The Wedding Must Go On

The Wedding Must Go On Read Free

Book: The Wedding Must Go On Read Free
Author: Robyn Grady
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their date at the church,’ she surmised, ‘and you’ll get your business partner back.’
    Correct
. ‘Question is—are you on board?’
    ‘You must be hard of hearing. I already said count me out.’
    ‘Give me some time and I’ll convince you.’
    Her too-kissable mouth tightened.
    ‘No.’
    He growled, cursing under his breath. ‘Five lousy minutes. I have a plan. It could mean the difference between your friend’s ultimate happiness and a lifetime of loneliness.’
    ‘So dramatic.’
    He frowned. ‘Yeah, well, it’s pretty damn important to them.’
    ‘And Mr Goodie-two-shoes you has nothing at stake.’
    This time he bit back the growl and pierced her with a judgmental glare.
    ‘This isn’t about Greg and his buck’s party, is it? It’s not about whether you want to help stop your friend from making perhaps the biggest mistake of her life. You’re being obstinate and surly now because of what happened between us all those months ago. You felt jilted and you’re prepared to let your friend suffer because you have a beef with me.’
    Her eyes rounded with affront and anger. ‘If you think that argument will help your cause, you have more ego than even I gave you credit for. Ever hear the saying, water finds its own level? You treat women like chattels. Chances are you choose friends of a similar nature. But neither of you like being called out for it.’
    Words burned on the tip of his tongue, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of acting the way she anticipated and cutting her down. He was ready to tell her to forget he’d even suggested she help, forget he was ever here.
    In fact, she could go to hell.
    He strode for the exit, swung back the door and barely refrained from slamming it shut behind him. He was halfway down the busy city block, near colliding with oblivious passers-by, when the steam clouding his brain cooled a degree and his locomotive pace slowed down. As much as he was attracted to Roxanne Trammel, she was a giant thorn in his side. He’d be wise never to see her again, under any circumstances.
    But, if he were truthful, he understood her upset overhis departure that night. He’d never done such a thing before and apologizing as he’d hightailed it away didn’t rub off any of the tarnish. But Roxy didn’t want a confession. She did, however, want to help her friend. He was convinced that Marla should at least hear Greg out, and that wouldn’t happen unless he swallowed his pride, turned around and tried to persuade Roxy one more time.
    Roxy was still standing at the counter in that wedding gown, staring blindly at the accessories under that glass counter, when the doorbell tinkled and, hat in hand, he edged inside the shop again. She looked over and, straightening, opened her mouth. But he held up a hand.
    ‘Before you run me out of town again, let me say I was a jerk for bringing up that other night. It won’t happen again. But I can’t walk away without asking you one more time to help give those two the chance they deserve, the chance Marla would want if she were thinking clearly.’
    ‘Maybe she
is
thinking clearly.’
    Weary now, he exhaled. Her middle name was stubborn. ‘Just give me five minutes to tell you what I have in mind.’
    She tilted her head, thought some more.
    ‘Five minutes?’ she finally said. ‘That’s it?’
    ‘Won’t even take that long.’
    She almost grinned. ‘Anyone would think you were sure of yourself.’
    ‘About this, I am.’
    She set her hands on her satin-clad hips. After another tense moment, she visibly relaxed and inspected her dress.
    ‘Let me change first.’ Her lips twitched. ‘I don’t want to give you hives.’
    Moving through that back door again, she lobbed a final remark over her shoulder. ‘If someone happens to walk in looking for their perfect dress, tell them I’ll be right out.’
    But it was well after five on a Friday—closing time. ‘Why don’t I just flip the sign over?’
    ‘Don’t you

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