Free Where There's Smoke by M. J. Fredrick

ignition, trying not to think of Seth's valiant attempt to help her family save face. It had been the sweetest gesture, but even the thought of it made her heart ache. What her father said to Crystal—was it really true? Did it really not matter if you loved someone enough?
    How could she question that? She'd seen it with her own parents. It had always been a lopsided relationship. No matter what, she would marry a man who loved her more than she loved him. That way, she was guaranteed not to get hurt.
    "I'll apologize to Crystal in the morning,” Mitch said, and fell asleep.
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Chapter Six
    Lauren inspected herself once again in the mirror before preceding Crystal into the vestibule. The bronze dress with spaghetti straps didn't look as bad against her pale skin as she expected, though it was still an impractical choice for a December wedding, even in South Texas. The hairdresser had put her blonde hair up in those fancy loops and applied her makeup. She looked pretty darned good. Her mother might even approve, if she showed up, which was doubtful.
    Lauren wouldn't think of that today. She picked up her bouquet and walked out with the other bridesmaids, all jittery with anticipation. Seth had been in a tizzy last night; wait till he got a load of her today.
    The groomsmen waited in the hallway and turned as one to watch them approach. Seth's eyes met hers and she read the appreciation there. Time stopped. His smile spread and her heart thrummed at the honest emotion she saw in his face.
    He lifted her hand to his lips. She just smiled when he whispered, “You're gorgeous."
    She reclaimed her hand and tugged playfully at his bow tie, a real one, she discovered. “You clean up pretty nice yourself."
    He held onto her hand, his long fingers rough against hers as he looked down at her until she flushed with pleasure. Someone behind them finally prodded them forward. Time to walk down the aisle. She wouldn't let those little words make her too giddy.
    Lauren looked straight ahead with a stupid grin as they joined the procession, and when they peeled off to go to their spots, their fingers stayed linked till the last possible second.
    As the bridal march began, she turned to see her lifelong friend start down the aisle, everything from the white dress to her smile radiating happiness. This was a day Crystal never thought would come. Lauren swallowed the lump in her throat. Crystal's first love had been a fireman killed in the line of duty. They'd planned a summer wedding. Crystal—everyone, all the Escamillas, all the Stokes—had been destroyed by Guillermo's death. Crystal had overcome so much to find her happiness again, and now...
    Lauren turned to look at Enrique as he watched his bride. An accountant, a safe man, who loved Crystal more than his own life. Anyone watching him could see it.
    What must it be like to have that emotion directed at you?
    A Catholic service offered a lot of time for wandering thoughts, and Lauren's wandered predictably. He had a point about the whole what-are-we-doing thing. She knew him too well. He was not relationship material. He loved her, but she didn't have any better chance with him than anyone else. One day he'd decide he'd had enough, and he would either leave, breaking her heart, or stay and resent her. After watching her parents’ marriage crumble, she knew either outcome would be unbearable.
    But, she was in no situation to start a relationship, either. How could she look for love when she saw how love could destroy you? Maybe a fling with Seth was what the doctor ordered. He certainly made her feel more desirable than she'd felt in—ever. And she had no illusions of changing him.
    If she could only stop thinking of that kiss, the decision would be easier to make. Because in this state of mind, uh-uh.
    Lauren's nerves were on edge and her feet were aching by the time it came to pictures. She sensed Seth all around her. Had it always been this way, or had