Nancy Robards - How to Marry a Doctor

My wife?

Jake smiled at the woman and started to correct her, to explain that he and Anna weren’t married, but the words seemed to stick in his throat. He found himself reaching out and accepting the paper—a grocery list—and saying, “Thanks, I’ll give it to her.”

She nodded and was on her way before Jake could say anything else.

Hmm. My wife.

He tried to see what the woman saw—Anna and him together...as a couple. But in similar fashion to not being able to look at her curves in good conscience, he couldn’t fully let his mind go there.

It wasn’t that the thought disgusted him—or anything negative like that. On the contrary. And that brought a whole host of other weirdness with it. The only way around it was to laugh it off.

“You dropped your list,” he said as he stopped the cart next to her. “The nice lady who found it thought you were my wife.”

Anna shot him a dubious look. “Oh, yeah? Did you set her straight?”

She deposited more canned goods into the basket and then took the list from his hand.

“No. I didn’t. I need bread. Which aisle is the bread in?”

She let the issue drop. He almost wished she would’ve said something snide like, That’s awkward. Or, Me? Married to you? Never in a million years. Instead, she changed the subject. “Do you want bakery bread or prepackaged? And why don’t you know where the bread is?”

He certainly didn’t dwell on it.

“I don’t know. I guess I don’t retain that kind of information. Grocery shopping isn’t my favorite sport.”

“I can tell,” she said. “And if you don’t pick up the pace, you’re going to get a penalty for delay of game. I’m almost finished. Where’s your list? Let me see if I can help move this along.”

“I don’t have a list,” he said. He knew he should make an off-the-cuff comment about her, his pretend wife, being the keeper of the list for both of them, but it didn’t feel right.

Since when had anything ever not felt right with Anna?

“I keep the list in my head,” he added.

“And of course, you’re out of everything. Here, I can help. We’ll just grab things for you as we go by them.”

She pulled the shopping cart from the front end and turned the corner into the next aisle.

“Do you want cereal?” she asked.

Before he could answer, a couple a few feet away from them broke out into an argument that silenced both Anna and him.

“Look, I’m an adult,” said the guy. “If I want to eat sugary cereal for breakfast, I will. In fact, if I want to eat a bowl of pure sugar, I will. You get what you like and I’ll get what I want.”

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, honey.” The woman took a cereal box—the bright yellow kind with fake berries—out of the shopping cart and put it back on the shelf. “This won’t hold you. You need something with fiber and protein. If you eat this, you’ll be raiding the vending machine by ten o’clock.”

The guy took the cereal box off the shelf and put it back in the cart. “I grew up eating this stuff. You’re my wife, not the food police. So hop off.”

Anna and Jake quickened their pace as they passed the couple. They exchanged a look, which the couple obviously didn’t notice because now insults were inching their way into the exchange and tones were getting heated.

“We’ll come back for cereal,” Anna said.

Jake nodded. “When we do, are you going to mock my cereal choice?”

“Why would I do that? I’m not your wife.”

There. Good. She said it. The dreaded w word.

“Are you saying it’s a wife’s role to mock her husband’s cereal choice?”

“Of course not. I never told Hal what he could and couldn’t eat. Then again, since I was the one who cooked in that relationship, he didn’t have much say. But he was completely on his own for breakfast and lunch, free to make his own choices. And you see where that got me. Do you think we would’ve lasted if I had been more concerned?”

“No. Hal was an ass. He didn’t deserve your picking out healthy cereal for him.”

“So you’re saying the woman picking out the cereal rather than leaving him to his own devices was a good thing?”

“Well, yeah. For the record, in the couple we saw back there, the wife was right. He may have wanted that crap, but he didn’t need it. So I’ll side with her. Do you want me to go back over there and tell her I’m on her side?”

“Better not. Not if you want to keep all your teeth.”

Jake laughed but it sounded bitter—even to his own ears. “Why does that have to happen in relationships? People get married and end up hating each other over the most ridiculous things. They fight and tear each other apart and someone leaves. That marriage is in trouble over Much-n-Crunch and its artificially flavored berries. That’s exactly why I don’t want marriage.”

“So you’re saying that the guy should’ve gotten the cereal he wanted?”

“No. I already said I thought the wife was right. Junk like that will kill you. I agree with her. Healthy eating habits are good.”

As they strolled past the dairy section, Anna studied him for a minute. “I’ve just figured out who I’m fixing you up with on your first date. She’s a nutritionist. I think the two of you will have a lot in common. I can’t believe I didn’t think of her until now.”

Her response caught him off guard.

“What is she like?” he asked.

Anna raised her brows. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Okay. Two can play that game,” he said. “You’ll have to be surprised on your first date, too.”

She grimaced. “Go easy on me, Jake. I’m so out of practice. You know how I am. I’m casual. I haven’t been out there in so long.”

“That’s why you need me to fix you up.”

He had no idea who he was going to pick for her first date. Who would be worthy of her? Maybe the best place for him to start would be to rule out anyone who was remotely similar to himself. Because Anna deserved so much better.

Chapter Three Contents Cover Introduction “You just have to promise me one thing,” Jake said. Running the pad of her index finger over his tempting bottom lip, her wrist rubbed against the sexy stubble on his cheeks. Her body reacted with a warming shiver. He opened his mouth and gently caught her finger between his teeth. Nipped at it and sucked on it for a moment. It felt like she’d been waiting her entire life for this moment. Despite his words, he certainly didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get away. Yeah, he wasn’t going anywhere. Not right now, at least. “Anything,” Anna said. She wasn’t going to let him tell her he wasn’t good enough for her. She knew what she wanted, and he’d just slipped his arms around her again. “No regrets,” he said. “No regrets,” she answered. “But tell me something. How do you know that you’re not good for me—that we’re not good together—if we’ve never… tried it out?” *** Celebrations, Inc: Let’s get this party started! Title Page How to Marry a Doctor Nancy Robards Thompson www.millsandboon.co.uk About the Author National bestselling author NANCY ROBARDS THOMPSON holds a degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter until she realized reporting “just the facts” bored her silly. Much more content to report to her muse, Nancy loves writing women’s fiction and romance full-time. Critics have deemed her work “funny, smart and observant.” She resides in Florida with her husband and daughter. You can reach her at nancyrobardsthompson.com and facebook.com/nancyrobardsthompsonbooks . Dedication This book is dedicated to everyone who believes in happily ever after. Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Extract Copyright