Drew nodded, color rising up his cheeks.
“Unbelievable!” Aaron stood and started pacing the room. “I’d really started to think you’d grown up, Drew. I was proud of the man you’d become, but it was all a lie.”
Drew’s face crumpled, and Jade felt the need to cut in.
“Aaron, you’re right. At first it was just a plot, and I’m ashamed to say that I agreed to marry Drew for the money. I did give most of it back when I realized I couldn’t go through with it, but that doesn’t change the fact that we did it in the first place. I’m sorry we hurt you.”
Laura gave her a small smile, but her tears showed she wasn’t all right with their explanation.
Drew appeared to energize at her words. He sat up straighter, and the gleam came back into his eyes.
“So, we’re getting divorced,” he said, sounding more proud than upset. “The wedding we had was fake. The vows were lies, and the sentiment wasn’t there.”
“That’s not something to brag about, Andrew.” Aaron still paced the room.
Drew stood and went to sit next to Jade, taking her hand and holding it in both of his. “We know that, Dad. And despite how it all started, Jade and I began to develop real feelings for each other. We’re in love. For real.”
Laura coughed and looked at them, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t understand.”
Jade smiled. This was the moment she’d been waiting for all night. She took the wedding ring and engagement rings off her finger and placed them neatly on the coffee table. Both of her in-laws stared at the little pile of jewelry.
What they were about to do was important to both Drew and Jade, and they couldn’t have done it without coming clean about what they’d done before.
“We’re getting a divorce,” Drew said again, “so that we can do it right.”
He dropped to his knee and kept a tight hold of Jade’s hand.
“Jade,” he said, “I utterly adore you.”
Both Aaron and Laura fell deathly silent as he pulled a ring box out of his pocket and exposed the brilliant diamond.
“The last time I asked this question, I didn’t understand the depth of what love was. I didn’t fathom the enormity of what a marriage meant, and I certainly didn’t treat you the way a husband should. But I know what love is now. I grasp the idea of committing myself to one person—you—for the rest of my life, and I vow to treat you with tenderness and respect every day. Jade, will you marry me…again?”
She knew it was coming. The whole reason they’d been honest with his parents was so they could get married for real, and yet hearing the words and knowing they were sincere was mesmerizing. Her heart swelled, and tears welled in her eyes as she smiled down at the man she loved.
“Yes,” she said simply.
Drew leapt to his feet and pulled her up into his arms, kissing her deeply and smiling against her mouth.
“I’m so confused,” Laura said with a laugh. “So, you’re not getting divorced?”
“We are. But then we’ll get married again. The right way,” Drew said, hugging Jade to his side.
“With a pre-nup,” Aaron added.
Jade looked over at her father-in-law and saw distrust in his eyes. She couldn’t blame him. His family had a lot of money, and she’d just blatantly admitted to marrying his son for the sole purpose of getting paid.
“Dad!” Drew said.
“No, Drew, it’s fine. I’m happy to sign a pre-nup. We’re getting married for love. I don’t care about the money.”
Aaron appeared appeased. Jade knew that, in time, she’d wind him around her little finger again. He was too good a man not to forgive her.
“Caroline! We need champagne in here. Oh!” Laura looked at her son. “And a glass of sparkling apple juice, please? We’re celebrating.”
Drew smiled down at his fiancée and rested his hand on her stomach.
“Actually, Mom, just two glasses of champagne. Jade and I are both non-drinkers now.”
Aaron smiled, all tension disappearing from his face, and Laura gasped.
“Are you pregnant?” Laura asked, new tears welling in her eyes.
Jade placed her hand over Drew’s and nodded.
“That’s why we want to make things right,” she said proudly. Despite their rough start, or perhaps because of it, Jade knew she and Drew were strong together, willing and wanting to be dedicated to each other and their future. “We’re going to be a real family.”
Acknowledgments
So many people have worked hard on this book. First I have to start by thanking the whole team at Omnific Publishing for continuing to believe in me and for allowing me to share my stories with the world. Especially to my hard working editors, Jen, Kasi, and Cindy, who have been so supportive and encouraging.
Thanks to my pre-readers, and friends, Bree and Mikahla, for loving this story when it was just a draft and for brainstorming the ending with me. I also want to thank my mom for believing in me, supporting me and giving me a love of books and reading. I never would have been an author if she hadn’t taught me to love words. And to my friend, Josh Campbell, who will always be my image of Drew Malik. Keep an eye on this young new actor, he’s going places!
And finally, to the readers…thank you. Honestly, you’re the best. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to keep writing, and that would make me very, very sad.
About the Author
Joy is a fiery redhead who takes full advantage of the Australian lifestyle, sunning herself on tropical beaches and flirting with handsome lifeguards. She loves cats, books and chocolate, and of course the male physique. Joy started writing as a teenager and never stopped, although she writes about much more mature topics now. You can often find Joy browsing the shelves of her local bookstore or researching her favorite city, New York, in preparation of fulfilling her lifelong dream to live there one day.
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The Reaper series: Reaping Me Softly & UnReap My Heart by Kate Evangelista
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The Prometheus Order series: Byronic by Sandi Beth Jones
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Sets
The Heart Series Box Set (Beside Your Heart, Disclosure of the Heart & Forever Your Heart) by Mary Whitney
The CONduct Series Box Set (With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior & On Best Behavior) by Jennifer Lane
The Light Series Box Set (Seers of Light, Whisper of Light, Circle of Light & Glimpse of Light) by Jennifer DeLucy
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The Poughkeepsie Brotherhood series: Saving Poughkeepsie (book 3) by Debra Anastasia
The Hidden Races series: Incandescent (book 1) by M.V. Freeman
The Legendary Saga: Claiming Excalibur (book 2) by LH Nicole
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Information
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
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