The Almost Fiance

Clara Wren hired a stand-in date for one family dinner.Not a fiancé.Definitely not a fiancé with opinions about cake flavors, a grandmother’s approval, and the ability to look at her as if he actually means every careful word he says.But by morning, Clara’s family calendar says Engagement Cake Tasting - Clara and Declan, her grandmother is reaching for an heirloom ring box, and Wren & Rose Cakes is suddenly one misunderstanding away from becoming the most romantic little bakery scandal in town.Declan Hale knows the rules. As a professional stand-in, he is there to help, not to blur lines. No false promises. No public lies. No pretending a fake engagement is harmless just because there is buttercream involved.Unfortunately, Clara’s family is hopeful, the bakery’s future may depend on a high-profile bridal showcase, and every carefully managed almost-moment between Clara and Declan keeps feeling less like performance and more like trouble.Clara is trying to save the family bakery without breaking her grandmother’s heart. Declan is trying to stay useful without admitting he wants to stay for real. And The Stand-In Society is trying to contain the chaos before a cake tasting, a ring box, and one very enthusiastic family turn an accidental engagement into something nobody knows how to undo.But some promises cannot be faked.And some almosts are just the beginning.The Almost Fiancé is a warm, witty fake-engagement romantic comedy novella featuring wedding-cake chaos, family meddling, professional stand-in rules, heartfelt humor, and real feelings that refuse to stay pretend. It is Book Three of The Stand-In Society Series and can be enjoyed as a standalone.