Mob Wedding Mayhem by Ally Gray Page B

two fingers in a Boy Scout salute, a serious look on her face.
    Stacy unconsciously reached up and touched her nose, feeling the slight bump that remained after she’d had cosmetic surgery to repair the damage from a college softball incident. Now she had no choice but to laugh with relief, especially as she finally placed the woman. “Jacqueline? Oh my gosh, it is you! You look fantastic!”
    “I told you, I’m sure we’ve all had some work done! And honey, I’d better look good for what I paid, or I know a doctor who’s gonna find himself on the wrong end of my Louisville Slugger!” the woman answered, twirling in a small circling and showing off her figure. “But sweetie, you didn’t have to run away from me, I meant what I said. I won’t say a word, and I’m sorry I even brought it up.”
    There was no time for a better explanation, so Stacy just said a soft “thank you” and linked her arm through the guest’s elbow, leading her back to the wedding after retrieving her radio from her front seat. They promised to catch up during the reception, and Stacy left her to return to the bride and groom’s important day.

Chapter 2
    “ I don’t know if I can do this,” Stacy said, nestling her head against Nathan’s shoulder, her breathing returning to normal after what felt like hours of lovemaking.
    “What, have wild animal sex with your husband? Aren’t you supposed to wait at least six months before deciding to cut me off? ‘Cause I’ve got bad news for you, you already did,” Nathan answered, kissing the top of her head and falling back against the pillows. “Several times, if I remember it correctly.”
    “That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” she said, swatting him playfully on the chest. Nathan pulled her closer to pin her arms against his chest. “I meant, the company.”
    “What’s there to think about? You’ve practically run that company for the last fifteen years! You were still in high school when you started working for my aunt. Now, you know what it takes to run this business and to excel at it, so what’s got you so upset and convinced that you can’t do it?”
    “That woman… the one from the last reception. She said she knew my secret.”
    “Yeah… must suck to have had a nose job and then have someone from your past come find out about it. Why’d you do it, anyway? Getting a little concerned about your looks in your old age, are we?”
    “That’s not it, and you know it! I was hit by a softball! Why does anybody even take softball as an elective in college? It’s not like we managed to make it through high school without suffering through it.” Stacy protested out of habit, but that wasn’t what she was referring to either. “What if I’ve been tempting fate all this time? I’ve gotten by with this secret for so long, what if I’ve gotten sloppy and I slip up? What if someone really finds out?”
    “Finds out what, exactly? Finds out that you’ve been running the show all this time, and that you’re incredibly good at your job? Who cares if my dead aunt isn’t there pulling your puppet strings? I have full legal control of the company, I’ve kept you on to run things, and now you’re my wife! It doesn’t get more legal than that.”
    “I know, you’re right. It’s just that I feel like I’ve been a fraud all these years.” Stacy ran her fingertips over Nathan’s chest, enjoying the way it made him tense up under her hand.
    “You’re not a fraud, not by a long shot,” he answered, hitching her leg up over his until she was pressed against him. He moved gently against her as he kissed her neck lovingly. “The only thing you are… is perfect.”
    “You’re make it really hard to concentrate on my worries, you know,” she answered breathlessly, her hands running through his hair and pulling his head closer to her.
    “Mmmm-hmmm… you said hard,” he replied in typical jokester fashion. Stacy rolled her eyes at his dumb joke, but