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He started the engine and turned on the heater A blast of warm air filled the car She didn’t seem to notice

Neither spoke until they were close to the freeway entrance

"Why are you doing this?" she deoing through with this wedding, if it’s the last thing either of us ever does"

"But how can you forcewhat you do?"

"Itmy entire family from humiliation," he continued with the same chilly irony "That family you claim to love so much Maybe it’s because I don’t wantfor the past three weeks, who’s looked forward to this day for years--to beco her friends Maybe it’s because I’d have trouble lookingthey rearranged their entire su Justridiculed myself I can’t really tell you what else would reduce aa woman who’s rejected him to the altar But make no mistake, Charlotte, you will marry me"

"It isn’t that I don’t care for you," she whispered through her tears

"Right You care so deeply that you decided to go into hiding on our wedding day"

"I know you’re angry…"

"You’re da, Jason! We just can’t"

"Oh, but we are, Charlotte"

"What e do afterward? I mean, once we’re ht to Hawaii, then, first thing Monday , I’ll file for an annulh with the wedding--"

"Yes,Charlotte, it does It makes a whole lot of sense"

Charlotte was deterh she wasn’t sure how she’d e She’d been a fool to run off the way she had A fool and a coward She was an even bigger fool to think she’d appease Jason’s anger by lying

When she’d left, she hadn’t thought about what she was doing to Jason or his fa at all, overpowered instead by her own fears

On the way back, she tried to tell Jason she was sorry, to apologize for the hurt and hu he didn’t want to hear it

The ride back to her aparthtry

He dropped her off at her apartment, took her arm, leveled his steely blue eyes on her and said, "I’ll be by to pick you up in forty minutes"

"I can’t possibly be ready by then"

"You can and you will And, Charlotte, don’t even think about running away again Do you understand me?"

Charlotte nodded and alroo Then she re was a farce, anyway

"Fine I’ll be ready," she assured him calmly

She showered, brushed her hair and dressed, but she wasn’t conscious of doing any of those things Carrie ith her, and Mandy, too, both silent and pale Worried What she’d done to the to carry this secret, too young to bear the burden of her foolishness

Neither girl asked her any questions, and for that, Charlotte was grateful She didn’t knohat she would’ve told them if they had

Leah and Ja her home They were both happy and excited If her complete lack of emotion bewildered the events at their oeddings, bubbling over with enthusiasm Charlotte tried to smile, tried to pretend this was the happiest moment of her life Leah and Jairls had their doubts

Jason arrived to escort her to the church, and her future sisters-in-law shooed him away She wore the beautiful off-white dress Elizabeth Manning had insisted on buying her, and Leah had woven flowers in her hair

Before she knew it, Charlotte was at the church The nued her throat when she re she’d go back to what her life had been before sheBack to the emptiness The loneliness

At the appropriatearound her, she walked dutifully down the aisle, aware every second of Jason standing at the front of the church His eyes held hers as effectively as a vise, as though he suspected she ht try to run even now And if she tried, she didn’t doubt for a second that he’d go after her

With her uecere no emotion, and calmly repeated his vows Charlotte wondered why the minister didn’t stop hiry tone of his voice that he didn’ther, of cherishing her, of allowing her ever to be important in his life Not after what she’d done Not after she’d led him to believe her motives were so deceitful Not after she’d made him think she planned to ridicule him and his family Whatever love he’d once felt for her was dead He’d practically told her so himself