The Honeymoon Prize Read Free Page A

on his blinker. “I’ve never wanted to be married for real.”
    She remembered when he’d become engaged to a woman named Carrie who’d told him she was pregnant while he was deployed in Afghanistan. Nick, who wanted to do the right thing and be a better dad than his had been, proposed via Skype and sent her his paychecks, only to return home to find a pregnant fiancée, but one who wasn’t far along enough for the baby to be his. She’d been lying and cheating on him the entire time.
    Nick never mentioned Carrie, but Addie knew the breakup affected him. He’d left the military when his contract expired instead of reenlisting. His dates never went beyond casual, even back in high school, but they seemed to be more temporary and physical now. But the hookups seemed to satisfy him.
    “At least we know where we stand,” Addie said.
    He nodded. “There’s no one else I trust enough to marry like this. Things are going to be okay. This will work.”
    Addie crossed her fingers. She sure hoped so. Being homeless sucked.

Chapter 2
    N ick stretched out, enjoying the legroom in first class, thirty-seven thousand feet over the Pacific Ocean. He twisted the gold band on his left-hand ring finger.
    Sunlight streamed through the plane’s window, a new day. He hadn’t been married twenty-four hours yet, but he’d realized one thing. This ring wasn’t coming off his finger anytime soon.
    Five years. He planned to make the most of being married.
    Addie had called him a chick magnet, but this ring drew babes in like a tractor beam set on high. Since saying “I do,” three hot women had tried giving him their numbers at the airport. He hadn’t taken them. That wouldn’t have been nice to do to Addie a few hours after their wedding, even if the marriage wasn’t real. But getting married might be the best thing that ever happened to his social life.
    With a wife waiting at home, another woman couldn’t expect him to get serious or stay the night. The possibilities of what he could get away with over the next five years were endless thanks to Mrs. Cahill.
    Addie.
    A warm feeling settled in the center of his chest, adding to the satisfaction he’d felt since being pronounced husband and wife. He’d come up with a brilliant plan.
    This marriage wasn’t only for him, but Addie, too. He would support her financially and pay her school tuition. She could enjoy life for once with no money or housing worries. He also had a special wedding present he’d tracked down for her, but he hadn’t decided when to give her the gift. Maybe after they got settled on the island. He couldn’t wait to surprise her.
    Lying on her reclined seat, Addie slept, covered haphazardly with a blanket, her left calf sticking out and her feet covered in the fuzzy socks from their flight amenity kits.
    She’d dressed for comfort, wearing cut-off knee-length sweats, a large t-shirt and oversized San Diego Chargers crewneck sweatshirt. She looked younger, like a teenager, with her dark brown hair pulled back in a familiar ponytail, the same style she’d worn for over two decades and freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and cheeks.
    Cute, as always, but different from how pretty she’d looked in the white dress at the wedding. The last time he’d seen her dressed up had been at prom. She’d gone with Scott Taylor, captain of the tennis team, and Nick had stewed watching the jerk hold Addie too close while they danced.
    A bad night.
    His fault.
    He could have been Addie’s prom date, her boyfriend even, except he’d blown her off on what would have been their first date. That day, his parents had finally, after years of threats and separating only to reunite, decided to divorce. Addie was his best female friend, his safety net. Going on a date had seemed like a bad idea. He’d been upset and too nervous to tell her how he felt, unsure of her feelings for him. He couldn’t afford to lose her friendship. Not when his life was falling