Free The Christmas Wife by Elizabeth Kelly

That’s very
kind of you,” Claire said warmly.
    Tabitha hesitated.  “You’re a lot different from Mr. Stone’s
usual type.”
    “Am I?”  Claire said.
    “Yes.  You’re, um, nice.”
    Claire laughed.  “Thank you?”
    Tabitha grinned and gave her a small wave as she walked
toward the door.  “Congratulations, Ms. Brooks.  I hope you and Mr. Stone are
very happy.”
    She left and Ellen stared at the necklace.  “You know I’m
going to ask to borrow that, right?  And you have to let me because I let you
borrow my diamond earrings.”
    “That was in high school and the diamonds were microscopic,”
Claire said.
    “The point is I let you borrow them so you have to let me
borrow this.”  Ellen grinned at her as Hattie stomped into the room.
    “I look stupid,” she announced.
    “You don’t,” Claire said. “You look very pretty, Hattie.”
    Hattie pulled at the collar of her dress.  “It itches and my
panty hose keeps falling down.”  She yanked at the nylons as Claire hurried
over to her and lifted the dress.
    “Here, you’ve got the waistband all twisted.”  She
straightened the nylons and pulled them into a more comfortable position as
Hattie stared morosely at Ellen.
    “Hi, Ellen.”
    “Hey, kid.  You look great.”
    “I look great in my Hulk shirt but mama said I can’t wear it
today,” Hattie replied.
    “You can change after the ceremony,” Claire said.  “I need
you to be slightly girlish for just an hour or so, Hattie.  Can you do that for
me?”
    “I guess.”  Hattie scratched at her head before tugging on a
curl.  “Mama curled my hair with the curling iron.”
    “I see that.  It’s very pretty,” Ellen said.
    “Thanks,” Hattie said.  She suddenly stared at her mother. 
“You look really pretty, mama.”
    “Thank you, honey.  Now, we’d better get downstairs.  We’ll
be late if we don’t leave soon.”  Claire took Hattie’s hand and the three of
them left the bedroom.
    * * *
     
    “How do you feel?”
    “Fine,” Deacon grunted.  He tightened his tie and shifted
impatiently as he looked down the street.
    “You look nervous.”
    “I’m not.  Why would I be nervous?”  Deacon asked.
    “Because you’re about to marry some woman you barely know,”
Jude suggested.
    “Keep your voice down.”  Deacon glanced nervously around
them.  The sidewalk wasn’t exactly crowded with people but he wouldn’t put it
past his cousin to suddenly show up for the ceremony.
    “Are you sure you want to do this?”  Jude suddenly asked.
    “What?  Of course I am,” Deacon said.  “It’s better than
hiring a goddamn escort to be my wife.”
    “True but still, you really don’t know this woman.  What if
she’s some kind of gold digger?  Or what if she takes the story to the media
once the month is over?”
    “She signed the prenup agreement and the confidentiality
contract.  If she breathes a word of this to anyone, even after the thirty days
is over, she’ll lose all rights to the money.  She’s not going to say anything,
Jude.  Trust me.  She needs the money.”
    “Okay,” Jude said.
    “Listen, she doesn’t know that you know the truth.  I’ll
probably tell her later but for now, act as shocked as everyone else, okay?”
    “No problem,” Jude clapped him on the back and Deacon nearly
fell over.
    “Easy, man.”  He frowned at his best friend. 
    Jude shrugged.  “Aww, did poor wittle Deacon get hurt by the
manly man?”
    A grin crossed Deacon’s face.  “You’re such a dick, Jude.”
    “I know.  Hey, isn’t that James?”  He pointed to the dark
Lincoln that was driving toward them.
    Deacon sighed.  “My driver’s name is Peter not James and, I
swear to God, if you make one more “Home, James” joke to his face, I’m going to
ban you from using him in the future.  He hates it when you do that.  And yes,
that’s Peter.”
    He waited impatiently as Peter pulled up beside them.  He opened
the door and smiled at