Rock Solid by Samantha Hunter Page A

world, but Hannah had quailed at a church wedding with all the fuss—that was too much, especially if they wanted a short engagement—so a small courthouse wedding with family and friends was the compromise. It also kept Hannah’s ideas about her real wedding someday intact—she wanted to have the church wedding with all the trimmings when it was for forever.
    This would do for now.
    She had yet to tell her mother, and that had made her feel somewhat guilty. Still, she had to have her mother at her wedding, no matter what the circumstances.
    “Yep,” she said to Abby. “Pretty soon, I’ll be Mrs. Brody Palmer. Though I think I’ll probably keep my own name, actually.”
    She thought of that at the last minute—she wasn’t about to change her name when this wasn’t a permanent thing. So many details to consider, even in a fake marriage.
    Or rather, a
temporary
one, she corrected herself. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered Brody’s voice when he told her how their marriage, for as long as it lasted, would be very real in
every
way.
    “So how did this happen anyway? I need to know everything,” Abby said, getting worked up. “And you guys should be married here, and have a party at the winery—if you wait three or four months, which is like
nothing
in wedding time, it will be summer, and it would be lovely. And what about a dress? Does your mom know?”
    Hannah waited until her friend ran out of breath and then took the questions all in their turn.
    “We can’t, or rather, we don’t want to wait months, Abby. We want to be together now. Officially. Maybe we can do something this summer, come up there for a visit. Mom’s phone went to voice mail this morning when I called, so don’t say anything. I still have to tell her, too.”
    Abby blew out a breath, and Hannah could imagine her shaking her head.
    “Hannah, I don’t know. I love Brody, but he’s...
Brody
. Not exactly Mr. Monogamous, and to say this is fast is an understatement. Do you think that you might be reacting to the loss of your job? And he’s been a mess with his retirement... Maybe I shouldn’t have sent you down there. Things are so uncertain for you both—marriage is something you should think twice about in any situation, but especially in yours.”
    “I know it’s fast and unexpected, but that doesn’t mean it’s not right, Abby. Remember, we aren’t new to each other. All of those feelings were there before, I guess, but I was too blinded by tunnel vision about what I thought my future should be. I didn’t realize I would still feel as much for him—more, really—as I did before.”
    Hannah’s chest tightened as she found her explanation perhaps a tad too convincing, too real for her comfort. But she was plunging forward, a new Hannah Morgan, who didn’t stop and rehash every emotion and consequence.
    “But—”
    “Do you think Reece will get back from France in time? I know this is very short notice, but we’d love you to come.”
    “Hannah, I don’t get it. This isn’t like you, not one bit, and it’s different from everything you ever said you wanted.”
    Which was exactly the point.
    “I know. But when you find the right guy, the rest is not as important, I guess.”
    “I suppose...but still. I’ll call Reece right away. I know he’ll be as upset as I am if we can’t make it, but either way, you have to come here as soon as you can so we can all celebrate. Reece and I are throwing a huge party in the summer, it’s going to be like racing-world heaven here, so get used to the idea.”
    Hannah laughed, but for the first time, genuine tears stung her eyes, and she had to wait a second to respond, trying not to be too emotional.
    She failed, and both women ended up laughing and crying on the phone, until Hannah hung up, needing to call her mother again and then get ready for dinner out. With her future, temporary in-laws, whom she’d never even met.
    Real nerves set in for a moment as she dialed