my grandmother was past forty. And then he died before any of them, and they think they owe it to the family to see me married. I’m going to kiss you again. Pretend like you like it.”
“I’ll do my best,” she said, just before his hand moved to the back of her head and his lips closed over hers again. She definitely didn’t have to pretend that she liked it—not one bit. Chest to chest, their hearts were both beating so fast that they were out of breath when a loud clanging noise ended the kiss. It startled Diana so badly that she jumped up out of his lap in fight-or-flight mode.
“Dinner bell.” Luke stood up and took her hand in his. “Everyone gathers round the oldest child in the Colbert family, Aunt Mary Lou, to say grace, and then the feasting begins.”
He led her back through the door into the kitchen area, where everyone already had their heads bowed. Mary Lou had pushed her walker to the middle of the circle and waited until Luke and Diana had taken a place beside Tootsie.
“Let us pray,” Mary Lou said as she bowed her head. “Father in heaven, thank you for bringing us together one more time for this reunion. Bless our time together, and go with us as we all travel home for another year. Thank you for the hands that prepared this food and for giving our Luke a girlfriend. Amen.”
Now she felt horrible for tricking these good folks. It’s a wonder God didn’t send a lightning bolt right down from heaven to strike her graveyard-dead for what she was doing. But she couldn’t say a word, not when it would make Luke look like a fool. She cared too much for him to do that.
When the short prayer ended and everyone raised their heads, all eyes were on her and Luke. He just grinned, raised his and Diana’s clasped hands, and said, “Amen!”
Everyone joined in with a hearty “Amen!” and then Mary Lou shuffled to start the buffet line.
“Does it work from the oldest to the youngest for dinner, too?” Diana asked.
“Linda June will help Aunt Mary Lou get her food first, but after that, it’s every man for himself. You want to go back to the sanctuary and make out some more, or do you want to eat?”
Diana almost said that she’d rather make out just to wipe that devilish grin off Luke’s face. But instead she said, “Oh, darlin’, we used up so much energy with those hot kisses that we probably should eat hearty for the next session.”
“Smart girl,” Uncle Clarence said right behind them.
Diana fought the heat creeping up from her neck to her cheeks. She’d blushed more that morning than she had in her entire lifetime. These poor people were going to be so disappointed next year when Luke showed up again without a girlfriend. Or maybe he would have found a real someone by then.
How does that make you feel? Her mother’s voice popped into her head again.
Just a little jealous after those kisses, Diana admitted.
Did you think about the age difference when you were sitting on his lap?
Diana shook her head.
Has anyone in this room asked you if you were older than Luke?
No, but I know, Diana argued.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked. “You’re a little pale.”
“Just hungry.” Diana wasn’t going to admit that she had voices in her head, not with so many of his relatives hanging on every word and watching every move she and Luke made.
“We can fix that, sweetheart,” Uncle Clarence said. “Y’all just come with me.” He took Diana by the arm and led her right to the front of the line. “This pretty lady and Luke need to be next,” he said loudly. “She’s our guest of honor, after all.”
Diana was so embarrassed that she wanted to crawl under a table. When she had agreed to be Luke’s girlfriend for the reunion, she wasn’t thinking it would be such a big deal, and she felt horrible for duping all his relatives. But she was far too invested in the charade now to back out. It would break their hearts and make Luke look like an idiot.
“Thank you, sir,” she said.
“That’s Uncle Clarence to you, darlin’,” he drawled.
She smiled and nodded. “Then thank you, Uncle Clarence.”
She focused on all the food to keep from thinking about the pretense and loaded up her plate with little bits of everything until she scurried out of room. Then she carried