âI broke off the engagement.â
His dad pushed his chair back and stood so fast it tipped over. âWhat the hell are you talking about, Cooper?â
âI broke off the engagement. Right before you called me.â
âMy God! You and your brother are going to ruin this family. How could you be so stupid?â
âIt didnât have anything to do with the family, Dad.â
âYou donât think âCheating Senatorâs Brother Breaks Heart of Grieving Fiancéeâ is going to be a story that gets picked up? Or did you forget somehow that your wedding is the kick-off event for the tenth anniversary of the Wish Foundation, a group that grants goddamn wishes to people who are dying? How is the governor supposed to appoint you if youâre no better than your brother?â
âMaybe itâs a good thing,â Cooper said. âI wonât be distracted by Jorie and the wedding. Total focus for the new job.â
He looked to his cousin for support, but Theo only said, âThereâs no way, Coop. Youâre going to get crucified.â
âGet Jorie back,â his dad said flatly.
So. It was already starting. The switch from a private, ordinary life to a life that was a career. And Jorie had gone from ex-fiancée to business asset in the span of one afternoon.
Dear Reader,
When I first started writing romance, I thought all of my books would have to end with a wedding. As I learned more about this genre, I realized I was wrong about that. (And many other things!) Romances arenât about marriage, theyâre about commitment and true love. For some of the fictional couples in my books, a wedding is the right happily ever after, but for some, their commitment to each other may take a different form, at least at the point where the book ends.
This book starts with an engagement, but I wasnât sure how it would end until the last minutes of revision on the last draft before I handed it in. I think life works that way sometimesâitâs hard to find the right path, especially when the stakes are high and hearts are involved. I hope youâll have a good time reading along with Jorie and Cooper as they work out their story.
Extras, including behind-the-scenes facts, deleted scenes and information about my other books are on my website at www.ellenhartman.com. Look for other Harlequin Superromance authors and readers on our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/HarlequinSuperromance. Iâd love to hear from you! Send email to [email protected].
Ellen Hartman
Ellen graduated from Carnegie Mellon with a degree in creative writing and then spent the next fifteen years writing technical documentation. Eventually, she worked up the courage to try fiction and has been enjoying her new career as a romance author.
Currently, Ellen lives in a college town in New York with her husband and sons.
I would like to thank my cousin, Mary Beth,
who generously provided me with background information I used to imagine Jorieâs apartment.
Iâd also like to thank my cousin, Carla, who
replayed her wedding cake tasting for me so Iâd get the details for that scene right.
My critique partners, Christianne, Diana,
Leslie, Lisa and Mary, are a source of patient support for me on every book.
Diana gave me key insights on this oneâ
thanks for everything!
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EPILOGUE
âMY MOM LOOKED A little better tonight, didnât she?â Jorie asked.
It was a clear night but the D.C. streets were practically empty. Cooper had suggested that he walk her home after their hospital visit, and Jorie was glad he was with her. Her mom was dying. Probably before the year was over, although her doctor had hopes that his latest treatment cocktail would buy a few extra months. It was almost impossible to accept that her mom would soon be gone.
Cooper and his family had met her mom, Chelsea, only a few months ago, but theyâd taken her into their hearts. For the first time, Jorie was sharing her mom with other people who loved Chelsea. It felt like a luxury.
Cooper took her hand.
âShe got some news today that perked her up,â he said.
âWhat news? Why didnât she tell me?â
âShe wanted it to be a surprise.â
The spotlights on the front of the Capitol building glinted in his brown eyes, making them sparkle as he looked down at her. Suddenly he swung in front of her and dropped to one knee. âJorie, will you marry me?â
âWhat? No!â she said. The guard halfway up the steps straightened. He held his gun casually in front of his chest, but the Capitol was no place for messing around. âYouâve got to beââ
âThe Wish Team granted your momâs wish,â Cooper said, never looking away from her.
âWhat wish?â Jorie could feel her world starting to spin.
âShe wants to give you a princess wedding. The one sheâs always dreamed of. The Wish Team is picking up the tabââ