Free A Bride for Tom by Ruth Ann Nordin Page A

right
now.
    “No.” He cleared his throat. “What do you
think?”
    “I think you talk too much.” Then, in a bold
move that surprised her for she would never have done such a thing
with Peter, she closed the gap between them and kissed him.
    She felt his shock before he relaxed and
finally returned her kiss.
    She pulled back and asked, “Now, if I hadn’t
been engaged, would you have kissed me that day?”
    A smile widened on his face. “You bet.” He
wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “And this is just
how I would’ve done it!”
    She closed her eyes and enjoyed his kiss.

 
    Chapter
Twelve
     
    Jessica took a deep breath and knocked on
Connie James’ door. She already tried the apartment where Peter was
living, but since he wasn’t there, she thought he might be here.
And as soon as he opened the front door, she realized she was
right.
    “Oh, good evening, Jessica,” he said. “I
didn’t expect to see you here.”
    “Is that Jessica?” his mother called from
another room.
    “Yes.”
    “Good! Tell her to come right in!”
    “Well, you heard Mother. Come on in.”
    Jessica hesitated. “I don’t think so, Peter.
I need to speak with you alone. Maybe...” She didn’t want to take
him to her house where her mother would feel compelled to serve him
a drink or snack. She glanced at the rocking chairs on the porch.
“We should talk out here.”
    “But it’s chilly out.”
    “It’s not too bad. I’m only wearing a
shawl.”
    He looked uneasy. “Yes, but you don’t catch
ill as easily as I do.”
    She sighed. Maybe she should just tell him
here. It wasn’t like she had a long message for him. All she needed
to do was tell him that she was going to marry Tom Larson instead
of him. Really, the whole thing could be said in less than a
minute. Straightening her back, she said, “Never mind. What I have
to say won’t take long anyway. You see, I-”
    His mother ran up to the door before Jessica
had a chance to continue. She reached out and grabbed Jessica by
the hand. “I’m so glad you’re here! I was ready to send Peter on a
search for you. Now come along. I have something very important to
discuss.”
    “But-” Jessica began.
    “This simply can’t wait. I’ve been at my
wits’ end trying to find the best solution. You have to help. Peter
keeps saying that it’s up to me, but I don’t know what to do. I’m a
complete mess, I tell you!”
    Jessica glanced back at Peter who shut the
door.
    Connie led her to the kitchen and showed her
two sets of napkins. “For our wedding reception, I don’t know which
pattern to go with. Which do you think would compliment my pink
dress better: the flower petals or the whole rose? You do know
which pink dress I’m talking about, don’t you? It has those little
white pearls along the neckline.”
    She stared at the woman in disbelief. “I said
I wanted plain pink napkins.”
    “These are pink.”
    “But they have pictures sewn into them. The
plain ones were cheaper.”
    Connie shrugged. “What do you care? I bought
them.”
    “We already have patterns on the
tablecloths!”
    “Which is why we need something on the
napkins as well. That Maureen had colorful leaves sewn onto her
daughter’s napkins, and I won’t let her show me up.”
    “I don’t care how Maureen does things. This
is my wedding and-” She stopped. Wait. This wasn’t her wedding. Not
anymore. Calming down, she continued, “Actually, you know what? It
doesn’t matter. In fact, there’s not even going to be a
wedding.”
    Peter’s eyes grew wide.
    Connie pressed a hand to her heart. “I will
not allow you to elope.”
    “Mother’s right. We need to do things the
right way.”
    “Then feel free to do them however you wish,
but I am not getting married. I...” Now, this part wasn’t going to
be easy. “I have decided Peter—” she glanced at him—“I mean, you—”
she returned her gaze to Connie—“and I don’t make a good match. I
don’t believe