At the top of the steps, Mrs. Dalagar rushed him, her arms open wide. “Thank you!” Her body slammed into his, and his heels hovered precariously off the top stair.
He dug in with his toes to keep from tumbling. “You’re welcome.”
She stepped back and wiped under her eyes with the ruffle of her gingerbread man apron. “You saved our party and Christmas.”
He stifled his smile. A tripped breaker wasn’t going to ruin the holiday festivities. Then again, no one in this bunch seemed to know their way around a fuse box, so they might have been in trouble. “I’m glad I could help,” he finally offered.
“You know, Diana, I wasn’t so sure about this guy, but he’s all right. It’s good to have someone around here who can get things done.” She patted his belly and beamed at her daughter.
Diana gave her a watery smile. The pathetic-ness of it tugged at his heart. She wasn’t the type of person who wore a frown well. Her face was designed for smiling.
Aunt Willow bustled into the hallway, dragging Celine behind her. “Our hero.” She patted his belly too. Celine took a step back and slightly behind her mom, as if she hoped to be overlooked.
Cliff looked back and forth between Diana and Celine, noting they both had their heads down and their arms folded.
“We were beginning to wonder if Diana was ever going to find herself a man.” Willow winked.
“Aunt Willow.” Diana moaned and sliced her hand in front of her neck to warn her aunt off of saying anything more.
“But it’s true,” Aunt Willow protested. “She didn’t even go to her senior prom.”
Cliff jerked his head back. He’d pictured Diana being voted Most Beautiful by her graduating class. “Why not?”
“She went off to meet some author.” Marie waved her hand back and forth. “She didn’t put a priority on dating—still doesn’t.”
Diana’s eyes were wide, and she was utterly aghast. “It was J.K. Rowling!” Her voice went up at the end right along with her tension. This conversation was grating on her.
“I wasn’t much of a Potter fan myself,” he admitted. What he didn’t add was that he didn’t go to his prom either. He’d already turned eighteen and was apprenticing with an electrician.
“We’re so glad she met you.” Willow winked. “If only my Celine would settle down and find herself a good man.”
“She’s too picky,” threw in Marie, talking about Celine as if she wasn’t standing right there.
Cliff was beginning to see why Diana was desperate enough to lie about being engaged. He felt trapped, and he’d only been in this conversation for five minutes.
Celine glared around the circle. “I date—a lot.”
Marie and Willow shared a look just as Willow’s husband joined them. “Well, maybe you should narrow it down to dating the right man,” offered Willow.
Celine shook her head and lifted her chin. “You guys don’t know what dating is like now. The rules have changed.”
“What’s to change?” Uncle Tom scrubbed at his big, round nose. “You see someone you like and you spend time with them. You’re making it too hard.”
“Never mind. I’m going to check the marshmallows.” Celine kept her head down as she walked away.
Cliff wondered how many times that had been Diana. He hated to think that she had that much pressure on her to find love. It wasn’t like a person could just walk up to a stranger and ask for their number. Online dating was a minefield and a second job. Setups were usually horrible.
He glanced over to see her watching him. She quickly turned away.
He wanted to save her from the henpecking that was sure to come if he left, but was he really dumb enough to play the fake fiancé for the holidays? He had enough issues with marriage and engagements to flat-out refuse to be a part of this sham.
Then again, exposure therapy was a real thing. Maybe if he spent some time pretending to be engaged, without the pressure of actually having to stand at the altar, he could come to grips with some of his fears. Then they’d be using one another—no,helpingone another through difficult times.
Maybe that could work.
And maybe he was a sucker for Diana and couldn’t tell her no.
Either way, he was staying. He just needed to tell her.
