Page 52 of How To Fake A Fiancé

“Probably Kiera. She and I have been going over Friendsgiving stuff for the past couple of days, making sure we don’t forget anything.” I check the caller ID. This is unexpected.

“Who is it?” Ian says.

“My mom.”

Could it be an emergency? Is there more family drama? Is she cancelling Thanksgiving plans? I silently pray to a higher power for the latter option before accepting the call. “Hey, Mom.”

“Mija, I have great news.” Mom sounds cheerier than usual. Almost giddy.

“What’s the great news?” I ask casually but hold my breath for her answer. My sister eloping was bad enough, so the last thing I need is for my mom to do something even crazier.

“I’m seeing someone. His name is John, and we’ve been together for a month now.”

I’m silent for a moment. Is she for real? “You’re dating again?”

“I know what you’re going to say, but he’s really something, Kami. He’s different from the others.”

Here we go again. That’s what she said about the last guy, and the countless others before him. When will she ever learn?

I do my best to hold in my frustration. “I thought you said you wanted to focus on yourself for a while. You know, like we talked about.”

The last guy she dated, like before, had ended in disaster. Usually when this happens, I give her the “there’s tons of fish in the sea” speech, but this time I told her she should spend some time alone. Focus on and get to know herself. I hoped that with some time off from dating she could understand her pattern and break the cycle. Clearly, I overestimated the odds of her actually sticking to it.

“I was, but then I met John, and we just…clicked.” I hold back a groan as she continues. “I can’t wait for you to meet him at Thanksgiving.”

Hold up. What?

“You invited him to Thanksgiving?” She just met the guy, and already she’s incorporating him into our family? I pause. Wait, why am I surprised after all these years? This isn’t the first guy she’s done this with. She falls for the guy hard and fast and then automatically pushes them into a fantasy husband role thinking that’s what they want, too.

“You’d really like him,” she suggests.

Whether I like him or not is irrelevant. I want to tell her how wrong she is, like countless times before, but I choose instead to bite my tongue. There’s no use in trying to get someone delusional to see reason. I learned that a long time ago.

“I’m sure I will.” I force a somewhat cheerful voice from my body.

Every fiber of my being tells me I need to call her out on her bullshit. I’ve just about had it with her. But I’ll be home sooner rather than later to do that.

Who are you to judge when you’re bringing Ian after knowing him for only a few weeks?

That’s different. Unlike my mother, I have to bring him. I have no choice, while she has every choice.

“Where did you meet? How?”

“I was grocery shopping. We were both in the frozen section when we locked eyes on each other. And like I said, everything clicked.”

She’s seriously going out with this guy simply because it was love at first sight? This has to be a new low.

I’m fuming, but again, I bite my tongue. “Congrats, Mom. I’m so happy for you.” My tone is cheerful, but my expression remains flat with displeasure.

The whole time I’m on the phone, Ian and I continue walking to his car. What must he be thinking? How much is he hearing?

“Thank you,mija. I’m excited for you and Ian to meet John. He’s become very special to me. So…can you go easy on him?”

I’ll go easy on him if he doesn’t do anything stupid to hurt her.

Ian and I climb into the car. I look over at him. He looks back at me, waiting patiently.

“We look forward to meeting John, too.”

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