Free The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber Page A

more than she understood the reason she’d agreed to go through with this wedding ceremony.
    When she spoke, her voice shook, then steadied and grew strong. Her heart was pounding, then gradually returned to a normal, even beat. She realized that the calmness she felt, the serenity, had come from Rich. His eyes didn’t leave her, and his own voice was confident and sure.
    They exchanged rings, his hand holding hers as he slipped the delicate diamond that had belonged to his grandmother onto Jamie’s finger. He revealed no hesitation. Once the ring was secure, her gaze slowly traveled up to his face. She stopped at his eyes, so blue and clear. They were just as steady as his hand.
    The judge pronounced them husband and wife, and with a naturalness Jamie didn’t question, Rich drew her into his embrace. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he lowered his mouth to hers. To the best of Jamie’s memory, this was the first time they’d kissed, really kissed.
    Rich made it worth the wait.
    His mouth slid possessively over hers, coaxing open her lips. His own were warm and moist, gentle and teasing, giving and demanding.
    Jamie was overwhelmed by the variety of sensations he evoked. She felt light-headed and giddy. Appreciated and adored. It seemed that her entire world had been inadvertently turned upside down and she was groping to find her balance.
    She shouldn’t feel this way, she told herself. She shouldn’t be feeling any of these sensations. Rich didn’t love her—not like this. Nothing like this. One kiss, and he made her feel as though she’d never been kissed before, as though she’d never experienced love before.
    Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe this was all in her imagination, her mind creating a warm romantic fantasy in order to appease her conscience. Maybe this was a subconscious effort to wipe out the ambivalence she’d felt during the ceremony.
    The sound of Rich’s older brother clearing his throat brought Jamie back to reality. Rich—her husband—reluctantly let her go and just as reluctantly turned his attention to Judge Webster. The two men exchanged handshakes.
    “Thank you so much for being my witness,” Jamie said to Judge Webster’s secretary. She never did catch the woman’s name.
    “I was pleased to do it,” the secretary told her. She stepped forward and gave Jamie an impulsive hug. “The judge marries a number of couples every year, but I have a good feeling about you and your young man. I think you two are going to be just fine.”
    Jamie didn’t know what to say. She felt like the biggest phony who’d ever lived. It was happening already—the very thing she’d tried to warn Rich about. The feeling of connection. She’d sensed it during the ceremony and even more so with his kiss. But their marriage wasn’t supposed to be about any kind of spiritual or emotional connection. It was supposed to be a convenience, a legal shortcut to giving Jamie what she wanted—a child.
    They were making a mockery of everything marriage was meant to be. Jamie had never felt more like crying in her life.
    She’d tried to convince herself they were doing the right thing. Rich was so confident, so certain, and she believed him because…because she’d always believed him.
    But if they were doing what was right, why was her stomach in knots? Why did she feel as though she was going to burst into tears? And why, oh why, had Rich kissed her the way a husband kisses his wife—the most cherished wife in the world?
    “Congratulations,” Jason said, moving toward her.
    She tried to smile, but her mouth started quivering and tears fell from the corners of her eyes, running down the sides of her face.
    “Jamie?” Jason asked, giving her a hug. “Are you okay?”
    “No.”
    Jamie didn’t know how Jason managed it, but within minutes they were out of Judge Webster’s chambers and Rich was at her side, his arm around her middle.
    “All right,” he said gently, guiding her down the hall, “why the