Melissa Mcclone - SOS Marry Me!

The Wedding Planners

Planning perfect weddings…

finding happy endings!

It’s the biggest and most important day of a

woman’s life—and it has to be perfect.

At least that’s what the Wedding Belles believe, and

that’s why they’re Boston’s top wedding-planner

agency. But amidst the beautiful bouquets, divine

dresses and rose-petal confetti, these six wedding

planners long to be planning their own big day!

But first they have to find Mr. Right….

This month:

SOS Marry Me!

by Melissa McClone

Designer: Serena’s already made her dress,

but a rebel has won her heart….

And don’t miss the exciting

wedding-planner tips and author

reminiscences that accompany each book!

“I was a practical bride on a budget—a mechanical engineer who couldn’t conceive of spending tons of money on a dress I would wear only once. But there was a secret romantic in me, a woman who wrote romance novels on her lunch hour and dreamed of feeling, for one special day, like Grace Kelly or Princess Diana or Cinderella.

Never mind, I told myself firmly as I went shopping. It’s only one day. It’s only one dress.

I visited store after store. I found practical gowns. Budget-priced gowns. I tried on dress after dress. And staring in the mirror, I never saw the bride of my romantic longings smiling back at me.

Nearing desperation, I went to a bridal boutique a coworker had recommended. The gowns I tried on were far from practical, and not one was on sale. But finally, as I was zipped and hooked and buttoned into what must have been my hundredth dress, I turned to the mirror and saw…a bride. Me. The girl of my romantic dreams. The woman who was ready to pledge her life to one special man.

Only one day. Only one dress.

I bought it.

As I wrote SOS Marry Me!, I thought about the friend who helped me find my gown and the woman who designed it. She knew what was important to brides. And so does my wedding-dress-designer heroine, Serena James.

Hear all about Melissa’s latest news at www.melissamcclone.com And for more wedding fun check out www.harlequin-theweddingplanners.blogspot.com.

TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON

AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG

STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID

PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND

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For my own Belles: Shirley Jump, Myrna Mackenzie,

Linda Goodnight, Susan Meier and Melissa James.

Talented Harlequin authors and amazing friends!

Special thanks to: Missoula County Detective David Brenner,

Idaho County Sheriff Larry Dasenbrock, Virendra Gauthier,

John Frieh, Virginia Kantra, Michael Leming, Dru Ann Love,

Mike Mooney, Anne Ryan, Tiffany Talbott and last, but not least,

Carol Hennessey, Jen Hensiek and Le Ann Martin

with the Clearwater National Forest.

I take full responsibility for any mistakes and/or discrepancies!

Planning perfect weddings…finding happy endings!

In April: Sweetheart Lost and Found

by Shirley Jump

Florist: Will Callie catch a bouquet

and reunite with her childhood sweetheart?

In May: The Heir’s Convenient Wife

by Myrna Mackenzie

Photographer: Regina’s wedding album is perfect.

Now she needs her husband to say I love you!

In June: SOS Marry Me!

by Melissa McClone

Designer: Serena’s already made her dress,

but a rebel has won her heart.

In July: Winning the Single Mom’s Heart

by Linda Goodnight

Chef: Who will Natalie cut her own wedding cake with?

In August: Millionaire Dad, Nanny Needed!

by Susan Meier

Accountant: Will Audra’s budget for the big day

include a millionaire groom?

In September: The Bridegroom’s Secret

by Melissa James

Planner: Julie’s always been the wedding planner—

will she ever be the bride?

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

“I’LL go to the bridal show,” Serena James announced. “I’ve always wanted to visit Seattle.”

Not that she cared where she went as long as she could get out of town.

Four of her coworkers at The Wedding Belles, a Boston-based full-service wedding planning company, turned surprised looks in her direction. Oops. Serena tried not to grimace. Had she sounded too enthusiastic for a woman with a devoted boyfriend?

“That is, if no one else wants to go,” she added with a forced smile.

“Well, darlin’,” Belle Mackenzie, owner of The Wedding Belles, purred in her distinct Southern drawl. A beautiful woman with coiffed silver hair and a generous glossed smile, she gave the best hugs this side of the Mason-Dixon line. “That’s sweet of you to offer. We do need a little positive publicity after the Vandiver wedding cancellation fiasco, and the show’s sponsors would be delighted to have one of the country’s up-and-coming wedding dress designers fill in at the last moment.”

This was going to work. Satisfaction filled Serena.

“But you usually avoid bridal shows,” Belle continued. “Are you sure about this with all you have going on?”

“I’m sure,” Serena answered, hoping to sound willing but not desperate. “Besides, there really isn’t anyone else.”

Belle drummed her French-manicured nails on the mahogany table. “That’s true. We all seem to have an extra serving or two on our plates.”

“Well, whoever goes to Seattle—” Callie Underwood, florist extraordinaire, brushed a lock of dark blond hair off her face “—I want them to take my wedding gown to the show.”

The other women gasped.

“You’re getting married in just a few weeks,” Belle said.

“November 22 to be exact, as Jared keeps reminding me, but we need to show brides that The Wedding Belles is still one of the premier wedding planning companies in the country, if not the world,” Callie explained. “That means showing off what we do best, everything from Natalie’s delicious cakes to Serena’s stunning designs. Serena’s entire spring line is beautiful, but my custom gown is her latest and most exquisite creation.”

“But it’s your wedding dress,” Serena said. “I made it to fit you, not some size zero model. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to risk getting makeup or runway stains on the silk.”