Beloved Liar (The Reed Rivers Trilogy 3)

“It was cheating, Reed.”

I slump in my chair.

“As I was saying,” Kat says, “it’s a good thing you hadn’t already said the ‘L’ word to Georgina when you cheated on her. That saves you from Georgina thinking the words are meaningless to you. But, on the flipside, if you were to say ‘I love you’ now, after cheating on her, then Georgina will think you’re only saying that as a ploy to win her back.”

I exhale with exasperation. “This isn’t helping me. What’s your point? That I can never tell Georgina I love her now? That I’m fucked forever?”

Kat’s face lights up. “So, you do, in fact, love her?”

I pause. I’ve never said “I love you” to a woman before. I’ve said, “You drive me crazy” and “I can’t get enough” and “I care about you.” But, in this moment, there’s no doubt the word “love”—and nothing less—is the one that accurately describes my once-in-a-lifetime feelings for Georgina. “Yeah. I love Georgina like I’ve never loved anyone before.”

Kat clutches her heart. “Aw, sweetie.” She looks at me sympathetically for a beat, before her features contort sharply with anger. She swats at my shoulder. “What the hell is wrong with you, Reed? Why did you go into that garage with Isabel, in the first place?”

What the hell is wrong with me? Women have been asking me that same question my entire adult life. And I’m no closer to being able to answer it now. “How is this helping me?” I whisper-shout. “You told me to tell you everything so you can convince Georgina to forgive me. Flogging me for my stupidity isn’t useful.” I wave at the air. “You know what? Forget it. I’ll figure it out myself.” I stand. “Someone who isn’t drunk, drive me to Georgie right now. She’s got to be at her father’s condo in the Valley. I’ll go there now and tell her I love her and win her back.”

Kat stands and points at my chair like she’s commanding a misbehaving dog. “Sit your ass down, you clueless, impulsive, drunken fool! Do you want Georgina to swoon or scowl when you tell her the magic words for the first time?”

“I want her to swoon,” I admit softly.

“Then sit down.”

I flop down, feeling dejected.

“You can’t say ‘I love you’ to Georgina until you’re completely out of the doghouse, or she won’t believe you. She doesn’t trust you, Reed. You need to regain her trust before you’re allowed to say those magical words.”

“But when will she trust me again?” I boom—but then, I look around the party, realizing I said that far too loudly. I lean forward and whisper-shout, “How can I get myself out of the doghouse with Georgie when she won’t even call me back? Help me, Kat, for the love of fuck!”

Kat looks at Josh. “Have you ever seen him this pathetic before?”

“Not even close.”

She puts her hand on mine. “Okay, Reed. I’m going to help you. But you need to look me in the eye and swear you only kissed Isabel in that garage, and nothing more.”

I look into Kat’s blazing blue eyes. “I swear on my life. On my mother’s. On my nephew’s.”

And that’s it. Kat clearly believes me now, without question. Because she knows, for all my faults, I’d never swear falsely on my beloved nephew.

“Okay,” she says decisively. “Let’s figure out how to get Georgie back.”

“Oh, thank God. Thank you, Kat. Bless you.”

Kat taps the little indentation in her chin. “Okay, first off, I think it’s important to realize the kiss is your biggest hurdle. I’m sure you were a bit rude with Alessandra, knowing you. But I have to believe Georgie will talk to her stepsister and find out what you actually said, versus what she thinks you said, and all will eventually be forgiven.”

“Good. Yes. That’s my thinking, too. Same thing with the grant.”

“I agree. I’m sure Georgina felt blindsided about the grant last night—and understandably so—and now she’s thinking worst-case scenario about you and CeeCee. But, eventually, she’ll talk to CeeCee and find out what really happened and forgive you on that score, too. Heck, she might even thank you.”

My spirit is rising and filling my chest. “CeeCee is still in Bali. But I’ll text her now...” I pull out my phone. “And tell her to call Georgina the minute she lands and tell her—”

“No, no, you stupid man!” Kat booms, snatching my phone out of my hand. “You have to let Georgina contact CeeCee, organically. And when she does, you need CeeCee to be able to say, honestly, she hasn’t spoken to you about any of this. Otherwise, Georgina will think you tampered with the witness. Look, I know you’re a control freak who’s used to pulling strings every which way. But, this time, you need to release that impulse and have faith the truth will come out, on its own, and set you free.”