The Accidental Mrs. Mackenzie Read Online Free PDF Page A

followed him, trailed by Heather, Lancelot and Snookems. Their mini-parade came to a halt when Matt lifted the heavy suitcases onto the luggage rack near the door as though they were weightless.
    The effortless bunching of his considerable muscles led Brynn to believe that this MacKenzie brother must be one who used his brawn instead of his brain. Probably a ski burn, one of those dedicated only to the slopes, rather than pursuing important goals or a career. And having a resort in the family was a cushy way to indulge that habit.
    “I’ll have someone bring up your drafting table and supplies,” he added, his gaze lingering just a fraction longer than necessary.
    Brynn had an absurd desire to check her wild hair and see just how many curls were tangled about her face. Instead, she pushed at her heavy glasses, glad for their camouflage. “Thank you. I’ll be needing them.”
    Heather cooed at Bossy, who turned his beak to one side as though wondering if the girl had taken leave of her senses. “Take it off, baby. Take it all off.”
    Laughing at his words, Heather wagged her finger at the mischievous bird.
    Matt didn’t look as amused. “Unusual thing for a bird to say.”
    “He’s had a rather colorful past, I’m afraid. Hanging out in bars and strip joints didn’t do much for his manners,” Brynn explained.
    Matt’s eyebrow rose. “I see.”
    But it was clear he didn’t. “But you don’t understand. I mean—”
    “None of my concern where you take your bird.”
    “But I didn’t—”
    His gaze flicked over her again, then toward his younger sister to emphasize Heather’s presence. “But it’s not something I think we ought to talk about now.” He shook his head. “You’re sure not like the girl I thought Gregory would choose. He was always into sophisticated society beauties.”
    Brynn blanched in spite of herself.
    “I didn’t mean that the way it came out,” he said quickly, reluctantly meeting her gaze. He was clearly floundering for an explanation. “Just that you don’t look like a high-powered career woman, or a debutante.”
    She swallowed the hurt, realizing he hadn’t intended for the words to cause pain. “You’re right, I’m not. I don’t have much in common with those beauties.”
    He had the grace to flush with embarrassment. “That wasn’t a commentary on your looks. You look just fine. I meant you aren’t Gregory’s usual type. And that’s to your advantage.”
    “Just fine.” The way she’d describe an average meal, a cooling cup of coffee, or a day filled with neither sunshine nor rain. Hardly a glowing accolade.
    Still, it wasn’t Matt MacKenzie’s responsibility to find her attractive, or impressive, or challenging. And clearly he didn’t. As she shut the door behind him and his younger sister, she wondered why that bothered her so much.

Chapter Three
    A lthough she spent far too long studying the album of wedding pictures, Brynn still wasn’t all that late getting ready for breakfast, having risen early. It was the only thing she didn’t need an alarm clock for. Rising on time was far easier than remembering appointments and the other distractions of life. Normally she depended on several alarm clocks, enough sticky notes to save a rain forest, and endless recorded messages to remember obligations beyond drawing and delivering her strip. And still she tended to forget many of them.
    But she hadn’t needed any of those devices to remember to look at the wedding album this morning. She’d felt an urgent need to reconnect with the pictures in the book, to remind herself why she was here putting on a show for Gregory’s family. As was her habit, Brynn traced the contours of his face, then flipped through to her favorite pages, smiling at the ones that pleased her the most.
    Finally shutting the album, Brynn hugged it close before placing it on the dresser in a prominent spot. Knowing she should make an appearance for breakfast, and realizing she was later