How to Lose a Groom in 10 Days (10 page)

Melanie settled the sleeping puppy’s carrier on the floor between their feet and straightened.

“I meant what I said to you, Grady.” She was sure of this. Of them.

She’d just needed a little time to wrap her head around it.

“I know you do.” He stroked back her hair with a gentle reverent hand. “And I meant every word I said to you in the courthouse. I want to be your husband, to honor and cherish you. To love you for the rest of my life.”

She saw the truth in his eyes. Allowed herself to see. And was so grateful for this second chance. She placed her hands on his dear, handsome face and kissed him once, twice, saying between each kiss, “We’ll make this work. I know we can.”

He took her hand in his, his thumb working over where she’d put her rings back on. “We will. And we’re going to do this right, planning for our future even after my traveling days are over. I mean it when I say, you let me know if the life’s too much for you.”

“It won’t be.” She could handle this. She’d plowed through so many unhappy days in her life, she could definitely start thinking about fun times ahead. Smiling and laughing more. Living the rest of her life as happily as the last ten weeks.

“I know it will take time. Some adjustments. But we’ve got options. We have the house in Atlanta, but we’ll keep a home here too, in Orlando.”

“I’d like that.” Her heart was so full she thought it might burst. She tipped her forehead to his. Kissed his cheek. “You know, I’ve been considering what you said about my traveling with you. I like the sound of that.” The adventure. The sense that marriage didn’t have to be like her parents’. “I’m quite adaptable, thanks to all those temp jobs. Who knows? Maybe now that I’m finally getting a degree soon, this will be the perfect time for me to plan for my future career too.”

His smile stretched, brushing her lips. “I like the sound of that. I like the sound of you. In my life. In my heart.”

The engines roared and the plane began to taxi as she said, “You have quite a way with words for a ballplayer.”

“I might have a few years of experience charming the hometown press.” He stroked her hair. Straightened her wedding ring on her finger and then kissed the place where it rested. “But I save all my best material for the woman I love.”

“We’re going to have the best marriage.” She knew it deep in her soul. She didn’t know what she’d done right to deserve this man, but she wasn’t letting him go. And she was going to love him like nobody’s business. “And I’m going to be your full time pet sitter too.”

“Is that right?” He kissed her eyes that had started to tear up from sheer happiness. “Maybe we’d better say our vows again. Have a long version of the wedding ceremony so we can tell each other all the ways we’re going to be good to each other.”

“We could.” She loved that he offered. That he would do that for her. “But I don’t need any more formal vows. I believe you when you say you’re going to love me forever. I promise you, I’m going to love you right back.”

“Well, in that case,” he answered, sliding his arm around her shoulder and tucking her to his side, “we’ll just concentrate on living the dream.” He took out his phone to show her the photo of their Marriage Certificate that had caused a stir on social media. “Care to make it official for the fans, too?”

She fell in love with the challenge in his eyes, the devilry and daring that had swept her off her feet ten weeks ago.

“What do you have in mind?”

“A quick honeymoon selfie?” he asked, kissing her cheek and snapping a picture.

“Absolutely.” Her heart warmed to see the image on his phone. They both glowed. “What shall we say?” She pointed to the comment box next to the picture he planned to post.

He typed a few words and showed it to her. “How about this?”

My new MVP – meet the Mrs.

Laughing, she tapped the Send button for him. Then, setting his phone aside, she went about kissing him and keeping her spot on the roster… forever.

‡

M
elanie swiped on
shimmery pink lip gloss in the bathroom of the restaurant. She was out for a low key evening on the town with her husband and two of their friends. Grady and Melanie had been married for a month. And they were closer than ever.

“Are you getting excited for the big day?” Melanie asked Annamae Jessup, Boone Sullivan’s reality star fiancée.

Leaning against the sink, Annamae glanced at her ring before answering, a forced smile nudging at her lips. “Of course! It’s going to be quite an event. I’m so glad you and Grady can attend.”

Melanie nodded as she held the thick wooden door open for them both, hoping that Annamae and Boone could be even half as happy as she and Grady were. “We are too.”

And she meant it. Despite the presence of Annamae’s reality show crew, she and Boone were nice people. Normal people. No drama, no crazy partying nights. Melanie had been surprised to find there were couples with similar values and lifestyles to what she wanted. But then Grady had told her as much. She just hadn’t been ready to listen.

She and Annamae returned to the boys at the table, sounds of old Italian singers mingling with the din of the restaurant’s low conversations.

Grady’s eyes lit up at the sight of her.

“Aren’t they the two most beautiful ladies in Atlanta?” Grady whistled softly before planting a kiss on Melanie’s lips.

His kiss still sent shivers down her spine and made her knees go weak, giving her the perfect excuse to sink into her chair.

Boone helped Annamae into her seat. “And we are the lucky guys that locked them down.”

Melanie linked hands with her husband, so glad she’d taken the leap of faith to marry this man. It had been so simple to adjust into her life with Grady. Everything fit. She was moving forward with her degree, finding her passion in life. And Grady was there to support her, despite his hectic career.

Nothing about Melanie’s life had ever been conventional. And neither had been their courtship…and yet, she was able to live the life she had been so afraid to hope for.

Their eyes met as Boone and Annamae discussed the details of their upcoming wedding. Melanie’s thoughts wandered away from the present conversation to the man that was before her eyes. Her husband.

Her forever was with
him
. With this wonderful man who hadn’t given up on her no matter how hard she’d tried to lose him. And she was excited for what the next month, the next year, the next few decades would bring for them both.

Their marriage? This was the big-leagues. They were the all-stars, along with Polly and the children they would have over the years, a team for the rest of her days.

The Runaway Bride Series

How to Lose a Groom in 10 Days

Book 1:
The Wedding Audition

Buy Now!

Book 2:
There Goes the Bride

Coming soon – May 2015

Book 3:
Bride on the Run

Coming soon – June 2015

USA Today
bestseller and RITA Award winner, Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Berkley, Harlequin, Sourcebooks and Tule. With over sixty books in released in more than twenty countries, she has also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win. A former theater school director and university instructor, she holds a Master’s degree in Theater from UNC-Greensboro and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts: Theater (with minors in both English and Education) from the College of Charleston. Catherine and her flyboy husband live on the Florida coast where they brought up their 4 children – and still have 5 four-legged, furry “children” (aka pets). Visit Catherine’s website at
www.CatherineMann.com
.

Joanne Rock writes romance of all shapes and sizes from sexy contemporary to medieval historical and an occasional Young Adult story. She’s penned over seventy books, appearing most often in the Harlequin Blaze series. Joanne taught English at the college level before becoming a full-time writer, and she returns to the classroom as often as possible to share her love of stories. A quiet and unassuming Virgo, Joanne married a fiery and boisterous Aries man in true opposites-attract fashion. Visit her website at
www.JoanneRock.com
.

*

For all the latest news from Tule Publishing, visit our website at
TulePublishing.com
and sign up for our newsletter
here
!