Three Makes a Family--A Clean Romance Cari Webb (short books for teens txt) 📖

family. Subsection one, possibilities.” Drew rubbed his chin. “I saw it. The thing is, it’s already happened.”

“What do you mean?” Molly grabbed his hand.

“I spoke to Sophie the day before your custody hearing. Sophie explained she’d found homes for all the puppies, except Wish.” Drew laced his fingers in Molly’s. “I told her I wanted to adopt Nala and Wish. I even filled out the adoption paperwork to make it official.”

“It’s going to be a lot, you know? Two dogs, and Hazel isn’t even walking on her own yet. We have work and—”

“And we have each other.” Drew leaned over and kissed her. “We’ll figure it all out. That’s what families do.”

“Family.” Molly touched his cheek. “It’s becoming my favorite word.”

“Mine too.” Smiling, Drew grabbed her hand and heard the crack of the bat. “Now, it’s time for the fun to begin.”

For more romances in the City by the Bay miniseries from Cari Lynn Webb and Harlequin Heartwarming, visit www.Harlequin.com today!

Keep reading for an excerpt from A Marriage of Inconvenience by Amy Vastine.

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A Marriage of Inconvenience

by Amy Vastine

CHAPTER ONE

“I’M RUNNING TO the bank now to deposit the check from the Mahoneys and get pennies for the Westbergs’ wishing well. I should be back in the office in about twenty minutes.” Sophia Reed pulled open the door to the Wharton Bank and Trust. “Can you ask Cassie to check with the Chalet and make sure there will be someone to let us into that private dining room Friday before the actual dinner? I don’t want to end up standing outside a venue for an hour like we did last weekend.”

“I’m on it.” Fallon Best always lived up to her name. She was the best business partner a woman could ask for. The two of them had started Engaging Events eight years ago after meeting in college. What began as only the two of them working out of their apartment was now a real company with an office and four full-time employees on staff.

Being at Wharton Bank reminded Sophia of one more thing. “Did we ever hear back from Miss Wharton about the meeting tomorrow?”

“All confirmed,” Fallon replied, and Sophia sighed with relief. The possibility of planning a wedding for the Wharton family had her absolutely giddy.

She got in line behind a man who glanced back at her and gave her a friendly smile and nod. His gray suit was expensive-looking, giving him the first impression of being someone who wasn’t afraid to spend money to look good. His shoes, however, gave him away as someone a bit more practical. This guy wanted to fit in with people who had money, but perhaps didn’t have as much as the crowd he ran in.

Sophia could tell everything she needed to know about a person by the way they dressed. It was her gift.

Sophia turned her attention back to her phone. “Great. See you soon,” she said.

“Okay, b—” That was all Sophia heard Fallon say before a gunshot rang out, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.

“Everyone down on the ground! Down on the ground right now!” someone shouted.

Four men had entered the lobby dressed head to toe in black and each wearing an animal mask. The one in the tiger mask had a gun pointed at the security guard.

“Hands where I can see them,” the man in the monkey mask said to the teller behind the counter. “Everyone else down on the ground like my friend the giraffe said!”

Sophia’s heart stopped before jumping back to life and beating at a pace that it hit only during her toughest spin classes. The shock had her frozen in place. The man in front of her took her by the hand.

“Let’s do as they say and they won’t hurt us,” he said, guiding her down to the ground.

There was kindness in his eyes. Kindness was something she’d never take for granted again. This was a bank robbery. A real-life bank robbery. Sophia knew they happened, but she never thought she’d actually witness one.

The two of them and the woman who had been at the counter were the only customers in the lobby. The robber in the lion mask led two bankers and a customer out of the cubicles where people opened accounts and applied for mortgages.

Sophia had done that recently. She had gotten a mortgage from the banker with the blue tie so she could buy her first house. A real house with three bedrooms and two and a half baths. It was charming in its own special way. She loved it. Wouldn’t it be a terrible twist of fate if she died in a bank robbery less than a month after she bought her first home?

“You aren’t going to die,” the kind-eyed man said. He squeezed her hand. “You’ll be home before you know it.”

Had he heard her thoughts or had she said them out loud? It didn’t matter. The way he reassured her made her believe she’d sleep in her bed tonight.

“Okay, people, listen up. Toss your wallets and jewelry on the floor.” The robber in the monkey mask lightly kicked Sophia’s foot. “You, gather them all up and put them in this bag.” A black drawstring bag dropped near her head.

She didn’t move. Her lungs had simply forgotten how to work, and it made her light-headed. If it wasn’t for the fact that her whole body was trembling with fear, she would have thought she was paralyzed.

“Did you not hear me?” the monkey-mask robber asked, his voice rough.

“You’re scaring her,” the man next to Sophia said. “I’ll gather them up. Please leave her be.”

With her cheek pressed against the cool tile floor, Sophia watched as the thief placed a foot on the man’s back, causing him to wince. “Who do you think you