Free Alpha Billionaire’s Bride, Part Two (BWWM Romance Serial) by Mia Caldwell Page B

bottle back in the bucket. Probably best to keep their heads for now
anyway.
    He checked the time on his cell. Jada’s surprise would be
arriving soon, so he might as well call the picnic a done deal. He sent a quick
text to Lydia telling her to dismiss the security perimeter.
    It was the work of only a few moments to gather themselves
together and head back across the bridge toward home. For the first time, Jada
didn’t comment that he’d left everything behind for the staff to clean up, though
she looked like she wanted to.
    The sun felt good on his shoulders, and it glowed on Jada’s
flawless skin. Ms. Kitty led the way, making occasional forays into the
undergrowth, investigating whatever it was that interested cats.
    Ian realized he was happy. When was the last time he felt
this happy, anyway? Other than yesterday and the time he spent with Jada then,
he couldn’t remember.
    “You know,” Jada said, bright and cheerful, “we didn’t do
what we went on the picnic to do.”
    Ian wasn’t sure what she meant. He’d planned to get her in a
compromising position, and he accomplished it. Was there something else they
were supposed to do?
    Jada laughed. “You don’t remember. We were supposed to
discuss who might have been behind our fiasco.”
    “Oh, that’s right,” he said. “Guess I got distracted.” He
gave her a deliberate, wolfish look.
    She cleared her throat. “Yes, well, anyway. About the case
...”
    “I wasn’t aware this was a case.”
    “I’ve decided it is. The Case of the Phony Marriage
License.”
    “So who’s your latest suspect? Still stuck on Sasha?”
    “No,” she said. “You’re probably right about her being too
impulsive to pull off anything that complicated. I’m wondering ... and don’t
take this the wrong way ... but, have you considered it might be someone close
to you?”
    “No. Who are you thinking of?”
    “I don’t know you well, of course, but I thought Sullivan
seemed to be more than a lawyer to you, that he might also be a friend.”
    “You’re right. He’s one of my best friends.”
    She peeped at him out of the corner of her eye. “Have you
considered that Sullivan might have done it?”
    “No. I hadn’t. And I don’t see any point in considering it
now. There’s no way he’s involved in this.”
    “I know it can be hard to suspect someone close to you. For
what it’s worth, I haven’t only been thinking about suspects close to you. I’ve
been thinking about people close to me, too.” She frowned, as if it were hard
to say what came next. “I even considered that Marina might have done it.”
    Ian was surprised. “Why would you suspect your sister?”
    “Because she has contacts at the courthouse, which means she
had opportunity. And she has the means because she can be capable when she
wants to be.”
    “You sure you went to school for accounting?” he asked with
a grin.
    “I read a lot of mysteries.”
    “So Marina is a real suspect then?”
    “No. She doesn’t have motive.” Jada thought for a moment
then said, “I don’t know if you’ll understand this, but, some women have a
thing for rich men.”
    “They do?” Ian asked, making a funny, shocked face.
    “Stop that.” She laughed. “What I mean is, some women read
the gossip magazines and daydream about marrying real life millionaires and
billionaires and, anyway, that’s how Marina is. So here’s the thing: if Marina
were going to create a scenario that would give her the opportunity to meet a
billionaire, she wouldn’t have put my name on that marriage license.
She’d have put her own.”
    “Makes sense.”
    “Also, she wouldn’t have put your name on it either.”
    “Should I be offended?”
    “No. You were already taken, remember? By Sasha, your
supposed fiancée.”
    “That’s right. I keep forgetting about her. Oh, no, that was
you who forgot about her.”
    She gave him a friendly shoulder bump. “Too soon. I’m not
ready to be teased about that