Married By Mistake

her lip. He was right. Postponing by two or three hours what Karen would see as her abandonment wouldn’t change anything.
    She cleared her throat. “We’re not staying, Karen.” She stepped closer to Adam. He locked her hand in his, and she sent him a startled glance. That’s right, they were pretending this marriage was genuine.
    Tears filled Karen’s eyes again.
    Adam tightened his grip on Casey’s hand and eyeballed Mike.
    “Casey has to go,” Mike told Karen. “I’ll help you unload.” Adam continued to stare at him, until the younger man said, “I’ll stay on a couple of days until you’re settled.”
    Karen nodded, dragged her sleeve across her eyes in a curiously childish gesture. “I—I love you, Casey.”
    How the hell was Adam supposed to compete with that? Karen must know it was exactly what her sister wanted to hear. He couldn’t tighten his grip on Casey any more without hurting her. He settled for caressing the finger that bore his mother’s wedding ring.
    “I love you, too, sweetie,” Casey said. “Too much to stay.”
    She was shaking as she turned away from Karen. Adam wrapped an arm around her, shepherded her to inspect the damage to his car. It wasn’t too bad—drivable despite broken taillights and a dented bumper. At his request, Mike moved the U-Haul onto the lawn to clear the driveway.
    “Go pack some clothes,” Adam told Casey. “I’ll get the Aston Martin out of the way, then I’ll move that thing you call a car out of the garage.”
    The Fiesta started first try, which was something. Adam drove it outside, moved the driver’s seat back to where he thought Casey had had it, then got out. When he walked around the back of the Fiesta, he got an eyeful of the sticker fixed to the back bumper.
    Honk If You Think I’m Sexy.
    He was still trying to convince himself it couldn’t really say anything so tacky, when Casey emerged from the house lugging a suitcase and a carry-all that was almost bursting at the seams.
    “What is this? ” He pointed at the offending sticker. “Let me guess, it’s affirming?”
    Her smile, shaky after the encounter with Karen, told him he’d got it in one.
    “It was Brodie-Ann’s idea,” she said. “And I must admit, it works.”
    He rolled his eyes. “I’ll bet it does. Brodie-Ann has a lot to answer for. Are you ready?”
    “Yep. I left a note for Dad to say I’ll call him about getting us all together.”
    Adam stowed Casey’s bags in the Fiesta’s trunk while she detached herself from a prolonged goodbye hug with Karen. He waited until she was out of the driveway before he headed for his own car.
    Casey drove off at a speed that could charitably be called sedate. More like a snail’s pace. Adam sighed as he turned his key in the ignition of the Aston Martin. This would be a long trip.
    He pulled out his cell phone; he needed to call his secretary and cancel his two-o’clock meeting, then phone his insurance company. At this speed, driving one-handed presented no problems.
    Within three blocks, the honking started.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    A DAM ’ S BRIEF HAD BEEN simple. His stepmother would come for dinner. Adam and Casey would act loving, which according to him meant he would call her darling and hold her hand. They’d have an excellent meal, served by the efficient Mrs. Lowe, then Eloise would go home, fully deluded that her stepson had done what she wanted and married a woman he loved. And the logical outcome was that she would stay out of Adam’s life. No more party planning, no more introductions to eligible women, no more bridefest.
    “How will she feel when we get an annulment?” Casey had asked.
    “She’ll get over it.”
    “Adam!” His callousness shocked Casey.
    “What?”
    She narrowed her eyes, and he threw up his hands. “All right, she might be disappointed at first. But by then I’ll have a plan in place for dealing with Aunt Anna May’s lawsuit, the business will be secure and Eloise will see it’s all good.”
    The finality of it silenced Casey. “If you’re sure,” she said at last.
    “Quite sure. I know my stepmother. Don’t worry, this plan is perfect.”
    * * *
    O H , YEAH ?
    Adam had reckoned without his wife’s ability to disrupt his arrangements, Casey thought grimly, as Mrs. Lowe, back ramrod straight, stalked out the front door and climbed into a waiting taxi.
    How had this happened? All Casey had done was offer to make dessert, and the housekeeper had taken off her apron and said