Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich Read Free Book Online

silverware, making a place for Holly. “I’m Maggie,” she said. “We were married last week. You’ll stay for supper, won’t you?”
    â€œSure you have enough?”
    â€œPlenty,” Maggie said. She knew it was ridiculous, but darned if she didn’t feel like a real wife. She was feeling possessive, and jealous, and cranky. She glared at Hank.
    â€œIs there anyone else we should be expecting? Maybe I should cook up more potatoes.”
    Holly Brown slung her purse over the back ofher chair and sat down. “This marriage is awful sudden.”
    Hank sliced his pot roast. “Maggie and I met last summer when I was at Rutgers.”
    Holly and Linda Sue exchanged glances. They looked skeptical.
    â€œStill seems sudden to me,” Holly repeated. “The entire female population of Skogen’s been after Hank for years,” she told Maggie. “He’s as slippery as they come. Nothing personal, but it seems a little odd that he’d go to New Jersey and come back married.”
    â€œIt was one of those things,” Maggie said. “Love at first sight.”
    Holly poked around at the pot roast, looking for the end piece. “Honey, it’s always love at first sight with Hank. It’s never caused him to get married before.”
    Linda Sue poured more gravy over her potatoes.
    â€œThis house sure holds memories,” Holly said. “When I was a little girl, my daddy worked for the coop and he’d come collect the milk from all the local dairy farms. Sometimes, in the summer, he’d let me ride with him. Hank’s granny always invited me in for cookies and lemonade. If Hank was here I’d stay and playMonopoly with him on the front porch. Then when he got older—” She stopped in midsentence, cleared her throat, and concentrated on slicing her meat.
    Linda Sue, Hank’s mother, and Hank’s father also cleared their throats and became totally absorbed in the process of eating.
    Maggie looked sideways at Hank.
    â€œVern’s dog ate my Monoploly set,” Hank explained.
    Linda Sue tilted her head toward Hank. “Does Bubba know you’re married?”
    â€œNot yet.” Hank reached for another biscuit. “I haven’t seen him since we got back.”
    â€œBubba’s not going to like this,” Linda Sue said. “You should have told him.”
    â€œWho’s Bubba?” Maggie asked.
    Everyone but Hank looked shocked.
    His mother was the first to find her voice. “Bubba has always been Hank’s best friend. I’m surprised Hank didn’t tell you about him.”
    There was the squeal of brakes on the driveway, and Horatio began barking.
    â€œI guess it’s my turn,” Hank said. A moment later he returned with two middle-aged women.
    Maggie grabbed the table for support. “Mom! Aunt Marvina!”
    Maggie’s mother gave Maggie a kiss. “We were in the neighborhood, so we thought we’d stop by and see how things were going.”
    In the neighborhood? It was a six-hour drive. Calm yourself, Maggie thought. This couldn’t be as bad as it seemed. “Things are just fine. Aren’t they fine, Hank?”
    â€œYup. They’re fine.”
    â€œMom, Aunt Marvina, I’d like you to meet Hank’s mother and father, and this is Linda Sue, and this is Holly.” Maggie set out two more plates and Hank brought chairs from the kitchen. “We were just explaining to Linda Sue and Holly how Hank and I met last summer while he was at Rutgers.”
    Holly stabbed a wedge of pot roast. “I think it seems awful sudden.”
    Mabel Toone and Aunt Marvina exchanged looks. “Just what we said,” Mabel told Holly. “There wasn’t even time to get the PNA Hall.” She shook her finger at her daughter, but the scold was tempered by obvious affection. “You’re such a problem child.”
    â€œWhen she was a baby, she