Page 29 of Faking With Mr. Steele
“So, next up, we have Zoe Walters here with her Serendipity Soap collection. I just love these soaps.” She turns to face me.
“Thank you, Hope,” I say, not really sure where the words are coming from, but somehow, I launch into a little memorized promo spiel about my soaps.
“Let’s go show everyone what you’ve made.”
We stand and move over to a display table with a variety of my products. Hope picks up the peppermint bar shaped like a heart. “This is great for a Valentine’s Day gift. It not only moisturizes, but it also leaves the skin feeling supple and smooth.”
“That’s right. These soaps are designed with that sensitive winter skin in mind.”
“Be sure to grab these soaps,” she speaks to the viewers at home with a toothy grin, “they’re currently flying out the door.”
“We should shut that darn door, Hope,” I say, giving her a wink.
She smiles back. “We have a caller on the line. Let’s see what they have to say.”
“Hi, this is for Zoe,” the caller says. The familiar timbre of the voice on the line sends chills all over my skin. “I’ve used the soap and I have to say,” he chuckles softly, “it kind of turns me on.”
Unable to believe Graham would call, I stand statue still. Hope intervenes as quickly as possible. “Well, thank you for calling.”
“Wait,” Graham’s voice calls through the speaker, “Zoe, I want to talk to you.”
Hope glances nervously at me, and the cameraman talks rapidly into his headset. I still have my smile plastered on my face, trying my best to remain calm, but my heart is galloping amillion miles a minute. Say that three times fast.
“Graham,” my smile slides off my face as I stare into the camera, hoping Trudy doesn’t see any of this, “it’s probably not a good idea for you to call in?” I need to end this call, stat.
The Christmas music lightly playing in the background comes to an abrupt halt. I’m not even sure if the camera is even still filming at this point, and I no longer care. All I care about is the man on the other end of the phone line.
“Zoe, I’ve missed you. And not the ‘hey, I haven’t seen you in a while’ type of miss you. But, more of the ‘I need you here right now’ type of miss you.”
My heart aches, my eyes misting over with unshed tears, and I can’t do anything but tell him the truth, “I’ve missed you too.”
“I have something for you.”
I stare into the camera, because I’m not sure where to look at this point. All I want more than anything is to see Graham. Just this one time. “Ok.”
“Come outside.”
I look over at Hope. “Well go, honey,” she urges.
“Oh ok, right.” In a rush, I remove the microphone pack from around my waist, set it on the table with my soaps, and exit the set. I grab my coat and then rush out the back door. When I step outside, the wind blows the last of the snowfall around from last night. And then I see him. Graham, in all his glory, standing next to a one-horse open sleigh.
“Graham, what are you thinking? What if Trudy sees that or someone tells her?”
“What are you talking about? Why would I care if Trudy sees that? She can fuck off.” He moves closer. “I wanted to call you so many times,” he whispers.
“I wanted you to. But, I don’t want you to lose the resort.”
“What? How would I lose the resort?”
I tell him everything Trudy told me about the marriage, and her father taking over if their wedding didn’t happen. I tell him how I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he lost his resort.
He laughs. “Yeah, well that shit is just not true.”
“No part of it is?” I ask unable to believe she’d be so manipulative.
“None of it.” He kisses my cheek. “He isn’t even on the board.” Then he kisses my other cheek.
“I could’ve never seen you again…” my words fail me.