Acquiring Trouble

laughed, not sounding very sorry at all. “I had to. So, what’s the problem?” he asked more seriously this time.
    “ There’s a chance that she’s forcing a takeover of my company through intimidation and criminal activity. Oh, and that she may have hired a thug to try to beat me up. ” Miles sighed and ran his hand through is hair. Saying it out loud made it sound even more ridiculous. How could he let himself fall in love with someone like her? A Keeneston Belle wo uld be a better wife for him.
    “What just happened? I heard you curse?” Cy broke his thoughts.
    “Nothing.”
    “Yeah, right. I’m guess ing you just thought about the M word. It’s only normal when you’re at a wedding to think about marriage to the woman you love. I think it’s great. Morgan sounds like my kind of woman. Easy big brother —I just meant that I always pictured you with someone uptight and society - or iented. Like a Belle, any Belle. I’m excited you fell in love with the opposite. ”
    “You think it’s a good idea that I’m in love with a delinquent and possibly a felon?” Miles groaned, he should’ve just gone with the flow and started dating Jasmine, the current p resident of the Keeneston Belles.
    “Do you actua lly think she did everything she’s being accused of ?” Cy asked.
    “Yes. No. Well, I don’t think she did them herself, but I think she either knew or now knows who did.”
    “Ah! That’s the crux of your dilemma. If she didn’t do it and does the right thing by turn ing in the people who did or if she had no idea who’s behind it , then what would you do?”
    Miles was quiet as the image of him and Morgan laughing together crossed his mind. “I’d tell her I love her and beg her to forgive me for acting like such a jackass.”
    “If you want my advice, I’d stop being a jackass and start working to find out what you’re missing and then marry the girl. Now that I have fixed one brother’s problem, let me talk to Marshall and remind him not to do that nervous laugh thing during his toast to the bride.”
    “Thanks Cy. If I can ever return the favor, let me know. I hope you can make it home soon.” Miles walked down the hall and handed the phone to Marshall. He couldn’t believe he’d been such an idiot. There was obviously more going on than she was sharing. If he hadn’t accused her, she might have trusted him enough to tell him the truth . Miles suddenly felt panic welling up. He needed to talk to her. To tell her he kne w she wouldn’t do these things.
    “Okay brother, let’s get me married , ” Marshall grinned as he walked into the room. Miles didn’t have time to do it now, but the second the reception was over he’d go find her and get to the bottom of this.
     
    Morgan pressed the gas pedal down and felt her car respond immediately. She took the turn at sixty miles per hour and hoped she’d get there in time. The instant she had seen David turn to the window while on his phone she knew her time was up. She hoped she’d played the whole thing well enough to give her time to get back to Keeneston a nd talk to Miles.
    She had to tell him she had unwillingly put his life in danger. It was time to tell him the truth. Morgan hit the horn and swerved around a horse van. She cut off the large truck as a pick-up truck came toward her in the opposite lane. Morgan took a deep breath as she continued to berate herself. If there was anyone in the world she could t rust with her life it was Miles. I nstead of trusti ng him, she’d put him in danger.
     
    The Wyatt Est ate ’s garden was lit with white lights surround ing the front of the historic house. Red roses in large standing vases lined a path around the side of the house leading to the reception site.
    Morgan parked her car and looked down at her black suit. The decorations around the house hinted she was going to be grossly underdressed. Morgan was already crashing the wedding, she didn’t want to stick out while doing so. She popped open her trunk where she had thrown in some clothes that were meant for the cleaners . She dug through the suits and day dresses until she found what she was looking for: t he black dress with a sweetheart neckline that hugged her bust before cascading down to the ground.  
    She hid behind her car and stripped off her suit and slid into the dress. She took a deep breath and then coughed. Oh G od, the dress smelled like an old martini and the trunk of the car. She’d meant to take