Big Fat Liar 3 (Big Fat Liar #3) by Cookie Moretti Read Free Book Online Page B

what happened between you and Cal."
    Ah hell . "Nothing," Chris replied smoothly but not smooth enough because Eliza clearly wasn't convinced. She raised a brow at him and he ignored it.
    "You're telling me that this," she poked his furrowed brows, "isn't caused by whatever happened between you two? Christopher, I may be sick but I'm not blind."
    Chris stood and released his hold on her hand. "Let it go, Ma."
    She stared up worriedly at him. "Chris, what happened?"
    "I said let it go."
    "How can I let it go when my baby is hurting so much?"
    Chris looked away from her soul-searching eyes and stared out the window. The sky was endlessly blue but he didn't see it. He felt so damn empty inside that he let his anger linger just to fill in that void.
    "Christopher. Why are you hurting?"
    "Mom, I'm fine." He started for the door. "I'll ask the nurse to get you your pain meds."
    "Hold it right there Christopher Walker." Eliza's eyes narrowed at his back. "Don't walk away from me."
    Cursing under his breath, Chris half turned and looked at his mother. She stared back at him for several seconds before her eyes softened. "Chris, you can be all scowly-faced at me but I know when one of my boys is hurting inside."
    "What do you want from me, Mom?"
    "I want the truth."
    He chuckled darkly. "You and me both."
    Eliza sighed. "You found out, didn't you?" When Chris didn't reply, she tried again. "You found out about Cal's...secret."
    Chris stared at her for several seconds before chuckling darkly. "You know, it doesn't surprise me at all that you knew before I did, Mom. Hell, did Dad know too? Were any of you planning on telling me?"
    "What are you mad about, Christopher?" Eliza asked, getting straight to the point. "That Cal is a girl or that she tricked you?"
    "What the hell is the damn difference?" He snapped. "Cal lied. Period. He's...she's been lying to me all this time."
    "And I'm sure she's sorry about that."
    "Right Mom, that makes me feel a lot better."
    "Holding onto that silly anger certainly won't."
    "It's all I've got."
    Eliza shook her head. "Because you don't want to forgive her."
    "Why!?" Chris glared at her. "Why the hell should I forgive him? I mean her...I mean...shit!" He turned around angrily and closed his eyes. God damn it , he mentally cursed. Taking a deep breath, he let it out and waited a minute before speaking. "It's not that simple, Mom."
    "Of course it's not," Eliza said softly. "Love is never simple, Chris. If you love her...and you do, don't you, Chris? That's why it's so hard for you to forgive her. You love Cal."
    "I don't know who I love," he whispered hoarsely. "I don't even know the person I fell in love with."
    "Nonsense! Cal is Cal. She may have lied to you about her gender but she's always been herself with you. She loves you Chris."
    "Not enough to tell me the truth."
    "She told you the truth."
    "After lying for so long! She could have been honest with me from the start!"
    Eliza's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Who are you really angry with, Chris? Cal or yourself?"
    Startled, Chris looked sharply at her. "What?"
    "I know you son, I know that you're a fair man so I'm sure you would have tried to put yourself in Cal's shoes. You've thought about it right? How Cal must have felt all these months, pretending to be a guy all because she was afraid to lose you."
    That was true but damn it, Chris clenched his hands into tight fists. Why couldn't she have been honest with him!?
    "I trusted Cal," Chris told his mother. "Yeah, I'm a jerk for mistaking her for a guy but I gave my trust. Hell," he laughed without humor, "I was turning gay for her! I would have given up everything for Cal...everything."
    "Oh Chris," Eliza began sympathetically.
    "No," Chris held up a hand. "Listen. When I thought that Cal was a guy, it drove me crazy!"
    He began to pace as he talked, hands on his hips and eyes glaring at the floor. "I kept thinking that something must be wrong with me because I've never liked men romantically!