Millie Criswell - Suddenly Single

Dear Reader,

The wacky and wonderful Morelli family, whom you met and grew to love in Staying Single, the book that launched the Flipside line, is back and more engaging than ever. Or so I think!

This time it’s Lisa Morelli’s heart that’s in jeopardy. This wild, unconventional woman must decide if her soon-to-be ex-husband, Alexander Mackenzie, is her Prince Charming or just another frog she’s kissed while trying to find the man of her dreams. And being married to the guy just seems to be complicating the issue.

Of course, Lisa’s mom, the ever formidable and interfering Josephine, is on hand to guide her daughter down the primrose path to happiness. It’s what mothers do, after all!

As always, I would love to hear your comments on Suddenly Single. Please write to me at P.O. Box 41206, Fredericksburg, VA 22404, or visit my Web site at www.milliecriswell.com.

Best always,

Millie Criswell

“What on earth are you doing here, Lisa? Is Mom okay?”

“Why does everyone think there’s something wrong with Mom? That woman will outlive us all, Francie, and you know it.” Lisa sighed. “Mom’s fine. I’m the one with the problem.”

Francie looked meaningfully at her husband, who took the hint. “I’ve got work to do,” he said before kissing his wife on the cheek and flashing her a smile full of promise. “Don’t be too long, okay?”

After her brother-in-law had left, Lisa made gagging sounds, then said, “You two are going to make me throw up, if you’re not careful. Are you always like this? So sickeningly sweet, lovey-dovey and moony-eyed? I feel like I’m developing diabetes just being in the same room with you two sweethearts.”

Francie grinned and said, “We’re newlyweds. What do you expect? I’m sure you and Alex behave exactly the same way. I’d bet money on it, in fact.”

Not anymore, Lisa thought. “You’d lose. Alex and I have split. We’re kaput, done, finito. Turns out I’m not the marrying kind after all.”

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Millie Criswell, USA TODAY bestselling author and winner of a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and a National Readers Choice Award, has published over twenty-five romance novels. She began her writing career when her husband uttered those prophetic words: “Why don’t you try writing one of those romances you’re always reading?” Knowing that her dream of tap dancing with the Rockettes wasn’t likely to materialize—due to a lack of dancing talent—Millie jumped on the idea with both feet, so to speak, and has been charming readers with hilarious stories and sparkling characters ever since. Millie resides in Virginia with her husband and her lovable Boston terrier.

HARLEQUIN FLIPSIDE

1—STAYING SINGLE

HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

810—THE WEDDING PLANNER

863—THE PREGNANT MS. POTTER

HARLEQUIN HISTORICALS

508—THE MARRYING MAN

579—A WESTERN FAMILY CHRISTMAS

“Christmas Eve”

To my brilliant and wonderful editor, Wanda Ottewell, who is such a joy to work with

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

THE POSSIBILITY of pregnancy loomed ugly on the horizon for Lisa Morelli, as she knocked on her sister’s apartment door.

Of course, Lisa knew her mother would be thrilled if it turned out that she was pregnant. The only thing in life Josephine Morelli wanted more than seeing her two daughters wed was to get her hands on a grandchild. Girl or boy, it didn’t matter, as long as it was healthy and had ten toes and fingers, though she would probably take the nine-toed variety if push came to shove.

Her mother’s fixation on grandchildren was similar to the one she had about fiancés. Finding the perfect mate for Lisa gave her mother a purpose in life, but tended to make everyone else nuts.

Her mother’s only criterion for potential bridegrooms was that they had to be breathing. And some of the old geezers Josephine had paraded before Lisa barely even met that standard.

Morris Parker, her parents’ ancient accountant, carted an oxygen tank around with him wherever he went. Lisa had no doubt that it would have followed him into the bedroom, as well.

Not that she was interested. There was something very unappealing about shriveled skin!

Lisa’s sister would also be elated if Lisa was to find herself pregnant. Francie had been counting the days, and her birth control pills, until she and her new husband Mark Fielding could begin a family. But since they’d only been married a few months, the couple had opted to wait a while longer, which seemed quite sensible to Lisa.

One never knew when one’s marriage was going to end up in the shitter.

Nope. The only one who would have a conniption fit—translation: suicidal tendencies—if she was to find out she was pregnant was Lisa.

And not because she wasn’t married.

But because she was—to Alexander Hamilton Mackenzie, her mama’s boy, wimp-of-a-husband—wimp-of-a-handsome-smart-great-giver-of-sex-husband, she amended.

Her soon-to-be ex-husband, if Lisa Morelli Mackenzie had anything to say about it, and she most certainly did. Plenty, in fact!

Marrying Alex had been a huge mistake—one of many she’d made over the years. Lisa had always been impulsive and foolish when it came to men, and falling hard for Alex had been in keeping with her poor judgment.

Lisa hadn’t expected to fall in love with the conservative mortgage banker. They were as different as night and day. But when she’d spotted him across the dance floor at Club Zero dressed in a three-piece business suit, no less, and looking totally out of place, her heart had begun hammering and had never stopped. He’d obviously felt the same attraction, for three weeks later they’d eloped and moved to Florida to live with his parents—her second biggest mistake.

Every time she thought about how Alex had tried to placate his snotty, upper-crud parents she went ballistic. She didn’t display her Italian temperament very often, but when she got mad…Watch out! And she was mad as hell at Alex for what he had put her through. The Mackenzies made Bonnie and Clyde look like Ozzie and Harriet!

No. Discovering that she was pregnant would not be a good thing right now. If ever. Timing was everything, and hers…well, hers sucked! Always had and probably always would.

Besides, she doubted she would make a very good mother. She was too self-absorbed to share the spotlight with a baby, still too much of a child herself. At least, that’s what her parents had been telling Lisa for years, and she was beginning to believe them.

Trying to please Josephine and John Morelli—impossible, in her opinion—was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place.