Page 17 of 12 Days of Mistletoe

“You two,” the photographer says, pointing to Elliot and me. “A little to the left.”

We shuffle our feet, moving together, my heart pounding. I have to get this idea out.

“I will go to all of your family eventsif,”I whisper through a toothy grin for the photographer, “you convince your gran to let me keep my dog in the building.”

“Wait,” Elliot says so loudly that his sisters turn to face us. He clears his throat and drops his gaze down to me—a false, forced smile on his face too. Through his own plastered grin, he says in a low voice, “So, youdohave a dog?”

Winning a ventriloquist award, I stare ahead at the cameraman and whisper, “We both know that I have a dog! But if you get your gran to let Noel stay, I’ll be your date for the next two weeks, until Christmas. And you can convince your family you have a life.”

“I have a life,” he whispers back.

The photographer drops his camera, studying us. “Let’s try a few with all the couples facing one another.”

Elliot and I turn toward each other, and while he’s smiling, he is pinning me with a glare.

“Do you want me for two weeks or not?”

“Twelve days,” he corrects.

“Even better,” I say. My cheeks are starting to ache.

“This sounds like a lot of wins for you,” Elliot whispers back.

“Seriously? Hanging out with a stranger and his family is a win? I don’t think so. Besides, I am saving your dateless face and your Christmas card pride. You owe me this.”

Elliot’s jaw clenches. “I knew you had a dog up there. I saw something and I heard it. And then I doubted myself. I should have trusted myself. I knew it.”

“Yes. You’re brilliant, Einstein.”

His brows lower with my comment. He leans a little closer until I am breathing in Christmas pine and musk. He mutters next to my ear, so only I can hear, “Do you feel good about deceiving an old lady all these years?”

“Not even one tiny bit.” Guilt and anxiety do not go well together. So, no, I haven’t been proud of myself. However, losing Noel isn’t an option. Losing my home—certainly not ideal. Keeping Noel and possibly getting May Elliot’s blessing would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. It would be worth being the most attentive girlfriend ever to Mr. E.J. Eaton. “Now, is it a deal?”

For the first time, Elliot’s perma-grin falters. He sighs. “Can I really let Gran down?” he says, more to himself than to me. He stares out at the camera and says as if he’s selling his soul, “Deal.”

NINE

bonnie

Our photo shootis finished and I am ready to get paid. I look at my “boyfriend” expectantly as his family packs up their multiple poster boards. Seriously, who keeps that many poster boards on hand?

“I don’t have that kind of cash on me,” he says, computing my look correctly. “You’ll have to come to my apartment.”

I raise my brows—his apartment. But it is a substantial amount of cash. And over the last six months of passive-aggressive notes, as well as the last hour of hanging with Elliot and his family, I have come to trust that my fake boyfriend isn’t a sleaze or a serial killer. I’m not saying I like him, but no one who loves their grandma that much could be a criminal. So, I nod, agreeing to go stand outside his apartment while he counts out my cash.

“Hey, Mom, Bonnie’s got something this afternoon.”

Which is true. I do. I have a Scrabble date with Bill at the old folks’ home. A date I am already late for.

“Oh dearest,” Marlene croons, wrapping her armsaround her son. For all her crazy ways, the woman loves her children. No doubt about it.

I watch as Elliot hugs each of his sisters goodbye and waves to his father and brothers-in-law. He leaves his gran for last and, like me, she watches him.

“I’ll see you soon. Okay?” he says to her.

“Very soon. I’m coming back to your place with you and Bonnie,” May says, getting up from her perch. She brushes her hands together, silently saying that no one will be arguing with her today.

“Oh.” Elliot looks at me. “Bonnie can’t stay long. She has…”

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