Page 3 of Just Home for the Holidays

So that was it. She was going to be displayed as an eligible single. Chloe stifled a groan.

“No, Mom. There were no hunks on the plane who were available Friday night.”

Her mom missed the sarcasm. “That’s a shame, but maybe not.”

Uh oh.

“I’ve asked Josh to attend,” her mom continued brightly, speaking quickly as if she knew she’d stepped onto thin ice.

“No, Mom. Just no.”

Her mom continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “He did such a wonderful job with the silent auction last year that I begged him to do it again. Itisfor a good cause, dear.”

Chloe’s heart stopped cold. “Mom!”

“Well, just because you broke your engagement with him—which was, I must say, a perfect match—you can’t pretend he doesn’t exist for the rest of your life.”

“Do. Not. Fix. Me. Up.”

“Never! You’re a grown woman and capable of making your own decisions, but—” Her mom took a breath. “But it wouldn’t break my heart if you happened to find common ground with Josh Harley again.”

“We won’t,” Chloe said.

“Well, you don’t know that. He certainly wasinterestedto hear that you’d be home for the holidays. And he’s such a nice young man. So very successful, and handsome, too. I don’t understand you at all...”

Chloe knew she wouldn’t be able to explain her choice to her mom’s satisfaction. Josh was like a dog with a bone: once he decided what he wanted, he wasn’t able to comprehend that anyone else could want something different. He’d wanted to marry her. She’d actually never agreed—he’d just assumed that she wouldn’t even think of declining. And soon the steamroller of Josh had been rolling, with everyone congratulating her on the match she didn’t want to make. He’d been unable to comprehend her refusal, since it was at odds with what he wanted. Chloe had needed to move across the country to convince him.

Although it looked as though he hadn’t been persuaded after all. “No, Mom. Just no.”

“You have so much in common!”

“No, we don’t.” In a way, her mom was just as determined to make the world the way she wanted it to be as Josh was.

Maybe that was why she liked him.

“Chloe, you need to be sensible. You aren’t getting any younger.” No one ever accused Chloe of not being sensible and she didn’t know what to say to that. Her mom took a breath and carried on quickly. “And Maggie’s daughter is bringing her new fiancé and I’m sure there will be a big diamond flashed around.”

Maggie Forsythe was her mom’s social competition. The two had been playing one-upmanship for as long as Chloe could remember.

“They’ll probably be divorced in a couple of years,” Chloe said, just to cheer up her mom. “Rachel can’t be easy to live with.”

“You’re probably right, dear, but Maggie is going to beinsufferableon Friday.” She sighed again. “You could flirt with Josh, couldn’t you? Maggie tried to fix him up with Rachel, after all.”

The last thing Josh needed was encouragement of any kind. “I might bring a date,” Chloe said, speaking impulsively for once in her life.

It was just a survival instinct and like most spur-of-the-moment declarations, Chloe regretted it instantly..

“Who?” Her mom’s voice had sharpened.

“It’s a secret.”

“Are you meeting him now?”

“Umm....”

“Who is he?”

“I’m working now, Mom.”

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