To Make a Marriage Read Free

huskily, knowing he had completely misunderstood the reason for her emotion. It wasn’t a question of falling in love and getting married; if she couldn’t have the man she loved—which she most certainly couldn’t!—then she wouldn’t marry at all. Ever.
    â€˜That old, hmm?’ Adam murmured softly, raising her chin to look into her face. ‘Almost ancient, in fact.’
    Andie shook her head, straightening away from him. ‘You misunderstood the reason for my—emotion, I’m afraid, Adam,’ she spoke firmly. ‘I just find it very odd to realise that Harrie and Danie are no longer just my sisters, but are now Quinn and Jonas’s wives.’
    And she did find it strange. Three months ago none of the sisters had shown signs of marrying anyone, the three of them extremely close, so much so that they had never particularly needed other friends. And now to share not one of her sisters with a husband, but both of them, within the space of two months, was a little hard to take. Especially now…
    Adam looked sympathetic. ‘Harrie’s the wife of a banker. And Danie—madcap Danie—’ he shook his head a little dazedly ‘is now the wife of a doctor. Amazing!’
    It did take some adjusting to, Andie agreed. But there would be a lot more adjusting for Andie to do in her own life in the near future, than just to that of her sisters’ marriages…
    â€˜Andie, come and have lunch with me?’ Adam cajolled.
    â€˜If for no other reason than it will do wonders for my reputation to be seen with a very beautiful young woman!’ he added encouragingly.
    Andie looked sceptical. ‘Another one?’ she parried, knowing Adam had a succession of beautiful young women in his life.
    He gave an irritated sigh, moving back impatiently. ‘You know, I think Rome should have smacked your backside more when you were young enough to take notice!’ He stood up.
    â€˜Mummy would never have let him.’ Andie spoke confidently on behalf of her gentle-natured mother.
    Adam sobered. ‘True,’ he agreed distractedly.
    Andie knew the reason for that distraction. Had known it for some time. Adam had been in love with her mother…
    He had been around a lot when Andie and her sisters had been children, appearing at the estate most weekends. Despite a dislike of the countryside and all things connected to it… It had only been as Andie had grown older that she’d realised the reason Adam had put aside his aversion and visited them anyway. Ten years ago her mother had died, and if the three sisters and their father had been heartbroken at the loss, then Adam had been inconsolable.
    Because he had been in love with Barbara…!
    Andie had been stunned by the realisation at the time, although it hadn’t been a realisation she’d shared with her sisters, somehow finding the subject too difficult to discuss with her already distressed siblings. But she had wondered how her father would react, knowing Rome couldn’t help but see the younger man’s emotional state. Strangely enough Rome had seemed to draw comfort from the fact that Adam had loved Barbara too, an unbreakable bond developing between the two men, and now, ten years later, their friendship was stronger than ever.
    Andie shot Adam a questioning look. ‘Does this mean you’ve withdrawn your invitation to lunch?’
    Adam looked crossly at her. ‘No, it doesn’t,’ he snapped. ‘And I’m no longer asking—I’m telling! Whatever that stuff is—’ he waved an uninterested hand over the fashion layout she had been working on ‘—you’ll deal with it much more efficiently once you’ve had something to eat.’
    The fact that he was right didn’t make the invitation any more palatable; she did not take kindly to being ordered about. By anyone!
    She shook her head. ‘The answer is still no, I’m