thought she would choke on it.
Will lifted her
hand in his and held it, his thumb stroking gently.
Reluctantly,
Lori allowed him the contact and concentrated on the soothing touch, letting it
sink into her skin. A long moment passed. Her heartbeat slowed from a rapid
hammer to a steadier rhythm.
“I guess I
can’t hide here all day. Won’t solve anything.” She drew in a breath and slowly
released it to disperse the tension that had her heart in a stranglehold.
“Gotta face all the people out there. It’s going to be horrible.”
Will squeezed
her hand and bumped her shoulder with his. “They love you and they’ll be fine.
You’ll be fine.”
She grimaced at
his promise. “I don’t want them to feel sorry for me.”
Will pushed
himself to his feet and held his hand out to her. She didn’t accept it for a
long moment, but regarded him with interest, wondering why he’d been able to
calm her. If one of her bridesmaids were here, no doubt she’d whip Lori into a
frenzy. Instead, Will managed to steady her. She accepted his hand, allowing
him to help her to her feet.
“First I’m
going to change out of this thing.” She fingered the skirt of the gown she’d
chosen for this day. Her dream gown. Her dream wedding and her dream man. What
a damned joke. “Tell everyone out there to stay put.”
He nodded and
leaned forward to kiss her gently on the cheek. Warmth filled her at the simple
gesture. Leave it to Will to help her get through. She knew she could count on
him. Silently, he left the room.
Hanging onto
the tenuous calm Will had instilled, she changed back into her own clothes and
shoved her wedding gown, veil, and shoes into the garbage can in the bathroom.
After a quick search, she discovered the engagement ring by the window and
stuffed it in her pocket. She sucked in a breath one last time to push back the
nerves that had begun to fray and left the security of the little dressing
room.
Head held high,
Lori marched down the quiet hall and into the church. When she got to the door,
about fifty people milled around. Cold little fingers of doubt and humiliation
poked at her belly. Maybe she could just sneak out the back way, go home, and
hope that Brian had packed his stuff so she could be by herself. Unfortunately,
her maid of honor caught sight of her and cried out her name before she could
make a move toward the back door.
Approximately
fifty heads turned together.
Lori wanted to
sink into the floor, never to be seen again. Instead, she pinned on her best
smile, prayed her eyes weren’t too red from crying, and marched out into the
church. Immediately, voices rose, surrounding her in a sea of concern.
“No, I’m all
right, really.” With a forced smile, she tried to back out of the huddle. She
needed air.
She looked at
the faces of her friends and family, thankful for the genuine concern, the
half-smiles and even a tear or two. She straightened her shoulders and gave
them a brighter smile. “Well, I guess the wedding is off. I’m going to be okay
but, at the moment, I’d rather not discuss it. However, unless someone called
and canceled it, there’s a reception waiting over at the Palmwood Inn. I don’t
see any point wasting all that food and music, so why don’t we just go over
there and have a party anyway.”
A murmur went
through the crowd, some nods of approval, some heads shaking. At the back of
the group, Lori caught Will’s eye. He didn’t smile. Just stared hard at her,
one eyebrow raised. He didn’t approve. Lori broke away from his gaze and
searched the room until she spotted a couple standing off to the side by
themselves, stiff, but fidgeting nervously like they were next in line for
execution. Compassion for her almost in-laws filled her, displacing some of the
anger and hurt. She smiled at them. After all, they’d treated her like family
over the past seven years. She honestly liked them, and they weren’t to blame
because their son turned out to be a
Will lifted her
hand in his and held it, his thumb stroking gently.
Reluctantly,
Lori allowed him the contact and concentrated on the soothing touch, letting it
sink into her skin. A long moment passed. Her heartbeat slowed from a rapid
hammer to a steadier rhythm.
“I guess I
can’t hide here all day. Won’t solve anything.” She drew in a breath and slowly
released it to disperse the tension that had her heart in a stranglehold.
“Gotta face all the people out there. It’s going to be horrible.”
Will squeezed
her hand and bumped her shoulder with his. “They love you and they’ll be fine.
You’ll be fine.”
She grimaced at
his promise. “I don’t want them to feel sorry for me.”
Will pushed
himself to his feet and held his hand out to her. She didn’t accept it for a
long moment, but regarded him with interest, wondering why he’d been able to
calm her. If one of her bridesmaids were here, no doubt she’d whip Lori into a
frenzy. Instead, Will managed to steady her. She accepted his hand, allowing
him to help her to her feet.
“First I’m
going to change out of this thing.” She fingered the skirt of the gown she’d
chosen for this day. Her dream gown. Her dream wedding and her dream man. What
a damned joke. “Tell everyone out there to stay put.”
He nodded and
leaned forward to kiss her gently on the cheek. Warmth filled her at the simple
gesture. Leave it to Will to help her get through. She knew she could count on
him. Silently, he left the room.
Hanging onto
the tenuous calm Will had instilled, she changed back into her own clothes and
shoved her wedding gown, veil, and shoes into the garbage can in the bathroom.
After a quick search, she discovered the engagement ring by the window and
stuffed it in her pocket. She sucked in a breath one last time to push back the
nerves that had begun to fray and left the security of the little dressing
room.
Head held high,
Lori marched down the quiet hall and into the church. When she got to the door,
about fifty people milled around. Cold little fingers of doubt and humiliation
poked at her belly. Maybe she could just sneak out the back way, go home, and
hope that Brian had packed his stuff so she could be by herself. Unfortunately,
her maid of honor caught sight of her and cried out her name before she could
make a move toward the back door.
Approximately
fifty heads turned together.
Lori wanted to
sink into the floor, never to be seen again. Instead, she pinned on her best
smile, prayed her eyes weren’t too red from crying, and marched out into the
church. Immediately, voices rose, surrounding her in a sea of concern.
“No, I’m all
right, really.” With a forced smile, she tried to back out of the huddle. She
needed air.
She looked at
the faces of her friends and family, thankful for the genuine concern, the
half-smiles and even a tear or two. She straightened her shoulders and gave
them a brighter smile. “Well, I guess the wedding is off. I’m going to be okay
but, at the moment, I’d rather not discuss it. However, unless someone called
and canceled it, there’s a reception waiting over at the Palmwood Inn. I don’t
see any point wasting all that food and music, so why don’t we just go over
there and have a party anyway.”
A murmur went
through the crowd, some nods of approval, some heads shaking. At the back of
the group, Lori caught Will’s eye. He didn’t smile. Just stared hard at her,
one eyebrow raised. He didn’t approve. Lori broke away from his gaze and
searched the room until she spotted a couple standing off to the side by
themselves, stiff, but fidgeting nervously like they were next in line for
execution. Compassion for her almost in-laws filled her, displacing some of the
anger and hurt. She smiled at them. After all, they’d treated her like family
over the past seven years. She honestly liked them, and they weren’t to blame
because their son turned out to be a
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