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SOS Marry Me!
Melissa McClone
Stranded with the bad boy…For wedding-dress designer Serena James, nothing less than perfect will do–and that applies to finding Mr. Right! Her pilot, Kane Wiley, doesn't meet any of the criteria…apart from being drop-dead gorgeous! Kane feels most at home in the skies.For this drifter, no commitment means freedom. But while flying Serena to a wedding convention, Kane is forced to perform a crash landing! They might be chalk and cheese, but, stranded together, there's no denying the chemistry. And it's going to be a while before their SOS is answered….
The Wedding Planners
Planning perfect weddings…
finding happy endings!
It’s the biggest and most important day of a
woman’s life—and it has to be perfect.
At least that’s what the Wedding Belles believe, and
that’s why they’re Boston’s top wedding-planner
agency. But amidst the beautiful bouquets, divine
dresses and rose-petal confetti, these six wedding
planners long to be planning their own big day!
But first they have to find Mr. Right….
This month:
SOS Marry Me!
by Melissa McClone
Designer: Serena’s already made her dress,
but a rebel has won her heart….
And don’t miss the exciting
wedding-planner tips and author
reminiscences that accompany each book!
Melissa spills the beans about her own wedding dress:
“I was a practical bride on a budget—a mechanical engineer who couldn’t conceive of spending tons of money on a dress I would wear only once. But there was a secret romantic in me, a woman who wrote romance novels on her lunch hour and dreamed of feeling, for one special day, like Grace Kelly or Princess Diana or Cinderella.
Never mind, I told myself firmly as I went shopping. It’s only one day. It’s only one dress.
I visited store after store. I found practical gowns. Budget-priced gowns. I tried on dress after dress. And staring in the mirror, I never saw the bride of my romantic longings smiling back at me.
Nearing desperation, I went to a bridal boutique a coworker had recommended. The gowns I tried on were far from practical, and not one was on sale. But finally, as I was zipped and hooked and buttoned into what must have been my hundredth dress, I turned to the mirror and saw…a bride. Me. The girl of my romantic dreams. The woman who was ready to pledge her life to one special man.
Only one day. Only one dress.
I bought it.
As I wrote SOS Marry Me!, I thought about the friend who helped me find my gown and the woman who designed it. She knew what was important to brides. And so does my wedding-dress-designer heroine, Serena James.
Hear all about Melissa’s latest news at www.melissamcclone.com And for more wedding fun check out www.harlequin-theweddingplanners.blogspot.com.
SOS Marry Me!
Melissa McClone
TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON
AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG
STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID
PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND
For my own Belles: Shirley Jump, Myrna Mackenzie,
Linda Goodnight, Susan Meier and Melissa James.
Talented Harlequin authors and amazing friends!
Special thanks to: Missoula County Detective David Brenner,
Idaho County Sheriff Larry Dasenbrock, Virendra Gauthier,
John Frieh, Virginia Kantra, Michael Leming, Dru Ann Love,
Mike Mooney, Anne Ryan, Tiffany Talbott and last, but not least,
Carol Hennessey, Jen Hensiek and Le Ann Martin
with the Clearwater National Forest.
I take full responsibility for any mistakes and/or discrepancies!
Planning perfect weddings…finding happy endings!
In April: Sweetheart Lost and Found
by Shirley Jump
Florist: Will Callie catch a bouquet
and reunite with her childhood sweetheart?
In May: The Heir’s Convenient Wife
by Myrna Mackenzie
Photographer: Regina’s wedding album is perfect.
Now she needs her husband to say I love you!
In June: SOS Marry Me!
by Melissa McClone
Designer: Serena’s already made her dress,
but a rebel has won her heart.
In July: Winning the Single Mom’s Heart
by Linda Goodnight
Chef: Who will Natalie cut her own wedding cake with?
In August: Millionaire Dad, Nanny Needed!
by Susan Meier
Accountant: Will Audra’s budget for the big day
include a millionaire groom?
In September: The Bridegroom’s Secret
by Melissa James
Planner: Julie’s always been the wedding planner—
will she ever be the bride?
Serena is a top wedding-dress designer for
the Wedding Belles. Here are her tips on
how to pick the right dress for your big day:
Don’t visit too many bridal boutiques on the same day. Trying on wedding gowns should be a fun experience, not a chore! Do invite a trusted friend or your mother to go with you to offer opinions and support. But try to discourage the entire bridal party from trooping along. Too many opinions may only confuse you. Ultimately, it’s your day, your dress and your decision.
Stark white, diamond white, ivory and champagne are a few of the “whites” used for wedding-dress fabrics. Try on different shades of white to determine which one flatters your skin tone and hair color best.
Discuss the type of wedding you are having and your dress budget with the sales consultant before she brings you dresses to try on. If money is an issue, ask about bridesmaid dresses that can be worn as wedding gowns. They can be quite lovely, but less expensive.
Try on all the gowns the sales consultant suggests. Dresses look very different on the hanger than on a bride. Don’t forget that your dream gown might not fit your body type, so it’s a good idea to try on a variety of styles to see how they look on you.
Take at least two pairs of comfortable shoes with different heel heights to the final dress fitting. If the hem isn’t exactly right, you won’t freak out and you’ll be good to go for your wedding day.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
“I’LL go to the bridal show,” Serena James announced. “I’ve always wanted to visit Seattle.”
Not that she cared where she went as long as she could get out of town.
Four of her coworkers at The Wedding Belles, a Boston-based full-service wedding planning company, turned surprised looks in her direction. Oops. Serena tried not to grimace. Had she sounded too enthusiastic for a woman with a devoted boyfriend?
“That is, if no one else wants to go,” she added with a forced smile.
“Well, darlin’,” Belle Mackenzie, owner of The Wedding Belles, purred in her distinct Southern drawl. A beautiful woman with coiffed silver hair and a generous glossed smile, she gave the best hugs this side of the Mason-Dixon line. “That’s sweet of you to offer. We do need a little positive publicity after the Vandiver wedding cancellation fiasco, and the show’s sponsors would be delighted to have one of the country’s up-and-coming wedding dress designers fill in at the last moment.”
This was going to work. Satisfaction filled Serena.
“But you usually avoid bridal shows,” Belle continued. “Are you sure about this with all you have going on?”
“I’m sure,” Serena answered, hoping to sound willing but not desperate. “Besides, there really isn’t anyone else.”
