A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone, I'm glad you're enjoying the story and my take on the movie that it's based on. Hope you enjoy the chapter and if you want to review, then just click the button at the bottom. :)


"Engaged?"

Stephanie looked to Chris and bit her lip. She hadn't meant for it to come out like that and she certainly hadn't come here to talk to his father like that, but he'd crossed a line. She'd never known that Chris's father had felt that way about his son's profession. Of course, she'd never taken the time to care what Chris's parents thought about his profession, but still, it was a shock to think that his father wasn't supportive. It wasn't like his father had been a doctor or a lawyer, wasn't a hockey player on par with a wrestler?

"Yes, Mom," Chris said, stepping forward, "Stephanie and I are engaged."

Chris sent a glance to his father and could see the clenched jaw and the angry eyes. Chris slipped his arm around Stephanie's waist. She looked at him gratefully. It was show time and she'd thrust them into the spotlight without even telling him. She knew that Chris was only in this for what she could get him, but she was still grateful that he was willing to go along with it, even if he was still a jerk most of the time. "I'm sorry, Loretta, we didn't want to announce it this way."

"You two are engaged, really?" Loretta asked again, like she didn't believe them the first time.

"Yes, we are, Mom," Chris said again, hoping it would get through this time.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, rushing over and hugging the both of them at the same time. "Oh…just…you're getting married, this is wonderful news! I thought…this is the best birthday present I could have received!"

Stephanie looked over at Chris as soon as Loretta pulled away and raised an eyebrow. She found it interesting that Chris getting married would be the best present she ever received. Granted, Chris was getting up there in years, but still, what kind of women did he bring home or lack thereof that his mother was so happy over something like this. She was also trying to tamp down a twinge of guilt. This wasn't going to be a real marriage and she wasn't without feeling. She felt bad that she'd have to deceive the people who were welcoming her into their home.

"Mom, calm down," Chris said with a short laugh. "You're making me sound pathetic." Apparently he had seen Stephanie's look.

"I'm just so happy," Loretta said, the uncomfortable confrontation being completely forgotten about. Chris looked back to his father, but his father had disappeared completely. Chris sighed as his mother grabbed his hand and Stephanie's hand in each of hers and pulled them into the living room. People were trailing after them and they obviously wanted to grill them as well. "Okay, you two sit there."

She practically shoved them onto a loveseat and then everyone gathered around like it was story time. "Nice one, Steph," Chris whispered to her.

She ducked her head, "You know I have a temper."

He couldn't argue with that, it was one of things he knew very well when it pertained to Stephanie. Loretta grinned at them, "Okay, the story, we want the story."

"What story?" Chris asked.

"The engagement story!" Loretta said.

Stephanie jumped in. She wasn't going to let this become like the story of when they started dating, with Chris acting like she had asked him. She would never ask a man out on a date. It was the man's job to do the asking. Knowing Chris, he would probably say that she asked him marry him and she was not going to look like the desperate one. "Well, Chris, he's just so sweet, you know. He just couldn't live without me, that's what he says to me all the time-"

"I really can't, I mean, who else would nag at me all the time," Chris said, grinning at her, then at everyone, "I kid, I kid."

"He's always doing that," Stephanie said, punching him in the arm, hard. Chris cringed while keeping a smile on his face. The girl could pack a punch. "He's such a kidder."

"I am!" Chris said brightly.

"Well, we were just lying in bed one morning and cuddling," she told to the aww's of all the women around her. "And I don't know, I think it was just the moment…there was just…I don't even know how to explain it really. There was just this moment where everything felt perfect and we were perfect, you know. Like nothing can touch you and he looked at me and it wasn't anything complicated, there was no bended knee, it was just, the moment. I don't think you had it planned like that, right, Chris?"

She looked over at him and he'd found himself lost in her story. There was a tenderness in her voice when she was telling the story, one he'd never heard before for anyone really. He wondered if this was what she had always envisioned her perfect proposal to be. He couldn't picture Paul doing something like this. He probably proposed to her in front of her father, just to assert his power by marrying her. He could picture Paul doing that. Stephanie just, well, of course she deserved better than Paul, everyone deserved better than him. Her story was just…no, no, he wasn't actually picturing it, though it did kind of sound nice.

"No, that's not how I planned it, but you looked so pretty," Chris said. "I couldn't help myself. I'd been searching for the perfect moment and I found it."

"Yeah, it was perfect and he told me that he loved me and he had been thinking about it for a while and he just wanted to be with me forever," Stephanie said, grabbing Chris's hand and placing it in her lap.

"I love this lady," he said, putting a smile on his face.

"That sounds wonderful," Loretta said, "but where's your ring, Stephanie?"

Stephanie looked down at her hand. Of all the things she'd planned, she didn't have a ring! She widened her eyes when Chris spoke, "I would rather have Stephanie pick out her own ring and we just haven't had the chance to get one yet with our schedules. I wanted her to get something she liked."

"That's so Chris of him," Loretta said. "You've always wanted to please people."

"Yeah," Chris said, "but I mean, it's not that big a deal, we haven't even set a date or anything. But we're thinking soon, but that's not set in stone."

"It's a recent development," Stephanie said. "We haven't given it much thought. But you know, we'll let you know."

Stephanie was now realizing they would actually have to have some sort of real wedding. His mother was not going to allow them to get married at city hall like they had originally planned. Stephanie bit her lip. Her first wedding had been that big affair, her father walking her down the aisle, veils, bridesmaids, and the like, but this one she'd just wanted to be low-key and not just because she and Chris were faking a marriage. She didn't want all that fanfare for another wedding, didn't want the dress or the flowers or anything. She was over that and now she realized with Chris's mother being so excited, she'd have to go through that again.

"You better," Loretta said, "I'm so happy for you too."

Stephanie smiled at her as everyone started to dissipate, some coming up to congratulate them. Stephanie received them graciously then turned to Chris, "Bathroom?"

"Here, I'll show you," he said, pulling at her with their still clasped hands. He guided her to the bathroom and left her there with a smile. They could talk about what had just happened later. Stephanie was glad for the breathing room inside the bathroom. She appraised her appearance and sighed at herself. She was glad their engagement could curb that scene with Chris's father. She hoped she didn't encounter him for the rest of the weekend. She was not one who could keep things to herself and if he started talking like he had before, she would not be able to bite her tongue and she didn't want to get Chris into a fight with his father. Parents were forever and she was only temporary. She didn't want to cause permanent damage.

She washed her hands and stepped out of the bathroom, walking down the hallway and back to where she could hear sounds. She turned the corner and saw Chris and some woman. She was pretty, blonde hair, long and pulled back away from her face in a high ponytail. She was petite, much shorter than Chris and she was hugging him. Stephanie stayed just out of eyesight as she wondered who this girl was. The way that she was hugging Chris didn't suggest a familial relation.

"I'm really happy for you, Chris. I always knew you would find some girl to really settle down with."

"Thanks, Char, I'm glad you could make it today. It's been so long since we've really been able to see each other," Chris said, pulling away and grinning at her. "You just look so good."

"You are still the charmer," she said, "but don't let your fiancée hear you say that. I kind of saw how she was acting towards your dad."

"I think everyone heard that."

"She obviously loves you," Charlotte said. Stephanie pressed herself against the wall. Love Chris? No way, she was simply defending something she loved too. She was part of wrestling and she was defending wrestling. She was defending everything she loved, which did not include and would never include Chris. Love Chris? Yeah right!

"No, she was just mad about the wrestling thing, she's part of the company."

"No way, she loves you," Charlotte said. "I wanted to say that to your dad so many times when we were still together and he kept bashing you for going to wrestling school. I wish I had the guts to do that. But she loves you so it was probably nothing to her."

"You don't…" Chris seemed to catch himself and Stephanie could almost hear him breathe. "Yeah, I guess she does."

"You're lucky," Charlotte said and it didn't take a psychoanalyst to catch the regret in her voice. "I really am glad you're happy, Chris and I'm so happy that you invited me this weekend, well, your mom, but I've been wanting to catch up with you for so long."

"Me too," Chris admitted.

Stephanie had to make her presence known and she turned the corner and put on her best face, her "I'm in love with Chris Irvine" face. "Hey, sweetheart!"

Chris looked over at her and he wanted to laugh, but restrained. "Sugar dumpling, come on over here." Stephanie came over and she wrapped her arm around Chris's waist, just to make it known that she was going to marry this guy. "This is Charlotte."

"Oh, you're Charlotte," Stephanie said, "Chris was just telling me about you."

"Only good things I hope," Charlotte said.

"Well like he'd say anything mean about anyone, right, cutie," Stephanie said, pinching Chris's cheek. "He's always just the sweetest."

"Yeah, he is," Charlotte said wistfully. "Well, you two look like you want to be alone so I'll just head on over there, but we'll catch up later, right, Chris? You should come with, Stephanie, you'd love to hear all the embarrassing stories I have about this guy."

Stephanie's face lit up and it scared Chris, "I'd love that."

"Yeah, we don't have to do that," Chris said, shaking his head repeatedly.

"Yes, yes we do," Stephanie said eagerly. "We most certainly have to. I want to hear all of them, every single one you've got."

Charlotte laughed, "Then you will, bye, you guys."

"You're not coming out with us," Chris hissed at her. "Don't you think you've caused enough trouble for one day?"

"Then we'll do it tomorrow so I can get in more trouble," she told him.

"Just stay away from her," Chris said.

"Why? You can't tell me what to do," Stephanie said.

"You're not," he told her.

"Whatever," she said. "You still love her?"

"Her who?"

"Oh, I don't know, the girl you were just practically drooling over right there," Stephanie said, gesturing to the direction Charlotte had wandered off in. "Look, if we're going to pull this off, I can't be running after you and your ex."

"Don't bring her into this, I told you I'd marry you and that's it," Chris said, "got it?"

"No, because I'm not going to deal with you acting like you want her. People will notice."

"Stop it, I'm not in love with Charlotte and I'm not drooling over her, so drop it!"

"Fine, fine, it's dropped."