Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Molly blinked in disbelief, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "So the only reason you married me was to sleep with me?" "Yep."

Usually thick-skinned, Molly found herself outmatched by Chad, of all people. How did he manage to outdo her in audacity?

"Oh, please! Dream on, buddy," Molly retorted, her cheeks flushing a telltale crimson. Lately, she didn't know what was up with her. Every time she faced Chad, her verbal sparring took a nosedive, as if she'd met her match. After their spat, Molly, unashamed, asked, "So, Chad, when do you get off work?"

"Why?"

"Well, it's almost Christmas, and I haven't gotten a new dress yet," she hinted.

Chad flushed with embarrassment. "Didn't you just...?"

Catching the disapproving glare from Molly's sparkling eyes, he quickly corrected himself. "I'm off at six, just wait for me on the couch."

Just the other day, Molly had splurged on new clothes, and here she was, craving a Christmas outfit already.

The enigma of a woman's desire to shop was something Chad still found baffling.

Come afternoon, Chad took Molly's hand as they left the station.

Behind them, Donnie started his teasing, "There she goes, there she goes, off with the captain's credit card."

Old Cody chuckled. "Donnie, give up the badge, man. The local comedy club is hiring. You've got talent; maybe it's time for a career switch."

Donnie packed up his desk, ready to call it a day, and joked, "If I switch, my old man would kill me."

Chad thought Molly would go for another dress or the latest designer bag, but at the mall, she dragged him straight to the men's section.

He looked at her in surprise. "Who's this for?"

"For the dog."

Molly's waist got another playful slap from Chad as he teased, "Say that again!"

she muttered,

was thrilled. All his affection for Molly wasn't

though he was the one footing the bill, he was charmed by her

of dresses. This time, the roles reversed. Now she watched him try on clothes, giving approving nods or decisive headshakes. Fortunately, since Molly had once shopped with her friend Coleen for

keen eye, a nearby salesperson complimented them. "Are you siblings? You

"Chad" and "bro," she naturally assumed they were brother and sister. Chad clarified while paying, "We're

"Oh, fiancés! Congratulations!"

the store

shift, Chad took a day to announce his upcoming marriage to Molly to

Chad, aren't you siblings?" everyone gasped in

name's Sullivan, hers is Jiang. We were like siblings before, but we'll

the time it took to try on a few outfits, her wedding date had become common

from shopping, Molly persuaded Chad to take her to a new

for clothes, three

was still over

you got married?" Mia replied, "You're asking me? Before I got married, I dragged you out to rant about Andre being too old not to settle down, ending up with his dad taking a shine to

reminded Molly. She had indeed joined

I feel nothing. Could it be

your feelings. Maybe you're just too familiar with the Byrne family, and marrying into it feels like going back home. Maybe the wedding's just a formality to you?" The thought of

to call off the engagement, Chad would have

sat cross-legged on her bed, utterly

at her door, followed by the sounds of a little one

opened the door to find her husband with their bundle-of-joy son in his

the little guy, and

the baby became fussier,

was a mama's boy, sometimes he

find only his mother and no father, the little

couldn't fathom why her son had suddenly become

in a fresh

"Good Fortune" signs were up, the snow