From Fake to Forever (Newlywed Games 2)

“No divorce, then?” he asked, his heart aching in anticipation of the answer.

“I’m shredding the papers,” she said decisively. “Isn’t that what you do with something you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands?”

Her gaze skittered down his body and left a whole lot of heat in its wake. “Yep. Credit card numbers, legal documents. Divorce decrees that you realize you never should have agreed to sign in the first place.”

Someone cleared their throat and Jason glanced up to see Meredith’s sister holding the hand of a dark-haired man with a look of authority about him.

The resort wasn’t open to guests yet, as it was apparently undergoing some type of renovation. Meredith’s name had gotten him past the front gate, but beyond finding his wife and settling their future, he hadn’t thought about anyone witnessing his near-disastrous makeup session.

Jason climbed to his feet and pulled Meredith to hers.

The dark-haired man leaned forward to clasp Jason’s hand. “Keith Mitchell. I’ve been waiting a long time to shake your hand.”

With a small laugh, Jason shook his head. “I just got here.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been dying to meet the man with the fortitude to fall in love with Meredith for ages. You bring your steel-plated armor?”

Meredith glared at her brother-in-law. “Shut it, Mitchell.”

Jason grinned. “It’s in my other suitcase.”

It was a far different family dynamic than the one he was used to, but he liked it.

Keith nodded. “Good man. If you have any problems during your stay, you let me know so I can address them.”

“Are we staying?” he asked Meredith.

“Uh, yeah. Unless you had another honeymoon getaway planned? You know, to make up for not taking me on one the first time.” The sizzling once-over she treated him to said she’d like to get him behind locked doors quickly.

And he’d like to let her. He’d missed her fiercely.

“Some people would consider a weekend in Vegas a honeymoon,” he suggested without an ounce of irony.

“And some people actually propose to their wives. With like a ring and everything.” Her arched brow made him laugh. “It’s a good thing for you that I’m the soul of forgiveness.”

Yes, it was a good thing for him. Otherwise, he’d be going back to New York without her and living the rest of his life in misery.

Cara snapped her fingers. “Lynhurst! Of course. That’s why you look so familiar.” She glared at Meredith. “I can forgive you for getting married and not telling me, but marrying Bettina Lynhurst’s son and failing to mention it is plain cruel.”

With a sigh, Meredith waved at Jason. “Cara, meet the heir to the Lynhurst couture empire, also known as the man I can’t seem to get rid of no matter how many times I ask for a divorce.”

Cara glanced between the two of them as if she was watching a fascinating tennis match. “Really? How many times have you asked?”

“Too many,” Meredith muttered, as Jason said, “Never. She mostly orders me to sign the papers. Except when she’s asking me not to.”

“Geez, this is better than a soap opera,” Cara said. “How long have you been married?”

“Two years,” Meredith admitted.

“But only because we didn’t know,” Jason added. “Meredith kindly informed me when she came to New York and changed my entire life.”

Two years ago, he’d been wandering around looking for a plan, an idea—something—to make him feel whole. And he’d found it. By some miracle, she’d fallen in love with him and done it all over again. Meredith had turned him into a man he could be proud of.

“I don’t get it,” Keith interjected with a furrowed brow. “How did you get married two years ago?”

Jason glanced at Meredith to gauge whether or not she wanted to keep that a secret. But she nodded with a sigh. “Seems like the whole story is bound to come out anyway.”

“Equal parts Las Vegas, tequila shots and an Elvis impersonator.” Jason caught Meredith’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Best mistake I’ve ever made.”

Fingers over her mouth, Cara half laughed and half gasped. “You didn’t.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be real,” Meredith insisted. “We never intended for the papers to be filed. Somehow I messed up and here we are, thanks to my boneheaded mistake.”

She shot him a smile that warmed him thoroughly. “Luckily, you were boneheaded enough to fall in love with me, too.”

And then his wife kissed him.

Epilogue

Meredith pushed open the door of the loft she shared with her husband, humming happily despite a ten-hour day that had included Allo dropping a bolt of fabric on her foot, Avery herding her into a two-hour marketing meeting and Jason not responding to the sexy text message she’d sent on the way home.