"You know the Sanders' have a lovely son about your age." Therese said.
Tiffany glanced up from her laptop at her mother, a knot of dread forming in her gut. "What?" Here we go again.
"You know, Julian. Julian Sanders? You could bring him to Samantha's wedding."
"No, I don't think so." Flashes of that one college party they'd both gone to went through Tiffany's head. Beer kegs, weed stank and pervy comments at her friend. Definitely not.
"Samantha suggested it. You know we're just worried about you."
"Mom, please."
"Because she's getting married and she's only twenty two and you're already twenty six and that clock's ticking, you know." Therese set down her coffee mug onto the dining table and sat down, scooting her chair so she was inches away from Tiffany. "And I want grandkids one day. Is that too much to ask?"
Tiffany rolled her eyes and turned back to her laptop. She was only home for a weekend, but already she was despairing at the hours and hours of nagging that were to come.
"It's because you're working all the time." Therese gently folded the laptop closed. "You'll never find a man if you're so focused on work. There's other things to life besides spreadsheets and presentations and I just want what's best for you, honey-"
"Mom!" Tiffany always had to yell to get her mother to stop. "I have a boyfriend!"
A huge smile came over Therese's face. "Well why didn't you just say so? What's his name? What's his job? Are his parents-"
"I actually have to go like right now." Tiffany stood up and shoved her laptop into its case. "To, uh, meet my boyfriend." She grabbed her coat from the back of her chair and bolted to the door.
"That's great, sweetie! You should bring him around for dinner!" The door slammed shut before Therese could finish her sentence.
***
That was truly the dumbest thing she'd ever done. Tiffany leaned her forehead against the window of a trendy coffee shop, decked out in wreaths and twinkling Christmas lights, signaling the post-Thanksgiving season. Her boots crunched in the snow as her breath fogged up the window. She bit her lip, thinking through the possible avenues of action she could take.
She'd called up three different rent-a-boyfriend services, and all three had been booked up due to the time of year. How was she ever going to find a fake boyfriend before Sunday? She kicked at the packed-down snow and shivered.
"Tiff?"
She looked up at the familiar voice.
"Tiffany Page! It is you!" A man about her age stood next to her, his hands stuffed into his coat pockets to hide them from the cold.
"Joseph?" She wrapped an arm around him as he spread his arms for a hug. "It's been what, six years? You look good!"
She looked him over, starting from the bright yellow pom pom that adorned his tuque. His messy black hair fell to his eyes, which were cool gray behind his thick-rimmed glasses. His smile showed a row of white teeth with a chip in one of his incisors. He stood at six feet tall, teenage lankiness turned into lean muscle that was hinted at under his wool coat and confident stance.
"What have you been up to? You work in like advertising now, right?"
Tiffany nodded. "Just work and more work. What are you doing these days?"
"Believe it or not, I do SFX makeup for TV. You in town to visit your parents?"
"I'm here to go to my cousin's wedding."
"Which one? Danielle?"
"Samantha."
"Already? Great for her!"
Tiffany looked him over once again, biting her lip as her gears turned. With his high cheekbones and strong jawline, he'd turned into a decently handsome man. "Hey, are you still single?"
Joseph nodded. "Never could hold onto a relationship."
"Wanna grab a coffee real quick?"
