Finding Mr. Wrong Read online

  FINDING MR WRONG

  Copyright ©2017 A.M. Madden & Joanne Schwehm

  Cover Model: Kevin Luetolf

  Photo Credit: Nadia Von Scotti

  Cover Designer: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative Covers

  Editor: Monica Black, Word Nerd Edits

  Formatter: Tami Norman, Integrity Formatting

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. The use of artist, song titles, famous people, locations, and products throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way been seen as an advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  The use of locations and products throughout this book is done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way been seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

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  Table of Contents

  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

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About A.M. Madden & Joanne Schwehm

  To the Reader

  Chapter 1

  Brae

  They had all begun to look alike. I swore I’d seen this man before. It had to be his boring navy suit or the questions he asked. Even the small conference room with its plain white walls and cheesy inspirational quotes looked familiar. My eyes landed on the plant in the corner that had seen better days. The poor thing looked limp and neglected . . . much like how I felt.

  “We’ll be in touch.” Firm handshake, fake smile, and I was out the door. I’d heard that line more times over the past month than I had in my entire twenty-seven years—sixteen times, to be exact. Living in the city that never slept, you’d think I’d be able to find a job, but no.

  I’d been a marketing sales representative for a large cable company for the past five years. My goals were always met, and I’d even won a few sales awards. But now I couldn’t sell myself if my life depended on it.

  Here’s a tip: never date your boss. Stefan Wilson might be one of the hottest men I’d ever met, but because I caught him pounding his secretary, I was now pounding the pavement. He wasn’t the love of my life, but we were in a committed relationship. Asshole.

  Hoofing it to the subway after my last interview, I checked my emails, hoping for a stroke of luck that one of these jobs panned out. The only email sitting unread in my inbox was from an online cable affiliate who was once my client. I could sell the shit out of her network. Shelly and I had become fast friends and out of all my clients, I missed her the most.

  Brae,

  I know you’re going through a lot right now, but I have the perfect thing for you! It’s a social experiment sponsored by Flame Relationship Services. You’ll spend six weeks on a tropical island with a bachelor of your choosing. The event is next week, and lucky for you, the female contestant had a death in the family, so she can no longer participate. And lucky for me, you’re my friend who has the free time to help me out.

  What could be so bad? Bachelor of your choosing, six weeks in paradise while being wined and dined, and a cash prize.

  Win/win, especially for you.

  So, are you in?

  Little minor detail, I need a response today.

  Chat soon!

  Shelly

  After a roll of my eyes, I clicked the link and scanned the rules. What caught my attention was the prize. Half a million dollars? Holy shit! As I continued to scan the fine print, my heart raced in my chest. I could do this. Images of me stranded with a stranger flashed through my head. This had to be the craziest thing I’d ever considered. If I thought too long about it, my good sense would have me tossing my phone in my purse without a second thought, but maybe, just maybe, this was the answer to my prayers. Yes, why not? I had the time. Without further negative thoughts, and with just a few more keystrokes, I replied to Shelly, telling her I wanted in. Her confirmation and instructions came quick in an email, along with the attached contract. I skimmed it, electronically signed, and sent it back a few minutes later. It was a done deal.

  I gripped the lapels of my coat with my fists, pulling them together over my chest in an attempt to keep the cold air off my skin. Tonight, I was meeting my girls at José Ponchos for happy hour. All I wanted was to sit my ass down and maybe forget what I just signed up for as a cocktail warmed my insides.

  José Ponchos was packed with business people and the typical Friday night bar goers. It was so easy to decipher between those looking to wind down and those wanting to go down. Some women looked refined, while others looked like they were on the prowl, and it was only 5:30 p.m. for God’s sake.

  Vanessa, Desiree, and Cassie, my best friends, were sitting in a booth off to the side. Cassie waved to me, ensuring I spotted them, and with each step toward their table, my feet screamed at me to take my stilettos off, but they’d need to pipe down for a bit.

  “Hi!” I said as I slid into the booth, and they all looked at me as if I had grown two heads. Apparently, my voice was too chipper. “What are we drinking?”

  “Margaritas are on the menu for tonight.” Vanessa smiled. “I ordered a pitcher for us.” She grabbed the glass container and poured some for me.

  In one large gulp, I finished half of it. My face screwed up as my eyes squeezed so tight I thought my eyelashes would stick together. Wow, that was tart. I blinked as a small shiver coursed through me and turned my attention back to the girls.

  Cassie reached across the table and patted my hand. “No luck with the job hunt?”

  “Who knows?” My shoulders slumped from the sheer exhaustion I felt over the process. “You know how it goes. They say they’ll call, but I’m sure as soon as I walk out of the office, my résumé lands in the recycle bin.”

  “Sweetie, you’ll find something.” Desiree smiled. “It’ll just take a bit more time.”

  I shrugged one shoulder, and said, “We’ll see.”

  Chatter from the other patrons filled the air. It wasn’t so loud that we couldn’t hear each other, but as the bar filled, the volume increased.
>
  The way Vanessa eyed me had me asking, “What?” I glanced down at my professional outfit, wondering if she thought it was prudish.

  “You look weird. Like the cat that just ate the canary. Plus, your hair is a bit disheveled.” I brought my hand to the top of my head to smooth down whatever errant strands there were. “Did you just have a quickie in the ladies’ room or something? What’s that on your face?” My hand flew to my cheek. “Wait, is that . . . dried spunk?”

  “Eeewww,” Desiree and Cassie gasped, and then looked at me with curiosity.

  “Oh my God,” I said with disgust. “It most certainly is not. I’ve been running around all day in the freezing cold. I’m sure it’s dried snot.” I couldn’t muster up the energy or desire for a quickie right now, I thought with a shake of my head. “Crap, I hope this wasn’t on my face during the last interview.” I grabbed a napkin and wiped my cheek. My hand snatched my iPhone out of my pocket before I took off my coat.

  Taking another sip of my drink, I tapped the screen of my phone, bringing it to life. I clicked on the link Shelly had sent me. “Look.” I handed the phone to Cassie, and Vanessa, who was sitting next to her, looked at it as well.

  “A social dating experiment?” Cassie gawked at me as if I were crazy, while Vanessa’s lips grew into a rueful smile.

  “Brilliant. This is genius! You have to do this.” Vanessa flapped her hands as if she were fanning herself.

  Desiree grabbed the phone away from Cassie and studied the site. “Do you realize what this says? You need to stay on a tropical island with a man for six weeks.” She continued perusing the screen with wide eyes. “The upside is he can’t be a sociopath since they did a short background check.”

  “He could also be a hot piece of ass!” Vanessa exclaimed. “Plus, what does she have to lose? She’d get money, a vacation, and a man out of the deal. Sounds like the trifecta to me.”

  I snatched my phone back in defiance. “The money and vacation are fine, but I don’t want a man. No way. After what I just went through, the last thing I want or need is another dick with a dick. Plus, I get to pick the guy. There will be three to choose from, so I’ll just pick the one who sounds like he can’t commit.” Stealing Shelly’s words, I said with a shrug, “It’ll be a win/win.”

  “You’re crazy.” Cassie shook her head. “What if they all want to commit?”

  “No she isn’t, and she could just pick the one who sounds the hottest,” Vanessa countered. “Be sure to ask if he has a big cock. You know, just in case. Just because you’re stuck with the guy doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with him. Besides, who would want to go away with someone who has a little pecker?”

  “She can’t ask anything personal. Did you read all the rules, Brae?” Desiree interjected, her lawyer mode in full effect.

  “Most of them. It’s fine. I need the money. My savings will only keep the banks off my back for so long, and I’ve worn out more pairs of shoes hoofing it to interviews. Winning this money could solve my problems. It would be such a weight lifted off me. Plus, six weeks isn’t that long.”

  I chose to ride the Vanessa vibe because Cassie and Desiree were making me second-guess everything. I needed to be one hundred percent confident going into this. Plus, I’d already signed and Shelly gave me the spot. From what I understood many applied, but once the original contestant backed out she didn’t have time to find a replacement on such short notice.

  Vanessa’s eyes cut to the right, and I followed her line of sight to see a man at the bar ogling her. “I’ll be back. You’re doing the right thing, Brae. I can feel it. We’ll be supporting you. Right, girls?” Her eyes flitted between us as she slipped out of the booth. Everyone nodded and Vanessa was off to talk to the handsome stranger.

  “When is it?” Cassie asked before sipping her drink.

  “Two weeks from tomorrow. That’ll give me enough time to go shopping, pay my bills, and come up with my questions for Mr. Wrong.”

  Desiree laughed. “You’re really going to go through with this?”

  “Damn straight I am. By the time the six weeks are over, I’ll have a killer tan, half a million dollars, and no man.” My confidence soared the more I convinced myself this was a great plan.

  “What are you going to do if you fall for him?” Cassie cocked a brow. “It could happen.”

  “It won’t happen. I’m swearing off men for a while. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” Just the thought of liking the man I’d be spending time with sent a chill down my spine. No way. I would stick to my plan.

  We all looked toward the bar as Vanessa tossed her head back and flipped her hair over her shoulder, laughing at whatever the man she was talking to had said. Yeah, she wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

  “Well, ladies, I’m exhausted.” I grabbed my coat, slid out of the booth, and kissed them both on the cheeks. “I’ll talk to you later.” I looked at Desiree, who still had a concerned “mom” look on her face. “It’ll be great, Des. Just wait and see. Would you like to come over tomorrow and go over the fine print with me?”

  “I’ll call you and let you know what time I’ll be at your place.”

  I smiled at her, knowing that was what she needed. She was the caretaker, the sensible one of the bunch. “Great, I’ll have wine chilling.”

  With another quick wave to Vanessa, I hailed a cab and made my way home.

  By the time Des showed up, I had already enjoyed three glasses of wine. She was adamant about going over the details of the dating contract, but I just wanted the money and would do almost anything to get it.

  “I see you’re going to be taking this seriously.” Des shook her head and poured herself a glass of Merlot.

  “Des, it’s a no-brainer. I’m doing this to satisfy your OCD.” We sat on my sofa while Des reached for the iPad. Sliding her reading glasses on, she began scanning the screen. “You look super smart in those.” A hiccup escaped me, followed by a giggle.

  Des rolled her eyes. “Number one.” Her tone was serious, so I did my best to sober up and pay attention. “All of your questions must be geared toward romance, relationships, or dating.”

  “So, I can’t ask how many inches he is?” I asked with a snort.

  “No, you can’t.” Des did not look amused.

  “Girth?”

  “Did Vanessa put you up to this?” she huffed. “Can you please focus?”

  I put my hand up in surrender. “Okay, what else.”

  “You both must stay on the island for a full six weeks or forty-two days. If you hook-up with someone else on the island, or leave for even an hour, and they find out, the experiment is over and no one gets a dime.”

  “How would they know? Are there cameras?”

  Des scrolled through the contract. “No. It says there will be unannounced visits from people affiliated with Ignite Your Spark. You both must be present.”

  “What if I need to pee and I’m not there?”

  “Will it take you an hour to pee?” She raised a brow in a silent scold. “Again, let’s concentrate, shall we?”

  “Whatever, I’ll hold it.”

  “There will be planned activities for both of you that you must engage in.”

  “Like what? Chess tournaments? Scrabble? I’d kick ass in Scrabble.”

  Des took my glass of wine and set it on the table. “I’m cutting you off.” She shook her head.

  I let out a sigh. “What activities?”

  “Romantic dinners, island excursions, couple massages.”

  “Oooh! I hope my masseuse is hot!” I raised my brows, and she frowned.

  “That would be breaking rule number one—lusting after a man other than the one you’re with.”

  “I’ll make sure I get the fat old woman.”

  Her eyes scanned the page, and then she said, “Hmmm. Challenges.” When she didn’t get a response, she repeated, “Did you hear me? Challenges. You will both have to complete team building challenges.”

  “I’m a team play
er.” I went to grab for my wine glass, but she slapped my hand away. “What else?”

  “Your location won’t be disclosed to anyone other than the producers of the show, except for one person of your choosing to be your emergency contact.”

  “Awww, will you be my person?” I batted my lashes at her.

  “Yes, who else would you choose? Vanessa?”

  “Yay, you’re my lobster!”

  “Brae.” Her serious tone worried me a bit. “Did you read the last line?”

  I looked at my iPad as Desiree moved her fingers over the screen to magnify the text. Then she read out loud, “Couple will be married on the forty-second day. Family and friends will be welcome to attend.”

  “I’m sorry, what?” This time when I went to grab my wine, she let me.

  “Married, Brae. You need to marry this guy. You were wrong. You don’t get to walk away with a killer tan, half a million dollars, and no man. The man is part of the deal.”

  “How did I miss that? Let me see that again.” I snatched the tablet from her hands, and sure as shit, that’s what it said. “You’re a lawyer, can you handle my divorce?”

  “Yeah . . . in a year. Plus, you need to make four public appearances together promoting your loving union.” Desiree’s eyes were filled with concern. “Brae, this man is a stranger. It’s bad enough you’ll be sharing a room, but a life? You may get the money up front, but it says if you aren’t married for the full year, you have to give it back. You’re depending on this stranger to be your knight in shining armor. Even if it’s temporary, do you want your first and, hopefully, only marriage to be with a guy you’d know for a month and a half at that point? One who’s so desperate, he turned to a dating service?”

  She was right. I jumped to my feet and began to pace, my hands on my hips and gaze penetrating my carpet. It wasn’t like I could get a loan. I was unemployed, for God’s sake. There was no way my parents could find out about this. At that thought, my stomach rolled. “My mother is going to flip out. She has so much on her mind as it is. If I call her in two months and tell her I’m getting married, she’s going to have a stroke! Not to mention my father! Holy shit! What have I gotten myself into?” I cried, throwing my hands out at my sides.