Chapter Three
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Adalynn
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Well, I can’t be stoppednow.
“It’s true.This is my engagement ring,” I say and stick out my hand where, indeed, a beautiful triple-tier diamond ring graces my finger.
How lucky that I’m a jewelry maker and have an engagement ring ready for my big lie.
Of course, they’re not real diamonds, and if Ines looks closely enough, she’ll probably see it.If she does, I already have a lie in waiting: this is just the mockup of the style I want; the diamonds are being cut in Paris right now.
“We’re keeping it very quiet for now, since they’re out of the country on business and won’t be back until after the holidays, which is when we’ll announce our engagement.”
Look, everything feels serendipitous at this point, the way my lies are falling into place, so I’m going with it.Also, this is literally straight out of the romance novel I’m currently reading.Doesn’t get any more fictional than that.
“So no, they won’t be here for Christmas, and I’ll happily sit with the kids...”
Me and my big fat fake engagement ring.
And yes, I already thought ahead.Come the new year, I’ll just make up some story about us breaking up—irreconcilable differences—and Cove, Rafe, and Tylan won’t even know they were once engaged and dumped by me.
“I’ve already met them,” my mom says out of nowhere, and my mouth drops to the floor.
Oh no.
“I didn’t say anything until Adalynn did, but now that it’s out in the open, my darling daughter is engaged, and I’m the proudest mom in the world right now.”
Oh, this is great.Superb.I’ve made a complete liar out of my mom, the sweetest and most timid woman in the world, who also happens to love me to bits.
What have I done?
If anything, my mom saying she’s in on it definitely adds credence to the situation because Meg Miller never, ever lies.Not once in her life.
“Meg, you’ve been keeping this from us the whole time?”Aunt Jessica’s accusatory tone makes the fibers in my carpet curl up.“So, I guess it must be true.”
“It is,” my mom says confidently.“So, of course, Adalynn doesn’t mind sitting with the kids, unless we decide to give that rock on her finger a chair at the adult table.And with that, ladies, I think it’s time we let my daughter get back to her day and we get going before the weather worsens.”
