Fiancé In Name Only. Maureen Child

here temporarily, why not take advantage? There’s no future there, so no risk.

      True, Micah would only be in Banner for four more months, so it wasn’t as if—no.

      Don’t think about it.

      Sure. That would work.

      “You know,” Terry said, interrupting Kelly’s stream of consciousness, “there’s a guy in Jimmy’s squad I think you’d really like...”

      “Oh, no.” Kelly shook her head firmly. “Don’t go there, Terry. No setups. You know those never go well.”

      “He’s a nice guy,” her friend argued.

      “I’m sure he’s a prince,” Kelly said. “But he’s not my prince. I’m not looking for another man.”

      “Well, you should be.” Terry folded her arms over her chest.

      “Didn’t you just say there was nothing you could do about it if I wanted to lock myself in a closet?”

      “I hate seeing you alone all the time.”

      “You’re alone,” Kelly reminded her.

      “For now, but Jimmy will be home in another couple of months.”

      “And I’m happy for you.” Deliberately, Kelly turned back to her paints. She picked up the yellow and a small brush, then laid in the eyes on the first pumpkin. With the bright yellow, it would look like the pumpkin was lit by a candle. “I had a husband, Terry. Don’t want another one.”

      From the corner of her eye, Kelly saw her friend’s shoulders slump in defeat. “I didn’t say I wanted you married.”

      “But you do.”

      “Not the point,” Terry said stubbornly. “Sweetie, I know losing Sean was terrible. But you’re too young to live the rest of your life like a vestal virgin.”

      Kelly laughed. “The virgin ship sailed a long time ago.”

      “You know what I mean.”

      Of course she did. Terry had been saying pretty much the same thing for the last two years. She just didn’t understand that Kelly was too determined to avoid pain to ever take the kind of risk she was talking about. Loving was great. Losing was devastating, and she’d already lost enough, thanks.

      “Yeah, I do, and I appreciate the thought—”

      “No, you don’t,” Terry said.

      “You’re right, I don’t.” Kelly glanced at her friend and smiled to take the sting out of her words. “Honestly, you’re as bad as Gran.”

      “Oh, low blow,” Terry muttered. “She’s still worried?”

      “Ever since Sean died and it’s gotten worse in the last year or so.” She focused on the paints even while she kept talking. “Gran’s even started making noises about moving back here so I won’t be lonely.”

      “Oh, man.” Terry sighed. “I thought she loved living in Florida with her sister.”

      “She does.” Kelly crouched down to paint in the faces of three other pumpkins. “The two of them go to bingo and take trips with their seniors club. She’s having a great time, but then she starts worrying about me and—”

      Her cell phone rang and Kelly stood up to drag it from her jeans pocket. Glancing at the caller ID, she sighed and looked at Terry. “Speak of the devil...”

      “Gran? Really?” Terry’s eyes went dramatically wide. “Boy, her hearing’s better than ever if she could catch us talking about her all the way from Florida!”

      Kelly laughed. With a wince of guilt, she sent the call to voice mail.

      “Seriously?” Terry sounded surprised. “You’re not going to talk to her?”

      “Having one conversation about my lack of a love life is enough for today.”

      “Fine.” Terry held up both hands in surrender. “I’ll back off. For now.”

      “Thanks.” She tucked her phone away and tried not to feel badly about ditching her grandmother’s call.

      “But,” Terry added before she went back into the coffee shop, “just because you’re not interested in a permanent man...”

      Kelly looked at her.

      “...doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a temporary one. I’m just saying.”

      After she left, Kelly’s brain was racing. A temporary man. When she went back to her painting, she was still thinking, and as an ephemeral plan began to build in her mind, a speculative smile curved her mouth.