by Judy Angelo
Golden gasped. “You didn’t. What did you do to make her give you her boss’s personal information?”
“Promised her a year’s supply of outfits, compliments of Davidoff Fashions.”
“Wow,” Golden whispered then she reached over and slipped her hand inside Reed’s. “I guess that was too good for her to pass up.” Then she smiled. “I don’t admire what she did but I’m glad she did it.”
He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. “Me, too.”
Within thirteen minutes the taxi was pulling up in front of the judge’s house. “Wait here,” Reed told him as he flung the door open. “We’ll need about twenty minutes.”
“Hey, pay up or else I’m coming in there with you.”
“No problem,” Reed yelled back as he took Golden’s hand and set off. “I may need you as a witness. We’re getting married.”
They bounded up the steps and as Reed rang the doorbell Golden could hear the chimes echoing through the house. And then a thought hit her. “My God, it’s almost midnight. How can we wake the man in the middle of the night? We should have called ahead.”
Reed grimaced. “You’re right but it’s too late now. I just hope he doesn’t fling us off his doorstep.”
“Or call the police,” she whispered, eyes wide as that thought entered her mind.
“Or call the police.” Reed repeated her words with a sigh then he reached out and rang the bell again. And again.
“Who the hell is it, at this time of night?” The judge’s voice came to them loud and clear and then the curtains by the window were drawn back and he was peering out. When he saw the straggly group on his porch - a rain soaked woman, a man with hospital gown stuck to his body and a taxi driver with a look of bewilderment on his face – he frowned. Then he shook his head and Golden could see he was making a clucking sound with his tongue.
Suddenly the entrance light was flipped on and the front door opened. “Come in, come in,” he said, his voice half sleepy, half grumpy. “I hope you know I only opened this door because I recognized you, Mr. Davidoff.”
“I appreciate it, sir.” Reed grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. “Sorry I had to disturb you in the middle of the night but due to the stipulations of a will we have to be married before midnight. Can you do this for us?”
“When I saw you on my doorstep,” the judge said, shaking his head again, “I guessed as much. I’ve had experience with some of the strangest wills ever written.” He glanced over at the taxi driver. “So this is your witness?”
Reed nodded. “One of. We’ll need one more, I think. Do you mind...?”
“I’ll get my wife. She’s already up anyway. With all that bell ringing you just did I’m surprised the children aren’t up, too.” Then he gave a snort. “Teenagers. They’re like bloody logs. God help me if I fall ill in the middle of the night and need their help.” Then he jerked his head toward an open door. “Go wait in the sitting room. I’ll be right back.”
“Quick, please,” Golden couldn’t help interjecting. “We’ve only got a few minutes before the deadline.”
“I’m well aware of that. I will be right back.” The judge didn’t seem too pleased at her attempt to hurry him along but at least he’d set off toward the stairway. Still, Golden would not breathe easy until she’d said, “I do.”
In the sitting room Reed paced the floor while Golden perched on the edge of an armchair and their impromptu witness lounged on the leather couch. The man pushed back his flat cap and looked at Reed then Golden then back to Reed. His eyes narrowed. “He called you Davidoff. Any connection to Davidoff Fashions?”
Reed gave him a curt nod. “The same.”
The man’s face broke into a toothy grin. “I’m not among the common folk, that’s sure.”
Golden turned to glare at him. Now that he knew who Reed was he was probably going to demand more money for his time. A whole lot more.
To her surprise, the man simply settled back in his seat and said not another word.
“What time is it?” Reed asked through gritted teeth.
She glanced at the cell phone. “Eleven forty-eight.”
He balled his hands into fists. “Where are they?”
Golden shook her head. “We have a few more minutes. We just have to be patient.”
Reed’s response was a frustrated snarl.
The sound of footsteps made Golden hop up from her seat. She went to stand beside Reed just as the judge walked in with his sleepy-looking wife, her hair adorned with colorful rollers.
“Now let’s get this party started.” Judge Sandowski directed them to stand in front of him then he had his first witness stand to the right and his second to the left. Then he glanced down at the paper in his hand. “Full names, please.” When they told him, he scribbled the information down then he looked up at his audience.
“Now, as we gather together to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony, is there anyone who objects?” Ignoring his wife, he glared over his glasses at the taxi driver. When the man gave a shrug and a bashful grin he continued. “Are you, Reed Warren Davidoff, free lawfully to marry Golden Lily Browne?”
“I am.” Reed’s voice was bold and strong.
When the judge looked at Golden and asked her the corresponding question she replied proudly, “I am.”
Judge Sandowski nodded. “By the powers vested in me I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
With a relieved sigh Reed reached out and gathered Golden into his arms. They were in the middle of their first kiss as a married couple when the taxi driver spoke. “What time is it?”
It was the judge’s wife who responded. “Eleven fifty-six. They made it just in time. Isn’t it romantic?”
After that, Golden did not hear another word. She was too busy losing herself in the kiss she’d been awaiting all her life. It was a kiss from her beloved husband, the kiss that had broken the evil spell. Reed was her knight in shining armor who had rescued her from a most pitiful fate.
It was the fairy tale ending she’d dreamed of all her life.
EPILOGUE
Golden could not believe she’d been married three whole months already. Where had the time gone?
This morning she’d awoken to the day that would be the second most important of her life. Of course, the day – or rather, the night – she’d married Reed would be first but today would be a close runner-up because it was the day she would walk down the aisle with Reed, in front of all their family and friends. And with all the planning that had gone into this event, it would be like a royal wedding.
Reed’s brothers and his parents had flown in from the United States along with a ton of his friends from college days. For Golden’s part she had few friends and even fewer relatives but those she had, she treasured and appreciated for coming out to support her on her special day.
Now as her mother helped her dress in her gown of white and gold she sighed. “I’m so happy, mother. Honestly, if I were any happier I would burst.”
Eugenia laughed as she bent to straighten Golden’s train one more time. “I know what would make me happy.” She looked up, her brown eyes twinkling. “Grandbabies.”
“Oh, Mother.” Golden laughed and held out her arms to give her a hug. “Babies will come in good time. Don’t worry. You’ll soon have your hands full of them.”
“I can hardly wait.”
Later, after exchanging wedding vows for the second time with her husband, Golden held Reed’s hand and turned to face the congregation. There, beaming up at her was Claire, her very own fairy godmother who had outfitted her so richly for her first date. Beside her was Marjorie smiling just as broadly as her mother.
At the very front sat her mother, tears glistening in her eyes but with a look of such happiness that Golden felt her eyes well up, too.
For the first time in a long time Eugenia was truly free. It had taken Dunstan Manchester’s final act – locking her daughter in the cellar – for her to r
ealize the true nature of the man. Golden didn’t know where she found the courage but her mother kicked him out of the house so fast he was probably still wondering what happened. And as if that weren’t bad enough he had a court case coming up within the next couple of months. Apparently he hadn’t known it, but forcible confinement was a criminal offence.
With Dunstan gone Eugenia would be alone but she would be independent and free to live her own life. And, of course, her days would soon be full, running after the grandbabies she’d demanded. Little did she know that Golden planned to have at least four of them. Eugenia wouldn’t have time to scratch her head.
The sound of the organ pulled Golden out of her reverie. It was the signal for her to march down the aisle with her husband by her side. She did so proudly, waving to Duke and Max sitting beside her mother and father-in-law and smiling at Reed’s crowd of still zany college friends.
Then, just like in a fairytale, they left the church and climbed into an elegant carriage drawn by two white horses, their headgear adorned with majestic feathers, their trappings gilded in gold.
And so ends the story of Golden and Reed, as they canter off into the sunset with Golden finally freed. Horses trotting down the street, the air filled with laughter, they will live and love - happily ever after.
THE END
Thank you for reading ‘Married by Midnight’. I sincerely appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed the read. If you liked this story I would appreciate your leaving a brief review on my book page. That’s the best support any author could ask for. Thank you in advance!
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BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES
Judy Angelo
Volume 1 - Tamed by the Billionaire
Volume 2 - Maid in the USA
Volume 3 - Billionaire's Island Bride
Volume 4 - Dangerous Deception
Volume 5 - To Tame a Tycoon
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BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES, Double Coll. - Vols. 1 - 8
BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES, Coll. I - Vols. 1 - 4
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BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES, Coll. III - Vols. 9 - 12
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The NAUGHTY AND NICE Series
Volume 1 - Naughty by Nature
COMING SOON
Volume 13 – The Billionaire Next Door
Volume 14 – Billionaire’s Blackmail Wife
MEET THE BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES
FROM VOLS. 1 - 8 (Double Collection)
TAMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE - Vol. 1
Roman Steele - The business tycoon who has the daunting task of taming the spoiled princess.
MAID IN THE U.S.A. -Vol. 2
Pierce D'Amato - The software billionaire who thinks he's in control but instead finds himself at the mercy of an angelic four year old and a dark-eyed French beauty who steals his heart.
BILLIONAIRE'S ISLAND BRIDE - Vol. 3
Dare DeSouza - The owner of a line of Caribbean resorts who tries to teach our beloved heroine a lesson she'll never forget...but then ends up learning the greatest lesson of his life.
DANGEROUS DECEPTION - Vol. 4
Storm Hunter - He loves motorcycles, fast cars and now he's got to add one more item to his list of loves: Danielle Swift. Dani has a charm he tries to resist but this committed bachelor is no match for this bold and independent woman who's like none he's met before.
TO TAME A TYCOON - Vol. 5
Enrico Megalos - A shipping tycoon with a big problem but one which 'lion tamer', Asia Miller, is determined to fix.
SWEET SEDUCTION - Vol. 6
Jake McKoy - Billionaire author, philanthropist and recluse - a man with a past that is tearing him apart. Will Samantha Fox be the woman to pull him out of his shell?
DADDY BY DECEMBER - Vol. 7
Drake Duncan - Billionaire investor and a man determined to win the love of his life: a woman who is just as determined...to stay the heck out of his way.
TO CATCH A MAN (IN 30 DAYS OR LESS) - Vol. 8
Stone Hudson - Owner of Hudson Broadcasting Corporation, Stone is thrown for a loop when he meets a woman gutsy enough to laugh at him. And then she turns into a temptress. How can he resist?
Alpha males at their best - which one will you fall in love with?
MEET THE BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES
FROM COLLECTION III
VOLUMES 9 - 12
BEDDING HER BILLIONAIRE BOSS - Vol. 9
Rockford St. Stephens - The owner of a newly acquired luxury vacation business who finds himself boss to an executive assistant who can't stand him...but who he finds impossible to resist.
HER INDECENT PROPOSAL -Vol. 10
Sloane Quest - The media mogul who's rocked back on his heels when his top competitor, the lovely Melanie Parker, makes him an offer he can't refuse.
SO MUCH TROUBLE WHEN SHE WALKED IN - Vol. 11
Maximillian Davidoff - The cosmetics giant turned NASCAR entrepreneur who's bowled over by the most ornery woman he's ever met.
MARRIED BY MIDNIGHT – Vol. 12
Reed Davidoff – The fashion mogul who gets caught up in a fairy tale romance that makes him wish he could reverse his past. After the mistakes he’s made, can he win the hand of the princess?
VOLUME 1 - TAMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE
THE TAMING OF A PRINCESS...
Serena Van Buren, the privileged daughter of a wealthy businessman, can't wait to begin her three-month tour of Europe with her college mates. Little does she know that fate has other plans in store!
Instead of dancing with handsome Italians and dining with charming Frenchmen Serena finds herself trapped in a six-month internship with overbearing business tycoon, Roman Steele - an arrangement orchestrated by her own father.
Serena is determined to show Roman that she won't yield to the demands of any man, boss or no boss. She's a Van Buren, after all, known to wither a man with one look. But Roman Steele is like no man she's ever met before. Suave, sexy and stunningly handsome, there's something about him that she can't resist. It looks like Serena Van Buren has finally met her match.
A sweet and saucy romance that will have you smiling...
VOLUME 2 - MAID IN THE USA
WHO EVER SAID BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS AND MODEST MAIDS DON'T MIX?
Celine Santini couldn't have been more shocked when billionaire bachelor Pierce D'Amato offers her a job as nanny to his four-year-old charge. After all, he hardly even knows her. But after finding herself thrown into an unexpectedly intimate encounter with him, are they really strangers? Celine is captivated by the green-eyed heartthrob who takes her heart ransom but how can she give in to her feelings when they're from two totally different worlds?
From the first day he lays eyes on the dark-eyed beauty, Pierce D'Amato knows he is lost. He immediately devises a plan to get her under his roof...and it works. But the more he gets to know the sweetly seductive Celine Santini the more he realizes there's a lot more to this woman than he could ever have imagined. Her intriguing combination of sophistication and innocence keeps him forever off-balance and, before he knows it, his bachelor heart turns traitor. The heart knows what the heart wants and it wants Celine Santini...whatever the cost.
A thrilling romance with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages...
VOLUME 3 - BILLIONAIRE'S ISLAND BRIDE
BAD BOY BILLIONAI
RE VERSUS REBEL ISLAND BRIDE - AND THE WINNER IS...
Normally shy and reserved, college student Erin Samuels goes to the island of Santa Marta where she breaks out of her shell and does things that shock even her. And, as if that weren't bad enough, she ends up trapped in a marriage by blackmail!
Dare DeSouza is used to women throwing themselves at him and he lumps Erin Samuels in the same category. Gold-diggers, that's what they all are, but this time he has a plan. He sets out to teach Erin a lesson she'll never forget...and ends up learning the greatest lesson of his life.
An island romance that will keep readers guessing every step of the way...
VOLUME 4 - DANGEROUS DECEPTION
TO CATCH A COMMITTED BACHELOR...
When Dani Swift put on her chauffeur's uniform, with her hair tucked under her hat and her face make-up free, she looks like a clean-shaven young man. It's while wearing her little disguise that she meets the man of her dreams, billionaire businessman Storm Hunter. But how can she compete in his world of wealth and women who will do anything to snag this eligible bachelor?
Storm Hunter loves motorcycles and fast cars. And then he meets Dani Swift. Bold and independent, she's like no woman he's ever met. And when their little game of deception leads to him losing his heart that's when he knows that, in her, he's found his greatest love.
VOLUME 5 - TO TAME A TYCOON
HOW DO YOU TAME A TYCOON?
Enrico Megalos is bold, brash and a big problem...at least for his staff in the Miami office of Megalos Shipping. And that's where the lion tamer comes in.
Asia Miller, personality coach, is hired to tame the big boss. She takes on the challenge, not realizing until it is too late that while taming him she is also losing her heart...to the one man it doesn't pay to love.
Sun, sea and a steamy affair - a thrilling ride on the sensual side.
VOLUME 6 - SWEET SEDUCTION
SEDUCTION SO SWEET...
Jake McKoy moves to a tiny town in upstate New York to escape a painful past. He has no idea that it is here that he will find healing and strength and a new start in life. And that healing comes in the form of a fresh-faced woman who steals his heart.
Samantha Fox was only a month away from her wedding day when her fiance broke the engagement. He'd found a more 'suitable' bride. Haunted by the constant fear that she's not 'good enough', Sam finds it hard to give her heart to another man. And when that man happens to be a billionaire who can't let go of his past, things become complicated indeed.