“With all our rings we also offer a care plan,” Evelyn says. “For only ten dollars you get three cleanings and one re-sizing should you ever need it.”

“A care plan on a thirty dollar ring?” Diego lets out an incredulous laugh. “That’s such a rip-off.”

“Just the ring,” I hasten to say, before the situation gets any more awkward.

“Great.” Evelyn taps the register keys, unfazed, almost anesthetized by Diego’s lack of romanticism. “Would you be paying cash or credit, sir?” she asks Diego pointedly, her bright smile frozen solid.

Diego raises an eyebrow at me.

“Credit,” I mutter, lowering my gaze to pull my credit card out of my wallet.

“So… you’ll be paying for the ring, madam.” She can barely gather control of herself. “Wonderful! That’s… wonderful. No problem at all.” Evelyn is breathing harder and harder. “Absolutely fine.” She processes the payment and hands me the receipt to sign, still trying to keep the smile on. It’s obviously taking up all her energy.

The other girl comes back with my package, her expression now openly aghast and hands it to me with an almost apologetic nod of support.

I’m under a hot shower of mortification. I nearly melt with embarrassment.

Diego, of course, has noticed nothing.

“We wish you both very happy holidays.” Evelyn makes a supreme effort to stay pleasant as she ushers us to the door. But just as Diego walks out, she holds me back, pulling me by the elbow. “I know this is none of my business, hon,” she whispers urgently in my ear. “But looks aren’t everything, trust me.”

As I finally exit the shop, Diego is waiting for me in the least over-packed corner of the hall, looking impatient.

“What was that about?” he asks. “Everything okay?”

“Yes! Super!”

I’m still flushed, and I just want to get out of this damned mall. A quick glance back toward the shop reveals Evelyn and the other girls talking animatedly and gesticulating out the window toward Diego with outraged looks on their faces.

“What’s up?” Diego frowns. “That shop assistant seemed a little weird—”

“She was,” I confirm, rolling my eyes.

Can he really be this clueless? Yes, he’s a man. So I spell it out for him. “She thought you were my boyfriend making me buy my own Christmas present.”

Light slowly dawns on Diego’s face, and he bursts into laughter.

“So that’s why they were all giving me the stink eye.”

“Sorry, they all assumed you were a cheap bastard. I feel horrible.”

Diego looks lost again. “Why? I don’t care what three shop assistants think of me.”

“Not even a bit?”

“Nope.”

His face is relaxed, calm. He really doesn’t care. How can he not care what other people think?

Well, that’s probably why I’m the one hiring a fake boyfriend, and he’s not.

Nine

A Purrfect Christmas