Christine Scott - I Do? I Don't?

Cover Page

Excerpt Niki caught a glance of her own desperate image in the dressing room mirror. Staring back at her was a bride with a riot of red hair mussed from ill treatment, freckles that stood out against too-pale skin. A glazed, terror-stricken glint graced her wide green eyes. The bride of Frankenstein couldn’t have looked worse. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm her strained nerves. “Everything will be fine,” she whispered. “You’ve got the perfect groom, the perfect dress…you’re going to have the perfect wedding.” Niki closed her eyes and tried to envision her perfect wedding. An evening service at the neighborhood church. Candlelight, flowers and satin ribbons. The groom in a black tuxedo, his white shirt nicely complementing his dark good looks… Her eyes flew open. Dark good looks? Her groom-to-be was sandy-haired and fair. Jack was dark-haired and tan. Good heavens, her perfect groom was Jack Sinclair!

Dear Reader Dear Reader; From classic love stories to romantic comedies to emotional heart tuggers, Silhouette Romance offers six irresistible novels every month by some of your favorite authors-and some sure to become favorites. Just look at the lineup this month: In Most Eligible Dad, book 2 of Karen Rose Smith’s wonderful miniseries THE BEST MEN, a confirmed bachelor becomes a FABULOUS FATHER when he discovers he’s a daddy. A single mother and her precious BUNDLE OF JOY teach an unsmiling man how to love again in The Man Who Would Be Daddy by bestselling author Marie Ferrarella. I Do? I Don’t? is the very question a bride-to-be asks herself when a sexy rebel from her past arrives just in time to stop her wedding in Christine Scott’s delightful novel. Marriage? A very happily unmarried police officer finally says “I do” in Gayle Kaye’s touching tale Bachelor Cop. In Family of Three by Julianna Morris, a man and a woman have to share the same house—with separate bedrooms, of course… Debut author Leanna Wilson knows no woman can resist a Strong, Silent Cowboy-and you won’t be able to, either! I’d love to know what you think of the Romance line. Are there any special kinds of stories you’d like to see more of, less of? Your thoughts are very important to me-after all, these books are for you! Sincerely, Melissa Senate, Senior Editor Please address questions and book requests to: Silhouette Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Title Page I Do? I Don’t? Christine Scott www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication For Pop, I love you. I miss you. Save me a place under your angel’s wings.

About the Author CHRISTINE SCOTT grew up in Illinois but currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri. A former teacher, she now writes full-time. When she isn’t writing romances, she spends her time caring for her husband and three children. In between car pools, baseball games and dance lessons, Christine always finds time to pick up a good book and read about…love. She loves to hear from readers. Write to her at Box 283, Grover, MO 63040-0283.

Things to do before the wedding Things to do before the wedding: 1. Finalize seating plan. Make sure to separate Mom and Mrs. Sinclair, or they’ll spend the whole night yelling, “I object!” 2. Have final dress fitting. Ignore best friend’s wise-guy comments that it’s not too late to back out. 3. During bridal shower, break up fistfight between my straitlaced future husband and way-too-sexy Jack Sinclair. 4. Avoid treetop encounters with Jack. If he wants to talk, let him use the phone like everyone elsel 5. Figure out which groom to marry before it’s time to say “I do!”

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Epilogue

Copyright

Staring back at her was a bride with a riot of red hair mussed from ill treatment, freckles that stood out against too-pale skin. A glazed, terror-stricken glint graced her wide green eyes. The bride of Frankenstein couldn’t have looked worse.

She sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm her strained nerves. “Everything will be fine,” she whispered. “You’ve got the perfect groom, the perfect dress…you’re going to have the perfect wedding.”

Niki closed her eyes and tried to envision her perfect wedding. An evening service at the neighborhood church. Candlelight, flowers and satin ribbons. The groom in a black tuxedo, his white shirt nicely complementing his dark good looks…

Her eyes flew open. Dark good looks? Her groom-to-be was sandy-haired and fair. Jack was dark-haired and tan.

Good heavens, her perfect groom was Jack Sinclair!

Dear Reader;

From classic love stories to romantic comedies to emotional heart tuggers, Silhouette Romance offers six irresistible novels every month by some of your favorite authors-and some sure to become favorites. Just look at the lineup this month:

In Most Eligible Dad, book 2 of Karen Rose Smith’s wonderful miniseries THE BEST MEN, a confirmed bachelor becomes a FABULOUS FATHER when he discovers he’s a daddy.

A single mother and her precious BUNDLE OF JOY teach an unsmiling man how to love again in The Man Who Would Be Daddy by bestselling author Marie Ferrarella.

I Do? I Don’t? is the very question a bride-to-be asks herself when a sexy rebel from her past arrives just in time to stop her wedding in Christine Scott’s delightful novel.

Marriage? A very happily unmarried police officer finally says “I do” in Gayle Kaye’s touching tale Bachelor Cop.

In Family of Three by Julianna Morris, a man and a woman have to share the same house—with separate bedrooms, of course…

Debut author Leanna Wilson knows no woman can resist a Strong, Silent Cowboy-and you won’t be able to, either!

I’d love to know what you think of the Romance line. Are there any special kinds of stories you’d like to see more of, less of? Your thoughts are very important to me-after all, these books are for you!

Sincerely,

Melissa Senate,

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For Pop, I love you. I miss you.

Save me a place under your angel’s wings.

CHRISTINE SCOTTgrew up in Illinois but currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri. A former teacher, she now writes full-time. When she isn’t writing romances, she spends her time caring for her husband and three children. In between car pools, baseball games and dance lessons, Christine always finds time to pick up a good book and read about…love. She loves to hear from readers. Write to her at Box 283, Grover, MO 63040-0283.

1. Finalize seating plan.

Make sure to separate Mom and Mrs. Sinclair, or they’ll spend the whole night yelling, “I object!”

2. Have final dress fitting. Ignore best friend’s wise-guy comments that it’s not too late to back out.

3. During bridal shower, break up fistfight between my straitlaced future husband and way-too-sexy Jack Sinclair.

4. Avoid treetop encounters with Jack. If he wants to talk, let him use the phone like everyone elsel

5. Figure out which groom to marry before it’s time to say “I do!”

His mother was up to something.

Jack Sinclair could see that by the twinkle in her brown eyes and the fervent glances she shot at the clock hanging over the kitchen sink. Her unexpected dinner invitation had been a surprise. Her insistent refusal to allow him a reprieve had been mildly irritating. Now he wondered exactly what she had up her motherly sleeve.

“Have some more roast beef,” Martha Sinclair, a slender, attractive woman, with salt-and-pepper gray hair, urged her son.

Jack sat back in his chair and rubbed a hand against his lean, flat stomach. “Mom, I can’t. I’m stuffed.”

“You’re too thin,” she scolded, eyeing him with concern. “When’s the last time you had a decent meal?”

He grinned. “The last time I came home for a visit.”

“See what I mean?” She picked up a bowl of vegetables. “Have some more potatoes. They’ll stick to your ribs.”

“Mom, dinner was great,” he said firmly. “But I couldn’t possible eat another bite.”

Her brown eyes widened in alarm. “Well, I hope you left some room for dessert. I made your favorite, apple pie.”

His father, a tall man with silvering hair and an easy smile, chuckled from his seat across the kitchen table.

Jack moaned. “Mom, all you’ve done is feed me since I walked through the door.”

“I can’t help it.” She stood, whisking away empty plates from the dinner table. “Mothers are supposed to nurture their young.” Narrowing an admonishing glance, she added, “Even their prodigal sons. Do you know that I see less of you now that you’ve moved back home, than I did when you lived in Chicago?”

Jack sighed. The lecture he’d been expecting since he’d walked in the door of his parent’s house had finally arrived. He was just surprised his mother had waited until after dinner to deliver it.

“Now, Martha, leave the boy alone.” His father shot him a commiserative look. “He’s only been back in town a few weeks. What with starting a new job and moving into a new apartment, I’m sure he’s been busy.”

Guiltily, Jack sank a bit lower in his chair. Having his father defend his neglectful behavior made him feel even worse. His dad was right, however. He was busy. As the newest partner in a downtown St. Louis law firm, he’d been working hard to acclimate himself to the position. But one of the reasons prompting his recent career move had been his desire to be closer to family and friends.

While working in Chicago, he’d been on the verge of burnout. When he’d left, he’d vowed to enjoy life more and to concentrate on work less. It would seem old habits were hard to break.

Four years ago, fresh out of law school, he’d joined a large firm in Chicago. He’d been idealistic, ready to take on the world. His idealism had been put to the test almost from the get go, when he’d stumbled upon a case that no one else seemed anxious to tackle.

The case had involved a family who’d been exposed to toxic waste as a result of runoff from a chemical plant located in their small, hometown outside of Chicago.

The owners of the company—in an effort to avoid bad publicity—had offered to settle out of court. Against the advisement of his firm’s senior law partners, but following the wishes of his client, Jack chose to take the chemical company to court—and had won. The damages awarded the family set new records in the Illinois court system.

But instead of feeling victorious, Jack had felt exhausted. The case had consumed the better part of four years of his life, during which time he’d spent excruciatingly long hours at the office. As his law career blossomed his social life had become almost nonexistent. The physical and emotional stress of the case had taken its toll. He’d begun to feel isolated, alone, dissatisfied with the direction his personal life had taken.