by Kate Kisset
“You won’t get a fight from me.” He kissed her nose, and hugged her, basking in a kind of bliss he’d never experienced before.
“TWENTY ORDERS OF PEYTON’S chicken, coming up.” Linda Anderson announced, unloading a few bags onto the table, and Wyatt set down a few more.
“Do you need any help?” Mariah asked, joining her at the table with Colt.
“It’s your engagement party. You’re not supposed to lift a finger.”
“Speaking of the wedding, Linda,” Belle interjected, dramatically propping her hands on her hips. “When are you coming into my boutique for your fitting? I’ve already scheduled Georgia and Becca. Aves was in last week. We needed to let out her dress a bit. The wee little thing gained some weight, and I tell you, it looked marvelous on her. She was glowing.”
“I think the emerald-green velvet will be really pretty on you,” Mariah commented. “Thanks for being one of my bridesmaids.”
Linda studied her friend. She’d never seen Mariah Walker look so content. And the way Colt was looking at her, all goo-goo eyed, was almost too much for her heart to take. “Of course. It’s my honor, Mariah. And Belle, I’m so sorry I’ve been swamped. I promise I’ll call and set up an appointment. It’s going to be such a beautiful day. I’ve never been to a Christmas wedding before.”
Wyatt joined the conversation. “And then you two are off to Italy?”
Colt nodded. “Italy will be a little cold, but we’re going to brave the weather and start in Rome.”
“If it’s too chilly we’ll stay inside all day.” Mariah gave Colt a kiss, which led into another, and another.
“Ahem.” Wyatt cleared his throat. “You sure you have your passport?”
“I applied for it the week I gave her the ring.”
Mariah didn’t seem to be listening to her fiancé and brother and instead, zeroed in on Linda. “I’ll bet you’ll be so happy to see your Aunt Agnes, won’t you, Linda?”
The words hit Linda like a sledgehammer. But she did her best to remain calm while searching for moisture in her mouth. She’d been avoiding her aunt and her constant haranguing for months. “Ahhh, when? When will I be so happy to see Aunt Agnes?”
“At the wedding, silly. You don’t think we’d have you in the bridal party and not invite everyone’s favorite aunt to the ceremony, did you?”
Everyone’s favorite aunt? That was a stretch. She was a meddling troublemaker, who couldn’t keep her nose out of everyone’s business to save her life.
Aunt Agnes disapproved of Linda taking over The Owl after her father died.
Aunt Agnes despised the fact Linda bought the building and lived in an apartment above the bar.
And, Aunt Agnes absolutely detested Linda’s still-single-at-twenty-eight-years-old hen status.
Linda wouldn’t have lied to her if Agnes hadn’t constantly harassed her. If she hadn’t been her dearly departed father’s only sibling, Linda wouldn’t have had anything to do with her. The only saving grace was that she lived in Tennessee.
“My aunt doesn’t travel anymore, or even get out of the house much. I doubt she’ll come.”
That’s why my devious fib is working so well.
Mariah grinned, waving her index finger back and forth tsk-tsking her. “Oh, she’s coming all right. I just talked to her yesterday.”
“Shit.” Linda didn’t mean to say it out loud.
“She told me she was looking forward to being there on my big day.” Mariah met her eyes and, in that instant, Linda knew she was busted. “Agnes asked me if your husband would be in town for the wedding.”
Colt, Pearl, Belle, and Wyatt turned to her and stared.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Linda stayed focused on Mariah. “And what did you say?” Linda’s pulse jackhammered in her ears as she held her breath. “Did you rat me out and tell her I wasn’t married?”
“Of course not. Where’s the fun in that?” Mariah laughed. “I told Agnes how crazy you two are about each other, and that your husband wouldn’t miss my wedding for the world.”
The End
Find out what happens in Linda and Jack’s steamy billionaire, fake marriage romance
Husband Faker!
And read all the books in the Lonesome Cowboy Series:
Heartbreaker (Harlan and Georgia = Enemies to Lovers Romance)
Love Maker (Boone and Becca = Second Chance Romance)
Playlist
“GONER” —Mitchell Tenpenny
“Dime Store Cowgirl” —Kayce Musgraves
“Tip of My Tongue” —Kenny Chesney
“To a T” —Ryan Hurd
“Getaway” —Hudson Moore
“Heartbreak Kid” —Harlan Beckett, Kate Kisset*
“Hard to Be Cool” —Joe Nichols
“I Think I Love You” —The Partridge Family
“Friends in Low Places” —Garth Brooks
“Ready Set Roll” —Chase Rice
“The Drinking” —Josh Melton
“Chasin’ Me” —Caroline Jones
“They Call the Wind Mariah” —Sam Cooke
“Dream On” —Aerosmith
“The Good Ones” —Tebey, Marie-Mai
“If Loving You is Wrong —Barbara Mandrell
“Change Your Name” —Brett Young
“The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” —Chris Stapleton
(*Songs from the book, sung in the writer’s mind, accompanied by her imagination.)
Other Books by Kate Kisset
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES:
Lonesome Cowboy Series:
Heartbreaker
Love Maker
Dream Maker
Love in the Vineyards Series:
Love at Last- Love in the Vineyards #1
Love’s Home Run- Love in the Vineyards #2
Kissing Luca- Micro short story. (Luca & Danica)
Love is a Wildfire- Love in the Vineyards #4
Kissing Mr. Mistletoe (Companion novella)
The Santinos (Spin-off romantic comedies)
One Wish
Two to Tango
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About Kate Kisset
USA TODAY BESTSELLING author Kate Kisset is a former San Francisco disc jockey. She’s always been passionate about telling great stories. After playing thousands of Pop, Country, Rock and Oldies tunes, for her primarily female fan base, she changed her tune and became an author.
A girl’s girl herself, Kate’s heroines are smart and feisty and her heroes are drool-worthy book boyfriends, who’ll do anything for the women they love.
When she's not writing, Kate's favorite job is being "The Mommy." She enjoys reading, binge watching Netflix and the Hallmark Channel, wine tasting, cooking, listening to music, and hiking with her loyal companion Luciana Parmigiana, her rescue-dog-editor.
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