He’s a dead man.

“Well, since you two moved in together, we assume that things are serious,” she says. “It doesn’t matter. We can talk about what this all means later.”

What is she talking about?

“Lola, where are the kids?” Miller asks, as we enter the dining room.

“At home with Kevin. Leah isn’t feeling well and though I should’ve stayed, I wanted to see Claire. It’s been so long since my wedding.”

“Miller is going to propose to Claire,” Crystal, who obviously didn’t want to understand what I told her, blurts. “We should start organizing the wedding.”

Over my mom’s pretty alive body, lady.    

“You’re finally doing it?” Lola asks, clapping excitedly. “Honestly, I thought you’d be proposing last Christmas when you went to spend the holidays with her.”

I press my fingers to my temples, take a breath, and calm myself. What kind of fantasy did he live with me for the past few years?

“Fiji,” Crystal says. “When you two went to Fiji, I was hoping you’d come back and announce your marriage or at least an engagement; and that she was finally coming back home.”

“You had us worried for some time,” Lola says. “I was half-expecting you’d tell us, ‘I’m moving with her to New York City.’ Fortunately, that’s not happening. I mean, you have a business to run and the properties. It’s illogical that you’d be following her.”

I blink twice, then glare at him, and then at her. His sister is nice and funny, but seriously, you have more than Claire to sacrifice? Am I supposed to be the one giving up my career and dreams because he’s rich?

This is enough. They have to know what’s really going on between us.

“Miller, is there something you’d like to share with your family?” I open the conversation because hell if I’m going to let him continue this charade.

“Reggie is back from New York, maybe we can bring him over to your house so the kids can meet him since you won’t let them have a puppy?”

I stare at him dumbfounded. Seriously, he’s not telling them anything.

“My kids adore Reggie,” Lola gushes. “Miller is always showing them the latest pictures that you send of him.”

While we have dinner, I’m totally confused about the conversation. Half of the time I smile and the other half I glare at Miller. I can’t believe he has stories about us, trips we went on. Lola’s comment about him not moving because he has more doesn’t sit well in the pit of my stomach.

I have to remind myself that the conversation is based on a fantasy Miller lived for some time, which I just can’t understand, and we need to have a talk about it. Seriously, why lie for so long?