Adam grinned at that, and wiggled his eyebrows.
“When did you finally admit to yourself that you were in love with him?”
Megan pursed her lips in thought. “I didn’t allow myself to realize it until Kyle came right out and asked me. Then it hit me. I knew I had fallen for him.”
Penelope’s eyebrows drew together. “I don’t remember Kyle asking you about Adam.”
“They cut that part. Probably because it made it obvious who I would choose.”
“That makes sense. Now, I only have one more question.” Penelope looked between the two of them. “What are you going to do now?”
Adam spoke before she had the chance. “We’re going to go on a proper honeymoon!”
The audience laughed, and Penelope shook her head, though she was smiling. “Now, Adam, loving someone and marrying them are two separate things. Are you sure Megan wants to make that kind of commitment right now?”
He turned to her, his eyes pleading. He slipped from his chair and got on one knee. The audience cheered, then quieted down so they could hear. Megan’s heart jumped into her throat.
“I know we’re already married, but you deserve a proper proposal.” He took both of her hands. “Megan Holloway, I fell in love with you so completely, I can’t imagine my life without you. Even though you enjoy putting me through torture…” He paused, glancing around at the studio and getting a chuckle from the audience. “My life would never be the same without you.”
She blinked back the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Adam smiled, and continued. “I would be honored to call you my wife. My real wife. Will you marry me for real?”
A few shouts of approval echoed through the room before everyone held their breath, waiting for Megan to answer. She squeezed his hands, butterflies tickling her stomach. “Yes.”
The crowd went nuts. Adam pulled her up for another embrace. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me,” he whispered in her ear.
And then the audience melted away as he gave her another toe-curling kiss.
Epilogue
Megan sat on the porch swing, her legs tucked under her, Adam’s strong arms wrapped around her. She nestled into his chest. The sound of the evening crickets and the gentle rocking of the swing provided the perfect setting. She sighed.
“What?” Adam ran his fingers over her arm, sending tingles through her.
“Nothing. I’m just happy.” She peeked up at him. “I never thought I’d have this, you know?”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. “A porch swing?”
She giggled. “Any of it. I thought I knew what I wanted. But sitting here, with you, I can’t imagine my life any other way.”
“I’m glad Leon hired me back.”
“He had no choice. The website blew up.”
Adam kissed the top of her head. “Do you regret turning down the national show?”
She snuggled closer to him. “No. I thought fame would make me happy. It didn’t.”
He chuckled. “Me neither. I like it here in the country, saggy porch and all.” They were quiet for a moment before he spoke again. “So, what’s this surprise we’re waiting for?”
“I can’t tell you. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”
They watched the dusk settle in, and just as the air was getting a bit too chilly, the neighbor boy, Eli, came through the trees. A small puppy wriggled in his arms.
Megan jumped up and rushed to him. “This the one?”
“Yep. Momma said we can’t keep any of this litter. Gotta find ‘um good homes.” The puppy snuggled into his armpit as he grinned. “I picked this one out special for you.”
Adam stood. “What’s this?”
Megan picked up the soft bundle. “Thanks, Eli.” She ruffled his hair and sent him back home. When she turned to Adam, she couldn’t decipher his expression. “I thought we could help out the neighbor kid. Maybe take in one of the pups.”
The small golden retriever sniffed her shoulder, then gave it a little lick. Adam descended the steps and lifted the puppy from her arms. “He’s perfect.” The dog licked his face, and he laughed.
Megan’s heart warmed. “I’m so glad. I was afraid with what had happened in the past…” She let her voice trail off.
“It’s a time for new beginnings.” He tucked the pup in the crook of his arm and took her hand. “For all of us.”
The End
Volume Three
Mistakenly Married
Mistakenly Married by Victorine E. Lieske
Chapter 1
Penny wrung her hands and walked to the back of the room. She opened the chapel door to peek outside for the fifteenth time in the last few minutes. William had to show up. He just had to. She turned and smiled at her family, seated in the cheap folding chairs at the front of the Chapel-O-Love. “I’m sure the traffic has held him up.”
Her mother gave her a teary smile. Dad appeared to be trying not to say, “I told you this was a bad idea.” At least her sister, Kimmy, smiled and gave her two thumbs up, showing her support. Her little brother, Clay, just fiddled with his cell phone and looked bored.
Where was William? He promised he would come. Tears blurred her vision and she blinked them away. Not now, in front of her family. She couldn’t be the mess-up they all expected her to be. Not again. She took a shaky breath and steeled her nerves. He wouldn’t let her down. She’d known him for too long.
Well, “known” was probably not the right word. They hadn’t actually met before. But she’d been chatting with him online for over two years. They’d shared things some real life couples probably hadn’t. She knew him, knew his soul. Even if all she’d ever seen was a blurry photo of him, she loved William with all her heart.
She probably shouldn’t have committed to marrying William without even skyping, but he had some kind of camera phobia. How could she insist? Would his looks really make a difference anyway? She loved his heart, not his dark hair or strong jaw line. If he couldn’t bring himself to get on camera, she needed to support him. She’d meet him face to face in a minute anyway.
“Mrs. William Tucker,” she whispered, testing out the sound of it on her tongue. A shiver of anticipation shot up her spine. She’d already known there was something special about him a couple of years ago, when they first chatted online. They’d always had a connection. Their hearts were melded together. And now—well, where was he?
She’d splurged for a limousine driver to pick him up at the airport. Surely he’d arrive any minute. Traffic was probably bad with all the December holiday madness. She took another peek out at the nearly empty parking lot, willing the long black car to materialize.
Harrison Williams gripped his carry-on and stalked down the jetway, brushing past the slower passengers and trying not to scowl. This was the last thing he wanted to be doing, meeting some ridiculous socialite. But his brother was insistent, so he agreed to keep the peace. All he had to do was talk to her. Then he could leave and tell his brother it didn’t work out.
The whole idea of marrying some upper class money grabber just to gain access to his trust fund made his stomach turn. But Trent did have a point. He’d never see a dime of his money if he didn’t jump through his stepmother’s hoops. A business arrangement. That’s what his brother kept telling him it was. Just a simple agreement so both parties could benefit.
He slipped his hand in his pocket and fingered the piece of paper with the address, his nerves jangling. A part of him wondered if she would be tolerable. Maybe even likeable. A frown pulled his lips down. What was he thinking, he’d fall in love with the girl? He smoothed his suit jacket and continued down the walkway. No need to be entertaining foolish thoughts.
A driver stood by the glass doors, the name “Williams” printed on the white piece of paper he held.
Harrison stared at the man. Really? Trent hired a limousine? Who was this woman he was trying to impress? Harrison greeted the man.
“Ri
ght this way, sir.”
He followed the driver, shaking his head at the lengths Trent was going through just to impress some spoiled little—Harrison stopped himself and shook his head. He really shouldn’t be labeling her before even meeting her. He slid into the plush seat and waited for the driver to put his carry-on in the trunk.
As the car pulled out into traffic, Harrison took a deep breath. This could be interesting. Maybe she would be different from what he expected. Maybe he should go through with his brother’s crazy plan. If she, what was her name? Ashley? Amanda? Something like that. Oh, well. She probably wasn’t what he would want, anyway. If he did end up marrying her, it would only be a formality. He needed his trust fund money so he could move out and finally get out from under his stepmother’s control.
He closed his eyes and laid his head back. If nothing else, at least he got to get away for a little while. His job in L.A. wasn’t exactly exciting, but his grandfather had started up the Harrison Williams Investment Group from scratch, and his father had run it until he fell ill. Now it was his turn. Expectations, and all that. It was what he’d been born to do.
The car slowed and Harrison’s eyes snapped open. They couldn’t be there already, could they? He peered out the window and his mouth went dry. Chapel-O-Love? What the…?
He pulled his cell from his pocket and stabbed his brother’s name. The line rang three times before he answered.
“Very funny.” Harrison tried not to yell.
“Hey, bro! Did you make it to Las Vegas?”
The driver came around the car and opened his door. Harrison waved him away. “Of course I did. I can’t believe you did this. You’re insane.”
A pause came through on the other end of the phone. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you? Come on. It’s just a girl. All you have to do is meet her.”
“Meet her? Are you joking? I never agreed to this.” Harrison pointed to the chapel, even though his brother couldn’t see, and ground his teeth. He should have expected his brother to pull something crazy on him.
Trent blew out a breath. “If you want the trust fund, you have to do this. She’s signed a one-year contract. It’s not a big deal. People marry for money all the time. All you have to do is pay her a hundred thousand. That’s a lot less than a divorce settlement. And she’ll get something else out of this, too. Her parents are pressuring her to marry someone of stature.”
Harrison gripped the phone so hard he was surprised he didn’t crush it. No more words came out.
The front door to the Chapel-O-Love opened, and a smiling bride waved at him. He broke out in a sweat, flashed a weak smile at her, and motioned that he was on the phone. She nodded, then ducked back inside.
His brother’s voice came through over the buzzing in his ears. “Listen, don’t screw this up for me. Do you know how long I searched for a girl willing to do this? You don’t exactly have the best reputation. After leaving Carol at the altar—”
“I caught her in the confessional with the best man!”
Trent sighed. “Everyone goes to confession.”
Heat burned Harrison’s face. “That wasn’t confession. That was what you do before you have to confess.”
“Maybe she wanted to save time,” Trent muttered.
“I’m hanging up.” Harrison pressed the disconnect symbol and slipped his phone back in his pocket. The driver stood by the door, Harrison’s bag beside him on the sidewalk. What a fine mess this was.
The chapel door opened again and the bride smiled wide and motioned for him to come in. He stared at her. She wasn’t bad looking. In fact, she didn’t look at all like the stuck-up socialite he’d imagined. That was a plus in her favor. Her high cheek bones and almond shaped eyes were quite attractive. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a simple style, a cheap looking veil pinned to her head. She looked to be in her late twenties, which wasn’t too much younger than him. The dress didn’t exactly fit, but from what he could tell she was in shape.
Wait, was he really thinking he would go through with this? He must be insane. This whole idea was certifiable. But he’d spoken to five different attorneys who all told him the same thing. His father left his stepmother in charge of the trust funds. There was no legal way to take the money away from her, no matter what his father’s intentions had been. He had to please her, and she wanted him married.
He let out a breath and climbed out of the limousine. His brother had set this all up, and already had a contract signed with this woman. All he had to do was walk inside and say, “I do.”
The woman waved her arms. “Are you coming? We’ve got to hurry, or they’re gonna charge us double.”
He shrugged. Why not? It was only a year. Highly worth it for fifteen million.
Penny stared at the man walking down the aisle. He was so handsome! She knew he would be. The photo he’d sent her was small, out of focus, and it was hard to tell what he looked like. Dark hair and chiseled features. But seeing him in person gave her a thrill. It was all she could do not to scream and jump around like she’d won the lottery. The closer he got, the more gorgeous he became. Her heart thundered in her chest. This was the man she’d bared her soul to. This was the man who understood her hopes and dreams.
And he was smokin’ hot!
William stepped up to the altar and faced her. He looked a little nervous. Or mad. Why was he scowling like that? She leaned over. “You okay?”
He nodded and straightened his back. “Yes. Let’s just get this over with.”
Over with? Her heart sank. Why did he say that? She tried to keep the hurt from her face. “You sound like you don’t want to do this.”
His features smoothed. “I’m sorry. I do.”
Maybe he was simply the nervous type. He did say he was shy around people. He probably struggled with social anxiety. That must be it.
She gave him a bright smile. “Me, too.”
The minister said a few things. She didn’t pay a lot of attention because her soon-to-be husband smelled really good, and it distracted her. She detected a musky cologne and something else. Maybe cinnamon? She should be listening. This was her wedding.
She tore her eyes away from William and looked up to the minister. He was staring at her with an expectant look. Then he cleared his throat, and her cheeks burned. “I do!” she blurted, hoping it was what he wanted. He must have skipped to the vow part, since they were running late.
The minister handed them the little metal rings she’d purchased with the deluxe package. “You may exchange the rings,” he said with a grand gesture.
William took her hand and slid the ring on her finger. Tiny zaps of electricity zinged through her, and her knees went weak. Holy cow, she’d married the right man.
“Now, you may kiss the bride.”
William leaned over and pressed his lips to hers so quickly she almost missed it. Really? That was their first kiss? Disappointment flitted over her, but she pushed it away. He probably didn’t want to give her a proper kiss in front of her family. They’d make up for it later.
After the rushed ceremony, her mother took a few snapshots. Her family stood and surrounded them. Her mother dabbed at her eyes. “Congratulations! I’m so happy to finally meet you. I’m Marci.” When she pulled him into a hug, poor William looked stunned. Penny held in a giggle. Her mom could be a little overwhelming.
Her father patted her new husband on the back. “Welcome to the family.” Then he leaned over and whispered quite loudly, “You’d better not break her heart.”
Heat seared Penny’s face. William’s eyes grew wide, and his eyebrows rose. “Daddy. Stop teasing.” She took her husband’s arm. “This is my father, Arthur, my brother, Clay, and my little sis, Kim.”
The minister cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, we have another couple scheduled in a few minutes. We’ll need to hurry this along. The paperwork still needs to be signed.”
Her mother wrapped her arms around Penny in a warm embrace. “I guess this is it. W
e’ll see you for Christmas, right? It’s only a couple of weeks away.”
Penny nodded. “Of course, Mom.”
“Have a wonderful honeymoon.” Her mother took another quick photo before waving and following the family out. The minister ushered her and William to the back room.
Harrison wasn’t sure what he’d gotten himself into. Everyone was acting peculiar. If this girl came from privileged means, they didn’t live like it. Her father’s purple polyester suit looked like it had been hanging in the back of his closet for thirty years.
His thoughts were interrupted when the girl shoved a paper at him. He stared at her name. Penelope Marie Ackerman. A stately name. His stepmother would like it.
But they’d gotten his name wrong. How embarrassing.
Penelope grinned at him. “Let me get changed out of this dress, and then we’ll head out.” She disappeared into the back changing room.
After she left, he took the paper to the woman behind the desk. “They’ve typed my name in wrong. Can you re-do these, please?”
The woman took the sheet and nodded. After she typed up a new form, she held it out to him. “You’ll need to take this marriage license to the bureau and show your driver’s licenses. And there’s a fee.”
“That’s fine.” He took the form and stuffed it in his pocket. He loosened his tie and tried to shake the feeling something was wrong with the situation. This was what needed to happen, right? In order to get his stepmother off his back and fulfill the terms she had added to his trust fund. He stared at the cheesy photos of happy couples on the wall, most of them probably plastered.
A minute later, Penelope emerged wearing jeans and a T-shirt with the words, “Dear Math, I’m not a therapist. Solve your own problems,” splayed across her chest. “Ready?” She picked up his carry-on and headed for the parking lot.
A Fake Marriage Romance Collection Page 34