Prognosis: Marital Bliss: Mercy Mares Mystery, #8

By Ava Mallory

Something old. Something new. Someone vanished. 

 

Mercy is a crier. She can't help it. Just hours until her daughter gets married, it's all Mercy can do to keep her wailing under control. Lucky for her, there are plenty of last-minute mishaps to keep her occupied. Not only is she supposed to walk her daughter down the aisle, but she's also in charge of keeping the chaos to a minimum. That sounds easy enough… until the officiant goes missing right before the nuptials. With a church full of impatient guests, her hot-headed offspring, and meddling friends and family to corral, Mercy may never find the officiant. She knows everyone expects her to handle the problem, but this might be a problem she can't resolve.

Find out how the big day ends by buying your copy of this book today!

*NOTE: This is a novella of approximately 13,000 words.*

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Mallory
• Release date: Jul 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223003694

Ava Mallory

Ava Mallory is brilliant, worldly and multi-talented - in her dreams. In reality, she spends her days catering to the often nonsensical, utterly impossible, never-ending needs of four children between the ages of 24 and 10.  When she completes every task on their "Mom, can-you-do" list, she sneaks off into her home office - most often without sleep, but always with coffee & chocolate in hand - and writes until her brain and her body finally give way or one of the many streaming television programs she's addicted to returns with new episodes. Either way, words make it on the page and her fans will not stage a revolt.  Currently, Ava is hard at work on future Mercy Mares novels and developing two new Cozy Mystery series'. 

Book preview

PROGNOSIS: MARITAL BLISS

Mercy Mares Mystery

Book 8

Ava Mallory

Copyright @2016 Ava Mallory. All Rights Reserved

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Cover Image: Danger Zone

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

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CHAPTER ONE

Never in my life had I seen a sight as magnificent as this. From the elegant Spanish-style mantilla placed atop her long, brown tendrils to the sleek curve of the crystal T-strap sandal on her perfectly manicured feet, she was a vision of pure beauty. A flurry of activity surrounded her as the six bridesmaids wiped, swiped and applied makeup on the blushing bride.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as we locked eyes on each other. You are stunning!

A quick swipe of her hand blocked the maid of honor’s approach as Diana spoke. Please, don’t cry, Mom.

The dam broke and tears rushed down my cheeks, ruining my newly applied makeup. I can’t help it. I’m allowed to cry. This is a big deal for me. It’s not often your daughter gets married, you know.

Diana smiled the same sweet smile she’d shown me her whole life, regardless of whether or not she was busily working on a homework assignment or trying to hide a text message from the boy I’d warned her to stay away from in high school. Seeing it now, brought back a flood of memories from our twenty-four precious years together. The gasping started as soon as those images clouded my brain, momentarily blocking my view of the ravishing beauty that she was.

Mom? She grasped my arm. Breathe, Mom! No freaking out allowed here, especially not right before I’m about to walk down the aisle and marry the man of my dreams. Diana pulled herself up to a standing position, sending her doting friends tumbling to the ground mid-primping and prodding.

I’m fine, honey. It’s all so overwhelming. You’re grown up now. Where did the time go? When did I get old? I hadn’t expected to say that. Where did that come from? I’m not old. Am I?

Ruby, my best friend, rose from her position on the floor, where she’d been adjusting the mantilla over Diana’s hair. Mercy, this is supposed to be a happy moment. Don’t ruin it with your nonsense! You’re not old. Yet.

Yet, muttered Diana under her breath.

As the controlled chaos took on another, more desperate form, I positioned myself in the corner and watched, careful not to cause another unnecessary scene. Whether I liked it or not, this wedding was going to happen, and I’d just have to accept that. My personal feelings about her upcoming marriage and the man she planned to marry were my own and at this stage, no one needed me to meddle.

Diana’s fiancé had tripped all over himself to prove to me that he was worthy of my daughter. I can admit I was probably a bit hard on him, but wasn’t it supposed to be difficult? Wasn’t I supposed to be the one to deem him worthy of my child - my only child?

It didn’t matter to me what he did for a living. So what if he saved lives or rescued kittens! Who cared if he had muscles in places most men dreamed of having them or that he came from a tight-knit family who adored my daughter? That information may have impressed the faint of heart, but I was in no way one of them. I had standards to uphold. You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but they were there. I couldn’t help it if he didn’t recognize that. In my opinion, the Italian Stallion should have done his homework and researched those facts himself. What I