Page 3 (1/2)

"I just don’t want you to do soret"

Moose looked over, and the si an exhaustion you had to feel sorry for "Why does everybody always love you, Danny? And not me"

Danny looked away To Anne

Not everybody loves me At least, not the way I want the shoulders and s the girl of my dreams What could be better?" He turned to the asseet hitched!"

Anne had been sure Danny would talk soroom announced it was ti people Left with no other choice, she’d ht, and then she’d done up her jacket and headed out with the others

Lot of funny looks as she escorted folks to their seats

Particularly froroomsmen job And after about an hour, she and the rest of the 499 creere lining up on the right side of the altar

She’d been convinced Deandra wouldn’t show at the last minute Even as the woman’s Pepto-Bismol bridesanand the double doors all the way at the other end of the cathedral were being opened

Beneath the soaring arches, bathed in candlelight and the glow of stained glass, Deandra stepped and paused, stepped and paused, stepped and paused, all the way down the red carpeted aisle on the arm of her father, her veil over her features, her train a wake of white stretching behind her

As her father lifted her veil, kissed her on the cheek, and gave her hand to Moose, Anne looked at Danny

He was stone-faced and standing in disapproval--until he glanced at her

All at once, the heat returned between the all sounds

She had watched him as he’d tried to talk to Moose and told herself it was because she was trying to read lips to see what he was saying But that hadn’t been why she’d stared He looked positively edible in that tuxedo, his rough workman’s hands a delicious contrast to the satin lapels and satin stripe down his slacks

Anne looked away There were a good two hundred people in the church, which, considering the place could seat at least five hundred, meant there were a lot of empty pews She wished there were a thousand on the invite list

At least that way, uire

"Do you promise to love him, comfort hi those words, Anne thought about the chances of her ever doing this, and not as a groomsmen but as the bride She had had a couple of relationships--what twenty-so-year-old woman hadn’t? But they’d never intruded on her drive to perform on the fire service and bloay all the preconceptions about women and what females could do in that job

Her career had been the

So why in the hell was she suddenly looking to coone online and checked the night before There was absolutely a no-fraternization rule in place for people inside the sale hookup, but a relationship was out of the question unless one of the two of theht stand

She glanced at Danny again Focused on his full mouth Pictured hi out of a firefighters’ calendar

No, she told her libido She absolutely was not looking for a one-nighter

Chapter 3

It was every kitschy, Pinterest, Brides ht idea craency New Brunswick

Tables with tall crystal displays you couldn’t see around were , and as you checked in, you had to find your name on a placard and locate the title inside Which h the whole setup because there was no nu Then there was the endless lull as pictures were taken of the bridal party Followed by a plated dinner of rubber chicken, gelatinous risotto, and soht have been deconstructed beans, but could have been pea puree

At least Anne could people watch to pass the time And she was also not at Danny’s table

She had won the Crazy Aunt Lottery