Single dentist Juliet—no Romeo jokes, please—has tried every dating strategy in the book to no avail. So it’s no surprise when her latest blind date stands her up. No problem. She always has a backup plan for her evening. Her plan did not include meeting a handsome guy on the sidewalk while his date for his company's holiday party is dumping him by phone... and the party’s already started. Juliet does plans, not impulse decisions. And Adrian’s sudden lack of a date isn’t her problem to solve. Then again, she got all dressed up? THE HOLIDAY PARTY PRETENSE is a kisses-only Bi4Bi queer M/F first date short story with middle-aged main characters doing something they both know is probably ridiculous, and discovering a bit of holiday magic.