âHave we got a deal or not?â
âItâs a deal. Congratulations, Tyler,â she said, holding out her hand to shake on their agreement. âYou may now date your wife.â
He took her hand, shaking it for only a moment before pulling her knuckles to his mouth to kiss them. âWhat do you say we seal the deal with a real kiss?â
A smile lit Ameliaâs eyes and curled her lips. She moved ever so much closer to him, causing him to lean in as well, but before he could reach for her, she stopped short.
âSorry,â she said with a shake of her head. âI donât kiss on the first date.â
* * *
Thirty Days to Win His Wife is part of the Brides and Belles seriesâWedding planning is their business ⦠and their pleasure.
Prologue
âDo you want to get out of here?â
Amelia Kennedy turned and looked up into the cool blue eyes of her best friend, Tyler Dixon. Of course he would be the one to save her. âYes, please.â She got up from the banquet table and accepted his hand, happily following him out of the ballroom, through the casino and out to the glittering lights of the Las Vegas Strip.
Just breathing in the cool desert air made her feel better. Why had she thought her high school reunion would be fun? It was just a room filled with people she never liked, gloating about how great their lives were. Even though she couldnât care less about what Tammy Richardsonâcheerleader and all-around stuck-up bratâhad done with her life, hearing Tammy brag had somehow made Amelia feel less enthusiastic about her own achievements.
It was ridiculous, really. She co-owned her own company and was very successful, but the lack of a ring on her hand and toddler photos on her phone made her the odd girl out tonight. This entire trip was a waste of her precious vacation time.
Well, not the whole thing. It was worth it to see Tyler. They had been best friends since the ninth grade, but recently they had both gotten so busy they were lucky to see each other once a year. The reunion was a good excuse.
They stumbled down the sidewalk hand in hand with no destination in mind. It didnât matter where they ended up. Every step they put between them and the reunion improved Ameliaâs mood. That, orâif her softening knees were any indicationâthe tequila was finally kicking in. A low rumble caught their attention, and they stopped outside the Mirage to watch the periodic eruption of the volcano out front.
They leaned against the railing, Amelia resting her head on Tylerâs shoulder and sighing with contentment. She really missed spending time with him. There was just something about being with Tyler that made the world seem better. There was a comfort and ease in his arms that sheâd never found in another man. Although theyâd never dated, Tyler had set the bar high for her future relationships. Maybe too high, considering she was still single.
âFeel better?â he asked.
âYes, thank you. I just couldnât look at any more pictures of weddings and babies.â
Tyler wrapped his arm around her, chasing away the January desert chill. âThatâs what happens at reunions, you know.â
âYeah, but I didnât expect it to make me feel like such a...â
âSuccessful, talented businesswoman in control of her own destiny?â
Amelia sighed. âI was thinking more along the lines of a relationship failure on the fast track to a house with too many cats.â
âQuit it,â he said in a stern voice. He turned toward her and tipped her chin up so she had to look him in the eye. âYou are amazing. Youâre beautiful, talented, successful... Any man would be lucky to have you in his life. You just havenât found one worthy of you yet.â
That was a nice thought, but it didnât change the fact that sheâd been on a fruitless quest for Mr. Right since sheâd come of age. âThanks, Ty,â she said anyway, as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in the lapel of his suit.