Read Online My Best Friend's Bride by Ginny Baird - Free Book Online

“If it’s such a big deal, we can move your television into my place.”
    “I don’t like living in the country. It makes me sneeze.”
    “Now you’re lying again.”
    He watched her for an extended beat, then his dark brown eyes sparkled. “You know, this is kind of fun.”
    Fun? Jill felt positively winded. It was all she could do to keep up with him, and Jill was generally pretty good at thinking on her feet.
    “Just listen to us,” he said with a grin. “Arguing like an old married couple.” He pushed back his chair and stood.
    “You’re leaving?” she asked, caught off guard.
    “The fact is, I really do want this promotion, and, believe it or not, my being married won’t be enough for me to nail it. I’ll actually have to work for it too.”
    Jill swallowed hard, her head muddled. It still seemed to her they hadn’t settled anything. “What about our contract?”
    “Print a new one out, and we’ll go over it. Oh, and Jill…” He leaned into the back of his chair, bracing himself on his arms. “You might want to think about being a little more conciliatory next time.”
    She was about to spout out a pithy reply when she caught a glimpse of her watch and saw that she was ten minutes late for her meeting with Morgan.
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
    “I’ve got to say I’m impressed, Jill. Here I questioned your ability to come up with a groom under such short notice, and somehow you’ve managed to find two!” Morgan sat in her chic modern office surrounded by potted ferns. A small bonsai tree stood on the corner of her desk.
    “I’ve only got one left at the moment,” Jill replied. “And he’s not my first choice.”
    “Whyever
      not? I’ve seen Hunter Delaney, and the man is very good-looking.”
    “Maybe,” Jill conceded. “But impossible just the same. Fifty percent of the advance money?”
    “Less my fifteen percent,” Morgan interjected.
    “You know what I’m saying.”
    “Yes, but I don’t quite agree that he’s being greedy. The fact that he’s willing to give the money back at the end of the year sounds more than reasonable to me.”
    “He’s only in it for himself.”
    “Bingo! So are you. Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
    “I’m not moving to the city.”
    “Then negotiate.”
    “He won’t budge.”
    “Everything’s negotiable.”
    “Now you’re sounding like Brad.”
    “What?”
    “Never mind.” Jill shook her head. “Maybe this is a loony idea.”
    “Actually, I think the arrangement’s ideal. No false hopes, no worries. You and Hunter go in with all expectations clear.”
    “What am I supposed to tell my grandfather?” Jill desperately wished she could share the truth with her grandpa, but given his memory issues she couldn’t trust him not to reveal it to the wrong people.
    “The same thing you’re going to tell the rest of the world. That you’re in love .”
    “I already told him I was marrying Brad.”
    “And that women are fickle.”
    “Morgan!”  
    “Hey, I don’t know. Tell your grandpa you’ve had a change of heart. That you’ve had a thing for Hunter all these years, and it was mutual. Reciprocated.”
    Jill recalled the heat of Hunter’s mouth on hers and felt her temperature spike. She hastily turned away, hoping her face hadn’t colored. “Nobody would believe that.”
    “Everybody has to . That’s the only way to make this work.” Morgan thumped her pen against a stack of papers on her desk, apparently mulling something over. “Okay, here’s an idea,” she offered. “Let’s say you haven’t seen Hunter in ten years—”
    “Twelve.”
    “Whatever. Let’s ballpark it.”
    Jill sat back in her chair, prepared to listen. “Fine.”
    “Anyway, here’s what I’m thinking,” Morgan went on. “Hunter’s been out of the picture because you and he had no reason to interact. Then, you became engaged to his best friend, Brad. Naturally, you and Brad celebrated your happy news among friends, and