Double Jeopardy


 
 Double Jeopardy
 
 Synopsis
 
 
 
 Katie James didn’t
 plan on being a runaway bride. Twice. But when the gorgeous, accomplished,
 former love of her life, Emma Reed, reappears in her life the week of her
 wedding, will Katie risk everything for another chance with the woman who might
 be her soul mate?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Double Jeopardy
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 http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com
 
 
 
 
 
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 Double Jeopardy
 © 2020 By Carsen Taite. All Rights Reserved.
 
 
 ISBN 13: 978-1-63679-343-6
 
 
 
 This Electronic Original Is Published By
 
 Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
 
 P.O. Box 249
 
 Valley Falls, NY 12185
 
 
 
 First Edition: July 2020
 
 
 
 This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and
 incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments,
 events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
 
 
 
 This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any
 form without permission.
 
 
 
 Credits
 
 Editors: Ruth Sternglantz and Stacia Seaman
 
 Production Design: Stacia Seaman
 
 Cover Design by Jeanine Henning
 
 eBook Design by Toni Whitaker
 By the Author
 Romances
 Truelesbianlove.com
 It Should Be a Crime
 Do Not Disturb
 Nothing but the Truth
 The Best Defense
 Beyond Innocence
 Rush
 Courtship
 Reasonable Doubt
 Without Justice
 Sidebar
 A More Perfect Union
 Love’s Verdict
 Pursuit of Happiness
 Leading the Witness
 Drawn
 Double Jeopardy
 (novella in Still Not Over You)
 Spirit of the Law
 Her Consigliere
 The Luca Bennett Mysteries:
 Slingshot
 Battle Axe
 Switchblade
 Bow and Arrow
 (novella in Girls with Guns)
 Lone Star Law Series:
 Lay Down the Law
 Above the Law
 Letter of the Law
 Outside the Law
 Legal Affairs Romances
 Practice Makes Perfect
 Out of Practice
 Best Practice
 Courting Danger Romances:
 Trial by Fire
 Trial and Error
 Chapter One
 
 Today was supposed to be all about filling out forms to
 solidify a business arrangement, carefully planned and completely sterile in
 its efficiency. Today wasn’t supposed to hold any surprises, but the one
 standing not six feet away was massive, monumental, mind-blowing.
 
 I’d been here before. Well, not here actually, but at another
 courthouse, waiting in line at the clerk’s office, forms in hand, ready to file
 the papers to obtain a marriage license. Not with the woman who was holding my
 hand right now, but with the one who was standing six feet away—Emma Reed—who
 was seemingly unaware I still existed. Right now, I kind of wished I didn’t.
 
 “Names, please.”
 
 The clerk’s voice shook me out of my reverie, but when I finally
 focused, I realized she was calling the couple in front of us. I breathed easy
 again before I felt a hard squeeze to my hand.
 
 “Are you okay?”
 
 I tore my gaze from Emma and back to Ann Koen, the woman I was
 going to marry in less than a week. “I’m good. Yes. Why?”
 
 “Because you seem a little distracted. Jitters?”
 
 Ann gave me one of the condescending smiles I’m sure she thought
 was endearing, but which made me want to hurl. Not an ideal reaction to your
 future wife. I squelched my annoyance and smiled brightly back. “Nope. All good
 here.” I turned as I spoke, to keep from drawing attention, praying Emma would
 finish whatever she was doing and leave before she spotted me. A second later I
 heard a familiar voice and knew my plan had failed.
 
 “Hi, Katie. It’s been a long time.”
 
 Way to be direct. It had been a long time. Eight years to
 the month, but who’s counting? I cast a quick glance at Ann who was watching
 the two of us with the same penetrating stare she used in the boardroom, and I
 resolved to keep this reunion simple, quick, despite the fact Emma was even
 more good-looking than I remembered. I pushed past the guarded expression she
 wore and thrust out my hand like we were mere acquaintances instead of
 almost-marrieds.
 
 “Hello, Emma. It’s good to see you.” I turned to Ann. “Emma is an
 old friend. Emma, meet Ann, my fiancée.” I was so busy injecting distance and
 formality into the introduction, I wasn’t quite sure if I’d seen Emma wince slightly
 at the word fiancée, but I was pretty sure she had. I’d considered
 trying to make it out of this situation without saying the F-word, but I
 knew Ann’s predilection for telling everyone we encountered about our
 engagement, and Emma deserved to hear the news directly from me, since I was to
 blame for any wedding PTSD she might have. Which begged the question of what
 she was doing here, ostensibly alone, but before I could ask, Ann took over.
 
 She stuck out her hand. “Good to meet you. You must be a friend
 from Katie’s past because she hasn’t mentioned you before. Are you here to get
 a license too?” She glanced around as if she could spot a fiancée wandering
 about looking for a mate.
 
 Emma’s eyebrows narrowed in confusion. “License?” She glanced at
 the sign above the clerk’s window. “Oh no. I’m here doing some research on a
 deed for a client.”
 
 “Realtor?”
 
 “Lawyer.”
 
 “Ah.” Ann’s tone had gone from mildly curious to total approval,
 and I recognized the shift for the snobbery it was, but even I had trouble hiding
 my surprise at the revelation.
 
 “You went to law school?” I asked.
 
 Emma’s attention shifted back to me and the heat of it swept me