She sank lower in her chair to get out of Fae’s reach.I know, she mouthed back, waving her free hand around like a maniac.
“Don’t worry, honey, we’ll welcome him right into the family.”
Diana hopped to her feet, antsy. Cliff was incredibly shy—her family would eat him alive with their welcome. “Bad idea, Mom.”
“What? Why?”
“We’re, uh, keeping things on the down low for a while. I don’t even have a ring yet.” Mom loved nothing more than a juicy secret. She’d positively preen at being in the know.
Fae followed Diana around the table, smacking her arm and telling her to stop. She may have also said something about Santa’s Bad List, but Diana was more worried about her mom’s sudden shift to marriage talk. Diana flapped her hand back at Fae in response. They looked like two preteens breaking their “best friends forever” bracelets in a snit.
“My lips are sealed,” Mom said. Diana could picture her sliding her fingers across them and throwing away the key. Her eyes would dance with delight. Here was her youngest child, the only one unable to procure a mate and pop out grandchildren, finally getting her act together. She couldn’t mess with that kind of result. It felt good to be on top of things—well, to be seen as on top of things—for once.
“Thanks. I knew I could count on you. Don’t say anything to Cliff, either. He’s kind of a flight risk.”
Fae changed tactics and grabbed the phone cord, pulling it towards her. Her eyes were big withI’m telling!Diana panicked that she’d grab the receiver and rat her out.
“I’m Fort Knox,” Mom confirmed.
“You’re the best, Mom. Bye.” She slammed the phone down just before Fae reached the end.
“You’re going to …” Fae sputtered.
Diana pressed her palms against her cheeks. “I know!” She gasped a breath, shocked that she’d gone through with calling Cliff her boyfriend. Wait—she didn’t actually say that word. She pulled her hands slowly down her face. “But what was I supposed to do?” Mom sounded happy and excited.
“Tell the truth!”
“I couldn’t.” She landed in her chair, suddenly exhausted. “You should have heard the excitement in her voice. She wasn’t this proud of me when I graduated college.” She huffed. “It’s just a couple days. Then, I’ll tell them we broke up and I’m brokenhearted. That should buy me another year without being nagged about finding myself a man. What do I need a man for, anyway? I can take care of myself.”
Fae sat on the arm of the chair and dropped her arm around Diana’s shoulders. “I know you can. They want you to find love, not a sugar daddy.”
“If I haven’t found it by now, I don’t know that I ever will.”
“You’re twenty-eight,” Fae said, sarcasm dripping like gravy over mashed potatoes. “You’re not dead.”
“In my family, single at twenty-eight is an unpardonable crime. Ask my cousin Celine. She gets razzed just as bad as I do.”
Fae stood up and tugged her pencil skirt back in place. “All I know is, nothing good ever came from telling a lie to your mama.” Fae gave her a pointed look before picking up her lunch sack and heading for the door.
Diana didn’t have a reply. She stewed over the conversation for another ten minutes before deciding that calling Mom back and explaining the mix-up would take away all the acceptance, all the pride, and the joy that had so easily flowed through the phone line.
Diana would just have to get through the holiday and then say she and Cliff had decided to go their separate ways. That wouldn’t be a lie. He’d go to his condo, and she’d go to hers. No one would be the wiser, Mom would be more peaceful, and she’d be able to spend a Christmas without watching her back.
There was one lingering problem. Cliff. A man like him wasn’t built for a family like hers. She let out a sigh. Instead him of watching her back, she’d be watching his. Hopefully, they’d be on speaking terms when this was all over. They didn’t spend a lot of time together, but she always felt warmer, lighter, and brighter after being with him, and she didn’t want to lose that.
She eyed the phone and then ripped her eyes away from it. She wouldn’t lose Cliff because she fed him a grand holiday feast.
Everything was going to be just fine.
Chapter 4
Cliff
Cliff stormed from his closet to the bed. “What am I supposed to wear to a family Christmas party in a cabin?” he asked his older brother on video chat. His phone was propped up on the desk so Asher had a clear view of the room.
“Flannel?” Asher offered.
Cliff grunted and yanked out a drawer, knocking the phone down. He righted it quickly. Time with Asher—even phone time—was precious.
