Macy watched her father expectantly, chewing on her bottom lip. He stared at Sean for long minutes before extending his hand and grabbing the one Sean still held out. When he shook it and smiled, Macy let out the breath she'd been holding.

Introductions were made and Macy almost sagged in relief when no one railed on Sean for staying away for so long. She looked to her mother when she motioned to the other room with a nod of her head.

She turned to Sean, grabbing his arm to get his attention. “My mom wants to talk to me. Will you be okay by yourself?” she asked.

"Yeah. I've got to get on their good side eventually. It might as well be now."

Macy gave him a hesitant smile and glanced around the room. She took a calming breath before nodding her head at Sean and leaving to find her mother.

She found her in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, smiling like the Cheshire cat. She noticed instantly her mother had brushed her hair and pulled it up, pinning the pale locks to the back of her head. She smiled at the sight.

"You are in so much trouble, missy."

"What for?” Macy said.

"What for, she says. You know exactly what for,” her mother said. “How dare you bring that man in here without warning me. I was a complete mess."

Macy laughed and looked her mother over from head to toe. She'd changed her blouse too, she noticed. “Well, you're not a mess now."

"Of course I'm not, now,” Rose said. “Do you think your father will notice I changed?"

"Does he normally?"

"No. I bought a black wig at Halloween and wore it for over six hours and he never said a word. The man doesn't notice anything unless I burn his supper."

Macy laughed and walked across the room, embracing her mother and kissing her cheek. “I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Macy. I never could figure out why you preferred living so far south when you could be close to us.” She chuckled and said, “After seeing that man of yours, I know. I'd be anywhere he was too."

Macy blushed and stepped away. She wasn't sure why she felt so embarrassed. It wasn't like Sean was really hers. Maybe it was because she was purposely deceiving them. It wasn't so bad when she did it over the phone. She didn't have to look them in the eye while she lied to them. Now, she did.

The shuffle of feet and giggles caught her attention and Macy turned, looking at the kitchen door. She rolled her eyes when her sister-in-laws, Pam and Gwen grinned at her and shook their heads.

"Bruce has already informed me that Sean is taken and he better not catch me so much as looking at the man in any way that I wouldn't look at my own children. That man is too jealous for his own good,” Pam said, laughing.

"With good reason,” Gwen said. “Macy, it's no wonder you've kept him all to yourself. I would have too. Sean is yummy in ways I can't even describe."

Macy grinned. “I'll be sure to tell Greg you think so."

"Don't you dare,” Gwen screeched. “He'll have me locked in the bedroom for the remainder of our visit."

"As he should,” Rose said. “You can't dump my son for Macy's boyfriend no matter how attractive he is. Besides, it's my daughter Sean is in love with."

Macy blushed and looked out the window, listening to them discuss Sean. This would be more difficult than she thought. She couldn't deny anything they said. He was yummy. She'd known that from the moment she laid eyes on him. Pretending to be in love with Sean and make it convincing wouldn't be a problem. She practically was now. No, the problems would come later, after Sean spent the week pretending to be in love with her. Would she be able to convince her heart he was only acting when all was said and done? Could she spend a week with him, being all couple-like and then… nothing? Go back to the clinic, work day after day with him and pretend none of this ever happened?

She sighed while watching her nieces and nephews out the kitchen window and tried to think of the best way to handle the situation she'd gotten herself in to. Maybe if she just concentrated on her family and interacted with Sean only when she had to, things wouldn't be so bad. Not all couples were openly affectionate. Why did they have to be?

As she convinced herself that staying away from Sean as much as she could eased her mind, one thought struck her like lightening and caused fear to crawl up her spine. She turned to her mother quickly, her pulse racing. “Um mom? Where will we be sleeping?"

"Oh, I cleaned your old room for you. You'd be amazed at how much dust collects in a room when no one uses it."

"My old room?” Macy said, a wave of apprehension sweeping through her. “For… Sean and I?"

"Of course,” Rose said. “Macy, what in the world is wrong with you. You're white as a sheet.” Her mother crossed the room, raising her hand and laying it to her forehead. “Are you all right?"

Macy nodded dumbly. Her room. She was going to have to share a room with Sean? For a week? She swallowed audibly. “I think I need to lie down for a while. It's been a crazy weak. I'm exhausted, actually."

"Of course,” Rose said. “I'll get the boys to bring your things up."

Macy made her way up the stairs, rushing into her room and shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it, closing her eyes and tried to calm her breathing. “This is so not happening,” she said to herself before opening her eyes. The bed was the first thing she saw and she groaned.

A knock on the door was quickly followed by someone pushing on it and she stepped away and turned, only to moan pitifully when Sean walked in, smiling.

"So, I hear we're bunking together,” he grinned.

"Apparently,” Macy mumbled.

"Are you holding your breath or are you really that embarrassed? Your face is blood red."

Macy bit her lip and tried to get the heat in her cheeks to calm. He loved this. She could tell by that wide smirk on his face.

He crossed the room, looking at the things scattered on the dresser before he turned to the bed. He looked at it, turned his head to her and grinned. “Dibs on the left side."

"You're not sleeping with me."

"Oh, come on, sweetheart. I promise not to steal the covers."

"It's not going to happen."

He grinned at her, raising a leg and crawling onto the bed. He lounged across it, resting his head on his upturned hand. “Want to break it in now or wait until the sun goes down?"

"Stop teasing me, Sean,” Macy hissed. “It's not very becoming."

"But it's so much fun watching your face turn colors."

"You're an ass.” She turned, jerking the bedroom door open while Sean's laughter followed her into the hall. She gasped when she ran into her mother and the blankets she'd been holding fell to the floor.

"Macy? What in the world are you doing?” Rose asked, bending down to grab the fallen blankets.

"Um, just coming to see if there were extra blankets,” she lied, grabbing the blankets before her mother could.

Sean snorted behind her and she turned her head, looking over her shoulder at him. He wiggled his eyebrows and patted the bed in front of him, inviting her to join him.

"Thank you for the blankets, Rose,” Sean said, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. “Macy steals covers like a fiend."

Rose laughed. “She always did. It could be ninety degrees outside and she'd be balled up with the blankets over her head."

Macy walked back into the room and avoided looking at Sean. She didn't have to look to know he was watching her. She could feel his gaze like a caress. She sighed, dumped the blankets on the chair by the window, and looked out. Her brothers were getting their luggage from the car. She smiled as she watched them, each of them trying to find the lightest bag to carry.

"Did you hear me, Macy?"

"What?” Macy said, turning around.

"I said dinner will be in an hour. I know you two are tired from your long drive so we'll give you a pass on the after dinner stories."

Her mother actually winked at her before looking to Sean and leaving the room. She can't possibly think… well, of course she could. She thinks you've been living with this man for the past two years. That you've been sharing a bed with him.

She turned her head and looked at Sean. He was leaning against the headboard, arms folded over his chest, and a huge grin turning the corners of his mouth. “Don't even say it."

"I wasn't going to,” he said.

"You were thinking it, though. I could see it in your eyes."

"Not my fault if your mother thinks you're getting lucky tonight."

"Hard to get lucky when my boyfriend is sleeping on the floor."

Sean glanced at the floor, then across the expanse of the bed. “If you don't want to share the bed, then you make the sacrifice. I'm too old to sleep in the floor."

"It's my bed!” she said. “And you're not old. That's a lame excuse."

He laughed. “Old enough to know sleeping on the floor will require recuperation time tomorrow once I get up, besides, what would your mother think if she walked in and found me in the floor?"

"That you were being a jerk and I kicked you out?"

He laughed. “You'd honestly kick me out of your bed?"

Macy growled and stomped from the room. Why was he being like this? Sure, he picked on her occasionally. He even managed to piss her off more than she wished him too but why was he being so… so… grrrr!

She made her way downstairs, entering the kitchen amongst a round of giggles. When her mother and her brother's wives saw her, their laughter rang in her ears. This can't be my life.

Chapter 3

Macy sat on the sofa, listening to her brother Bruce tell a very animated story about how his favorite football team was made a laughing stock of the NFL. She pretended to care, nodding when everyone else did, and even grimaced when Bruce looked ready to burst into tears over the whole ordeal. She found the sport rather boring, to be honest, but since dinner had been served and cleaned away, she was looking for any excuse she could find not to go to bed. To a bed she had to share with Sean. Truth be known, she was dead tired and just stalling.