The First Wife Read Online Free PDF Page B

tradition that we should go. Mother and
     Daddy did, their parents as well. Things like that are important down here. Family
     things.”
    Bailey bristled. “My mother studied at the school of hard knocks. And performed brilliantly.”
    “Touché.” August looked at Raine expectantly.
    But before the other woman could respond, Paul jumped in. “Do you ride, Bailey?” he
     asked.
    “I used to. But haven’t in years.”
    “A country girl like you?” Raine cocked an eyebrow, looking almost amused. “Why not?”
    “Don’t laugh, but I’m afraid of horses. Terrified, really.”
    No one laughed. A hush fell over the table.
    “Well,” August said, lifting his glass in a toast, “there’s a first. Lady of the manor,
     ruling over all she sees, terrified of what she sees the most of. To you, Mrs. Abbott.”
    “Shut up, August,” Raine snapped. “You’re such an idiot.” She turned to Bailey. “They’re
     the most beautiful, gentle creatures on the planet, how could they scare you? What
     happened?”
    “I was thrown. Nearly trampled.” She looked at Logan. “When you told me what happened
     to Henry, it was all too real.”
    Logan curled his fingers around hers. “A boyfriend convinced her to get on a horse
     she had no business riding.”
    “Typical,” August said, smirking at Logan. “Leave it to a man to convince a levelheaded
     girl to do something dangerous.”
    Logan ignored him. “She’s going to give it a try again.”
    “When I’m ready,” she added.
    “Of course, when you’re ready, baby.” He looked at Paul. “What do you think about
     her riding Tea Biscuit?”
    He smiled. “Perfect choice. She’s a retired polo pony. Very sweet, as gentle as they
     come.”
    “We keep her around because she’s good company for weaning foals,” August said.
    “And for children to ride,” Raine added.
    Paul cleared his throat at Raine’s dig, obviously uncomfortable. “Logan, tell us how
     you two met.”
    He looked at her. “You tell them, sweetheart.”
    “It was so romantic.”
    “I’ll need more wine for this.” August held up the empty bottle. “Do you mind, Logan?”
    “Of course not.”
    “It was the first night of my vacation”—she glanced at Logan—“both of our vacations.
     I was walking on the beach and was attacked.”
    Paul grinned. “Smooth move, Logan. Gutsy.”
    He laughed. “It would have been but I’m not that slick.”
    “He saved me,” she said. “My own knight in shining armor.”
    Raine rolled her eyes. “God help us.”
    “He stayed with me the whole time, even though it took hours to wait for security,
     then the police. I told him he could go on, but he insisted.” She sighed. “We watched
     the sunrise together. It was the most romantic night of my life.”
    “Excuse me while I retch,” Raine said lightly. “Pass the bottle, August.”
    “We spent every moment after together,” Bailey said.
    “Then extended our vacations—”
    “Because we couldn’t bear to say good-bye.”
    “This could be part of a trend,” August said. “Lots of trends seem to be developing
     here.”
    Paul sent him an irritated glance. “So you decided good-bye was off the table?”
    “Exactly. We just … knew.” Logan gazed into her eyes. “It was right. We were meant
     to be together.”
    “He proposed—”
    “And she said yes.”
    Paul jumped in. “And as they say, the rest is history.”
    “Happily ever after,” Bailey said, beaming up at Logan.
    “Obviously then, he hasn’t told you about True?”
    The table went silent. Everyone looked at Raine.
    “Why wouldn’t I have?” Logan asked, voice low, vibrating with something Bailey had
     never heard in it before but recognized as dangerous.
    “We both know why, my dear brother. In this family, there’s no such thing as happily
     ever after.”

 
    CHAPTER SIX
    The days flowed one into the other. After a week, Bailey still couldn’t believe she
     was here, in this magical place, married to