The Castaway Bride Read Online Free PDF Page A

chances of swimming back to shore.
    In spite of herself her voice rose, betraying her uncertainty. “Where… uh… where are you taking me?”
    To her surprise, Matt Slade smiled at her. A smile that brought humor and warmth to his sea-green eyes and completely wiped out any hint of menace.
    She sagged at the relief from her wild imaginings that his genuine smile brought to her. It showed that, whatever else he might be, it was highly unlikely Matt Slade was an axe murderer or serial killer. She was sure she could trust her instinct on that.
    “Where do you want to go?” he asked, as if taking her anywhere she wanted was an option.
    His smile gave her confidence and she didn’t hesitate. In her relief, the words rushed out. “To the nearest airport. Please. I have to get back to Sydney.”
    That was as far ahead as she’d been able to think since she’d caught Howard and Miriam together. Her rented apartment in Sydney was the closest thing she had to a home. Once she got there she’d figure out how to get back to the States. What she’d do when she got back to New York was something too scary to even contemplate. She’d burned a lot of bridges when she’d agreed to marry Howard. Even more when she’d run away from the wedding.
    “The airport on Hibiscus Island is the only airport in these parts,” he said.
    “Is it?” She felt she should explain her ignorance. “I’ve only been in your country for a few months.”
    And until yesterday all she’d seen was the city of Sydney, thousands of miles away to the south. She’d jumped at the opportunity to work at the Australian office of Templetton & Templetton when Howard had asked her. Welcomed the chance to get to know another part of the world. But work had followed the same grueling schedule as in New York. It had left little time for sight-seeing. And in recent weeks all her spare time had been taken up with wedding preparations.
    Matt Slade raised a dark eyebrow. “And you were getting married? That was quick work.”
    It would seem like quick work if you didn’t know the story behind it. “We’ve known each other a long time. He’s American too. We work together.” She and Howard and Miriam and Miriam’s husband Phil had all come over at the same time.
    She faltered to a halt as she remembered Howard’s startling proposal, the hasty arrangements, all those frantic phone calls to organize the impossible.
    And now it was all going on without her.
    Or was it? What could happen at a wedding reception without a bride? Would they party on so as not to waste the catering? It would be a shame for all that food not to be eaten.
    What a crazy thought. She swallowed hard as the reality of what she’d done finally hit her.
    She had run away from her wedding. Fled without a word to anyone. People who hadn’t seen Howard with Miriam would wonder what had possessed her. Sensible, corporate, accountant-type people like herself didn’t do insane things like that.
    But she had.
    She took a deep breath to steady herself and realized that Matt Slade was talking to her.
    His deep, husky voice was very calm—as if he were soothing an emotional cot case. “It’s not too late to turn around. I can take you back to shore. You can fix things up.”
    She looked uncomprehendingly back at him. “Fix things up?”
    Forgive Howard and Miriam? Go on with the ceremony?
    Never.
    She looked down at the enormous diamond glittering on the third finger of her left hand. She’d reacted with awe when Howard had slid his family heirloom onto her finger. Now she wanted to fling it overboard and watch it sink to the depths of the ocean. Everything it represented seemed tarnished.
    At this very moment she should be exchanging the vows that would make her Mrs. Howard Randolph Templetton III and give her a lifetime of security and comfort. And the social acceptance she’d craved since she’d left behind her life in a hippie commune and taken charge of her own destiny.
    She should be