Free The Groom's Revenge by Susan Crosby Page A

perfect.
    Tick-tock, Stuart. Tick...tock.

Six
    M ollie wondered if she was going to survive the roller coaster of a day—the exhilaration of her first plane flight followed by the stomach-plummeting anticipation of meeting Gray’s parents, which was imminent. They had just turned off the main road into a long, imposing driveway, bordered by flower beds and ees and shrubbery.
    “Be fearless.”
    She smiled at Gray’s quiet words, wishing he would kiss her or luck. She couldn’t figure out what he was waiting for.
    “And be yourself,” he added.
    “You wouldn’t know it to look at me now,” she said after lowing out a breath, “but I actually do enjoy meeting new people. It’s just that your parents aren’t people.”
    He laughed.
    “You know what I mean.” Her cheeks heated. Great. Just in me to meet his mother. “If I were coming here on business, s their party planner, I would know how to act. I would have list of questions. But since I’m pretending to be your girlfriend, or whatever you would call it, I’m working without a safet net.”
    “My mother will discuss the weather and her garden, an perhaps her charity work. She won’t ask questions that are to personal, in case the answers might be unpleasant. She will be shocked that you live in Minneapolis, but you won’t know from her expression, which won’t change.”
    “This all sounds so encouraging.” She could see the house now. Mansion. Whatever the old, beautiful, formal structure was called with its massive columns and interesting facades. “What about your father?”
    “He won’t have much to say. He’ll probably take me off t his office to bring me up to speed on what happened while was gone. His position is chairman of the board, by the way McGuire Enterprises is his creation, although it’s changed tn mendously through the years. He started it before he marrie my mother.”
    “And now you run it.”
    “Right.” Gray parked in front of the house. “Here we are.
    The house looked bigger and grander from up close. No turning back .
    “Our luggage will be taken to our rooms,” he said as the climbed the wide stairs. The front door opened. “Good morning Endicott.”
    Endicott? Mollie almost laughed. This was like something o of an old black-and-white movie.
    “Mr. McGuire. Welcome home.”
    “Thank you. This is Miss Shaw.”
    “Miss.”
    “Hi.” Mollie stuck out her hand. The man took a few ur settling moments, then shook her hand—once. His uniform looked more like a tuxedo. ,
    “Your parents are in the morning room, sir.”
    “Thank you.” Gray stepped back, letting Mollie precede him through the door, then directed her along a maze of hallways t the rear of the house. “Are you hyperventilating yet?” he aske quietly as they walked.
    She was still contemplating her mistake with the butler, c whatever he was called. She’d figured out too late that shaking hands with a servant probably wasn’t acceptable behavior. “Not quite.”
    A man rose from a yellow chintz chair when they entered the room, a tall, slender man with wavy black hair and eyes almost as dark. Mollie glanced at the woman seated beside him, her gaze fixed on Mollie, her neatly styled champagne-colored hair undisturbed by the overhead fan.
    “Good morning,” Gray said to them. “This is Mollie Shaw. Mollie, may I present James and Gretchen McGuire.”
    Mollie shook hands with each of them, then waited for her cue. When Gray motioned her to a chair, she gladly took a seat. Gray sat nearby without giving his parents a hug or kiss hello. No welcome home. No we’re-so-glad-you’re-back greeting.
    “This is a beautiful room, Mrs. McGuire.” The yellow and green surroundings were warm and inviting, even if its occupants weren’t.
    “Thank you, Miss Shaw.”
    “Oh, please call me Mollie.”
    Mrs. McGuire nodded. “Did you have a nice flight?”
    “Oh, yes! It was just wonderful. I’ve never flown before. I think I had my nose pressed to the