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Chapter One

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This wasn’t hoedding was supposed to begin

“Where is he, Corrine?”

Corrine shifted nervously on her feet, wrinkling her coral dress between her fingers Her groom’s sister couldn’t look her in the eye

“I think he ht just be a little nervous I’m sure he’ll be here in a second”

Eroo for her entrance He wasn’t supposed to be nervous He wasn’t supposed to be anywhere but here

She gathered up her skirts in her hand “Is he in the vestry?

Corrine blinked and looked confused, so E Corrine to the side

This couldn’t be happening Bryce had told her everything was fine He’d told her he loved her forever Losing the baby didn’tout she could never have another child didn’t matter He loved her He would be there for her

So, where was he?

Her footsteps slowed as she approached the vestry The door wasn’t quite closed and she could hear low voices

“Bryce, she’ll be here any minute You need to make up your mind”

It was Reuben, his best friend and besta Scottish girl

She could hear pacing “I know I know It’s just…”

“Just what?” Reuben was frustrated and probably annoyed

He was a planner He didn’t like it when things didn’t go to plan The wedding planned in the space of a few months had driven him crazy

She heard Bryce suck in a breath “It’s just that, no matter how much I try to push it away, I really, really want a faap in the door He was running his hand through his hair Her heart squeezed He looked…torn

“Well, it’s a bit late to decide that now,” Reuben snapped

Bryce shook his head “I know I know But Ee – devastated by the news How on earth could I walk away? I love her I do She was so hurt I couldn’t hurt her anymore”

Emma looked down at the floor Past the mounds of pale cream skirt Past the satin shoes with tiny tartan bows She fixated on the grey stone floor, staring at a tiny crack snaking across it Any second now she would vomit all over it

“And you decide this now? What on earth are you going to do?”

Bryce started pacing again She could hear his Italian shoes clicking on the stone floor of the vestry

“I don’t know Marry her I guess Then wait some time and break up It will be easier then She’ll be over the surgery and she’ll have had some time to adjust”

“You’re all heart”

Her head shot up Reuben sounded disgusted She would never have expected him to be on her side

“I can’t break her heart I just can’t E I have to give it to her”

A tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away, then straightened her shoulders and dropped her skirts

Bryce wasn’t brave enough to walk away – not yet, at least – but she was This rong The guy she thought loved her with his whole heart obviously didn’t The guy who’d held her hand and swore to her that she would be enough for hiuy who said he could do without kids secretly wanted a whole house full

And she’d let him have it

She pushed open the door Bryce and Reuben turned around, shock on both their faces

“E”

She kept her face straight “Reuben, can you give us a minute please?”

Reuben’s eyes darted frooing on “Well, I, I…”

She pointed to the door “Beat it, pal” Her Scottish accent was becoer by the second She wasn’t about to be messed with

He blinked and headed to the door “If you need me, I’ll be outside” He took a few steps

“He won’t,” she said sharply and kicked the door closed with her foot The noise shook the tiny vestry, rattling the old wooden table in the corner

Bryce took a step towards her but she held up her hand His aftershave drifted across the confined space No She didn’t need this She didn’t need any reuy who’d told her he loved her and made false promises

She fixed her eyes on him “You lied to me”

He looked shocked “What?”

She shook her head “You looked me in the eye and told me you loved me, and it didn’the wouldn’t hear the tiny waver in her voice

“Emma-”

She held up her hand again She couldn’t listen She just couldn’t Because then he uilt would make him And she couldn’t look at hiht before her eyes

Woical clocks and their desire to have kids Men didn’t They just didn’t do things like that

But she’d heard Bryce She’d heard him say that And now she could see his face, she could see how hurt he looked Spending a life with her would ave up his desire for a family She couldn’t do that Not for a second

Bryce was one of the kindest, nicest guy’s she’d ever met He’d be a fabulous father And he deserved that chance

She took a step forward and reached up, kissing him on the cheek

“You can’t walk away, Bryce, but I can I’irl Go find your dreaive you a whole house full of kids Have the family that I know you will love That’s what I wish for you”

Now her voice was shaking and she couldn’t hide it He opened his mouth to speak and she shook her head “Don’t, Bryce Just don’t Just let o”

She gathered up her skirts again and opened the door Reuben fell backwards He’d had his ear pressed to the door

She shot him a lo

ok of disgust and strode down the hall as fast as she could One thing about arranging a quick wedding – she’d driven herself here Her honeymoon case was in the trunk of her car She’d didn’t need anything else

Corrine rushed over “E? Where’s Bryce?”

E in her eyes She ripped the veil fro in as best she could and starting the engine

Corrine was standing at the doorway to the church, her coral dress flapping in the cold wind and heropen

Emma didn’t hesitate

She floored it

Chapter Two

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Mitch Holden had seen so a past life as a professional football player and a present life as a high school varsity football coach – gave hie But somehow, this one took the prize

He blinked again

Nope He wasn’t seeing things That was definitely a bride ru around the trunk of her car One just couldn’t mistake a dress like that