The Groom Came C.o.d.. Mollie Molay
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right. Or maybe your aunt was right about your ‘mistake.’ Maybe it was fate.”
Melinda considered Ben’s answer. Her aunt had talked about fate and destiny for so long, she was conditioned to believe it herself. At any rate, a mock-marriage, without a license, to a socially prominent man with connections might just be the ultimate answer to the lack of prospective brides. She didn’t have to feel she was using him. From what he’d said, the marriage would be to his advantage, too. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good, I’m glad we finally agree on something.” Ben settled back in his chair. “I think we should also settle a few important details while we’re at it. Okay?”
Melinda shrugged. “After the story you just told me, I can’t imagine what else is left to talk about. But go ahead.”
“I’ll supply the minister.”
She hesitated. “Actually, if I decide to go through with the wedding I was going to ask the Reverend Charles Good to conduct the ceremony. Charles is a good friend of Aunt Bertie’s.”
“A real minister?”
“Of course.”
“No way!” Ben rose and paced the kitchen floor. He counted off the squares in the brown and white linoleum until his frustration cooled. “I’m not going to take a chance on anything going wrong. I have a friend back in Boston who is a drama professor. Dex will fly out to do the honors if I ask him to. He’ll not only look and act like a real minister, there’s a plus.”
“What’s that,” she asked cautiously. “No one will ever see him again.”
“We can’t,” she protested. “It would break my aunt’s heart, and I’d feel like a fraud!”
His eyebrows rose. “Would you feel any differently if this friend of your aunt’s performed a mock-ceremony without a license?”
Melinda glanced down at her clenched hands. Her heart was breaking into little pieces. The dream she’d woven into her fantasy wedding was crumbling fast, and she didn’t know how to stop it. A platonic, temporary marriage with a man she’d yearned over for half of her life was the last thing she’d expected. How could she have gotten in so deep?
Ben cleared his throat. He’d never seen a more unhappy look on the face of a woman who had just gotten engaged. He’d have to make it up to her later. “Sorry. Tell the reverend I’m having a close college friend do the honors. Just be sure he doesn’t know the truth. What he and Ms. Bertie don’t know won’t hurt them.” He hesitated. “Oh, one more thing. I want you to take my photograph off that damn dating Web site before anyone else sees it!”
“I told you I had nothing to do with putting it on there!”
“I don’t care. If it’s not too late, see if you can get me off there before the whole town sees it.”
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