So why have you never asked her out? That one's easy. His “no dating employees” rule is why. Oh, that and the fact he was at least nine years older than her.

She cleared her throat, nodding her head to the door of the exam room. He smiled and leaned close to her and whispered, “As soon as the last patient is gone, we'll have a little talk about this affair we seem to be having."

Her gasp caused his laughter to return. He winked at her before walking to the exam room. The look on her face before he shut the door was one he'd never forget. Embarrassment still burned on her cheeks but something in her eyes told him their working relationship was about to change.

Chapter 2

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Macy thought. There was no way this was going to work. Why did she even consider it? Why did she say yes? They were all going to know. She wasn't an actress. She flunked drama for a reason, damnit!

"Stop biting your nails. Everything is going to be fine."

Macy turned her head, glaring at Sean. He smiled at her before turning his attention back to the road. This was his fault. Her family was going to find out she was a lonely, miserable little liar, and it was going to be his entire fault. This whole farce was his idea. Show up for Christmas with said boyfriend-namely him-at her side and show her family the loving relationship they had. Her perfectly concocted lie would never be found out and every thing would turn out fine.

When she finally broke down and spilled her sad little story to him about how worried her family was that she was living alone so far from home, and that she had no close personal friends, or how easy the lie about having a boyfriend came up, he just sat there smiling at her with laughter dancing in his eyes. His only question had been, “Why him?” Now he knew exactly how sad her personal life was. He was the only guy she knew at the time. Of course, she didn't tell him how much she'd actually told her family about him. They knew as much about Sean as she did. She talked to her mother every week and without fail, her mother asked about him. What was she suppose to say? “He's fine,” and change the subject. He was supposed to be her boyfriend after all. Of course she'd talk about him.

"Take the next exit,” she said.

Sean merged off Interstate 40 and Macy held her stomach as the butterflies she'd been dealing with all day swam in erratic patterns. When they left Charleston that morning at dawn, she'd been so sick to her stomach she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep her breakfast down. Of course, every mile they traveled threatened to do the same. The closer to Ashville they got, the queasier her stomach grew. She wasn't sure exactly what made her more nervous. The thoughts of lying to her family to their faces, trying to convince her family that she and Sean were actually a couple, or if it was the fact that Sean, the man she'd been half in love with since first laying eyes on him, was going to pretend to be in love with her. How exactly would they accomplish that? Would they cuddle by the fireplace? Hold hands? Kiss?

Oh God! There was no way she could kiss him. Okay, so yeah, she could. Had dreamed about it for years actually, but fantasizing about someone and actually acting on it are two very different things. He wasn't interested in her. At least, he'd never let on that he was. Not that the prospect of him being interested was in anyway a burden. Far from it. Which was exactly the problem. How would she survive if he acted all lovey-dovey toward her for an entire week and then just… stopped.

The narrow roads wound their way up the mountain and Macy pointed the way until they turned off the main road and began their final climb. When her parent's house came into view, she inhaled deeply to keep her stomachs contents in place.

They pulled into the drive and Sean put the car in park. He turned to her and said, “You grew up in a log cabin?"

She grinned. “We lived on the side of a mountain. What else would our house look like?"

Macy opened her car door; climbing out and breathing in the fresh, clean mountain air, she tried to calm her nerves. She turned, watching Sean when he got out of the car and shut his door before he looked at her over the roof of the car. He smiled and shook his head. “This place looks like it should be on a damn greeting card."

"Yeah. It does,” she said, looking at the house. It hadn't changed since she'd been gone. The two-story log house looked as warm and inviting as it always had, especially now. Wreathes hung on every window, red ribbons and bows graced the railing on the wrap-around porch and twinkling lights blinked from every available surface she could see. Her father always went all out at Christmas. It was his favorite time of year. Hers too. Something about Christmas always made her feel safe and loved. Maybe because it was the only time her entire family was together. Since they were all grown and living on their own, Christmas was the one time a year she got to be a kid again. Here, she was just Macy. The daughter of Rose and Gerald Carter and baby sister to her five older brothers. The only thing she ever had to worry about when she was here was if her clothes would still fit after her mother showered her with sweets and the best home cooking she'd ever tasted.

The front door opened and Macy smiled her first genuine smile in days. Her mother's beaming face met her gaze and Macy laughed before running to the porch. Her mother caught her in a tight hug, squeezing her to the point she couldn't breathe before letting go.

"Oh Macy, look at you! I swear you get prettier every time I see you."

"You say that every time you see me, Mom,” Macy said, laughing.

"Well, that's because it's true.” Rose cupped Macy's face in her hands, kissing her cheek before she looked to her left. Macy didn't have to look to know her mother had seen Sean. Her mother's eyes lit up instantly. “Macy Marie Carter. Why didn't you tell me this man was so gorgeous,” she said, lifting a hand and smoothing down her hair.

Macy raised an eyebrow at her mother's action before she turned her head, looking over her shoulder at Sean. He was smiling and stopped by her side.

"Probably the same reason she didn't tell me her mother was so beautiful,” Sean said.

Rose blushed. “Oh, he's a charmer, isn't he?"

"He's something, all right,” Macy muttered.

Macy watched them talk, smiling and laughing like she didn't even exist. She'd never seen her mother look so… flushed. Of course, her mother was right. Sean was gorgeous. The day she'd walked into the clinic for her job interview and saw him she almost swallowed her tongue. A six-foot tall hunk with wide shoulders and a thick mane of dark hair was not what she had been expecting. His eyes were a deep shade of brown with small gold flecks and the body he hid under his clothes, she was sure, belonged to a seasoned swimmer. The man was simply the best looking thing she'd seen in ages and it had taken her weeks to be able to look at him while actually speaking. Every time she tried, she got tongue tied and stammered like a fool. Her interview for the receptionist job was a total disaster due to her inability to look at him and form a coherent thought. She'd babbled like an idiot but, much to her surprise, he hired her anyway.

She looked to her mother when she heard her laugh and frowned at the look she was giving her. “What?"

Rose laughed louder, shaking her head and glancing back at Sean. “Is she always this starry eyed when she looks at you?"

Starry eyed?

"Always,” Sean said, reaching out and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her close to his side and gave her a light squeeze. “The fact she still looks at me like that after two years is the reason our relationship always feels brand new. When she stops, we'll be in trouble."

Her mother laughed again, laying a hand on her heart and shaking her head. “Well, come inside. It's entirely too cold out here. I'll have the boys come get your luggage in a few minutes."

Macy knew her face was blood red just from his arm over her shoulder. She felt like a schoolgirl with a crush and jabbed her elbow lightly into Sean's ribs when he started toward the house, to get him to let go. He didn't release his hold on her and a look up at his face told her he was enjoying this way too much. He knew she was uncomfortable and loved every minute of it.

They walked in the house and the smell of fresh gingerbread hit full force. Her stomach grumbled instantly. No matter how sick she was, her mothers gingerbread cookies always made things better. Today was no exception.

The sight of her father, her brothers and their wives sitting around the living room completely eliminated her earlier case of nerves. She was swept up in warm hugs and kisses and tears stung her eyes by the time the last family member let go of her.

When she finally stepped back, her smile dimmed when she realized everyone was looking at Sean and they didn't all look happy.

"So, this is the elusive boyfriend, then?” her father asked.

"Be nice, Gerald,” Rose said.

Macy glanced over at her shoulder at Sean and actually felt sorry for the guy. He was about to get nailed to the wall for something entirely not his fault. She swallowed before taking a step back to him and hesitantly took his hand. “Um, Dad, this is Sean Mathis. Sean, my father, Gerald."

"Mr. Carter,” Sean said, reaching out his free hand. “It's nice to finally meet you. Macy talks about you constantly. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get up here to meet you. I apologize for that. I have no excuse other than I can be too selfish for my own good. Luckily your daughter is a forgiving woman and overlooks my faults."