Before he came to the ball, his parents had been needling him about finding a wife and settling down, too, and he had just about had enough. Liam dreaded his parents coming tonight, but they had told him in no uncertain terms that if they didn’t go, then they wouldn’t donate a check. And the Christmas Cove Homecoming Ball was a fundraiser for his favorite charity: The Christmas Cove Children’s Home—a cause near and dear to his heart.

Under his direction, The North Pole Lodge collected toys year-round for the Children’s Home. Then they were delivered on Christmas Even by none other than Santa Claus himself.

“You know,” he said, gliding Roxanne around the dancefloor. “We should team up.”

“Team up?” Roxanne narrowed her eyes, looking at him as if he had just lost his mind. “What are you talking about?”

“You know, pretend that we’re a couple just for the holidays.” He glided her around the floor. “Then we can ‘breakup’ on New Year’s Eve at the Fireman’s Ball.” He shrugged. “No one would be the wiser.”

Roxanne froze in the middle of the dancefloor. “So, is that why you asked me to dance?”

Liam looked at her as if she had lost her mind. That was why he had never liked her before. Roxanne had treated everyone as if they had ulterior motives or were working some kind of angle. She never could just relax and enjoy herself.

“No! I asked you to dance because you were being pretty cool tonight.” Liam shook his head. “I thought you had outgrown some of that privileged attitude.”

“Attitude?” Roxanne scoffed. “I’ll show you ‘attitude’ right now.” She walked off the dancefloor and headed back over to the bar.

He rolled his eyes as he went after her. “Roxanne, I’m sorry.”

“Go away,” she said, not turning around.

The bartender set another glass of champagne in front of her.

“Roxanne, I didn’t mean it the way it sounded—”

“Liam, my boy!”

Liam cringed internally. All he needed right now was his parents making a scene, embarrassing him further. “Hello, Father.” When he turned around, the usual scowl on his father’s face was gone.

“Where have you been hiding this magnificent creature?” Mr. Charles White asked his son. “You didn’t tell us you were seeing anyone!”

“Well, I’m not... we’re not....”

Roxanne turned around and realized that his parents were talking about her. “Oh, we’re not—”

Liam crushed his lips to hers, holding her there before she said anything. A thrill ran through his chest as his heart pounded—a reaction he hadn’t expected.

“Well!” His mother grinned, something he hadn’t seen in years. “Come talk to us when you’re free.” Sylvia White touched her son’s arm. “We’d like to meet her.”

When they walked away, Liam pulled back.

“What in the world was that?” Even though he wouldn’t admit it, that had been the best kiss he had in a while… maybe ever.

Liam quickly led her out onto the balcony. When they got outside, luckily, they were alone. “I’m so sorry, Roxanne. But when I saw my parents, I panicked.”

“You temporarily lost your mind, you mean.” She stormed toward the door, but he stopped her.

“Roxanne,” he said, feeling like an idiot. “I’m sorry! I panicked!”

Roxanne scoffed. “Here you’re the successful manager of The North Pole Lodge, one of the most prestigious ski resorts in Christmas Cove, and you panicked when you saw your parents?”

Liam scoffed. “You’re right. But answer me this. Do you really want to go through another set of holidays with the pitying looks from your parents? Or the constant insinuations that you get married? Or asking why you’re not married yet, as if it was an affliction?”

Roxanne sighed, defeated. “No, I don’t.”

“Come here.” Liam took her by the hand and led her to the edge of the balcony. “Then let’s team-up.”

She scoffed. “And how do you suppose we do that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know! It’s not like I have a plan or something.”

“Don’t you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Come on, Roxanne.” Liam huffed, letting out a deep breath. “I know you don’t know me well, but do you really believe that?”

“Well, on the dancefloor, you talked about ‘teaming up.' Isn’t this what you meant?”

He shrugged. “I guess, but I hadn’t thought of it until just then. It’s not like I woke up this morning and planned it out.”

“Yeah, you’d have to be an idiot to do that.”

“Hey!” he said. “On second thought, I’ll go in there and tell my parents the truth right now.” He walked purposefully toward the door.

“Liam, no,” Roxanne said, chasing after him. “I didn’t mean it like that—”

When she walked through the doors, her parents were standing there, blocking Liam’s way.

A crease formed between her mother’s eyes. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Liam’s eyes opened wide. “Excuse me, please.”

“This is my... my....” Roxanne slipped her arm around Liam.

“So, you must be her parents,” Liam said flatly.

Roxanne nodded. “Liam, these are my parents, Faye and Robert Kincaid. Mother, Father, this is Liam White, my—”

“Fiancé.” Liam took her mother’s hand and lifted it to his lips.

“Oh my! A fiancé?” Faye gushed, her eyes wide as she looked into her daughter’s eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“We wanted to surprise you,” Roxanne said, forcing a smile.

“Well, let me see it,” her mother gushed, holding her hands.

“See what, Mother?”

“Why, the engagement ring, of course,” she said, studying her daughter as if she had lost her mind.

“It’s on order.” Liam pulled her awkwardly to his side. “But we were going to surprise you when we got it.”

“Okay....” Faye nodded vigorously, her eyes wide. Then she looked around. “Are your parents here? We’d like to meet them.”

“Well, we were going to surprise them, too,” Liam replied.

“Oh! You haven’t told them yet!” Robert said, and then leaned in conspiratorially. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with us. But after you tell them, let us know, and we’ll have a soiree to celebrate and get to know one another!” Then he placed his hand on his wife’s back, beaming as if it were already Christmas. “Come, Faye. We don’t want to keep them from spreading the news!” Then he led his wife onto the dancefloor, both smiling.

“Oh, this is a disaster!” Roxanne shook her head as he led her through the crowd to his parents.

“Nope!” Liam said. “Actually, I think this will work out very well.” He shrugged. “At least it’ll keep our parents happy until after the holidays.”