The Registry Read Online Free PDF Page B

tries to touch you, scream. There is no touching of any kind prior to the wedding. Don’t even let him hold your hand. It is going to be hard for him with you looking like this.”
    “You don’t have to worry.” Mia shuddered.
    “Good girl. You’ll have a nice time tonight,” her mother promised. “We set up the dining room for a romantic meal for two. Your father even got one of the boys to serve as a waiter. It will be so elegant. Who knows, by the end of the night you might be engaged.”
    Just then the doorbell rang through the house. Her mother squealed with delight, while Mia continued to stare at the strange girl in the mirror.
    M ia pressed herself against the wall, scared to look down at the bottom of the staircase. Her parents were greeting Mr. Marsden, and she could hear them laughing as if they were old friends. Mia was supposed to wait for them to call her and then make a “glamorous” entrance down the staircase. She decided to take a quick peek and see what she was up against.
    Grant Marsden was an attractive man. His brown hair hung over his brow; he had prominent cheekbones and a boyish face. Mia guessed he was about a decade older than she.
    Mia heard her father call her name but couldn’t make herself move. She didn’t know whether her paralysis stemmed from actual fear or she was simply starting to sabotage the night already.
    Taking a breath, she started the descent. Her leg stuck out of the high slit and her heel accentuated the length of her leg. The sound of her shoes hitting the stairs amused her. She held in her laughter, thinking the whole night was a joke. All of a sudden, she knew what to do.
    A devilish smile crossed Mia’s face. She realized this meeting might be fun. Breaking the rules and crushing this man’s interest would be simple.
    “Sorry, just finishing up.” As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Mia walked straight to her proposed mate. “I’m Mia, it’s nice to meet you. I hear your name is Grant?”
    A fter several moments of dirty looks from her parents, Mia and Grant were set up in the dining room. Her mother had set out the fine china and dimmed the lights for a more intimate atmosphere.
    Grant pulled out Mia’s chair as she sat down. He gave an awkward smile and a shallow laugh. Mia wondered if he felt as strange as she did.
    Before one of them could break the silence, Andrew entered the room. Mia had never seen him look so nice. Sophisticated, even. His dark hair was slicked back away from his eyes, and he was dressed in all black. Mia found herself staring at him, while he did not attempt to make eye contact with her. Grant coughed.
    “So, tell me about yourself,” Mia said before Grant had the opportunity to speak.
    Grant looked down and shook his head. He looked up with a pressed smile. “It is inappropriate for you to ask me questions.” His voice was filled with annoyance. “It is inappropriate for you to speak at all without my addressing you first, but I suppose you already know that. Just like you know you’re not supposed to use my first name unless I give you permission.”
    “Well, maybe I’m not a fan of the rules.” Mia raised an eyebrow.
    “I’d like some wine please, and once I get it, I would like you to leave the room,” Grant said to Andrew. “We deserve our privacy.”
    Andrew nodded with a blank look and left.
    “I am a fan of the rules.” Grant stared down at Mia. “So why don’t you tell me about yourself?”
    “I just turned eighteen. I hate dressing up. I especially hate this dress. I am a terrible cook and I find housework boring.” Mia set her elbow on the table and cradled her head in her hand.
    “Well, happy belated birthday.”
    Grant didn’t seem thrown by Mia’s antics, so she decided to keep going. “I also think you are too old for me.”
    Grant sat in silence for a moment, looking into Mia’s eyes, debating what to say next. “You’re fun. A spoiled brat, but a fun one.”
    Mia went on, desperate to