The Real Thing Read online

  The Real Thing

  Synopsis

  Allison McDonald has a thriving massage practice and a spot on the local roller derby team. When an amazing woman swipes right on her dating profile, life couldn’t be more perfect. Perfection turns out to be illusion when she finds out she’s been catfished by someone using the photo of the actress, Geena. Determined to protect others from heartbreak, she contacts the dating site and Geena about the fraud.

  Virginia Harris’s fans know her as “Geena,” the lesbian star of a popular web series. Playing the role of Geena, and protecting her identity, is Virginia’s latest way of keeping real life—and real love—at arm’s length. Until the woman of her dreams walks into her life. But is it Geena she’s really interested in?

  Their attraction is immediate, but when Allison looks at Virginia, she struggles not to see the woman she thought she was in love with. As the lines between fantasy and reality blur, will they know the real thing?

  The Real Thing

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  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  The Real Thing

  © 2020 By Laney Webber. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-479-3

  This Electronic Original Is Published By

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: April 2020

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ruth Sternglantz

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design By Melody Pond

  eBook Design By Toni Whitaker

  By the Author

  A Chapter on Love

  The Real Thing

  Acknowledgments

  I’m very grateful to have many people to thank. Thank you to everyone at Bold Strokes Books. I’m so happy my stories have found a home with such a great publishing house. Many thanks to my editor, Ruth Sternglantz, for her expertise, encouragement, and magical brainstorming skills. This book shines so much brighter because of you.

  Thanks also to my former massage therapists for teaching me the difference between a good massage and a great massage. Thanks to the Upper Valley Vixens Roller Derby team for inspiration and fun. A big thank you to the actor Haviland Stillwell for her patience answering my many questions about acting and actors.

  Thanks to my new Vermont writer friends Leslie Anne Bryce and Eileen Charbonneau for your support. My family and friends and my library colleagues have cheered me on and celebrated each new writerly milestone with me—thank you.

  To the woman who has chosen to walk this part of my life journey with me: Every love story I write is a tiny reflection of the best love story of all, ours.

  To Louie, always

  Chapter One

  The old village of Proctor’s Falls had a town green with a few wooden benches and a white gazebo at one end where the community band played monthly concerts during the summer. This July afternoon, it also had Buster’s golden mix running around with something in his mouth.

  Allie McDonald saw the dog as she pulled around the green and into a parking space at the Harvest Hill Wellness Center. She took the lead she always kept in the car and a dog cookie from the bag in the glove box and went after Buster’s dog.

  “Hey, Elvis, whatcha got there?” She held the lead behind her back and the cookie out in front of her. “Did you get loose again?”

  The dog had his front paws and muzzle down, rear end up high, while he worried what looked like an old blue knit hat. He looked at the cookie in Allie’s hand, gave the hat an absentminded last chew, and jumped up and almost on top of Allie. She popped the cookie in his mouth, found the metal loop on his collar, and snapped the lead on. Elvis finished the cookie in one crunch and a swallow. He tried to go back after the hat, realized he was hitched, and promptly sat down. Allie gave a little tug on the lead.

  “C’mon Elvis. Let’s go.”

  The dog didn’t move. Allie saw Robin, one of the other massage therapists at the Wellness Center, getting out of her car, and sketched a wave in Robin’s direction.

  “Hey, Allie, are you taking care of Buster’s dog?”

  “No,” she yelled across the green. “He was loose, and I’m trying to bring him back to Buster’s, but he won’t move.” She tried to walk nonchalantly toward Robin, but Elvis was doing a great imitation of a dog statue.

  “I’ll call Buster.” Robin went inside the Wellness Center.

  “At least you picked a spot in the shade.” She patted the dog on the back of his neck and rubbed behind his ears.

  She looked across the green at the big cream-colored Victorian house with the words Harvest Hill Wellness Center hanging from the black lamppost near the walk. If the trees behind it weren’t so dense, she knew she’d be able to see the top of Harvest Hill, and Durkee Mountain beyond that.

  She was so proud of her name on that sign—Allison McDonald, LMT. She’d been working as a massage therapist for about a year down in Massachusetts when her cousin Barb called and asked if she might want to come to the farm and help her out after her hip surgery. Allie always loved visiting the farm, and Barb felt more like an aunt than a cousin. She’d always invited Allie to the farm in the summer when she was younger.

  Now two of her big life dreams had come true—owning her own business and living in Vermont. Her number three dream was to build a life with someone and live in this town.

  She was learning that rural life for a single lesbian was very different than her former life in Massachusetts, where there was something to do every weekend. It seemed like all the social life was a couple of hours north in the more populated areas of Montpelier and Burlington. She’d gone out on a date or two with women who were friends of friends of Barb’s, but neither of those went past the first date. There was no chemistry, and she wanted chemistry.

  But there was hope for dream number three now that she knew Lauren. They both loved living in the country. They both were ready for a serious relationship. She was a beautiful person, and Allie couldn’t wait to actually meet her in person.

  Robin reappeared on the porch. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled.

  “Buster should be here any minute!”

  Allie gave her a thumbs-up and tried to get Elvis to move. Again. Nothing moved except his lip. When Elvis got excited or upset or nervous, the right side of his lip curled up. Buster said he’d done it ever since he was a puppy, and that’s how he got his name. She tucked her hand in her armpit to feel if she was sweating through her shirt. She was. Great, and she had a whole afternoon of clients. Nobody liked a stinky massage therapist. She always kept an emergency outfit in her office, and she tried to remember if she’d already used it.

  Buster owned the general store, over in the new village of Proctor’s Falls about two miles from the green. Ha, she was finally thinking like she belonged here. Locals referred to the distinct two areas of town as the new village and the old village. It had confused Allie when she was younger, but she was used to it now after living here for over a year. She thought she saw Buster’s truck coming over the hill and down Main Street. Elvis wagged his tail and looked up the road. She tried to hold the lead as Elvis bounded across the green to get to his owner but gave up and dropped it.

  “Thanks, Allie.” Buster held the truck door open, and the dog took a practiced leap inside. “Stop by the store and I’ll give you a thank you. He must have followed some kids out of the store again. Darn friendly cuss he is.” Buster joined Elvis in the truck.

  “No problem, Buster.” She waved at Buster and Elvis as they drove past her.

  She stopped into The Country Bean for an iced coffee like she did every workday, but there was a long line. No one seemed concerned by this, probably because this was the only place to get coffee in the villages, except for the breakfast-lunch place next to Buster’s in the new village, which was always crowded.

  “Hey, Allie.”

  A tall man in an orange Gotta Fish T-shirt crooked his head and tipped his chin in her direction. She was pretty sure he was a one-time client. She had quite a few of those. Friends and relatives would give someone a gift certificate, and they’d come in for a massage once but usually didn’t come back. They’d say they couldn’t afford it, or it wasn’t for them, and that never hurt her feelings. She knew how hard most people in and around this town worked just to keep even.

  Okay. She admitted it. All this random thinking was about trying to distract herself from thinking about her phone date with Lauren tonight. She wished they had internet at the farm so they could video chat there. Other people who lived on the hill had satellite internet, but even if Barb wanted internet—and she didn’t—they couldn’t get a good enough signal because of the tall pines behind the house. Her friends from Massachusetts couldn’t believe there were still places in Vermont without cell or internet service.

  But Lauren didn’t seem to mind that all she had at home was the phon
e and couldn’t text or email unless she went into Proctor’s Falls. She liked that about Lauren. She was so easygoing. Allie got her coffee, found her extra set of clothes in her office, and checked her online calendar for the day. The rest of the day went exactly as she planned, and she was able to leave the Wellness Center at six p.m.

  “You’re home early,” Barb said. “Are you going to have time to eat dinner before she calls tonight?” Barb stopped stirring a pot on the stove and pointed the wooden spoon at her.

  “I’ve told you Lauren has a quirky schedule, and she takes care of her mother sometimes. I don’t want to miss her call because she usually can’t call back.” Allie dropped her bag onto the deacon’s bench by the door. “It smells really good. Pasta?”

  “It will be a cold pasta salad, which I’ll need because I’m melting like a stick of butter. All I’m saying is she should respect your time like you respect hers. She always seems to call during supper or late at night.” Barb turned off the burner and drained the pasta in the kitchen sink.

  The house phone rang, and Allie picked it up before the second ring was finished.

  “Hi, this is Allie.” She nodded at Barb. “Hey to you too. How was your day?”

  Allie pointed to the pasta and mouthed, Save me some, then brought the phone upstairs to her room. She would never tell Barb, but since Lauren started calling, she’d gotten into the habit of stopping on her way home for a snack, just in case Lauren called during dinner. Plus, she was usually so excited to talk to her by the end of the day she didn’t have much of an appetite.

  “Sorry I’m calling early, but I have to go over to my mom’s later and check on her.”

  Allie propped her pillows against the headboard and climbed onto her bed.

  “How’s your mom doing?” It was so good to hear Lauren’s voice. She took the copy of Lauren’s profile picture off her end table and put it on the bed beside. She looked at it while she talked.

  “Some days are good and some not so good, but my brother and I have things under control. But I want to hear about your day, my sweet Allie.”

  “It started out with a dog on the loose, and then I had clients this afternoon. I missed you.” Allie put her fingertips on the photo of Lauren. She was so happy they’d found each other online, but she wanted to touch her. She wanted to hold hands with her and walk around Proctor’s Falls and show her all the things she loved about it.

  “I missed you too. We’ll see each other tomorrow on our video chat. I can’t wait. I know it’s been tough with all the stuff I’ve had to do with my mom lately. I’m sorry things don’t always go according to schedule. Meeting you was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me, and then the rest of my life goes to shit. That’s not fair, is it?”

  Allie smoothed the blanket next to her as she spoke, as though she was touching Lauren and trying to soothe her.

  “It’s okay, I totally understand. Family comes first for both of us. It’s one of the many things I like about you. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair, but you’re able to share what you’re going through with me, and that’s a good thing. Maybe we met so you wouldn’t have to go through all this alone.” Allie realized she was patting the blanket and stopped and put her hand in her lap. She rolled her eyes at herself. No wonder she had a passion for her work as a massage therapist. She made sense of the world and her feelings through touch or some other type of physical action.

  “Maybe you’re right. Did you have enough time for dinner?”

  “I’m all set.” It was only a partial lie. She didn’t feel hungry right now and she was afraid if she said no, Lauren would end the phone call, and she’d have to wait until tomorrow to connect with her again.

  “I had an idea,” Lauren said.

  “Okay…” Allie pushed the pillows behind her and sat up.

  “You know how we’ve been talking sexy at the end of our calls? I thought tonight maybe we could go for a twofer. I love getting you all revved up. I love the way your breathing changes and how your voice changes.”

  “I know you do, but we never have a chance for me to do the same to you. I’m not sure I know how—I’ve never done this before, but I’d like to.” Allie got up off the bed and took off her bra while they talked. Then she changed into a pair of pajama shorts and got back into bed.

  “Let’s do some sexy talk, then some regular talk. That will get me so horny that when we end the call like we usually do, I’ll probably explode.”

  Allie’s heart picked up speed thinking of Lauren getting as excited as she did. She wished she could see her and touch her. It was hot talking like this, but it was frustrating too. She always felt like she was on the edge, even after she came. Would it be the same in person? She thought maybe it would be more intense but maybe their connection was only intense because they weren’t together in person. Ugh. Barb was right. Sometimes she thought about things too much.

  “That sounds great.”

  “You’re already thinking about it, aren’t you? I can hear it in your voice.”

  “Yes.” Allie shifted the phone into her left hand so her right hand would be free. She bent her knees and ran her fingertips down the inside of her right thigh, then ran them along the edge of her shorts.

  “I’m going to tell you what to do, okay?” Lauren said.

  “Okay.” She knew she was already wet.

  “Take off your bottoms, and tell me when they’re off.”

  Allie put the phone down and took off her shorts. She pulled the cotton spread and blanket down to the foot of the bed. Then she pulled the sheet down and rearranged the pillows and got back into bed. She picked up the phone.

  “All set. Bottoms off.” She laughed.

  “You’re so cute. Don’t do anything unless I tell you to do it.”

  Allie’s breathing accelerated. “Okay, I won’t do anything unless you tell me.”

  “I’m already hot, picturing you on your bed without any bottoms. Bend your knees and spread your legs for me, Allie. I wish I could kiss you. I can’t wait to kiss you, Allie.”

  “Can I ask you to do something?” She knew Lauren liked to be in charge of this part of the phone call, but she wanted some control too.

  “You know how I like this. And you like it too. I can tell.”

  “I don’t want to tell you what to do. I only want you to tell me what you’re feeling when I do things.” She wanted to know what was going on with Lauren.

  “Oh…I get it. Will that make you wetter, Allie?”

  “Yes.” The thought of Lauren getting as worked up as she did made her even more aroused.

  “You want to touch yourself, don’t you, because you’re already very wet, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. Please.” Her words came out in breathy sighs.

  “Put a finger inside yourself and tell me how wet you are.”

  Allie slid her hand down her stomach and put one finger inside of herself. She groaned and her hips arched. The first time she and Lauren talked like this, she was so self-conscious and thought Barb could hear her, even though she was very quiet. But Barb hadn’t given any indication that she knew what they did on the phone. And it helped that she knew Barb watched her TV shows after supper each night. But even so, she still tried to be quiet.

  “Oh, baby, you’ve got me squirming in my seat. You are so beautiful, Allie, and so hot. Move your finger in and out. Are you very wet?”

  “I’m…so…wet.” Allie put the phone down and pulled the pillows out from behind her so she could lie flat on the bed. It had been so long since anyone had touched her like this. She wanted Lauren inside her. She tried to imagine these were Lauren’s fingers.

  “I’m going to touch myself now.” Lauren murmured something Allie couldn’t understand. “Damn, what you do to me. Now pull your finger out and start rubbing you-know-where.” Lauren chuckled. “You know where I mean, honey. And rub it faster and faster. Let me hear you, honey. Let me hear you.”