A Perfect Bride For Christmas Read Online Free Page A

mirror didn’t lie. It might as well bethe mark of Cain.
    Alex ran a finger along the line of his nose,
    feeling the long-healed break that gave his once-straight nose a cant to one side. Plastic surgery was always an option, and Lord knew, Sydney had
    suggested it a thousand times. They were getting married Christmas Eve, and she said the wedding pictures would look so much better if he had it fixed.
    Appearances were everything, she told him.
    But if he had it straightened, it would be the
    last bit of Zoe he had left. It seemed strange he would cherish the moment she’d landed that mean punch, but it rocked his world. When he took a good look at himself, he realized Zoe had been right all along—he was an asshole. From that moment on, he tried to be a better person. He stumbled and failed, a lot, but at least he made the effort.
    No, Sydney would have to live with him, crooked nose, and all.
    Tommy sat on the leather sofa in Alex’s office, reading the papers Alex’s mother sent him earlier in the week.
    Someone named Keeley Jacobs had sworn,
    under oath, she was Dad’s kid, and she wanted her share of his estate.
    He thought of Hollyfield, their childhood home
    out in the boonies of North Kansas City. The
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    Dyann Love Barr

    sprawling Victorian house, owned by Dad’s family since the late nineteenth century, sat on a large chunk of acreage. Not that Mom played Lady of the Manor. She had helped Dad run the car dealership, even took it over when their father had a scare with prostate cancer.
    “This woman is saying she has an interest in
    Hollyfield. Your dad died intestate. She may be right.”
    Alex paced, his hand rubbed over his face.
    “That’s impossible. My father would never cheat on my mother.”
    “She’s included copies of her birth certificate, pictures of your father with this woman. Vietnam was hard on a lot guys, the separation from their families, dangerous situations. You know.”
    “No, I don’t. You don’t understand—my parents
    had the perfect marriage. All the Kings get married on Christmas Eve. It’s a tradition. It insures a wonderful life together. This would never have
    happened.”
    “This is real life, not some cinematic fairy tale like It’s A Wonderful Life . Angels don’t get their wings when a bell rings down here. Some thug rips them off and sells them to Victoria’s Secret for their newest commercials.” Tommy tapped the file in his hand. “This woman says her late mother served as a nurse in Vietnam with your father. Get over it.”
    “Shit.” Alex flopped into his chair behind the
    desk, leaned back against the cushioned leather, and closed his eyes. “This is going to kill Mom. She didn’t understand all the legal implications when she sent it to me.” He turned his head to look at his friend.
    “She probably thought it might be a bill against the estate.”
    Tommy leveled him with a hard stare. “I know
    you, Heath, and Clint filed a quit claim deed back to your mother, but this can turn into a mess of worms.
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    A Perfect Bride for Christmas

    It’s like they say, it’s all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack.”
    “Thank you for those words of wisdom.”
    “Any time.” Tommy got up and laid the file on
    Alex’s desk. “You better explain this to her, rather than have this Keeley Jacobs show up on her
    doorstep with an appraiser in tow.”
    “You’re right, you’re right.” Alex took the file and opened it again, his eyes scanning over the bits and pieces of information. “I hate this. There are times I think I should’ve taken up selling cars instead.”

    ****
Amelia King’s eyes widened in surprise. “Zoe
    Hillman. I can’t believe it. I didn’t recognize you at first.” Shock and pleasure followed on her face. “I thought you were in St. Louis.”
    It felt strange to see Amelia again after all this time. She’d met her several times while working for Alex, but it felt odd that this elegant, petite woman had been her