

။

09:30 Sat, Feb 10 M.

Chapter 54

Wordlessly, I plucked a paper towel from the rack, dried my hands, and tossed it

in the bin. I took out my l*p gloss and slid it over my l*ps. Natalie stood beside