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The Marriage Portrait
Pamela Bauer
She was as pretty as a picture…but that certainly didn't mean Michael McFerrin would marry her! True, Cassie Carrigan had snared his interest, but she was the linchpin in his lovable-but-meddling mother's plan to garner a grandchild. The beautiful portrait artist claimed she wasn't a willing player in this game of marriage-go-round, but her kisses said otherwise. Michael was determined to halt his mother's antics–and the havoc Cassie caused in his heart. Why, he'd show Cassie who was in control…even if he had to marry her to do it!Happily Wedded After: Jump headlong into these stories that celebrate saying, "I do!"
“I need to find a way to convince my mother that she doesn’t need to find me a wife,” said Michael.
“Is that your business proposition? You want us to act as if we enjoy each other’s company when we’re with your mother?” asked Cassie, her eyes never leaving his.
“Actually I think we need to pretend it’s a little more than being friendly.”
Cassie’s heart started to pound faster. Her face felt flushed. “Are you saying you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend?”
“No, I want you to pretend to be my wife.”
Dear Reader,
November is an exciting month here at Harlequin American Romance. You’ll notice we have a brand-new look—but, of course, you can still count on Harlequin American Romance to bring you four terrific love stories sure to warm your heart.
Back by popular demand, Harlequin American Romance revisits the beloved town of Tyler, Wisconsin, in the RETURN TO TYLER series. Scandals, secrets and romances abound in this small town with fabulous stories written by some of your favorite authors. The always wonderful Jule McBride inaugurates this special four-book series with Secret Baby Spencer.
Bestselling author Muriel Jensen reprises her heartwarming WHO’S THE DADDY? series with Father Fever. Next, a former wallflower finally gets the attention of her high school crush when he returns to town and her friends give her a makeover and some special advice in Catching His Eye, the premiere of Jo Leigh’s THE GIRLFRIENDS’ GUIDE TO…continuing series. Finally, Harlequin American Romance’s theme promotion, HAPPILY WEDDED AFTER, which focuses on marriages of convenience, continues with Pamela Bauer’s The Marriage Portrait.
Enjoy them all—and don’t forget to come back again next month when another installment in the RETURN TO TYLER series from Judy Christenberry is waiting for you.
Wishing you happy reading,
Melissa Jeglinski
Associate Senior Editor
Harlequin American Romance
The Marriage Portrait
Pamela Bauer
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For a woman who has been an inspiration to me my entire life, my sister Carol Ann.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pamela Bauer was born and raised in Minnesota where you need a sense of humor if you’re going to survive winter. That’s why she writes romantic comedies set in the Midwest with heroes who know how to warm a woman’s heart…and toes. She has received awards from Affaire de Coeur and Romantic Times Magazine and her books have appeared on the Waldenbooks romance bestseller list. She currently makes her home in Minnesota where she lives with her husband who is her real-life hero, her two adult children and a bichon-poo who thinks he’s human. When she’s not writing, she enjoys watching foreign films, going to the theater and fishing.
Books by Pamela Bauer
HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE
688—THE PICK-UP MAN
718—MAIL ORDER COWBOY
803—SAVING CHRISTMAS
814—CORPORATE COWBOY
852—THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT
Dear Reader,
I love happy endings. Call me an incurable romantic, but when two people fall in love, I want them to have a “happily ever after.” The cynics of this world may say there is no such thing, but I know differently. My parents recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. Talk about inspiration!
We all know the road to “happily ever after” can be a bumpy one, even for two people in love. Or as my friend Sandy would say, “Marriage is a journey, not a cruise.”
It certainly has been a wonderful journey for my husband and me. We’ve shared joys and sorrows, successes and failures, dreams and disappointments. We started out as two love-struck teenagers, but along the way we became not only lovers, but the best of friends.
In The Marriage Portrait, Mac and Cassie’s journey doesn’t start in the traditional way. They marry not for love, but for convenience. But like us, they get more than they bargained for. I hope you will enjoy their story as they travel their road to “happily ever after.”
Warmly,
P.S. I love hearing from readers. You can write to me c/o MFW, PO Box 24107, Minneapolis, MN 55424.
Contents
Prologue (#u1ab22c29-0799-5640-9efc-e9aa4a91710b)
Chapter One (#u2e6a3a66-b71c-5ec4-9d71-d54b905445f8)
Chapter Two (#u92e797c0-0aaa-5a6f-ac93-0c6400682e23)
Chapter Three (#uc01dafa0-269c-5937-b3e6-81676a100130)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue
“Ladies, it’s time for new business,” Louella Gibbons, the chairwoman of the Minnetonka Mums, declared with a clap of her gavel. The garden club, composed entirely of senior citizens, had gathered for their monthly meeting. All talk of hybrids and pollination ceased as they looked to their leader.
“I believe Tessie has a request.”
All eyes turned in the direction of the white-haired woman who pushed her chair back and stood—all five feet two inches of her. With a somber expression on her face, she said, “I’ve decided to take you up on your offer to help with Michael.”
Murmurs of approval spread around the table, but they were quickly silenced as Louella said, “Order, ladies.”
Tessie continued. “I’ve given him plenty of time to do his thing, but as you know, he’s going to be thirty-five next month. I’m afraid if I don’t do something, it’ll be too late. I’m not getting any younger, either.”
“No, none of us are,” Agnes Dienhardt contributed.
“And we all know what’s happening,” Tessie continued.
“The pool’s getting shallower with every year that passes,” Francine Collona answered with an ominous shake of her head.
“You don’t want him to wait so long that it’s empty,” another Mum piped in.
“He definitely needs a little push in the right direction,” Agnes added.
“You all know I’m not the kind of mother to interfere, but…” Tessie trailed off.
“He’s leaving you no choice,” someone finished for her.
“Exactly,” Tessie stated with a knowing nod. “And I have good intentions. I only want him to be happy.”
“Of course. We all do. We love him, too,” Louella said on behalf of the group.
“Then you’ll do it?” Tessie asked, giving the group an encompassing glance.
“Of course, we’ll do it, but someone will have to make a motion,” Louella answered.
Betty Jean Greer raised her hand and said, “I move that the next project we undertake be the courtship of Dr. Mac.”
“I second,” another voice said.
“All in favor?” Louella asked.
A chorus of ayes could be heard.
“Anyone opposed?”
Silence.
Louella then decreed, “Passed. The Minnetonka Mums have agreed that they will do whatever they can to assist Tessie in finding Dr. Mac a wife.”
Tessie smiled broadly at the group of women gathered. “Thank you so much. You are the dearest friends a woman could have.”
“That’s what Mums are for,” Agnes reminded her with a pat on Tessie’s hand. “Besides, we’ve all been itching for you to give us the go-ahead. We have lots of ideas.”
Tessie smiled slyly. “That’s just what I wanted to hear. Should we get down to business, ladies?”
Chapter One
“Good morning, Dr. Mac. And happy birthday.” The young woman sitting at the reception desk in the clinic handed him a small stack of pink slips. “Your messages.”
“Thank you, Jenny. For both the birthday wish and these,” he said, waving the pink slips in the air.
“I put up a sign. I hope you don’t mind,” she said, nodding toward the waiting area where a computer-generated banner hung on the wall. It read, “Bark for Dr. Mac’s birthday.”
Dr. Michael McFerrin wished the staff didn’t see birthdays as an occasion to celebrate. If it were up to him, he’d treat his as if it were just another day of the week. Get up, go to work and come home. No fuss. No big deal.
Unfortunately, Jenny—and he guessed the other employees at the clinic—thought his birthday merited more than a casual “oh, by the way, happy birthday” wish in passing. He discovered this was true when he stepped into his office and saw the cake. Suddenly, behind him was the entire office staff.
“That looks like an awful lot of fire for one cake,” he quipped as the tech, Tabitha, began lighting the candles.
“Quick, make a wish,” she said, when all thirty-five had been lit.
Mac wasn’t one to make wishes. He closed his eyes briefly to humor them, then with a deep breath, blew out the candles. One remained lit. He blew once more, it went out and then burst into flame again.
“All right. So who put the trick candle on the cake?” he asked, surveying the small group gathered around him.
“No wishes for you this year,” Tabitha said smartly as she pulled the candles from the frosting. “Who’s having cake?”
“I haven’t had breakfast,” Mac remarked.
“Sir, this is breakfast,” Tabitha retorted, cutting the cake with a large knife. “I’ll cut you a big one.”
“First he has to open his present,” Jenny reminded everyone.
Present? He squirmed uncomfortably. “Didn’t we agree last year that there were going to be no more presents?” He plastered his sternest look on his face.
“You agreed,” Tabitha retorted. “We didn’t.”
Jenny produced a brightly wrapped package. He fumbled with the gold ribbon that refused to come undone. Finally Jenny reached over and clipped it with scissors. “Thanks,” he mumbled.
Inside the box was a T-shirt that had a cartoon drawing of a shaggy mutt on the front. Below was a caption that read “In Dog Years I’m Dead.”
He grinned. “Very funny, ladies.”
“We know you’re not dead, sir,” Jenny spoke up.
“Well, Jenny does anyway,” Tabitha quipped. “She answers your private line. What’s the total so far this month?”
“Only seven. He’s slipping,” Jenny answered.
