Page 13 of A Real Good Lie

Jace flopped back onto his bed and stared up at the smooth ceiling above him. Remington had a good paying job doing something with books, and he didn’t make Jace pay much more than utilities. He rolled onto his stomach and scanned his eyes over all of his shoddy, second-hand furniture scattered around the nice, modern finishings of the room.

“This Callahan needs to make someone jealous, and you’ve been enlisted to help.”

“Yes.”

“So you need a suit.”

“Yes.”

“How long have you and this Callahan been together?” she asked.

“We haven’t,” he snapped. “I told you it’s a blind date thing and it’s fake and it’s a horrible idea.”

“Wrong answer.” She made a buzzer noise. “You need to have a good backstory or you’ll get outed.”

“I don’t even have the guy’s phone number,” Jace grumbled. “Like I said, keep your money. I don’t think I can do this after all.”

“Oh, you’ll do it,” she said, sounding every bit like the older sister he’d grown to love over the years.

“Will I?”

“You have a good heart and there’s no way you would let Callahan get dumped by his fake boyfriend before they’d even met. That would surely be even more embarrassing than going to this thing alone.”

Jace muffled a scream into his pillow and his sister laughed in his ear.

“I’m quick-paying you the grand,” she said. “Take Remington with you to shop so you get something that looks good.”

“I can buy my own clothes.”

“Obviously not.” Carmen lapsed into silence, then breathed into the phone before she said, “Are you sure about this?”

“Not really at all.”

“Why did you agree to it?”

“It sounded fun.”

Saying that out loud now sounded anything other than fun. He was embarrassed and found himself feeling woefully lacking under the long-distance scrutiny of his sister.

“Does it not now?”

“Less fun,” he grumbled.

Carmen yawned.

“See,” he accused, “I know you’re tired. Go to sleep, Carmen. I really shouldn’t have bothered you about this.”

“You didn’t bother me. You’re my brother. This is what annoying little brothers do. You have the money; buy something presentable and make me proud.”

Jace blinked, his eyes feeling a little damp. “Thank you.”

“I love you. Now, goodnight.”

The phone beeped loudly in his ear as the call dropped, and he tossed his phone on the empty pillow beside him. Jace curled into a ball on his side and stared at the knobs on his dresser on the other side of the room.

He hated and loved that dresser. It had been one of the first pieces of furniture he’d ever bought new, springing for a long, six-drawer unit from a big box store once he and Remington had made it to California. It was white, which was unlike him, but the piece was big and bright and it did a lot to counterbalance the dark, scratched oak on the rest of his bedroom furniture.

Jace rolled onto his back and fought with his pants until he got the zipper loose. It jammed, nearly taking off a clump of hair as he pulled it down. That’s what he’d deserve for wearing his tight pants with no underwear, acting like he really had a chance at bringing someone home tonight after that kiss.