April Fool Bride by Joan Reeves

Author:Joan Reeves
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: romance and humor, Romantic Comedy, love conquers all, romance and sex, heiress romance, bride, millionaire bachelors, wedding, marriage of convenience, contemporary romance
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Dinner wasn't as difficult as Maddie had expected, and the rest of the evening passed pleasantly. Jake's mother left first. When the last guest departed, Constance led them all to the solarium. Maddie was surprised to see how tired her stepmother looked.

Constance rubbed the spot between her eyebrows. "Maddie, would you tell me how you and Jake met after all these years?"

Instead of the sharp retort that trembled on her tongue, Maddie replied mildly and gazed at Jake, letting her genuine adoration shine through, knowing that she would look like a woman in love, as she told the story of shopping in New York and running into Jake on the street. She concluded with, "It was love at first sight."

Jake took both her hands in his, pulling her close. "I told Maddie I was happy to be her kept man, but she insisted on marriage. What's a guy to do when the most beautiful woman in the world wants to marry him?"

"What indeed?" Constance asked.

Since her stepmother didn't smile, Maddie couldn't decide if she was being sarcastic or amused.

Strack appeared with a coffee service and a decanter of brandy and glasses on a large silver tray. Constance waved a hand at the round linen-upholstered ottoman.

"Madam, the matter you asked me to handle has been attended to."

"Thank you, Strack, you may retire for the evening."

After he'd left the room, Constance said, "Madeline, I've had your suite made ready for you and your husband."

Maddie clamped down on the sudden panic she felt. "What do you mean?"

"You and Jake can hardly be expected to share your tiny townhome, and staying in a hotel when you have a perfectly lovely suite here is ridiculous. So I had the concierge pack your things at the hotel and send them over here. They arrived while we were dining. Strack put the bags in your room, Madeline."

Maddie felt the noose around her neck. "You had no right to do that."

"I was just acting on your behalf to welcome Jake to our home. Don't you want him to feel welcome here?"

Jake realized Maddie's temper simmered just below the surface. He put his arm around her and hugged her close. It was like hugging a wooden mannequin. "Wasn't that thoughtful, sweetheart?"

So the ice queen was testing their marriage already, Jake thought. "That's really very kind of you. I'm sure Maddie and I will be comfortable here until we can make other arrangements. We won't be underfoot very long. Right, sweetheart?"

Maddie managed a tight smile, and an insincere, "Right, darling."

A brief smile flitted across Constance's face. "That's settled then. I have meetings early in the morning so I'll see you both for dinner tomorrow night."

Jake rose while Constance swept from the room with a swish of her skirts.

Maddie sank onto the taupe silk upholstered loveseat and exhaled loudly.

"Tired?" Jake asked, sitting next to her.

"Tired. Confused." She shook her head slowly. "I feel as if I've run a marathon since that day in your apartment."

Jake sat next to her. When

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