Free The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber Page B

tears?”
    Jamie rubbed her hand across her cheeks, suspecting she’d smeared mascara over her face in the process. She’d dressed so carefully in her new pale pink suit. Like a romantic fool, she’d had her hair styled and nails manicured—and for what? So she could stand before God and man and say vows they’d never be able to keep.
    “You honestly want to know what’s wrong?” she wailed, snapping open her purse and rummaging around for a tissue. She found one, tucked her handbag under her arm and noisily blew her nose. “You mean you haven’t guessed?”
    “No.”
    “I…I feel dreadful.”
    “Why?” Rich looked completely bewildered.
    “Because I just lied.”
    “Lied?”
    “So did you!”
    “Me?” He sounded even more confused.
    “How can you justify what we did? We stood before Judge Webster and said vows. Vows! Vows are serious. We made promises to each other, promises neither one of us intends to keep.”
    “I can’t speak for you, but I certainly intend to honor my vows.”
    “Oh, right,” Jamie muttered sarcastically, rubbing her hand beneath her nose. “You’re going to love me in…in sickness and health and everything else you said.”
    “Yes.” Rich didn’t so much as blink.
    “How…can you?”
    “True, this might not be a traditional marriage. Nevertheless, it is a marriage. And like I said, I fully intend to honor every promise I made for the full duration of the marriage.”
    “You do?” she asked on the tail end of a sniffle.
    “You mean you don’t?”
    “I…I suppose so. It’s just that I hadn’t thought about it like that. I do love you, you know…as a friend.”
    As Rich walked her toward the elevator, his hands were clasped behind his back and his head was bent. Ever diplomatic, Jason remained a few steps behind them. “The problem,” Rich said, “is that we’ve each put years of effort into finding the perfect mate. We’ve spent years looking for that special person—someone we’d be willing to commit the rest of our lives to—but neither of us found what we were looking for. So when we stood before Judge Webster…” He hesitated as though he’d lost his train of thought.
    “What we were pledging…the seriousness of our decision hit us hard,” Jamie finished for him.
    “Exactly,” Rich agreed, nodding.
    “Then you felt it, too?” She stopped walking and turned to face him, her heart in her throat. Rich had experienced the same reaction she had her while they were repeating their vows. He, too, had felt the solemnness of it all.
    “I did…very much,” he whispered. “A wedding ceremony is a sobering affair. If you didn’t understand it before, I want to make it clear now. I’m committed to you, Jamie. That commitment will be the same for the baby once he’s born.”
    “Or she,” Jamie murmured, gnawing on her lower lip. Rich had said as much before, only she hadn’t understood it. He planned to provide financial support for their child and emotional support for her. He’d also insisted they marry so the child would bear his name. But she hadn’t thought of that as a commitment until he’d put it in those terms. A sense of contentment stole through her.
    They continued walking side by side, toward the elevator, which was at the far end of the corridor. Rich matched his stride to hers. He was several inches taller than Jamie, and every once in a while, his shoulder would brush against her. His touch felt intimate and special. Jamie was sure he didn’t intend or expect her to feel anything at his touch, but she did. She couldn’t help herself.
    “It’s going to be all right, isn’t it?” she asked when they stopped to wait for the elevator.
    “Not if our parents find out, it won’t be,” Jason answered for Rich.
    “They won’t anytime soon unless you tell them.” There was a clear warning in Rich’s words.
    “Hey,” Jason said, raising his right hand. “I’ve already promised not to say a word—to anyone. Mom and Dad