Temporary Husband
Authors: Day Leclaire
The Location:
The Cinderella Ball.
The Groom:
Jake Hondo has an inheritance to collect, but to do so he needs to wed and bed a woman—any woman…
The Bride:
Wynne Sommers is a romantic. She believes in love at first sight, knights in shining armor and that a marriage is forever. All she needs is the man to prove it…
The Outcome:
Marriage! Well, Wynne is nothing if not optimistic and who ever said a TEMPORARY HUSBAND couldn’t be persuaded to stick around?
On one very special night, single people from all over America come together in the hope of finding that special ingredient for a happy ever after—their soul mate. The Cinderella Ball offers the opportunity for immediate matrimony: come single, leave wed. Which is exactly what is about to happen to three unsuspecting couples in Day Leclaire’s magical new trilogy:
Titles in this series are:
November: TEMPORARY HUSBAND
December: ACCIDENTAL WIFE
January 1997: SHOTGUN MARRIAGE
Dear Reader,
I have a confession to make…I used to devour fairy tales. In fact, I’ll still pick up my old, battered copy of
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
and lose myself between its pages for hours on end. As a child I’d put myself to sleep making up my own version of these stories—wonderful romantic tales of princes and princesses and eternal love. So I suppose it’s only appropriate that the idea for my FAIRYTALE WEDDINGS series came to me in a dream.
I found the premise wildly romantic—a ball thrown once every five years for single individuals eager to find a suitable mate. Attend, search for the man or woman of your dreams and marry. All in one night.
I suppose that in real life the rational, intellectual part of ourselves would stop us from behaving so impulsively. But in our dreams, in our imaginations, in that impetuous, sentimental part that we keep safely locked away from cynical eyes, perhaps we can see ourselves nervously entering the Montagues’ ballroom and looking for that perfect man or woman. We can leave reality behind. We can waltz with our own personal Prince Charming and steal a moonlit kiss in a secluded comer of the garden. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll find our soul mate.
So here’s your invitation to attend the Montagues’ Cinderella Ball, to escape into a few hours of fantasy. Meet lake Hondo, a tough, no-nonsense cowboy, and Wynne Sommers, a whimsical, soul-healing bit of mischief. Here’s your invitation to find
happily ever after.
Love,
In memoiy of Robert M. Totton. We’ll miss your humor, your wit and your wonderful stories. Mostly, we’ll miss you just being there.
And special thanks to Oath Laing for her support, enthusiasm and hard work. You’re super!
Towson, Maryland
W
YNNE
S
OMMERS
sat on the floor of her apartment and cupped her chin, her pale brows drawn together in thought. “Do you know what I really need, Laura?”
Her friend snorted, folding clothes into a large moving box. “Sure I know. You need to have your head examined if you still intend to go through with this ridiculous idea.”
“No…What I really need is a knight in shining armor. A protector.”
Laura shoved the box to one side and glared. “Oh, for crying out loud! Why don’t you just wish for Prince Charming, a palace and a million dollars while you’re at it? It’s just as realistic.” She threw up her hands in despair. “Listen to me talking about realism, and to you of all people. A woman planning to marry a complete stranger wouldn’t recognize reality if it bit her on the—”
“Yes?” Wynne questioned, amusement clear in her voice. “Bit me where?”
“Oh, forget it,” Laura muttered. “Why do I bother?”
Wynne smiled, not in the least offended by her friend’s bluntness. “Because you care. And in case you’ve forgotten, I know all about reality and being realistic. It hasn’t worked for me, which is why I’m willing to give the alternative a try.”
“I know,” Laura said, contritely. “But to marry a complete stranger—”
“My point exactly. Since I
am
going to marry a complete stranger, why not pick one with all the qualities I need?”
“Because it’s crazy. It’s just asking for trouble.” Laura’s gaze grew concerned. “Please, don’t do this. There has to be another solution.”
“You know there isn’t,” Wynne said with calm finality. “I’ve lost my job, my apartment and I’m out of money. This is the only option left. It’ll work out, you’ll see.”
Laura frowned. “What do you mean you’re out of money?” she demanded. “What happened to your savings?”
“I spent every last penny on my ticket to the ball. I had to. It was the only way to find a husband by the end of the month.”
A long silence stretched between them. Wynne knew she’d upset her friend, but she had no choice. From the moment she’d found out about the Cinderella Ball, she’d known it was the answer to her prayers. It had been a fluke that she’d seen the advertisement at all—a newspaper left at the restaurant where she’d worked, a gust of wind from an open doorway, pages of newsprint blowing to the floor and…And there it was. A small, elegant ad that had caught her eye and offered a chance of a lifetime.
The Cinderella Ball,
it had read.
Find romance. Find your Prince Charming. Find the woman of your dreams. The Cinderella Ball offers the opportunity for immediate matrimony. Come to the ball single and leave happily wed.
And it had given a phone number, a number she’d called that very night. A ticket to the ball had been exorbitant, the application form detailed and thorough. But she’d apparently passed whatever investigative
process they required and been accepted as a guest to the ball.
Unable to resist, Wynne crossed to the scarred dining table at the far end of the room and stared down at the thick gold-embossed envelope she’d placed on her best remaining china plate. It had arrived earlier that day, hand-delivered by a liveried messenger along with a card that read,
“The Montagues wish you joy and success as you embark on your search for matrimonial happiness.”
Taking a deep breath, she opened the envelope again, removing the white velvet pouch inside.
Reverently she ran a callused fingertip over the pouch, then slid the surprisingly heavy gilt “ticket” from its nest. The metallic wafer caught the light from the overhead bulb and shimmered as though alive, flooding the drab room with a brilliant, golden promise. She’d done the right thing, she assured herself, made, the only possible decision. Just holding the engraved ticket filled her with that certainty.
Laura came to stand behind her. “I’m sorry, Wynne,” she said. “I didn’t mean to criticize. It’s just…I worry about you. You don’t always see people the way they really are, and I’m afraid one of these days someone will take advantage of you.”
“I guess that’s all the more reason I should get married. My husband can make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“What if
he
takes advantage of you?”
Wynne laughed. “I wouldn’t marry a man like that. That’s why I’m going to the Cinderella Ball. The man I find will be special.” She smiled with dreamy certainty. “He’ll be good and kind, patient and loving. Strong. Fair.”
“Yeah, right. A knight in shining armor. A protector.”
A small frown creased Wynne’s brow. “I know women aren’t supposed to need protection. They’re not even
supposed to want it anymore. Do you think he’ll mind? It won’t be for long. Just until Mrs. Marsh is taken care of.”