The Triple Wedding

By Edward Hoornaert

Teegan Dayle is a businesswoman who’s determined to maintain her image as her family’s most successful sister. For that, she needs a spectacular date for her sisters' wedding—even if he’s a fake boyfriend.

Sterling, her roommate’s brother, is a handsome loner. When a desperate Teegan asks him to be her date, he refuses—until he realizes the wedding is his only chance to meet the people who can fulfill his dream.

Booker is a naïve young Apprentice Cupid whose job is to make a match for Teegan—but not with Sterling. Can he break up matches as well as he makes them?

How far will Teegan and Sterling have to take their pretense? All the way?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Edward Hoornaert
• Release date: Jul 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005425371

Edward Hoornaert

Edward Hoornaert is not only a science fiction and romance writer, he's also a certifiable Harlequin Hero, having inspired NYT best-selling author Vicki Lewis Thompson to write Mr. Valentine, which was dedicated to him. From this comes his online alter ego, "Mr. Valentine."These days, Hoornaert mostly writes science fiction—either sf romances, or sf with elements of romance. After living at 26 different addresses in his first 27 years, the rolling stone slowed in the Canadian Rockies and finally came to rest in Tucson, Arizona. Amongst other things, he has been a teacher, technical writer, and symphonic oboist. He married his high school sweetheart a week after graduation and is still in love ... which is probably why he can write romance.

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Triple Wedding

Edward Hoornaert

http://eahoornaert.com/

Copyright June 2021 by Edward Hoornaert

All rights reserved

This novel is a work of fiction.

Names, characters, places and incidents are either

the product of the author's imagination, or, if real, used fictitiously.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover design by Danielle Fine and Ed Hoornaert

Edited by Danielle Fine and Judi Hoornaert

ISBN: 9781005425371

Dedication

.

Growing up, I thought everyone had three grandmothers. After all, that’s how many I had. Why would other families be different? When my sister and I talked about our grandmothers, we always used last names. Gee, I wonder why?

This book is dedicated to the memory of my three grandmothers: Grandma Madeline, Grandma Anna, and Grandma Anna.

1 – The Stranger Wore a Towel

Panting, Teegan Dayle paused halfway up the stairs to her house atop Pillar Rock. She leaned heavily against the moss-covered monolith.

Why, Teegan muttered to herself, did I buy a house with so many stairs?

She knew the answer, of course: for the prestigious address and the bird’s-eye view. From up here, she could look down on hundreds of homes in this wealthy corner of Eastcott.

Most of her neighbors on the Pillar were snobs who wanted little to do with her. Unlike her, they were descended from the elite crews of the spaceships that had carried thousands of colonists on the one-way trip to Addoray. For her, though, the point wasn’t to pretend she was better than everyone else, but to proclaim to the world that she’d dragged herself to the top of her profession.

Now if she could just drag herself to the top of the Pillar…

Even though she’d left work early, after only twelve hours, it was dark and she was tired. So tired. That was okay, though. Exhaustion was the cost of running her own business—namely, growing houses. As for overwork, it was a measure of success, right?

Right.

Hard work had its compensations, of course. The view, for one. For another, her new couch. It had been airlifted to the house today. She couldn’t wait to arrange it at the perfect angle so she could relax while gazing down over her neighbors.

When she finally got inside, she shook off her shoes and leaned back against the door. She needed a vacation. And a bath.

Her company grew houses by filling mesh molds with sawdust from clearing the native forest surrounding Eastcott and then injecting the molds with her secret ingredient—the spores of a rare Addoray mushroom. The mushroom’s silvery roots, called mycelium, spread quickly through the sawdust, binding it into a durable mass that solidified still more when the mycelium finished its short lifespan. The result was a non-combustible, organic wall or building block that looked almost like marble.

Another result, however, was clothes that smelled of eau de mushroom—in plainer words, rot—so she couldn’t wait to change. Although these days she mostly worked in the office, she still kept her fingers in the nitty-gritty warehouse work several times a week.

She peeked into the living room. Yes, her beautiful couch was there, though so thoroughly wrapped in packing material she couldn’t see it. She itched to tear it open…but she’d do it after her bath.

Her big, beautiful tub, also expensive, could hold six people. Not that she had enough of a social life to have ever invited that many people over.

She removed her suit jacket and undid the Windsor knot of her conservative black necktie. After tossing the garments onto the table by the door, she unbuttoned her blouse—but then jumped when the bathroom door opened. Her nerves were always wound so damned tight these days.

She expected her roommate, Mercedes. Instead, she got a tall, dark, and virile stranger wearing only a towel monogrammed with her initials—TAD. The hall was the only part of the house with no natural light, yet she could tell that his dark, curly hair was so wet it dripped onto her floor.

I didn’t hear you come in, he said. Hi.

Body rigid, Teegan held the edges of her blouse together as she drew herself up to full height. It took a couple seconds to find her voice. Who in black holy hell are you? How dare you prance around naked in my house, borrow my towel, and get my floor wet? Tell me what you’re doing here before I call the police.

His grin was so wide, involving all of his face, that she could only classify it as joyous. An infectious smile was such an odd reaction to getting caught trespassing that she reassessed her reaction. He was either mentally deranged or—

Oh. Of course.

You’re with Mercedes, right?

Still grinning, he nodded. Teegan’s anger ebbed several notches.

Mercedes Wen had been Teegan’s friend and roommate for nine years. Ever since success inundated Teegan with money and work, she charged Mercedes nominal rent in order to keep her around. They’d lived together so long some assumed they were a couple, though she preferred to think of them as sisters.

With luck, this was The Guy for Mercedes.

Teegan flicked on the hall lights then widened her eyes in surprise. He wasn’t Mercedes’ type. She went for artsy guys with impractical gleams in their eyes. This tough-looking stud was more to Teegan’s tastes.

Carefully reining in that thought, she shook his hand. Calluses—yummy. She admired men who did real things in the real world, rather than just sit at a desk. She should’ve told me first, but I’m glad to meet you. I’m Teegan Dayle.

She waited a moment, but he didn’t supply his name. She wanted to ask how long he planned to stay, but politeness demanded it could wait until he was dressed. I’m sorry for threatening you with the police. If Mercedes liked him well enough to bring him home, it was cause for a party, not a confrontation. She leaned her head forward, urging him to accept her apology. Please forgive me.

You’re forgiven. He leaned forward to study her face. Wow—you’re extremely attractive when you’re angry, you know that? Every muscle in your face gets in on the action. Beautiful.

I beg your pardon? Teegan took a step back. He was flirting with her? Mercedes’ new boyfriend was flirting with her?

Cancel the party.

Half a lifetime ago, she’d been accused of trying to steal her sister’s high school boyfriend. That shame had lodged in her self-image because she hadn’t just tried, she’d succeeded. At the time of Ember’s accusation, she was in bed, naked, with said boyfriend. She remembered his name but not what he looked like. What she remembered best were her sister’s screams of betrayal, followed by a lifetime of estrangement.

Thinking of that horrific scene, Teegan’s neck and face flamed. Never, ever, ever again. Not ever. Not even if Mercedes’ tattooed hunk with the gorgeous mane of dark hair flirted with her while wearing only a towel.

She drew back farther and crossed her arms protectively over her belly. May I ask who you are?

Sure.

She waited, but he said nothing more.

Oh, joy. Just what she needed, a comedian. Name, please?

Sterling Peters. He thrust out his hand again, but jerked it back when his towel—no, her towel—started to slip. He had lightning-fast reflexes, for which she was grateful.

Not knowing if her roommate was nearby to overhear his flirting, she lowered her voice to a whisper. Where is Mercedes?

Please don’t say ‘Right behind you.’ And towel, if you value your happy home, don’t fall.

She went to Barrington’s. A wedding she’s working on needs a more intense shade of blue.

Teegan’s roommate was an up-and-coming smoke artist. She combined small-scale fireworks with colorful hazes and remote-controlled electrostatic charges to provide shows for weddings, birthdays, and other special events.

Mercedes trusted you enough to leave you here alone? She’d intended it as a statement but it came out a question.

Of course.

Teegan saw no of course about it.

She thought she’d be back before you got here, he explained. She says you’re always at work and you really ought to cut back your hours. He spread his hands, which emphasized his biceps and triceps.

She forced herself to relax. Then I guess I trust you, too.

He grinned. You’re just as loyal and generous a roommate as Mercy says.

The compliment really shouldn’t have felt as good as it did, but since she was worked at maintaining a good relationship with her roommate—and because the compliment was accompanied by a masculine smile and a bare chest—warmth washed over her.

Mercedes had chosen very well. Teegan just wished she’d said something about this Sterling Peters beforehand before inviting him home.

Do you have everything you need? she asked. Toothbrush, food…clothes? I can get some things and leave them outside her room.

Oh, I’m not sleeping with her, he said with a laugh. That’d be weird. I’m in the room with teal walls. He gestured at her blouse. You really like teal, eh?

The edges of the blouse had strayed open. She clutched them closed. It’s my favorite color, but…if you aren’t sleeping with Mercedes because it’d be weird, I ask again—who are you and why the— She choked back a swear word. She trusted him, remember? Why are you in my house?

Wow, your eyes really do flash when you’re halfway to losing your temper.

Her eyes flashed again, probably. You already said that.

Did I? He pursed his lips and cocked his head to one side. No, I merely said you were attractive when angry. I made no mention of your eyes. But before you explode, Teegan, I’m Mercy’s brother. I’m sure she’s mentioned me.

Not a word.

He sighed. I arrived in Eastcott this afternoon with only a rucksack and the clothes on my back, so she said I could stay here awhile. She gave me the teal room, if that’s all right with you.

Although Teegan kept most of her consternation inside, she let her face show a bit of it. Any friend—or brother—of Mercedes was a friend of hers. That went without saying.

But if he was destitute, could he be trusted not to steal? The last houseguest they’d had made off with a couple hundred padmavatis.

The fact that Mercedes was honest proved nothing. Just look at her own family. Teegan’s sister Pandora was an immoral disgrace, but that proved nothing about her.

Do you want your towel back now, he said, or can it wait until I’m dry?

Very funny. At least she hoped he was joking. But just in case he wasn’t, It can wait.

She shouldn’t feel the heat of blood suffusing her cheeks. Addoray’s colonists had left most of Earth’s nudity taboos behind. Bathhouses were coed, public—and clothes-free. It was a signpost of her success that she had a tub large enough to share with all the friends she didn’t have time to make.

Nudity was acceptable in the controlled environment of a bathhouse, but she was alone in the house, chatting with a naked guy in the close quarters of the hallway. The air seemed to tingle against her flesh, reminding her of the situation’s intimacy. She was way too tired for flirtation, though not as tired as when she’d come through the door.

Nice to have met you, my sister’s extremely generous roommate. He inclined his head in a deep nod, an unusual but gallant note of politeness, and then went into the teal room. Before he shut the door all the way, he looked out and met her gaze.

The door hid him, except for a now-naked hip…and a tantalizing bit more. He extended his arm through the opening. The towel dangled from his hand like bait for a trap.

When she didn’t take it, he dropped it and closed the door.

***

An hour later, Teegan looked out a wall of glass with her bare feet snuggling her new couch of rare and seductively soft shymonster hide. The couch was a white leather island in the ocean of plastic wrappings strewn over the living room floor.

When her eyes slipped closed, she saw neither the ocean nor the lights from her neighbors’ distant houses. This couch was worth every last padma she’d paid for it.

When Mercedes came in the house, she didn’t say hello. Instead, You didn’t work fourteen hours today? You must’ve met Gander, then.

Teegan’s eyes opened wide. No. But I met—

Sterling Peters, he said from the hallway behind her. And you, Teegan Dayle, are quite a slob.

Teegan didn’t face him. Mercedes, before I turn around—is he naked?

Sterling, did you take up nudism while you were living out in the bush? You’d better not go to work at the university in the raw.

He worked at a university?

She turned to face him. Yes, he was dressed. His casual, almost insolent posture and t-shirt with the arms torn off shouted he’s bad news just as loudly as had his tattooed chest. However, since he was both dressed and not her roommate’s boyfriend, it was all right to enjoy the sight.

His eyes devoured her just as greedily. Oh, this could be interesting.

Only if Mercedes doesn’t object. You two don’t look like brother and sister.

His long, shaggy hair was the color of the beaches on the banks of the Murky River, near where she’d grown up. Mercedes’ was the black of a moonless night. Her face habitually wore a smile, even in repose, as though she were thinking beautiful thoughts, while his displayed an intense, tough-guy frown…except when he looked at Teegan. Then his eyes widened in pleasure as they mentally undressed her, garment by garment.

This dangerous—and interesting—man neither looked nor acted like an academic.

I’m her stepbrother, he said. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I recognize that look on my little sister’s face. She wants me to go away so she can talk about me behind my back.

You don’t have to go, Teegan said out of politeness.

Great! Can I sleep with you on the couch, then? It was an eighteen-hour trip from the steppes so I’m pretty tired. I’ve been away from civilization for four months, studying the migration pattern of long-necked Mohammedan elks, so I’m pretty horny, too. I can kill two birds with one stone. He stepped toward the couch

Teegan suppressed a laugh. You are not horny.

Care to wager on that?

Yes. Elks have antlers, not horns, so you’re antlery.

His laugh was the most civilized thing about him, very gentle and smooth. I seem to have met my match. You’re right about her, Mercy. She’s quite a gal…though her jokes are truly terrible.

Mercedes poked at his chest, urging him in the direction of the hall. Yes, she is and yes, they are. I don’t want to hear any pleas for sex, not even hints, for as long as you’re a guest in this house.

He was solidly built while she was slender, yet when she poked again, he staggered slightly. I’m going, I’m going. Nice to have met you, Miss Dayle. Gorgeous couch you have there. Aren’t you afraid it’ll get stained, though?

Before she thought how to answer, he and Mercedes disappeared down the hall.

Teegan rubbed her cheek against the couch back. She’d bought this piece not to show off, even if most people would think that, but because of how soft and sensuous it felt. No other leather could compare with shymonster.

Don’t you listen to him, she said to the sofa. I’ll take really good care of you when I’m home.

Mercedes returned alone. After kicking aside wrapping material to make a path, she sat at the other end of the long couch. My brother’s right. You are a slob.

He was right about everything, it seemed.

Mercedes shook her head like a mom surveying a playroom. Look at this place.

Says the woman who dries her panties by hanging them on towel racks in the kitchen.

Hey, this is my chance to give you back the stuff I hear from you. Let me have my fun.

Enough fun. I want to know everything about your brother. Why didn’t you ever tell me about Sterling? Is he your family’s Pandora?

No, he’s neither disgraced nor a black sheep, Mercedes said. He’s very respectable, and he’s my favorite brother.

I thought Gander was your favorite.

Sterling is Gander. It’s a nickname.

Teegan had heard the name Gander often enough. Because of several short-term marriages and remarriages, Mercedes’ family was too complicated for an outsider to follow. It included parents and multiple stepfathers and mothers, as well as brothers and sisters, half-siblings, and stepsiblings. She had one sister, four half-sisters, seven half-brothers, and eleven—no, twelve-stepbrothers and sisters. Teegan knew the half dozen who lived closest, but she’d given up trying to keep the others straight, except when she was about to meet one of them.

Your family isn’t confusing enough, so you had to add nicknames? Teegan shook her head. I’m almost afraid to ask, but why Gander?

Because his middle name is Kees, which rhymes with geese, and a male goose is a gander.

Gee, that’s so obvious I don’t know why I didn’t figure it out. Teegan dredged up what she remembered about Gander then frowned. So the tough guy with an attitude, bulging muscles, and a load of tattoos is a scientist?

My family’s full of surprises. He’s one of Eastcott’s leading ethologists, and his ambition is to be number one.

Ethology, Teegan remembered her roommate explaining, was the study of the behavior of indigenous Addorayan animals. How she remembered that one fact out of many was a mystery.

Why all the tattoos?

As a teenager, he was wild and got arrested for more than one drunken brawl. If he sticks around civilization so long it suffocates him, I’m afraid he still might. He claims to be mellowing—he assures me he didn’t punch out a single elk while he worked in the steppes—but I’ll believe that when he gets married and settles down with one woman.

Or one elk?

Mercedes rolled her eyes but pointedly didn’t respond. When Gander first returns to civilization, he doesn’t have an ounce of fat, but a month or two fills out his cheeks and hides at least a couple ribs. My brothers usually take turns teaching him not to eat with his hands or belch in public, but they talked me into civilizing him this time.

I see. Are you planning on letting him stay here during the fattening?

Only if it’s okay with you. I was planning to ask you first, but he arrived three days early.

Recalling the encounter in the hall, Teegan’s mouth went dry. She liked to be the one in charge in each relationship, but unless she was very wrong, so did Sterling. Let’s give it a trial run, see how it goes.

Great! Mercedes wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Does this mean you want to help me work on that body of his?

You sound way too eager. He’s your brother, remember.

Stepbrother, so it’s legal to fantasize while fattening him up.

Fattening him up wasn’t the kind of body work springing to Teegan’s mind, and in any case, it was unnecessary. She liked his lean body the way it was. He moved with the grace and power of a predator capable of leaping out at any unsuspecting female who let her guard down around him.

Unless, of course, the female stalked him first—with Mercedes’ permission.

2 – As Soft as a Chatterbeak’s Tail

Hey! Mercedes barked two evenings later. "No drinking red wine on the new couch, remember? The white couch."

Teegan’s face and ears went hot. When Mercedes went into scolding mode, her voice epitomized every teacher, parent, and big sister who’d ever chastised Teegan. Guilty, guilty, the raspy tone of voice said. You should feel very guilty, you naughty girl.

As a kid, she’d hated getting in trouble, though she’d gotten good at hiding her dismay. Going on the offensive, rather than staying passively defensive, had usually worked well.

As an adult, she still hated getting in trouble, and although she still sometimes turned her anger on the other person, she was trying to cure herself of that habit. Experience had drummed into her that being a bitch, as more than one of her sisters had called her, had bad long-term side effects.

Reforming bad habits wasn’t easy. She was making progress, though. Look at how long she’d managed to stay virtually-sisters with Mercedes.

It’s my couch, she said meekly. I paid a lot of padmas for it. I just want to enjoy it.

The couch, though, hadn’t cost a lot of padmavatis—it had cost an extravagant pile of the silver-laced paper money. Perfection didn’t come cheap. Built-in sensors adjusted hardness, position, and warmth, depending on the setting, and like the sound system, it was thought-activated. She currently had it set it to hardcore relaxation.

Gentle vibrations soothed her legs, stretched out on the cushions. A different set of vibrations relaxed tight neck muscles in a so-far unsuccessful effort to ease the headache she always had by the end of the workday. For the rest of the evening, she yearned to rest and enjoy her bird’s eye view of the expensive Greer Forest neighborhood.

Mercedes sat on the broad arm of the couch, her face stern. To forestall what threatened to be a spirited scold, Teegan spoke quickly. I came home early specifically to enjoy my view in daylight.

Mercedes pointed at the glass. You know I love you, kiddo, but you told me in your patented witch’s voice—

I never sound like a witch.

Not very often, but you just did it again. You told me that if you wanted to sit here and drink anything red, you shouldn’t have bought a white couch.

That sounds like something I’d say, Teegan acknowledged.

And then you gave me permission to nag you if you did it anyway.

Teegan frowned—not at Mercedes, though. At herself. There was no one other than her longtime roommate she trusted enough to give that kind of permission, but now… Permission rescinded.

Mercedes folded her arms and grinned even wider.

Oh, all right. Teegan put her wineglass on the side table.

When her comm unit pinged, she picked it up. Like her other possessions, the comm was top-of-the-line. A high-definition holograph appeared in the air above it, with colors more vivid than on cheaper comms.

It was her baby sister, Rayna, the only one of her three sisters she was in contact with. That was sad. Childhood rivalries shouldn’t swell to poison the rest of their lives. Her sisters were jealous of her success, of course, but