Newlywed Games Read Online Free PDF Page B

Across the yard bounded a big black blur. Oh, no! How could she have forgotten about Lucky? The Labrador came to a halt, barked twice, then wagged her tail.
    “Hello, girl.”
    The happy canine wagged her way over to her owner. Meghann scratched her head, praying the dog wouldn’t give Bruce away. As friendly as Lucky was with people she knew, strangers sometimes made the Lab nervous.
    “Say hello to Mom, Lucky,” she said, purposefully using the dog’s name for Bruce’s benefit. Lucky wiggled over to Mrs. Livingston and jumped up on the older woman.
    “Off, Lucky.” Meghann tried to nudge her away with her knee. “Get off.”
    “Off!” Bruce’s voice was stern and low. Obediently, the dog turned toward him.
    Meghann had gotten Lucky to be sort of a sentry, but this was one time she didn’t want to be guarded. She was about to say something when Bruce’s next command came.
    “Sit!”
    Lucky instantly obeyed. Her tail continued to wag, brushing across the brittle winter grass.
    The dog’s response amazed Meghann. All that time and money spent on obedience training and she had never gotten that quick of a reaction. Maybe if she had put more heart into it and kept up with it instead of letting it slide, Lucky would obey her as well. Meghann watched, fighting a surprising twinge of jealousy, as Lucky stared up at Bruce with wide, attentive eyes.
    “She certainly knows who’s boss around here,” Meghann’s mother said.
    A weak smile pulled at Meghann’s mouth.
    Bruce lowered the suitcases to the ground. Lucky eased up but stopped with another firm word from Bruce. “Stay.”
    The Lab wiggled in anticipation. When he had put his load down, Bruce knelt three feet in front of the smiling dog, who looked like she was going to jump out of her skin.
    Bruce waited a moment longer, eye-to-eye with the canine, before releasing her. “Good girl,” he said in an even, calm tone. “Okay, come.”
    The Labrador shot off her spot and bounded toward the man, knocking him over and licking his face.
    Meghann was aghast. But Bruce just laughed and wrestled the happy, energetic dog for a minute. She couldn’t help smiling at the playful pair.
    “That’s enough,” Bruce said. “Sit.”
    Lucky sat, awaiting her next order.
    Bruce rose and brushed the dog hair and dry grass off his expensive looking suit. Meghann hoped it wasn’t ruined. Of course, she’d pay to have it dry-cleaned, butshe fought a groan at the idea of having to pay for a new suit.
    This little charade was turning costly. On many fronts.
    “Your dog missed you,” Mom said. “I think she would like her
daddy
to be around more.”
    “Mother!” Meghann spoke to her mother’s back as she hurried up the porch steps. Meghann felt the heat rush to her face.
Daddy?
Reluctantly, she turned to see Mr. Halloway’s reaction. His head was ducked down and she could swear the man was doing his best to hide a smile. Well, at least somebody could smile about all this. She was too mortified to comment and simply unlocked the door in silence.
    “I like him,” her mother whispered so only Meghann could hear, then stepped over the threshold. “I couldn’t have chosen a better son-in-law myself.”
    Meghann rolled her eyes. Good heavens. How on earth was she going to keep her mother from making such comments with Mr. Halloway around? She had to get rid of him before her mother totally embarrassed him. And her. He had been a good sport to go along with this charade so far, but she couldn’t expect him to do it indefinitely.
    Not that you’d want him to…right?
    Of course not! The last thing she needed was Bruce Halloway in her home, acting like he cared about her, smiling at her like she meant something to him.…
    Liar. You love it.
    Pressing her lips together, Meghann went inside. The small bedroom and dinky bathroom were off of thecozy living room. From any one spot the whole interior could be viewed. The furnishings were by Goodwill, garage sales, and curbside