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Picturing Francine’s skepticism and flair for the dramatic, Caroline shook her head. “Fun? I don’t think so.”
“My family is great,” Simon coaxed, bending forward from the waist as if inviting intimacy. “You’ll love them.”
That’s exactly what she was afraid might happen.
Already excitement had taken hold of her. For the last six months she’d dusted the built-in bookshelves that housed photos of his family. A happy group of five to eight people jostled together wearing big smiles in front of a Christmas tree or by the pool. She’d never known a big, loving family like that. Those casual family portraits aroused an uncomfortable pang. Simon’s family looked like the sort of people who would welcome a stranger into their home for Christmas, and she’d spend the entire visit lying to them.
“I’m sure they’re wonderful, but—”
“Have you been to Savannah at Christmas?” His wide, enthusiastic grin invited her to forget her hesitations and join him for some fun. He hadn’t yet figured out she’d never learned how to do that.
“I haven’t been to Savannah at all.” But she’d seen pictures of the stately Victorian mansions and squares filled with live oaks and promised herself she’d visit one day. Maybe even move there once she passed the bar. Living in Atlanta these last eight years had taken its toll on a small-town girl like her.
“Then you’re missing something special. The city has a magical feel year-round, but even more so at Christmas. And my mother always goes overboard with holiday plans. You won’t want to miss it.”
Simon’s descriptions aroused the ache she felt every year at this time. Spending the holidays surrounded by family, even one she had no connection to, would be like a dream come true. Growing up, it had only been her and her mother. Christmas was a quick opening of presents while the Barris family was at church, followed by a day where her mother prepared an elaborate Christmas feast for her employer while Caroline played by herself in their tiny rooms.
Not much different from her solo Christmas celebrations these ten years since moving to Atlanta.
Caroline squashed her longing before it overwhelmed her.
When you let down your guard and started to open your heart and trust, what then? That was when you got your heart broken. When you found yourself on your own once more with no one to count on but you.
“It sounds perfect.” Her tight throat gave her voice a strangled quality. “But I can’t.”
“You can’t be worried about missing school.”
“No. I’ve got my last final tomorrow.”
“Then there’s no problem.” He settled everything with a nod, somehow forgetting the issue of their fake engagement, and headed toward his kitchen.
“That’s not exactly true—” To Caroline’s dismay she realized part of her wanted to be talked into spending Christmas in Savannah with Simon.
“If you’re worried about taking time off work, I’ll bet they can find someone to cover you for a couple weeks.”
“A couple weeks?” she echoed, dumbfounded.
“I usually go home for that long at Christmas. Business slows down. It’s a good time for me to take off.”
Take off from what? He was gone all the time. How much more fun could one guy have?
“I just don’t understand why you need me to come with you to Savannah at all.”
As if someone snuffed out a candle, all animation vanished from Simon’s expression. “Francine has been coming on to me for a couple of months, nothing serious, until tonight. She’s got it into her head that I’m still not over her.”
An irrational dip in Caroline’s spirits compelled her to ask, “Is she right?”
Simon pulled a face that left little doubt about his true feelings. “She’s insecure because she and Dane have been engaged for almost three years, and Dane’s dragging his feet about setting a wedding date.”
“Maybe she’s the one with cold feet.”
“Not likely.” So he said, yet he frowned. “Francine set her sights on marrying the Holcroft millions long ago.”
Millions?
Intuitively she’d known Simon had money. The condo and all its contents pointed to vast financial resources. But hearing him speak of his family fortune widened the gap between their situations and made an engagement between them even less realistic.
“Is that why you broke up with her? Because she wanted to marry you for your money?”
