Page 99 of The Pretender

“I need a huge favor and I have to ask you to keep a pretty big secret.”

“I’m listening.”

I launch into the whole situation, explaining my involvement and the plan to get me out of this while she listens attentively.

“I didn’t want you to think I died the way our parents did. I needed you to know the truth.”

“Oh, Mike. This is huge. Are you sure it’s gonna work?”

“I’m confident I have the right people working on it.”

“Okay, what do you need from me?”

“There are a few things I’d like out of my apartment. Then we can sell it with everything in it. I’m more than happy to compensate you for the trouble. I was thinking I could make you the executor and you could appoint a trustee.”

“Isn’t this illegal?”

“Not really. There’s no insurance fraud. I don’t have a life insurance policy. I’m just liquidating my assets and assuming a new identity, which you won’t have a part in.”

“Uh, okay. I need a minute.”

I hear muffled voices in the background and really hope she knows she’s not to share this information with anyone else.

“I’m back,” she says. “Nick works with a guy who handles estate affairs. We can go through him.”

“Did you tell Nick what’s going on?”

“Vaguely.”

“I’m sorry, Lorelei. I know this is an inconvenience to you. I could get someone else to handle everything so you stay out of it altogether, but I at least wanted you to know that I’m okay.”

“This is just so weird.”

“I know. If there was a different way to handle it, I would take it. I’m doing this to make sure we’re both safe.”

“And then what? What happens next? How will you make a living with no background and no job history?”

“I have a plan. I’ll be working for a small family-owned winery. My partner owns it.”

“Partner? What kind of partner?”

“The romantic kind, and I guess, the business kind too.”

“What happens if the relationship sours?”

“It won’t. Not this time. He’s more than I ever thought possible.”

“You love him?”

“I do.” I pause as a warm feeling spreads through my chest. “Wow. Telling someone else feels amazing. I’ve only told him so far.”

“What’s his name?”

“Amadeo. Deo for short. He knows everything about me and loves me anyway. I don’t deserve him, but I’m gonna do everything I can to level up and be the man he deserves.”

“I’m happy for you. All I ever wanted was for you to live an honest, joyful life. We didn’t sign up for the decisions our parents made, and when I thought you did the same thing as Dad, I didn’t know how to handle that. I couldn’t understand it.”

“I wanted to keep you safe. I made a deal with the devil to do that. I was young and stupid, but I didn’t know what else to do. The last thing I ever wanted was to live Dad’s life.”