When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel)

Magnus had once spoken bravely of going back to borrow money from Cecilia, but even that idea carried a brush with death.

Denise fell quiet for a heartbeat, then offered softly, "Why don't you spend New Year's with us instead?"

After all, she couldn't imagine anyone greeting the year alone.

Hope lit Magnus' eyes like a struck match.

"I'd love that, but would your mom and dad be all right with it?"

“I'm renting a cottage for a week,” she explained, voice brightening. “I'll arrange a short discharge so they can leave the hospital and stay there with us."

She had already combed the listings. Quaint houses edging the countryside, each with quiet rooms and wide windows that framed endless fields.

"When the time comes, just tell my parents that's where I've been living all along."

She could not bear for them to discover the cramped, peeling apartment she actually called home.

"All right," Magnus said quickly. "Do you have a place picked out? If not, let me handle the search."

He had managed to save a decent sum and preferred not to let Denise shoulder every expense.

Deposit paid," she reassured him. "Just celebrate with

even set aside money for gifts, new clothes, and all the bright trimmings of

felt a curious flutter-part excitement, part nerves ripple through

and Mrs.

his company as they celebrated the New Year. A shadow

gave his shoulder a light, reassuring tap. "Relax," she told

a plucked guitar string, leaving the muscles in his

he managed, heartbeat drumming in his

I was hoping you could pretend to be that boyfriend, just for the holiday,

over Magnus, cooling the flush on his skin,

boyfriend," he confessed, fingers worrying the edge of a napkin. "What if your mom and

you won't have to worry about a thing" She softened her tone. "But you'r uncomfortable, we can keep it simple. You'd just be my friend meeting my parents."

do it—absolutely!" Embarrassed by his own eagerness,

"Playing pretend for

you,” she whispered, genuine

need for thanks." Magnus raised his fork in a small salute. "Come on. Let's

tongue minutes ago suddenly bloomed-spicy fragrant, alive, He shoveled another bite, and for the first time all evening, the food tasted like

humming with holiday impatience. School had let out, and Jonathan and not bounced through their first afternoon of winter break

waiting for a

s