Married By Mistake

coiffed head to one side. “Not a chance. That old dragon never makes strawberry shortcake. She knows it’s my favorite. It won’t take Adam two minutes to notice something’s wrong.”
    Casey had feared as much. She groaned and got back to her dinner preparations. To her surprise, Eloise pitched in and helped, with a lot of enthusiasm if not much actual skill. Adam’s tale about his father had given Casey the impression Eloise might be demanding or selfish, but right now she was neither.
    By the time Adam arrived home a half hour later, the steak had been seared and was ready to be finished off in the oven, the mushroom sauce was made, the vegetables were awaiting a final steaming, and the hors d’oeuvres tray was a fully assembled work of art.
    When they heard the front door open, Casey and Eloise froze, as if they’d been caught stealing the silver.
    “You run upstairs and change,” Eloise said. “I’ll head Adam off at the pass.” She chortled as she snatched up the champagne bottle and headed out to the foyer.
    “Adam, darling...” Her voice wafted back to the kitchen.
    As Casey raced up the back staircase, she heard her cooing at her stepson, and getting what sounded like a grunt in response. It didn’t seem as if Adam’s day had improved any. Casey grimaced at her reflection in her bedroom mirror. She was flushed with heat—and, no doubt, with champagne. Grease streaked her face and her hair hung limply. Too bad she didn’t have time for a shower.
    She splashed cold water over her face and upper body, then twisted her hair and pinned it at the back of her head. Thankful she’d had the forethought to select her clothes earlier, she put on the silky lilac dress, taking pleasure in the way it shimmied over her hips. The slim fit showed her figure off to advantage, and a slit up the side enabled freedom of movement. Quickly, she applied lipstick—no need for blusher. She grimaced as she realized a few tendrils of hair had already escaped their pins.
    On her way to join the others, she collected the hors d’oeuvres from the kitchen. The heavy tray forced her to slow her pace, so she had a moment to collect herself.
    When Casey entered the living room, Adam moved immediately to relieve her of it. Although she was expecting some kind of embrace, she flinched when his lips touched her forehead.
    “Darling,” he said, as he set the hors d’oeuvres down on the table, “you should let Mrs. Lowe do this.”
    Casey looked at Eloise, who frowned and tipped her head toward Adam’s untouched champagne glass. Eloise was right. It might be better for him to relax with a drink before Casey gave him the bad news. “It was no problem...honey,” she said.
    “But Mrs. Lowe—” Adam began.
    Casey did the only thing she could think of to forestall the inevitable. She stood on tiptoe and planted a firm kiss on his mouth. Time slowed as she absorbed the sureness of his lips against hers. Her hands went to his chest to brace herself, and she felt the strength of his muscles beneath the crisp cotton of his shirt. The kiss lasted barely two seconds, but when she pulled away, Casey felt herself blushing furiously.
    “What was that for?” Adam sounded dazed—and not at all like he was thinking about his housekeeper.
    “You had a bad day. I wanted to make it better.” She took a step backward. “Did it work?”
    He touched a finger to his lips. “Well, it didn’t hurt any.”
    “How did your meeting go with the lawyers?” Casey asked.
    “It, uh, wasn’t too bad,” he said distractedly.
    “Adam, I must congratulate you on your wife,” Eloise said. “She’s lovely.” She smiled at Casey.
    Adam didn’t look at Casey, but took her hand, entwined his fingers loosely with hers. “Yes, she is.”
    Eloise lifted her glass in a toast. “To true love, the kind that lasts forever.”
    Casey raised her glass with only the tiniest twinge of guilt. She still believed in true love, even if it didn’t have a place in her marriage. Adam muttered something about forever being a very long time, but at last he drank some champagne. By the time they finished the hors d’oeuvres, he’d had two glasses and did seem more relaxed, though Casey could still see that furrow in his brow.
    “I’ll go check on things in the kitchen,” she said. “Why don’t you two go through to the dining room?”
    She steamed the vegetables and reheated the sauce while the meat finished cooking in the oven. She served the meal