Accidentally Married
Page 26
He revealed a fatter white-gold band. Two of them. Each with an arch of alternating diamonds and blue sapphires that, when resting beside each other, formed a heart. He separated the bands. One half of a heart for her, one for him.
Just like their tattoos.
“Oh, Burke. These are perfect.”
He slid the ring onto her left hand, nestling it beside her dream ring. They were perfect together.
Just like she and Burke.
Jill took his wedding band and placed it on his finger, where it fit exactly. The ring shone on his strong hand, claiming him for all the world to see.
Claiming him as hers and hers alone.
Her other half.
“Never stop being you,” she whispered, kissing him tenderly.
“I won’t, as long as you don’t, either.”
“Well, I was thinking I’d plan things out a tad less. Leave a little room for opportunity to nudge in her nosy little head from time to time.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Because I heard you already have the dishes and curtains chosen for our new little place here in town.”
She gave a good-natured harrumph, knowing he had her on that one. “But what I realized is that all those mistakes I was agonizing over in my past taught me some very important lessons. Like showing up to win a riflery competition and take home a scholarship without a backup rifle…not smart. Planning is good, but within reason—and so you know, I got a great deal on those curtains. And yes, I could have chosen better men sometimes, but they taught me what I needed.” She met Burke’s soulful gaze. “They all led me to you and made me who I am today—the woman you chose.”
“Twice. And I’ll keep on choosing you day after day.” He pulled her into a long, slow kiss that drew cheers from the crowd of family and friends surrounding them.
“This might be the biggest day of my life,” she whispered.
“I told you I was a part of it.”
Jill smiled. “I hope you always will be.”
“Told you they wouldn’t stay apart long,” Mary Alice said to her sister from the sidelines.
“Oh, shush. You’re so full of it, and you’re ruining the moment,” Liz retorted, dabbing at her eyes.
“We got you something,” Mary Alice exclaimed, waving a bag at Jill and Burke as they headed into the room at long last, to take their spot at the head table alongside Jodi and Gareth.
Jill accepted the bag, while her husband placed a warm hand on her lower back, then gave her a quick, chaste kiss on her temple.
Jill pushed aside the tissue paper and pulled out a picture frame. It held the photo from MacKenzie’s with them madly kissing, the one that had hit the papers.
“It’s a good picture,” Mary Alice said defensively, when the two remained silent.
“It is,” Burke aunt’s agreed, coming over to join them.
Burke turned it to face Mary Alice. “Did you know we’d been joking about framing this photo?”
The woman simply gave him a knowing smile. “You’re welcome.”
“I married her twice, you know. That’s more than I’ve married any other woman,” he called as she walked away.
“I’m keeping my eye on you,” Mary Alice said, glancing back as she went. But Jill saw her teasing wink, telling them both that she now considered Burke to be one of her own, one of the town’s.
“Then keep an eye on this,” Burke called, bending Jill backward in a dramatic kiss that blew her mind and told her everything she needed to know about her own happily ever after—it was going to last forever.
Thank you for reading ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED. I hope you loved Burke and Jill’s story! Find out what happens to her friends Amy and Moe when they make good on an old vow to marry each other if they’re both single when Amy turns 30 in THE MARRIAGE PLEDGE.
Sometimes platonic friends make the best spouses.
Tomorrow these two best friends are going to go through with a marriage pledge and start a family. The problem is, neither of them can afford help from a fertility clinic which means they’re going to have to start their family the old-fashioned way. Can the two friends withstand the pressures of baby-making as their minds begin to turn down avenues that are anything but platonic? And what will Amy do when she does the unthinkable and begins to fall for her husband of convenience?
Click to start reading THE MARRIAGE PLEDGE now!
“This book had it all...friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, interfering friends and relatives...plus lots of love, humor and deep friendship. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down!” —Reader review from Cheryl.
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…Need a sneak peek of Amy and Moe’s story, THE MARRIAGE PLEDGE? Turn the page for a sneak peek…
Sneak Peek from The Marriage Pledge
“You may kiss the bride,” Mary Alice said with a hint of mischief in her voice.
Amy’s mouth dropped open ever so slightly, and Moe leaned back.
Oh.
Right.
Of course they were going to have to kiss. That was kind of a staple event in weddings, even between two friends going through with a marriage pledge. A platonic marriage pledge.
Moe studied the woman in his arms, a warm feeling of calm coming over him. She was looking at him expectantly, her grip on him tightening.
They’d kissed before. No big deal, right?
Although that idea felt a bit too…real right now.
Amy was watching him, and despite this being a marriage of convenience, he knew that the appearance of a somewhat traditional marriage was important to her. She wanted to have this for their kids, to make them feel as though they were part of something genuine, something real. One kiss wouldn’t change anything between them, right?
“Shall we?” he asked.
Amy nodded, her cheeks an endearing pink, her amber eyes a sunny golden color as she watched him move closer.
He could give her a closemouthed kiss that looked convincingly appropriate in terms of levels of passion.
But as he lowered his mouth to hers he wondered how exactly one was to pull off a kiss like that with the alluring woman who was now his wife.
Find out how Moe and Amy do with keeping their pledge platonic—especially when they realize they’re going to have to make a family…the old-fashioned way.
Click to continue reading THE MARRIAGE PLEDGE now!
More Books by Jean Oram
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Find a full, up-to-date book list at www.jeanoram.com/books
Veils and Vows
Marriage of convenience romances set in one nosy little mountain town—you know things are going to get good!
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The Promise (Bonus prequel: Devon & Olivia)
The Surprise Wedding (Devon & Olivia)
A Pinch of Commitment (Ethan & Lily)
The Wedding Plan (Luke & Emma)
Accidentally Married (Burke & Jill)
The Marriage Pledge (Moe & Amy)
Mail Order Soulmate (Zach & Catherine)
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Indigo Bay
Sweet romances set in a beach town—meet characters new and old in this spinoff series.
Sweet Matchmaker (Ginger and Logan)
Sweet Holiday Surprise (Cash & Alexa)
Sweet Forgiveness (Ashton & Zoe)
Sweet Troublemaker (Nick & Polly)
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Blueberry Springs
Sweet, fun small town romances.
Fall for your best friend. Your enemy. The wrong man… it all happens in Blueberry Springs.
Whiskey and Gumdrops (Mandy & Frankie)
Rum and Raindrops (Jen & Rob)
Eggnog and Candy Canes (Katie & Nash)
Sweet Treats (3 short stories—Mandy, Amber, & Nicola)
&nb
sp; Vodka and Chocolate Drops (Amber & Scott)
Tequila and Candy Drops (Nicola & Todd)
Champagne and Lemon Drops (Beth & Oz) Also available in audio.
The Summer Sisters
Taming billionaires has never been so sweet!
One cottage. Four sisters. And four billionaires who sweep them off their feet.
Falling for the Movie Star (Finian & Hailey)
Falling for the Boss (Connor & Maya)
Falling for the Single Dad (Tristen & Melanie)
Falling for the Bodyguard (Evander & Daphne)
Falling for the Firefighter (Josh & Simone)
* Also watch for audiobooks, paperbacks, and special box set anthologies! *
For the Kids
1,001 Boredom Busting Play Ideas
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About the Author
Jean Oram is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. Inspiration for her small town series came from her own upbringing on the Canadian prairies. Although, so far, none of her characters have grown up in an old schoolhouse or worked on a bee farm. Jean still lives on the prairie with her husband, two kids, big shaggy dog and persnickety cat, where she can be found out playing in the snow or hiking.
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Website & blog: www.jeanoram.com
Thanks for reading.
XO
Jean