The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter Page A

for groceries, but she wondered if it was enough to get the electricity back.
    â€œLet me make a phone call.” She pulled out her cell, dialed the number.
    Ten minutes later she turned off her phone and set it on the TV tray. Now she had to pay a turn-on fee in addition to her bill. If she’d had the cash for that, wouldn’t she have paid it already?
    And what about the other bills? What about the mortgage? This was only electricity. What was going to happen when she lost the house too? When the bank came and collected everything they owned to pay back what she owed?
    â€œThey shut it off?”
    She tried for calm. “ ’Fraid so.” She’d tried so hard to shelter Olivia from their financial problems. Intercepting creditor calls, taking them in the other room or just not picking up the phone. But there was no hiding it this time. And there would be no hiding it when they showed up to take the house.
    â€œWhat’re we gonna do?” Olivia asked again.
    Shay hated the anxiety that had crept into her daughter’s voice, the worry that puckered her brows. “We’ll figure something out. God’s always taken care of us, hasn’t He? We’ve never gone a day without.”
    â€œBut what about—”
    â€œShush. That’s Mom’s problem. Go on outside and find something to do while I figure this out.”
    Olivia cleared the plates and then went outside, hopefully forgetting about the fact that her mom couldn’t manage things on her own.
    Things had never been easy, but she’d spoken the truth. God had always provided. This time, though, Shay wondered if His provision would turn out to be the biggest mistake of her life.

    Travis was brushing down Buck when his cell vibrated in his pocket.
    â€œYeah,” he answered.
    â€œAll right.”
    It was Shay, and she didn’t sound happy.
    â€œIt’s a deal.”
    He lowered the brush as he realized what she was saying. He didn’t question it, knew he’d better accept her consent before she took it back.
    â€œI’ll be right over.”
    â€œWait!” Her voice shook on the command. “Some rules first . . .”
    â€œShoot.” Terms didn’t matter a lick. He’d agree to anything.
    â€œThere’ll be no . . . funny business.”
    His lips twitched. “Not unless you—”
    â€œI don’t . Another thing . . . when this arrangement ends—”
    â€œ If this arrangement ends.”
    â€œFine. If . It needs to be clear it was my doing, my choice. If everyone thinks our marriage is real—”
    â€œIt is real.”
    â€œYou know what I mean. If they think we’re splitting, it was my decision. Understand?”
    â€œI’ll take out an ad in the Moose Creek Chronicle if you want.”
    â€œAnd I’m keeping my name.”
    If she wanted to keep that mouthful-of-a-last-name, more power to her.
    â€œI’m only doing this because I’m desperate, you know,” she said.
    That was a hard kick to the solar plexus. “Now, Shay, don’t go flattering.”
    â€œThis is business. That’s all.”
    Full disclosure, McCoy . “It’s business for you, I get that. But you need to understand it’s personal for me. As long as we understand each other, I don’t see a problem.”
    The quiet on the other end of the line unsettled him. Maybe full disclosure wasn’t such a bright idea.
    â€œFine.”
    He couldn’t stop the smile. “I’ll be right over.”
    â€œHold on. I haven’t told Olivia. I’ll tell her tonight—and I’m telling her the whole shebang. It’s only fair she knows this is temporary. You can come in the morning—and you’re sleeping on the sofa.”
    He’d sleep in the barn if he had to. “Anything else?”
    â€œI’ll let you know.”
    â€œSee you in the morning, then.”
    â€œWait. What are you