Page 115 of Betting on the Bad Boy

Faith’s hands nervously played with the book in her lap. “Thanks for having me.”

“Faith, you’ve had quite a year,” Piper said. “Most of your readers know you as Chastity Austen. Your latest release has been climbing the bestseller lists, right?”

Faith cleared her throat. “That’s right. Like many other authors, I’ve been using a pen name.”

“Nothing wrong with Faith Wainwright. Why bother with a pen name?” Phil asked.

Faith turned her attention his way. “In my case, I wanted to distance myself from my parents.” She lifted one leg and crossed it over the other.

“You’re speaking of your mother, Claire Kepner, and stepfather Clem Kepner, correct?” Piper asked.

“That’s right.” Faith turned her head toward Piper while she uncrossed her legs and scooted closer to the edge of her seat. Why was she putting herself through this? Obviously, she hated the spotlight. Was she that hungry for fame?

“But recently someone thrust you into the spotlight. A colleague or co-worker?” Piper lifted her morning show mug up from the table and took a sip.

“I was blackmailed by another faculty member. He found out my true identity and leaked my current work-in-progress to the paper. Can I just say something real quick?”

Phil shifted in his seat. “Um, sure. I suppose. Go ahead.”

Looked like Faith might be going off script. She glanced around and the camera zoomed in on her face. Her fingers wentto the chain suspended from her neck and she fingered a charm. The lotus blossom. My heart stalled in my chest.

She cleared her throat and looked directly into the camera. “I just want to apologize to the person I hurt the most. I’ve tried saying I’m sorry, but you won’t take my calls. I never meant for things to go this far.” She looked down at her lap and paused. The camera zoomed out to catch Phil and Piper whispering to each other.

I scoffed and shook my head as I took a step toward the door.

“Wait.” Tameka’s hand went to my shoulder. I shrugged it off while I looked back at the TV.

The camera zoomed in on Faith. Her eyes welled with tears. “I never meant to fall in love, but I did. I love you, Dante. I’m so sorry. Can you forgive me?”

Tameka took in a sharp breath and grabbed my shoulder again. The camera zoomed out. Piper handed Faith a tissue.

Phil attempted to regain control of the set. “Well, thanks, Faith, for sharing your story with us. We hope you find your own happily ever after. Remember, you can get your copy ofCarnal Knowledgesigned this weekend at the convention center or head out to see her next week at the local bookstore in Newbridge, Indiana. Next up, how one young man is saving the planet’s oceans, one plastic bottle at a time.”

The screen went dark for a moment, then a commercial for diapers started. I sighed.

Tameka’s hand fell from my shoulder. “Promise me you’ll talk to her, okay?”

I cocked my head. “Yeah, sure.”

“Keep in touch, Dante. Good luck with your big job.”

“Thanks. Let me know how things go here.”

Tameka winked at me as I passed through the door and back onto the street. Shit. Maybe itwastime to talk to Faith. But whatthe hell would I say to the woman who still held my heart in her hands?

CHAPTER 56

Faith

I paused,pen poised over the title page of my book. “Who do you want me to make this out to?”

“Lynne. L-y-n-n-e.”

I scrawled the Chastity Austen signature I’d been practicing over the page and handed the book back to the woman in front of me. “Thanks for coming today.”

I’d been signing autographs for over an hour. I shook my hand and grabbed a sip of water as the next reader stopped in front of the table.

I was ready to get out of Newbridge and move on with my life. I wasn’t sure yet where I was headed, but it was time for a new start. After the conference in Chicago, I’d decided I was done with teaching. Those women,andtheir husbands, needed my stories. And I needed to tell them.