The professional in Lina warred with the side that didn’t want to get caught up in more lies. But if it had been that long, Brenda really did need to be seen. All she needed was a little nudge of encouragement. Otherwise, it would slip her mind and she’d put off a checkup for another few years until tooth pain forced her to go.
“Just tell them you’re scared. They’ll understand. And don’t call yourself a silly woman. It’s a common fear.”
“I’m not so scared I’d need to be knocked out or anything. At least not for a cleaning. I just don’t like it. And I hate being scolded.”
Lina hid a smile. Kirby sometimes scolded patients for neglecting their teeth. But there were several other dentists in the office who didn’t.
“You wouldn’t scold me, would you, Lina?” Brenda looked so hopeful.
“Of course not.” Lina glanced behind her, hearing the scuffing of feet.
“Scold you for what?” Dillon asked, looking between the two.
Brenda blinked. “Scold me for asking too many questions.” She moved to brush some imaginary dust off of Dillon’s shoulder. When he turned to look at something bubbling on the stove, Brenda looked back at Lina and winked.
So, this dentist thing was supposed to be their little secret. Not happening. Lina would fill Dillon in later. Maybe he could talk his mom into finding a different dentist office to try.
Dillon turned the heat off the turkey soup warming on the stove. “I can only imagine what kinds of questions you’ve been asking Lina.”
He was teasing, but clearly also fishing for information. Lina wrapped her arm around his waist. “You have nothing to fear. I’m a bank safe when it comes to us.”
Brenda sighed. “It’s true. I asked her if you two had said, ‘I love you,’ to each other yet, and she let me know that was none of my business.”
“Mom!”
Lina’s jaw dropped. “She did not. She did not ask that.”
Brenda giggled. “Okay, I didn’t ask that. But can I?”
Dillon backed away, reaching for Lina’s hand as he retreated. “We’ll be in the living room if you need us.”
He led Lina to the couch and sank into it, still holding her hand. It felt nice, but more than that, it felt like he drew strength from the connection of their fingers like she did. She had to remind herself that being a team against his mother’s teasing was not the same as beingtogether. His mom was a professional at embarrassing him, there was no doubt of that. Lina chuckled to herself, knowing if she ever got to be a mom, she’d likely do the same thing.
Dillon pressed their joined hands against his chest. “I’ll text Kip right now and tell him to come home so you can leave. I’ve hijacked your entire holiday.”
Lina stared him down. “A little teasing is not going to scare me off. I like your mom. She’s a nice lady.” If it sounded like a lecture, that was because it sort of was. Dillon was lucky to have his mother.
He dipped his head. “Your incessant cheer is making me look bad.” His smile, a mixture of apology and mischief, was hard to resist.
“You’re getting better at this pretend boyfriend thing,” she said, leaning closer. Would it be wrong to kiss him right now? She could play it off as part of teaching him to be a more convincing boyfriend. His gaze said he’d play along.
Dillon’s free hand came up and brushed her hair back from her face, his thumb grazing her jaw.
The front door squeaked open and they jumped away from each other. Alec came tromping in, glancing at them with an annoyed eye roll.
“Don’t stop on account of me. I smell food.” He headed straight into the kitchen.
“Wash your hands first,” Brenda hollered seconds later, probably shooing Alec away from whatever he’d tried to grab off the counter.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Dillon said, quickly standing. He was looking everywhere but down at Lina. “If we don’t eat it all, she’ll be revamping the leftovers until Christmas.”
It would have been a better joke if it wasn’t an obvious attempt to pretend nothing had been about to happen between them. More than ever, Lina felt confused. She was usually so good at reading people, but she’d also never been a pretend girlfriend before. Until she could separate what was real and what was not, it was better to keep things light and friendly between them.
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Chapter 8
Dillon had almost kissed Lina when no one else was in the room. Or had she almost kissed him? The thought had him elated, but also not sure what his next move was. If things were not fake, they needed to agree on that. Verbally. And what did that mean for the lie they’d told his family?
