Read Nearlyweds for Free Online

to look beautiful even while crying. No red, puffy eyes. No runny nose.
    “I don’t have a toddler,” she whispered, all tortured.
    “Well, then, you’re perfect for this dog,” I snapped.
    “I’ll never have a toddler.”
    “Great. You’ll have plenty of time to take him to obedience classes.”
    Her slender body shook as her crying intensified, and just when I was about to weaken my resolve to hate her and offer the poor kid another paper towel, the cowbell on the door jingled again.
    “Casey Nestor, tell me you’re not making your customers cry again.”
    I waved as Erin Maye, the new pediatrician in Dr. Lowell’s office, strolled past the chew toy display, still wearing her white doctor’s coat under her puffy green parka.
    “What was this poor girl’s crime?” Erin lifted an eyebrow toward the quivering waif surrounded by kibble. “Did she feed her dog the wrong kind of food? Forget to add daily digestive enzymes?”
    “She’s dumping her dog at the pound. And it’s Casey Keating now,” I corrected. Like Stella, Erin was a recent transplant from the big city (Boston), but unlike Stella, she was no-frills and down-to-earth.
    “This dog?” Erin held out her hand for the Great Dane to sniff, which proved to be an unnecessary formality—the dog tackled her like a linebacker and licked her ear.
    “I am not dumping him at the pound!” Stella insisted, her blue eyes flashing.
    I just rolled my eyes at Erin and mouthed the words “drama queen.”
    “Erin, this is Stella Porter.”
    “Oh really?” Erin eyed Stella with renewed interest. “I know your husband—I’ve seen him around the hospital.”
    “Erin’s a doctor,” I explained.
    Stella crossed her arms. “Why are you guys looking at me like that?”
    “Like what?” I scoffed.
    “No one’s looking at you.” Erin dismissed her with a waveof her hand and reached into her leather briefcase. “Did you get a letter last week?”
    “A letter? What kind of—” I broke off, staring at the book resting on top of Erin’s files. “What is that?”
    “I know.” She smiled grimly.
    I reread the book’s title. “Embracing Tradition: The Wife Within?”
    “An early Christmas gift from Renée. It was waiting on our kitchen table, all gift-wrapped, when I got back from my medical conference in Philadelphia last week.”
    My eyes widened. “You gave Renée a key to your house?”
    “Of course I didn’t. But mere locks cannot keep her from her sainted son.”
    “Who’s Renée?” Stella peered over my shoulder at the book while the dog gave it a cursory sniff.
    Erin rubbed her temples. “My mother-in-law. Anyway, Casey, did you happen to get any interesting mail last week?”
    I shrugged. “Just the usual—wedding bills, vet bills, and heating bills. Why?”
    “Because David and I got a letter from the county clerk—we aren’t legally married. Pastor Rick died before he signed and filed our marriage certificates. Can you believe that?”
    “What?” I frowned. “How did that happen?”
    “I have no idea, but his wife found a stack of unsigned documents on his desk last week when she cleaned out his office.”
    “Well, can’t you just send it in without him?” I asked.
    “No; I need his signature to make it legal, and since he’s dead, I won’t be getting that any time soon.”
    I swallowed hard. “But Nick and I—”
    “I know.” Erin nodded. “He presided over three weddings that weekend: me and David, you and Nick, and one other couple. And apparently, we’re all still technically single.”
    “But we signed the marriage certificate!” I exclaimed. “And what about our witnesses? We have a whole churchful of people to back us up!”
    Erin shrugged. “Yeah, well, the State of Massachusetts doesn’t want to hear it. We have to go down to the courthouse and do the whole thing over.”
    “But…” I paused. “I didn’t get a letter.”
    “Then you might want to give the county clerk a call.”
    “So Nick and