The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

Recommendations

Info

But then Peter adds, “You mentioned Bailey’s partner is looking at artistin-residenceprograms, right? Well, Molly’s dad is an art professor at NYU.It’s a superbly teed up icebreaker.”I clench my jaw so hard I’m probably at risk of rupturing a blood vesselsomewhere.Henderson snaps his fingers. “You both should do it. The more, themerrier. I think you two would strike a good balance. Keep the other one onhis toes. It’ll feel festive. Engaging. Besides, I need you to be candid, but nottoo candid. What better way to ensure a light muzzle on your honesty than tohave you keep tabs on each other?”Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck. It’s bad enough that I just forced myself to fake arelationship, but now Peter’s going to be watching my every move? This isbad. Really fucking bad. But I’m pinned against the ropes, and there’s noway out that won’t damage my already tenuous standing with Henderson.It’s okay, Dean. You’re a fighter. And you know how to execute a plan.Think of this as the biggest assignment of your career, and you’ll excel in itlike you always do.Still, that little voice in my head is begging me to heed the warning signs.Given the stakes, I choose to ignore it.Somehow, I need to convince Solange to go along with my scheme.Somehow, we’ll need to convince Peter that we’ve known each other along time and that we live together now.Somehow, I’ll need to pretend this woman is my partner even though Iknow nothing about her other than that she’s blessed with great hair andpossesses nerves of steel.Henderson drums his hands on his desk. “I’ll send you the dates Ms.Bailey is available once I have them. Keep me apprised of your plans.”I stand up awkwardly, a bunch of chaotic thoughts rattling around in mybrain and messing with my equilibrium. What if Solange refuses to help me?And even if she says yes, what if we do a shit job of pretending to be acouple? What if Peter finds out I’m lying and rats me out to the firm?Stop, Dean. There’s no point in second-guessing yourself. You can’t doanything about it. I draw up straight and square my shoulders. “Thanks forthe opportunity, sir. We won’t let you down.”Outside Henderson’s office, Peter shakes his head. “I don’t know what thehell you were thinking back there, but I know a con when I see one.”“Believe what you want, Peter,” I say, my head down as I type a quick text
to Lina. Solange did say her cousin would know where to find her if I neededher—and I definitely need Solange now.Peter shuffles off without another word.When I’m sure he’s gone, I take a deep breath. Will I live to regret this?Probably. Am I committed to seeing it through anyway? Damn right I am.
Page 3 and 4: DedicationThis one is for my reader
Page 5 and 6: Chapter Twenty-ThreeChapter Twenty-
Page 7 and 8: I should have purchased the lotion
Page 9 and 10: tongue of her ancestral land: a fra
Page 11 and 12: over me isn’t your average Joe. N
Page 13 and 14: He presses the phone against his ch
Page 15 and 16: Chapter TwoDeanThis is the big day,
Page 17 and 18: delicate step onto the white aisle
Page 19 and 20: Chapter ThreeSolangeOh shit, oh shi
Page 21 and 22: my appearance. What possessed me to
Page 23 and 24: the unbiased truth.”Okay, well, w
Page 25 and 26: me. Spoiler alert: We aren’t, and
Page 27 and 28: “Not your fault.”“I’m not s
Page 29 and 30: heart perceives blame even when it
Page 31 and 32: thing. But knowing you’re a magne
Page 33 and 34: person you’re dating when they’
Page 35 and 36: Disentangling our hands, she rolls
Page 37 and 38: many people are clearing their thro
Page 39 and 40: “So, in other words, I need to ge
Page 41: Michael’s crass prediction flashe
Page 45 and 46: “Thanks for agreeing to see me,
Page 47 and 48: Dean gestures to his mug. “Still
Page 49 and 50: can’t touch his jaw in my presenc
Page 51 and 52: I meant was, there’s no one-size-
Page 53 and 54: “I’m prepared to do that too,
Page 55 and 56: Chapter SevenDeanSaturday afternoon
Page 57 and 58: And how is his goatee so damn perfe
Page 59 and 60: She wrinkles her nose and gives me
Page 61 and 62: “Mayo, ketchup, and garlic. Whip
Page 63 and 64: Chapter EightSolangeDean and I weav
Page 65 and 66: “Exactly. They seem totally into
Page 67 and 68: Oh shit. Are they . . . ?Dean furro
Page 69 and 70: about his prospects wouldn’t have
Page 71 and 72: her sweater around her waist; I sup
Page 73 and 74: fuzzy feeling in her chest, and my
Page 75 and 76: “This is my Lyft,” she tells me
Page 77 and 78: are staring back at me.Layla scribb
Page 79 and 80: Dean should be paying me for this b
Page 81 and 82: Dean looks over at me, his eyes glo
Page 83 and 84: her chin as if she wants no part of
Page 85 and 86: Chapter TenDean“Axe throwing? Tha
Page 87 and 88: have my reservations.”“Dean, at
Page 89 and 90: As Natalia winds (and whines) her w
Page 91 and 92: experimental cocktail’s excellent
Page 93 and 94:
Chapter ElevenDeanSOLANGE: TGIF - r
Page 95 and 96:
invitation to the group. See, the l
Page 97 and 98:
“You see, Ms. Dotty’s been cons
Page 99 and 100:
She tugs on her ear as she surveys
Page 101 and 102:
The rest of the group turns to our
Page 103 and 104:
shows me how to lift my shoulders a
Page 105 and 106:
pacing the width of his lane and mu
Page 107 and 108:
right back.”Solange, who had a he
Page 109 and 110:
That piece of information makes me
Page 111 and 112:
Kimberly rolls her eyes. “I’ll
Page 113 and 114:
A spotlight lands on me, and the so
Page 115 and 116:
“Good,” he says, nodding once.A
Page 117 and 118:
“Take care, Dean,” I call after
Page 119 and 120:
“Good,” he says, nodding. “Th
Page 121 and 122:
tell him about the cancellation on
Page 123 and 124:
“Dean Chapman and Solange Pereira
Page 125 and 126:
her knees in front of him, reaching
Page 127 and 128:
steps back and sits on the edge of
Page 129 and 130:
Chapter FifteenDeanSolange and I le
Page 131 and 132:
that somehow the sensual scene in m
Page 133 and 134:
from myself.“I think I’m ready
Page 135 and 136:
She nods, and we wordlessly stroll
Page 137 and 138:
friend in a time of need. “C’mo
Page 139 and 140:
She squirms her way out of my arms
Page 141 and 142:
okay? But if you don’t want to do
Page 143 and 144:
“Don’t talk to me,” I say, do
Page 145 and 146:
you in a minute.”“Should we off
Page 147 and 148:
of me is that I’m rarely invited
Page 149 and 150:
“When can we see him?”That last
Page 151 and 152:
scents radiating off his skin, a he
Page 153 and 154:
by lust they appear brown. We stare
Page 155 and 156:
debating the design for a half hour
Page 157 and 158:
rejects the attempt, as if my brain
Page 159 and 160:
Chapter NineteenDeanI’m more nerv
Page 161 and 162:
holding my own.“What’s your fav
Page 163 and 164:
expression were captured in a photo
Page 165 and 166:
DEAN: I know but what choice did we
Page 167 and 168:
“Don’t ask me to do it,” my m
Page 169 and 170:
“Oi, família!” our cousin Clá
Page 171 and 172:
Kimberly isn’t revealing whether
Page 173 and 174:
and Brandon. But now that I’m rep
Page 175 and 176:
“We can give them the tour tomorr
Page 177 and 178:
“I’m happy to take the floor,
Page 179 and 180:
gotten pregnant with me.” She shr
Page 181 and 182:
Chapter Twenty-OneSolangeI wake up
Page 183 and 184:
“It’s all yours,” he says, ge
Page 185 and 186:
“What’s your reason, then?”
Page 187 and 188:
“I was going to touch you,” I s
Page 189 and 190:
Chapter Twenty-TwoDeanI’m inside
Page 191 and 192:
even stronger swell of emotion when
Page 193 and 194:
two-and-done, never to be repeated.
Page 195 and 196:
Chapter Twenty-ThreeSolangeThursday
Page 197 and 198:
in this economy, isn’t a small ma
Page 199 and 200:
It’s easy to picture them doing t
Page 201 and 202:
crossed, I hold the sweatpants agai
Page 203 and 204:
“Get on your side, then.”The sh
Page 205 and 206:
Chapter Twenty-FourSolangeAfter a d
Page 207 and 208:
Bless his heart; he should get a me
Page 209 and 210:
accomplishment, and we should celeb
Page 211 and 212:
Dean opens the door to his condo, a
Page 213 and 214:
does.”“You’re breathing now,
Page 215 and 216:
me squirm in frustration.Dean notic
Page 217 and 218:
Chapter Twenty-FiveDeanSolange lays
Page 219 and 220:
and it is so much better than anyth
Page 221 and 222:
decided to decline it. Neither poss
Page 223 and 224:
where I need to be.She puts up her
Page 225 and 226:
remember?”“Can you blame me?”
Page 227 and 228:
Chapter Twenty-SixSolangeNatalia an
Page 229 and 230:
“In more ways than one, I hear,
Page 231 and 232:
to tell you, but—”I know what s
Page 233 and 234:
Chapter Twenty-SevenDeanAfter an ov
Page 235 and 236:
ME: my mother’s there. is that ok
Page 237 and 238:
“Well, I’m all good to go.” I
Page 239 and 240:
be a swimmer?”“He did.”She no
Page 241 and 242:
Chapter Twenty-EightSolange“Melis
Page 243 and 244:
“Oh, that’s great. Well, let me
Page 245 and 246:
Before I can flee, Melissa lays a h
Page 247 and 248:
clients prefer me to him. And just
Page 249 and 250:
my behalf. Now I need to accept the
Page 251 and 252:
I’m taking a page from Dean’s p
Page 253 and 254:
Chapter ThirtyDeanI wake up to some
Page 255 and 256:
promotion. I thought it was only fa
Page 257 and 258:
* * *Friday morning, I exit the ele
Page 259 and 260:
She shakes her head. “I don’t t
Page 261 and 262:
“I’d have to be a glutton for p
Page 263 and 264:
God. Is this grain alcohol?”He pl
Page 265 and 266:
take some pictures in the casino, t
Page 267 and 268:
The photo arrives in a text. My eye
Page 269 and 270:
Chapter Thirty-TwoDeanEarly Saturda
Page 271 and 272:
“Yeah, I’d never turn one down.
Page 273 and 274:
nerves. My experience simulating ch
Page 275 and 276:
Dean returns his gaze to me, his ha
Page 277 and 278:
I cup my ear. “What? I can’t he
Page 279 and 280:
by the end of next week.I clap effu
Page 281 and 282:
“Is it strange being here?” Sol
Page 283 and 284:
woman, whom I adore more than words
Page 285 and 286:
helped me get this book in your han
Page 287 and 288:
About the AuthorUSA Today bestselli
Page 289 and 290:
“A delightful read that is equal
Page 293 and 294:
CopyrightThis is a work of fiction.
Page 295:
London SE1 9GF, UKwww.harpercollins
show all

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?