The Stand-In(107)

“A relationship? I’m thinking in the long-term plans section.”

I look at him.

“I want to give us a chance,” he says. “Sam and Gracie.”

“You’re a movie star.”

“Sure am.”

“Surrounded by beautiful people.”

“Like the woman I’m with now. Should I point out you’re a CEO, surrounded by brilliant people?” He shrugs. “I trust you, Gracie. Do you trust me? Trust that what I feel for you is real?”

He pulls back completely like he doesn’t want to sway my answer. I grab him because I know. “I trust you.”

“Plus, I like that you’re a CEO.” He puffs out his chest. “A good ego boost for me.” He catches my eyes. “Don’t say it,” he warns.

“Not like you need it.”

“You said it.” He shakes his head.

I want this. His chest is pressed against me and I can feel his heart pound against my skin. It’s fast.

Despite the light tone, he’s nervous, too.

I take a chance. “I think I want to try. You and me. Let’s do it.”

“A ringing endorsement.” He leans in. “I’ll take what I can get from you.”

My lips capture his and I feel him smile against my mouth.

He pulls back. “I’m so glad you walked into that coffee shop.”

“Me, too, even though that muffin was terrible.”

He laughs and strokes my hair. This time, when he kisses me, I know it’s absolutely all for me.

THE END





Reading Group Guide


1. Gracie is biracial and at times struggles with other people’s perception of what that means. What preconceptions do you think you have about biracial identity, or what do you see in the media? How do you react when people discuss experiences that may not be familiar to you?

2. The author is also biracial. How much of an author’s experience do you think is incorporated into a book? Would you feel different about a book if the author is writing about an experience they have not had first-hand?

3. Gracie has a particular fondness for lists and organizational methods. Is this something you find useful in your own life? Which of the various methods Gracie explores would you most be interested in trying?

4. Gracie and Sam’s mothers have different philosophical approaches to life: one cautious and one assertive. How has this impacted Gracie and Sam?

5. Why do you think it was so important for Gracie to get her mother into Xin Guang? What would you be willing to do in Gracie’s place?

6. Gracie finds a moment of empowerment when she ditches her attempts to blend in and chooses her own specific power red lipstick—a shade distinct from Fangli’s. Is there a personal token (whether it’s makeup or some other item) that makes you feel powerful? What do you think it is that gives you that feeling?

7. If you were going to be mistaken for a celebrity—and then step into their life for a week—who would you want it to be? Why? Who would you least like to trade lives with?

8. Fangli reveals that she was discouraged from seeking help for her depression. Why was that? What do you think would have happened if she’d sought help anyway? Can you think of any moments in your or others’ lives where mental health stigma kept you/others from seeking help?

9. Gracie is thrust into a far more glamorous life than she’s ever known before. If you found yourself in her situation, what’s the #1 luxury you’d most enjoy?

10. Gracie initially felt powerless in the face of her boss, Todd. What do you think was keeping her from facing him down? What did you think of their final confrontation and the realization that he didn’t have any power over her?

11. Sam clearly envies Gracie’s ability to live a normal life without the eyes of the world on her. How do you think you would handle being famous? Would the trade-off of luxury vs. loss of privacy be worth it?

12. Everyone assumes Sam and Fangli are either a couple or certain to become one someday. If you were in Gracie’s position, would you feel jealous knowing so many people considered them endgame?

13. Gracie has to go through a lot of training and research to become Fangli. Do you think you would be able to convincingly pretend to be someone else for a few months?

14. Gracie and Fangli discover that the reason they look so alike is because they are sisters. Would you be able to forgive your parents for hiding a secret like that from you? If you were in Fangli’s situation, would you be able to forgive your mother for leaving?

15. Gracie and Fangli’s mother was put in an impossible situation when she realized she was pregnant with her second child, thanks to the one-child policy. Women’s reproductive choices have often been politicized and controlled. This has put women around the world in impossible positions. What do you think the impact has been and how can women resist?

16. Why do you think Mei did what she did? Would you have been able to forgive her?

17. Gracie long wished for an organizational method that actually met her needs and, finally, decided to create one herself—becoming a huge success in the process. Is there a similar kind of problem in your life that needs solving, and what steps do you think you’d need to take to create your own kind of Eppy?

18. The future looks bright for Gracie, Sam, and Fangli, but there’s a long road ahead of them. What do you think is in store for them? How will Sam’s complicated relationship with his parents play into their future?