How does someone accidentally get married? You’ll have to read Annette Haws’ new release to figure out how that concept fits into the story, “The Accidental Marriage.”
For now, however, the following excerpt will have to do until you make it down to your local bookstore to pick up a copy. Snowed in? No problem. Online retailers are selling it, as well.
Without further ado, we are happy to share the following excerpt from “The Accidental Marriage.”
EXCERPT:
Is a well intentioned gift a bribe in disguise? Is any young man ever good enough for an only daughter? Should Elliot vacate the premises as quickly as he can? How much does he really love this girl?
Nina was pacing, her hands clasped behind her back, and Elliot would have laughed if the bayonet weren’t stuck so firmly in his chest. She turned when she saw him, “You look awful. You’re white as a sheet.” She kissed both his cheeks. Her fingers were like ice.
“He was very nice,” he said.
“I’m sure. What are Dad’s terms?”
“We wait a year or two.”
“And what’s the plum?”
“Tuition.”
“Oooo. He’s playing hardball.”
Elliot looked around her room. An enlargement of the picture of him she’d taken on the cliff in Scotland was tucked in her mirror. A shabby pink bear nestled between the two pillows on her four poster bed. She picked it up and clutched it next to her chest. “So Elliot,” she patted the bedspread next to her and studied his face closely. “Do you want to wait? What did you tell him?”
“I told him we were pretty definite about getting married in August.”
Her nostrils flared slightly, and she tugged on her left earlobe before she spoke. “Thank you for that,” she exhaled softly. “He thought he was making an offer you couldn’t refuse. And you let him know you can’t be bought.” She grabbed his hand. “If you’d said yes or even considered the money seriously, it would be over between us. I won’t be a pawn in my own life.”
He didn’t have the energy to kiss her. He was exhausted. Pitfalls everywhere disguised as generous offers or proffered friendship, and Nina was as adept at playing this chess game as any of them.