The Goodbye Groom

The Goodbye Groom
Ellen James

Here Comes The Bride?Jamie Williams is all set for her wedding. Ring, check. Bouquet, check. Groom…?Twenty-four hours later–and still single–Jamie is on a mission to find her missing groom. What she finds is her fiance's handsome older brother, Eric. He doesn't know where his brother is, either. Not entirely sure he wants to bail out his brother again, Eric agrees to help her if she can cheer up his daughter, Kaitlin. Sounds like a plan.What Jamie didn't plan on was falling for Eric and his little girl. Has she finally found Mr. Right after all…or is Eric just another goodbye groom?

“Eric, what are you not telling me? You keep saying I should trust you, but—”

“I saw Shawn today, Jamie.”

The front tire of her bicycle wobbled dangerously. Jamie had to focus on the road ahead for a few minutes before she was able to talk again.

“I’m listening,” she said.

“He showed up at my office, wanted to talk about…things. I thought it was the right opportunity to make Shawn really take notice. You remember how we talked about turning up the heat—”

“Eric, are you going to tell me what’s going on or not?”

“Well… I just happened to mention to Shawn that…you and I are engaged.”

“You what?!”

Dear Reader,

I’m somewhat of an expert on prewedding jitters. Cold feet preventing me from walking down the aisle, I balked on my wedding date not once, but twice—causing my future mother-in-law to throw up her hands in despair. But then I looked into my fiancé’s eyes and reaffirmed what I’d known, deep down, all along: he truly was the perfect man for me, and we would have a wonderful life together navigating all the unknowns ahead. On a beautiful spring day I finally exchanged vows with him, and it’s a decision I’ve never once regretted.

I’ve always wondered, though, what happens when regrets do get the better of “happily ever after.” For example, when the groom changes his mind and ditches his bride, right at the altar…what’s the bride to do? I had a great deal of fun exploring that question in The Goodbye Groom. After Jamie Williams is left holding the bridal bouquet, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Along comes Eric Sinclair, the groom’s sexy brother….

I hope you enjoy reading Jamie and Eric’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Ellen James

The Goodbye Groom

Ellen James

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen James lives in New Mexico, “the land of enchantment,” where she met the man of her dreams, and where she began her dream career—writing romance novels for Harlequin Books. Ellen shares a passion for history and the outdoors with her husband. The two of them are usually found poking around ghost towns, antique stores and classic auto shows, as well as hiking the gorgeous mountains of the southwestern United States.

Books by Ellen James

HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE

822—THE MAINE MAN

869—THE RESCUER

953—CHRISTMAS BABIES

1014—MY MONTANA HOME

Contents

Chapter One (#uf1199721-4190-5adf-9ad4-7ed751e2d71f)

Chapter Two (#ue0c9f55f-9e7d-5255-8750-20fd7309d882)

Chapter Three (#u9d6dad2b-ac75-533b-9bf9-730a9deb6b94)

Chapter Four (#u9abb7268-613b-5113-89f5-edc7ec354cda)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One

He’ll be here.

If she just kept repeating those words, they would be true. They had to be true.

Behind her, she heard scraps of whispers.

“…minister wants to know…”