Bryce

"Where's this fiancée of yours, Bryce? I can't wait to meet her." My mother sips her wine, smiling. "It's all I've been thinking of since your father told me about this secret fiancée of yours. I can't believe you kept this from us all this time."

I'd wanted us to drive together to the country club but Giana insisted on meeting me here. I haven't seen her since I returned to the hospital to give her a copy of the agreement three days ago along with a credit card she could use toward everything she'd need to look the part of my fiancée.

Mom was so happy when she heard the news that I almost felt bad about the deception. But when she called all her friends and told them Giana would be attending the charity golf tournament, I have to admit I panicked.

"She's on her way, Mom. Probably doing some last-minute stuff like women like to do."

Giana isn't actually like that. She wasn't crazy about the gauntlet of changes Harper Peters, the stylist I'd recommended, had wanted her to go through but Giana assured me she wasn't about to disappoint me. As if I need another reason to like her, she's actually more of a tomboy.

So why am I nervous?

Dad kisses her on the cheek. "Don't scare her away, love. No mention of grandchildren, promise?"

"He is almost thirty, honey. It's time he gives us grandchildren," Mom says. "But I promise I won't mention it."

All around us everyone is excited about the tournament, many of them waiting their turn on the green while others are busy perusing the items up for bidding. One of them is a date with Auburn Spring's Top Bachelors that would have included me had my mother not informed the board that her son was engaged and therefore, "off the market."

My eyes widen when Giana appears at the doors of the main hall of the country club. With her glasses gone and replaced by contacts, her makeup accenting her dusky complexion especially her big brown eyes and her long brown hair falling over her shoulders, she's a sight to behold and I'm not alone in staring at her. The red sleeveless dress she's wearing accentuates all her curves, the V-neck tastefully showing off a bit of her cleavage.

I meet her halfway, my heart racing. Giana had gone from cute to absolutely hot and I can feel other people's eyes on her as she walked toward me.

I kiss her on both cheeks, chuckling when she turns a bright shade of red. "You look fan-fucking-tastic," I whisper, catching the scent of jasmine and rose on her skin.

"Ah, so this is the woman of the hour," my father says behind me. "Quite a beauty you got there, son."

"Mom, Dad, this is Giana Avila," I say. "Dad, I'm sure you're aware of Miss Avila."

"Mr. and Mrs. Holden." Giana holds out her hand. "Very nice to meet you both."

"I had no idea you were already seeing my son," Dad says as he shakes her hand. "Unless you two just decided to get married the last three days."

Giana and I exchange glances. "I've been seeing her for a while now, Dad."

"It was actually a surprise when you assigned me to him, sir," Giana says, smiling. "For a while there, I honestly thought you found out."

Mom playfully smacks Dad's shoulder. "Bryce Holden, Senior, that is an awful thing to say." She turns to face us. "Grandkids. I want grandkids as soon as possible."

I groan. Between my father's skepticism about my relationship and my mother's excitement about the prospect of grandchildren, I just hope Giana doesn't run for the hills.

"She was afraid I'd get in trouble with the... um, anti-fraternization advisory, Dad," I say. "So she kept her head low and didn't interact with me much at work."

Dad grins. "That rule is mostly to keep managers in line. If they get handsy and cause problems, I can use it on them. But if it's a legitimate relationship between you two? Who am I to cause a ruckus about it?"

Legitimate relationship. If Dad's trying to make me uncomfortable, it's working but I'm not about to give up on the charade so easily. "I did want to make an announcement about us but Giana didn't want me to and I honored her wishes. But now that we're engaged, we really can't hide it anymore."

"I did suggest eloping to Vegas but Bryce wouldn't have it," Giana says as my mother looks on with horror.

"Eloping? Not with our only son, dear," Mom says. "On the contrary, this calls for the wedding of the century, one that Auburn Springs will never forget."

"Mom..." I warn as Giana digs her fingernails into my palm as she continues smiling.

"Why don't we have a seat at the table and talk some more," Dad says as we make our way to the table and take our seats. As servers fill our glass, more introductions are made as friends stop by to say hello.

"Is everything going all right?" My father asks, looking at Giana. "I heard you've called sick for a few days."

"My grandmother needed emergency hip surgery and I'm keeping her company," Giana replies. I'll be back to work on Monday."

"That's good to hear. Everything's fine then, with your grandmother?"

Giana nods. "She's dealing with Alzheimer's but she's a fighter."

"That's a shame but I'm glad to hear she's in good spirits," Dad says. "Don't hesitate to call out if needed. Family is very important to me and I'd hate to think Holden Designs would keep someone away from her family."

"Thank you, but I'm not expecting special treatment just because I'm dating your son."

"Where's your ring, dear?" Mom asks, her gaze on Giana's fingers. "Please don't tell me our son didn't even bother to give you one."

"Maybe she left it at home," Dad says as I cover Giana's hand with mine.

"I haven't taken her shopping for one yet," I say quickly,. "It's a modern thing to do, giving the woman more say about what she'll wear on her finger for the rest of her life."

She grins. "I have a particular taste when it comes to jewelry."

"You don't mind a traditional design, I hope?" Dad reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small velvet box which he slides across the table toward Giana. "This is the ring my father gave my mother when he proposed. And now I'm giving it to you, a gift, shall we say, from Bryce's grandparents who unfortunately would never see the day their grandson will get married."

Giana opens the small box slowly. She bites her lower lip, the guilt etched on her face. "It's beautiful," she says as she slides the box toward me. "Isn't it, Bryce?"

I swallow, my mouth dry. Damn my parents' good intentions. "It is."

"It's not a massive diamond but without it, I nor my son would be here," Dad continues. "Someday, we want you to hand it down to your own children."

I take the ring from its box. "We will."

"Put it on her finger, Bryce," Mom says excitedly. "She did say yes, right?"

"Of course she did but I'd rather do this in private." I close the box, relieved Giana doesn't seem to look as panicked as I'm feeling. "Don't you agree, love?"

"Most definitely." Giana downs her glass of wine in one gulp. "Didn't you tell me there's an auction at this event, Bryce? I'd love to see what's up for bidding."

I nod, grateful for the change of subject. "As a matter of fact, the bidding for the Bachelors of Auburn Springs is about to start in the next room."

"Oh, that's right," Mom says. "Isn't Kieran one of the bachelors this year?"

Kieran McCrory is one of my good friends, a firefighter who snagged the number two spot in Auburn Springs' Hottest Bachelors list this year.

"Yup, and I'd love to see how much he goes for so I can tease him about it all year." It's payback for teasing me when I ended up onstage last year.

"Before you two leave, how is the proposal for Camden's building going?" Dad asks.

"Much further along, Sir," Giana replies. "I've been working on it at the hospital and I'll have it all completed in the next week or so."

I squeeze her hand, beaming. "She really is brilliant, Dad."

"That's why I put her on the project," Dad says. "She has the fire I haven't seen in a long time and since you snagged her first, maybe you have a better eye for talent than I thought, son."

"I'm not marrying her for that, Dad, but her work is phenomenal." I'd actually taken the time to go over Giana's designs from the time she started working for the firm and I can see why her talent caught Dad's eye.

"You should come up to the mountains with us, Giana," Mom says. "Our family reunion is two weeks and if you're going to be family, you belong there with us."

Giana glances at me. "A family reunion? Bryce hasn't mentioned it."

I definitely forgot or I'd have mentioned it to Giana. Either that I'd been hoping my parents wouldn't mention it and I'd casually forget to show up. "It all depends on how her grandmother will be doing, Mom. I didn't want to put any more pressure on Giana than I already have with this engagement and the project."

"But if your grandmother is doing well, will you come, dear?" Mom asks.

"Of course, Mrs. Holden," Giana replies. "I'd love to."

"I just have to warn you about my Uncle Thomas," I say.

Giana rolls her eyes. "One weird uncle isn't going to scare me off, Bryce."

"You haven't met him yet, Giana," he says. "No one is ever prepared for him."

"He's right." Dad exhales. "I grew up with the man... and his sister. I can never be prepared for both of them."

"All right, no more talk about weird Uncle Thomas." Mom reaches for Giana's hand. "Don't let them scare you, dear. Holden boys are a wild bunch but the women who marry them are tougher. And I can just tell that you're as tough as they come."

As a staff member announces that the bidding for Bachelors of Auburn Springs is about to begin, Giana and I excuse ourselves from the table. It's perfect timing, too, since Mom and Dad's turn on the green comes up and they make their way outside to play with two of their friends.

"That was close," Giana whispers as I slip the box into my jacket pocket. "Do you think they suspect anything?"

"I'm not sure." While I can tell Mom bought the whole relationship, with Dad I'm not so sure. It's normal for him to be suspicious given that my timing about being engaged just happens right after he threatened to cut me off. "But let's not worry about what they think and have fun instead."

It feels good having Giana beside me as we navigate the crowd at the auction for Bachelors of Auburn Springs. If Mom hadn't announced that I was engaged, I'd have been up on the stage myself, having to pose like Kieran is right now although he's clearly loving the attention, the bids for going out on a date with him increasing with every passing minute.

"In case I haven't told you, you look absolutely beautiful," I whisper in Giana's ear during a lull in the bidding.

As she blushes, my heart feels light and free. It's something I've never felt before and it's unnerving. It's weird.

"Everything okay?" Giana asks as she looks up at me, a concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah, everything's good." I take her hand and guide her through the crowd toward the front of the stage, where Parker and his girlfriend Ava Turner are watching the auction.

With my heart pounding like it is right now, the feel of her hand so warm in mine, I need to do something familiar, something I have full control over because I sure as hell don't have any control over this charade. 

Not anymore.