The Lie

I crane my neck, twisting to look behind me, and I gasp. It’s true. I see Sponge Bob staring right back beneath a bundle of white tulle.

Brigs bursts out laughing and I hear the photographer snapping away with my ass now on view for everyone to see, including Shelly and Max and everyone else in the park.

“Stop laughing and help me!” I yell at Brigs as he tries to yank the dress out of the waistband but he’s doubling over, laughing so hard that he can’t. He nearly falls to the grass, and then I nearly fall trying to yank it all out of my underwear.

Finally I’m covered and I’m smoothing the back of my dress frantically, my cheeks flaming hot. There’s a lot of fucking people in this park – people who are snickering – and somehow the fact that it was Sponge Bob makes it worse than that time in Rome.

“Oh, I hope the photographer captured that,” Brigs says, tears rolling down his face as he grins at me. “That was the best moment of my life.”

I roll my eyes, trying to downplay it all. “Well lucky for you, Professor Blue Eyes Brigs McGregor, the best moments of your life are just starting.”

He stares at me sweetly for a long moment and kisses me on the lips. “That they are.”

He grabs my hand.

And we keep on going.





THE END





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS



The minute I started writing The Play, I couldn’t wait to write The Lie. I remember walking through Burgoyne Bay on Salt Spring Island, where I live, with my husband and my dog and discussing the plot for The Play and the rich backstory of Lachlan’s brother, Brigs. It’s funny, even the name Brigs comes from one of my husband’s friends on the island, son of musician Randy Bachman.

I knew from the beginning that Brigs’ story would be a hard one to take. That it was risky to publish anything to do with infidelity. I knew this already from publishing Love, in English but even so, it was a story that broke my heart and gave me hope. I had to tell it.

Flash forward a few months to San Diego, where my husband, dog and I were renting an AirB&B outside of Ramona and Lakeside (thank you Victoria, Ed and Zena!). I threw myself into The Lie and wrote and wrote and wrote.

Until I got some feedback that screwed me up (they know who they are ;) though I am very grateful for honesty) I started to think that maybe The Lie wouldn’t a novel so easily swallowed. I had doubts. Would I be punished for writing such a controversial story? In an industry where so many authors are flogged for writing about infidelity, no matter how unglamorized it is, no matter how much the protagonists suffer, is it wise or safe to publish a book that takes such matters and presents them in a raw, real way?

The thing is, though, I don’t care about being safe. And I have to thank my Facebook group, the Anti-Heroes, for having faith in me and insisting I publish the book anyway. This is for you guys. Thank you for believing in me, believing in my stories and believing the world needs more books that are told from the heart, no matter how ugly and real that heart may be sometimes. Love you!