The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 3) by Jane Porter

shivering McKenna shut the stall door behind TJ and turned around to face the mirror. She blinked when she caught sight of her reflection.
    Oh.
    Oh. Wow .
    She knew she was in white, knew she’d been driving for an hour and a half in her dress and pearls and veil with the sparkling tiara. But she’d forgotten the impact of so much white, had forgotten she looked so very…bridal.
    TJ emerged from the bathroom stall, struggling to close the zipper on the little black trousers that matched his tuxedo jacket. “Can’t get it,” he said, frowning.
    “Let me,” she answered, crouching in front of him, and fastening the snap at the waist band and then pulling the fabric taut and away from him, not wanting to catch his boxers or boy parts in the zipper. She’d done that once, when he was two. She’d never forget it, either, and ever since always zipped him up oh so carefully. “There. All boy junk safe and sound.”
    TJ grinned, a lopsided grin that was so Trey it made her heart ache. “You’re crazy, Mom.”
    “I know.” She chucked him gently under the chin and stood up. “Wash your hands while I use the restroom. Use plenty of soap and water, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    In the narrow stall it took some maneuvering to get the full skirt and tulle petticoats up, and the silky fabric and train out of the toilet, but she managed without damaging the dress too much, although the hem was dirty in places, probably from the walk across the parking lot caked with packed dirty snow and salted ice.
    She’d woken up feeling emotional this morning. She’d felt jittery at the church, and worried about everything going well, but it had never crossed her mind, that this was how today would go…
    Practically kidnapped at the altar by Trey.
    TJ was waiting for her by the sink, his brow wrinkled and expression brooding.
    “What’s wrong?” she asked him. “You okay?”
    “ No .”
    “Want to talk about it?”
    “Lawrence said after you marry him I have to call him Dad. But I don’t want to. He’s not my dad.”
    “He’s going to be your step-dad. That means you’re lucky. You get two dads—”
    “He’s not my dad,” he stubbornly repeated.
    “I think you’re being a little mean to him because your real dad’s home, but that’s not fair to Lawrence who has always been really good to you.”
    “Because he likes you.”
    “Lawrence likes you, too.”
    “Not that much.”
    “Oh, TJ, that’s not true. He cares a lot about you!”
    “Then why does he smile weird when he talks to me? Like he’s got to poop and doesn’t want anyone to know it.”
    “Trey James!”
    “It’s true.”
    “You are being ridiculous!” She turned to the paper towel dispenser and took a paper towel to dry her hands. “And rude.” She shot him a disapproving glance. “I won’t tolerate you being rude to him, either. He hasn’t done anything to deserve disrespect.” She held his gaze. “You know what disrespect means, don’t you?”
    He hung his head. “Yes.”
    “You’re to be polite, and kind. You’re to listen and follow the rules. Understand?”
    He hung his head lower. “Yes.”
    She threw away the towel. “Now let’s go have dinner and I’m going to call Lawrence and Aunt Karen and let everyone know we’re fine. Lawrence will come for us and we’ll go back to Marietta and tomorrow everything will be normal again.”
    She started for the door but TJ hung back. McKenna glanced over her shoulder. He was still standing there, small and dejected. She suppressed a sigh. What was the matter now? “TJ?”
    He looked up at her, worried. “Are they going to arrest him? The police? Are they going to take my dad?”
    Her chest squeezed. She felt a flutter of panic. “I don’t know—” she broke off, grimaced. “Maybe.”
    His eyes filled with tears. “Will they handcuff him, like they do on TV?”
    Her heart fell. “I hope not.”
    “’Cause he’s bad?”
    A lump filled her throat. Her eyes felt gritty. “He’s