Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 60711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
This woman was that Star, and so—
“Were you instantly attracted to your husbands when you first met?”
Star and Harry nodded, and Andie breathed a sigh of relief. So far so good. If she could just have three things in common with these two women, she would have nothing to worry about, and she would know for sure she was doing the right thing in marrying Paul.
And so...
“What made you think they were the one for you?” Andie asked next.
Harry’s lips curved in a smile that was half shy, half rueful. “That’s a really good question, and it’s probably why Paul wanted Devon and me to be witnesses in your wedding.”
Andie’s brows furrowed as she tried to decipher what Harry was leading to. Was theirs another whirlwind romance—
“I’m what you’d call a mail-order bride.”
Holy cow! No way! For real?
Harry burst into laughter at the comical array of expressions that flitted over Andie’s face.
Andie then turned to Star, wondering—
The other woman grinned. “Wynd and I do have something in common with Harry and Devon, but it’s not that.”
Oooh, another mystery.
“Ours was also supposed to be a marriage of convenience—”
Andie nearly jumped for joy. Yes, yes, yes! That was exactly what she wanted to hear. That being another thing she had in common with these two wonderful ladies—
“But just like Harry and Devon, Wynd and I—”
Two down, one to go, Andie thought happily.
“—fell in love along the way.”
Star and Harry were both perplexed when they saw Andie pale.
Fell. In. Love.
Well...
That’s that then.
“I, um, need to go to the powder room...” Andie could only mumble the words and was also unable to meet either woman’s gaze as she turned away.
Star looked at Harry. What do you think is wrong?
Harry bit her lip. I have no idea.
A few minutes passed, and Harry’s stomach started churning. Would she be intrusive if she were to knock—
The door to the judge’s office suddenly opened, with a court assistant poking her head in. “Ladies? They’re ready whenever you are.”
“We’ll be right there,” Star answered while Harry knocked on the door to the powder room before entering. “Andie just needs—”
Her voice trailed off upon seeing Harry burst out of the powder room, a dismayed look on her face.
Oh no.
Chapter Seven
ANDIE STARED AT HER reflection in the mirror, and what she saw...was a woman who absolutely had no idea of what she was doing.
I’m doomed.
She looked at herself again. Tried her best to appreciate the wedding dress that Paul had conjured like magic. It was the most amazingly beautiful dress, a lace and silk concoction that gently hugged her every curve while also making her look a lot taller than she really was. She had no idea how that was possible, really. Or maybe that was why expensive dresses were, well, expensive. They made the impossible possible, and that was what people paid the big bucks for, and—
Stop it with the distraction, Andromeda Jackson!
It’s not like you to bury your head in the stand!
You’re...you’re a parrot, not an ostrich!
Parrots are chubby, funny, talkative, and...and smart!
Parrots figure things out instead of hiding from their problems.
So think like a parrot, not an ostrich!
Andie took a deep breath and tried one more time to recalibrate her thoughts.
So...
She had originally tried to convince herself that all she needed were three things in common with Harry and Star, and that would be her sign that this wedding was the right thing to do.
That obviously didn’t work the way she thought it would, but...so what?
That was a rule she made up herself, rather than an all-important rule written in the Bible.
And...and besides, nowhere did it say in the Bible that love was a condition for marriage.
Right?
So this...this was fine.
Love might not be her primary reason for marrying Paul, but she had other reasons, and they weren’t bad reasons.
Like...
She was marrying Paul...
Because he was hot.
Because he could afford to give her $55,000.
Because she couldn’t bear thinking he’d end up with her aunt.
Surely, she had a better reason.
Or at least any reason that didn’t sound too selfish.
Think, Andie, think!
She...
She...
No. Oh no. Oh God.
A sob rushed past her throat, and Andie barely managed to cover her mouth to muffle its sound.
I’m doing the wrong thing, aren’t I?
Tears blurred her gaze as she looked around in panic.
I...
I...
I...found it!
Tucked into the corner of the powder room was a smaller door, either used for the staff...or perhaps it was to allow the judge that owned this office an exit away from prying eyes?
Didn’t matter either way.
That door was her way out, and Andie’s heart hammered against her chest as she picked her skirts up. How was it that even though she had only known Paul for a short time—
She only had to close her eyes, and it was just so painfully easy to envision every chiseled inch of his handsome face.
And when she thought of what she was about to do—