Meg tugged on the blindfold, her curiosity overwhelming her. “Can I take it off now?”

Cade chuckled. “Not yet. But soon.”

“Holy cow, Cade, you’re driving me insane. First, a private jet. Now a long drive without being able to see anything. Where the heck are you taking me?”

“Somewhere special. It is our one-year anniversary, after all.”

Meg warmed at the words. They’d been married one year. It almost was too good to be true. Cade had swept her off her feet with a whirlwind courtship and engagement. And their first year of marriage had been bliss. “You know, I keep telling you, I don’t need anything but you.”

His low chuckle came again. “I know. But I think you’ll like this present.”

“You know I have everything I’ve ever wanted. A great husband. A wonderful career.”

“Because you did what I said.”

Meg held in a laugh. Cade never tired of reminding her. He was the one who told her to upload her singing videos to YouTube. And now she had her own record deal. “Yes, because I did what you said. You’re the smart one.”

“And you’re the talented one.”

The car slowed, and she heard the crunch of gravel. Then he stopped. “Okay, let me get you out, and then you can take off the blindfold.”

Meg almost peeked but decided it was best to let him guide her out of the car. She heard the door open and felt Cade’s strong hand take hers. “Hang on to me.”

That wasn’t a problem. She clung to him, the smell of his cologne making her weak in the knees. He still had that effect on her. Cade slid his arm around her and guided her a few steps. “Okay. You can remove the blindfold now.”

Meg slid the fabric over her head, taking in the sight before her. The mansion in the mountains. She gasped. The once peeling paint was bright and fresh. The detailed woodwork had been restored. The shrubbery was trimmed, and flowers bloomed along the path to the front door. “It’s beautiful. I can’t believe it. You did it. This was your dream. And now it’s finished. It’s going to bring in a ton of business.”

Cade smiled, his eyes holding a secret. “I don’t think you understand. It’s for you.”

She stared at him, not comprehending. “What?”

He motioned to the house. “This is our new home.”

Meg’s mouth dropped, and tears stung her eyes. “You’re freakin’ kidding me.”

He chuckled. “Nope. And it has hot running water and everything. Want to go take a look?”

Meg was too stunned to respond right away. The mansion they’d stayed at. The beautiful, curved staircase and antique chandeliers. The peaceful mountain home. She couldn’t even speak with the emotion running through her.

Cade’s eyebrows knit together. “The home doesn’t hold bad memories for you, does it?”

She blinked her tears away. “No. I mean, yes, but it also holds wonderful memories.”

“And I installed a state-of-the-art security system. No one will ever break in again.”

Meg threw her arms around Cade’s neck. “Honey, this is too much. Now I look like an idiot.”

“Idiot?”

“Yeah. I got you a tie.”

He laughed and picked her up, swinging her around. “You don’t have to give me anything. I already have my present. You.”

Meg kissed him, her emotions racing through her. She didn’t know what she did to deserve this life, but all her dreams were coming true. Cade was her dream come true.

***

THANK YOU FOR READING my book! If you enjoyed this one, check out Accidentally Married. Madison thinks she’s getting a job at Jameson Technologies. Jared thinks she’s playing the part of his fake girlfriend. A misunderstanding leads to hilarity when Madison meets Jared’s family.

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HERE’S A SNEAK PEEK:

Madison pulled her car into the parking spot, relieved she found an empty space so close to the building. Even though it was only mid-morning, the temperature had risen to an uncomfortable level. A long walk would make her look like a melted ice cube by the time she entered Jameson Technologies. And she couldn’t give a bad impression. She needed this job.

Three weeks of handing out résumés and filling out applications, and she hadn’t gotten anywhere. She’d promised Carrie she would pay her half of the rent this week, but her bank account was empty.

She shoved the car into park, and it sputtered, choked, and then died. Running the air conditioner always made it feisty. At least the poor thing didn’t die on her while driving...most of the time.

She picked up her satchel and stepped out onto the pavement. Heat assaulted her, and she ran a self-conscious hand through her hair. The last few days her horoscope had the theme of something new on her horizon. This was it. Her something new was this job, she was sure of it. She squared her shoulders and tried to put more confidence in her step.

The tallest building in Crimson Ridge stood before her in all its horrific, shiny glory. The impersonal glass reflected the sun into her eyes. The rest of the business district held older buildings with detailed architecture. Jameson Technologies was an eyesore.

As much as she hated the building, she hated mooching off Carrie even more. Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she neared the glass doors. Her stomach clenched.

Even though she’d never been an administrative assistant, it couldn’t be hard. As an actress, she had played several small roles, one of them a secretary. Granted, she had only been on camera for ten seconds before the building blew up, but she had answered the phone and stared at her nails, and she felt like she had embodied the part.

She pulled the smooth metal handle, and the glass door glided open. The lobby felt cold and impersonal with its sleek lines and modern fixtures. Everything was either silver or beige. Down a short hallway to the right, an elevator caught her eye, and a large reception desk sat on the left, which she approached. The woman behind the desk gave a tight-lipped smile.

“May I help you?”

“I’m here to see Mr. Jameson.” She tried to sound confident, like she belonged in a place like this.

The woman’s eyes traveled the length of her, and she pursed her red lips. “He’s been waiting for you.”

“He has?” Madison tried to keep her mouth from falling open. When Carrie told her a position at Jameson Technologies was about to open up, she didn’t realize her roommate had set up an interview. What luck.

The receptionist nodded, the corners of her mouth pulling down in disapproval. “Go straight up to his office. Twenty-third floor.”

Madison strode across the expensive tile floor to the elevator. She pressed the up button and stepped back. Her heart fluttered in her chest. If she played this right, she could be employed by noon.

Carrie was a life saver. Last night she overheard a woman at the shopping center talking about how she was quitting her job. Like a true friend, she asked around until she found out the woman was Mr. Jameson’s administrative assistant.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Madison stepped inside and pressed the button for the twenty-third floor. According to Carrie, the woman indicated she would waltz into Mr. Jameson’s office this morning and quit. If the stars aligned, Madison would secure the position before they even called a temp agency.

Her stomach dropped as the elevator lifted and the numbers above the door rose. She smoothed her black skirt and forced herself to think about being an administrative assistant. Answering phones, filing, and...answering phones. Exactly what she was born to do.

The silver doors opened, and she stalked out into another lobby. This one was smaller, but decorated in much the same way. The woman behind the desk reminded her of a bull frog. Large round eyes set wide, a double chin, and a frown that went from one side of her face to the other. A silver name plate revealed her to be Darlene.

For a split second, Madison panicked. What was the assistant still doing here? Carrie made it sound like the woman, Darlene apparently, was going to quit first thing. But her worries fled when Darlene motioned for Madison to pass. “Mr. Jameson wants to speak with you right away.”

Darlene must be sticking around to train the next employee. A rush of excitement shot through Madison. That could be her.

She straightened her spine and walked past the desk and entered the office. Huge windows took up the entire east wall, and a fantastic view of the town spread forth. The rest of the spacious office held filing cabinets, an expensive mahogany desk, and some leather chairs. The man behind the desk was much younger than she had imagined the CEO of a large company would be, probably only a year or two her senior. His stormy grey eyes focused on her, and then narrowed.

“You’re late.” A scowl formed on his face and he stood, his gaze traveling over her. He wore a tie and a white dress shirt, which showed off his muscular physique. His jet black hair was neatly styled, probably some kind of corporate cut.

Confidence, she reminded herself.

Madison crossed the room and extended her hand. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jameson, I was not aware Carrie had set up—”

“And what are you wearing? You look like you’re going to a business meeting.” His scowl deepened, which she thought wasn’t possible.

“I uh—”

“Never mind. You’ll do.” He grabbed a briefcase from the floor and strode across the room, past her, and out the door, which he left open.

Madison stared after him. What happened? You’ll do? What did that mean?

He stuck his head back into the office. “You want the job, or what?”

Her pulse raced. She got the job! “Yes, sir!”

***

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