He apparently decided yes, because he gave her a pointedly fatherly look. “I don’t understand why we don’t just confront these people head-on. Tell them to stop telling lies about you.”

“They’re not lies,” Audrey said. “I was dating Brayden while he was still married. And I was dating this Randy guy, too.”

Audrey’s parents had always made open communication with their children the highest priority. They’d been one of her first phone calls after learning of Brayden’s betrayal, and she’d told them first thing this morning about what was going on with Randy and the Instagram aftermath.

“But you didn’t know they were married.”

“I did,” Audrey said, nibbling on her scone. “Not that Randy was. I didn’t have a clue. But I knew about Claire, remember? I just thought they had separated.”

Kathleen sighed. “Oldest snake line in the book.”

“That I fell for,” Audrey said, refusing to absolve herself of all blame for her role in destroying Claire’s illusion of a happy marriage.

“I still don’t get what this has to do with Clarke and you two pretending to get married.”

“He’s protecting my reputation, Daddy,” Audrey said in her best Cher Horowitz voice, “so people don’t think I’m damaged goods.”

“They are calling her Tarnished Tate,” Kathleen chimed in. “I spent two hours this morning seeing what was going on. It was vicious.”

Audrey covered her face with her hand. Sadly, the Tarnished Tate moniker was all too true.

To her surprise, her joking and her mother’s needling seemed to mollify her father. “I guess it could go a long way to defuse the gossipmonger’s energies.”

“Not exactly the way I’d phrase it, but yeah, that’s the idea,” Audrey said.

“Yes, but only if you step it up,” her mom said, pushing her plate away and looking at Audrey with a pointed look.

“Uh-oh,” Audrey said, sipping her coffee. “What’s that look for?”

“In order for them to believe you’re getting married, they have to believe you’re in love. You can’t just say you’re in love. You have to show it.”

Audrey fiddled nervously with the handle of the mug. “Was I not?”

“The only thing close to heat I saw last night was that kiss. He sold it. But you looked like it was the first time you’d ever kissed the man.”

“Because it was!”

“Really?” Kathleen titled her head curiously. “I just assumed you two had fooled around back in the day. Teenage curiosity and what not.”

Audrey groaned. “Mom. Don’t be gross.”

“Yes, don’t,” Richard said, retreating once more behind his newspaper.

“No heavy petting? Nothing? Okay, well, whatever. You and Clarke need to, you know… get a little handsy. Stare at him like you can’t wait to drag him home.”

“Please stop,” Richard said.