Semiautomatic Marriage. Leona Karr

wider as Carolyn explained about her grandfather’s will and the fact that he’d been financing her college education. When she’d finished, Rosie put down her hot dog and stared at Carolyn as if she expected her to laugh and say, “Gotcha.”

      Carolyn couldn’t blame her friend for expecting a joke. The two of them had spun tales of marrying a rich man someday or winning the lottery, but none of their fantasies had come close to the story Carolyn was telling.

      “It’s really true, Rosie,” Carolyn quietly insisted. “I’ve arranged for someone to take my place at the clinic.” She didn’t add that she’d obligated herself to pay the replacement doctor for his services. Adam had warned her not to say anything about their getting married until they’d moved into the mansion. He didn’t want anyone involved in the ceremony.

      “As soon as I get settled,” she’d gone on to her friend, “you can come and let me show you around.”

      Carolyn could tell by the way Rosie reacted that their friendship was already threatened. A gulf was starting to widen between them, and Carolyn knew that until Adam’s investigation was over, it would be better to try to pretend that everything was romantically “wine and roses” in her marriage. Rosie would be aghast at the truth.

      Carolyn returned to the present. There was no doubt in her mind that the Stanford mansion would be as large and intimidating as any of the homes they were passing. What were the people like who lived in them? She took a deep breath and asked Adam point-blank what to expect when they got to the Stanford mansion.

      “It’s bound to be a little tense and uncomfortable at first,” he told her. “We’ll just have to take it as it comes.” His own thoughts had been following the same kind of speculation, and to be perfectly honest, he didn’t know what the situation might be. People were unpredictable at best. He had no idea how Carolyn’s uncle was going to receive her, or how the Jasper’s live-in significant other would, either. From all accounts, Della Denison had grandfather’s approval as an executive at Horizon, and the woman wasn’t likely to accept Carolyn’s presence in the company with open arms.

      Adam was also concerned about the way Lisa and Buddy Denison were going to treat Carolyn. He considered them self-centered and spoiled. They could make life hell for her in a thousand different ways.

      “I wish I’d had more time to get ready for this,” Carolyn said honestly. But would she ever be ready? She glanced at the man sitting beside her. What did she really know about him? She couldn’t believe that she had put herself in his hands—in more ways than one.

      “Just stick to the script we worked out. Don’t try to embellish any of the details. Remember, don’t supply extra information when you’re pushed into a corner. Everyone’s going to be curious about you, about us, but you don’t have to satisfy their curiosity. You’re in the driver’s seat in this situation. You have the power and the money.”

      “Power and money.” She wanted to laugh at the irony of it. When on earth had she ever possessed either one of them? A few pieces of paper couldn’t change her basic perception of herself.

      “The first thing you’ll want to do is buy yourself a car, a good one.”

      “I suppose so. Before I told Rosie about my inheritance, her brother called me and told me to junk my old one. He wanted me to look at a couple of used models he had for sale that were in better shape. I told him I’d think about it.”

      “That’s all?” He raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t tell him you were in a position to buy the latest, most expensive model on the road?”

      She shook her head. “I wanted Rosie to know first.”

      He nodded. “I can understand that, but you need to feel free to spend the money that is rightfully yours, Carolyn. I imagine that you’ll be needing a whole new wardrobe, won’t you?”