The Tycoon's Bought Fiancée Read Free

coming to this wedding. Weddings weren’t her thing to begin with. She had no illusions about them, she never had, not even before she’d married Avery, though heaven knew she wished only the best for Dawn and Nicholas. She’d certainly tried to get out of coming north, to attend this affair. As soon as the invitation had arrived, she’d phoned Annie, expressed her delight for the engaged couple, followed by her regrets, but Annie had cut her short.
    â€œDon’t give me any of that Southern compone,” Annie had said firmly, and then her voice had softened. “You have to come to the wedding, Steffie,” she’d said. “After all, you introduced Dawn and Nicholas. The kids and I will be heartbroken if you don’t attend.”
    Stephanie smiled, put her hands to her hair and smoothed back a couple of errant strands. It had been a generous thing to say, even if it was an overstatement. She hadn’t really introduced the bride and groom, she’d just happened to be driving through Connecticut on her way home after a week on Cape Cod—a week when she’d walked the lonely, out-of-season beach and tried to sort out her life. A drenching rain was falling as she’d crossed the state line from Massachusetts to Connecticut and, in the middle of it, she’d gotten a flat. She’d been standing on the side of the road, miserable and wet and cold, staring glumly at the tire, when Dawn pulled over to offer assistance. Nick had come by next. He’d shooed Dawn away from the tire and knelt down in the mud to do the job, but his eyes had been all for Dawn. As luck would have it, Annie had driven by just as Nick finished. She’d stopped, they’d all ended up introducing themselves and laughing in the downpour, and Annie had invited everyone for an impromptu cup of hot cocoa.
    Stephanie’s smile faded. Avery would never have understood that a friendship could be forged out of such a tenuous series of coincidences, but then, he’d never understood anything about her, not from the day they’d married until the day he’d died….
    â€œMrs. Willingham?”
    Stephanie blinked and stared into the mirror. Dawn Cooper—the former Dawn Cooper—radiant in her white lace and satin gown, smiled at her from the doorway.
    â€œDawn.” Stephanie swung toward the girl and embraced her. “Congratulations, darlin’. Or is it good luck?” She smiled. “I never can remember.”
    â€œIt’s luck, I think.” The door swung shut as Dawn moved toward the mirror. “I hope it is, anyway, because I think I’m going to need it.”
    â€œYou’ve already got all the luck you’ll need,” Stephanie said. “That handsome young man of yours looks as if he—Dawn? Are you all right?”
    Dawn nodded. “Fine,” she said brightly. “It’s just, I don’t know…it’s just, I’ve been waiting and waiting for this day and now it’s here, and—and—” She took a deep breath. “Mrs. Willingham?”
    â€œStephanie, please. Otherwise, you’ll make me feel even older than I already am.”
    â€œStephanie. I know I shouldn’t ask, but—but… Did you feel, well, a little bit nervous on your wedding day?”
    Stephanie stared at the girl. “Nervous?”
    â€œYes. You know. Sort of edgy.”
    â€œNervous,” Stephanie repeated, fixing a smile to her lips. “Well, I don’t—I can’t recall…”
    â€œNot scared. I don’t mean it that way. I just mean… Worried.”
    â€œWorried,” Stephanie said, working hard to maintain the smile.
    â€œUh-huh.” Dawn licked her lips. “That you might not always be as happy as you were that day, you know?”
    Stephanie leaned back against the vanity table. “Well,” she said, “well…”
    â€œOh, wow!” Dawn’s eyes