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, "For

All his

footing the bill, he was

had always been Chad lounging on a couch while she tried on a variety 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 Chad's clothes, she

a nearby salesperson complimented them. "Are you siblings? You two

and "bro," she naturally assumed they were brother

"Oh, fiancés! Congratulations!"

of the store got

his upcoming marriage to Molly to everyone in their

siblings?" everyone gasped in

name's Sullivan, hers is Jiang. We were like

to try on

fatigue from shopping, Molly persuaded Chad to take

thousand for clothes, three

was still

lightly? I have zero reaction, almost like it isn't even happening to me. How did you feel before 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

reminded Molly. She had indeed joined her

Could it be that I

quickly curbed her friend's dangerous thoughts. "Stop it. Don't start doubting 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

if Molly dared to call off the engagement, Chad would have

sat cross-legged on

long before a knocking came at her door, followed by the sounds

Mia opened the door to find her husband with their

guy,

night deepened, the baby became fussier, only quieting down with his mother

a mama's boy, sometimes he needed

up at midnight to find only his mother and no father, the

her son had suddenly become so

season was upon Havenbrook, blanketed in a fresh

were up, the snow at the doorstep