Free The Bridesmaid by Julia London Page B

ruined,” Kate said quickly. “Right, Cassidy? We can steam out these wrinkles, and the sash, well… maybe I just go without the sash.”
    “The sash makes the dress,” Lisa said morosely.
    “Okay. It’s all okay, Lisa,” Kate said, thinking frantically.
    “What’s that ?” Cassidy asked, peering closely at the hem.
    So did Kate. There was a yellowish, brownish stain that looked a little like mustard spreading across several inches of the hem. How had that happened?
    “Oh my god!” Lisa cried.
    “No one is going to see that!” Kate said, a little loudly. “And besides, everyone is going to be looking at you, anyway. It’s okay !”
    Lisa sniffed. She examined the wrinkled dress. One half was less poufy than the other. Lisa forced a smile. “At least you’re here without weird stains, right? That’s the important thing. Now I have all the people I love with me.” She hugged Kate tightly for a moment. “And Joe is so cute !” she added as she let her go.
    “He’s gorgeous,” Cassidy agreed. “Is he your boyfriend?”
    “No!” Kate said instantly, and then flushed. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she smiled nervously. She couldn’t help it.
    “What’s that smile?” Lisa asked, poking her.
    “No smile,” Kate said, still smiling. “This is not a smile.”
    Lisa suddenly gasped and sank down on the bed. “Ohmigod, did you guys do it?”
    “Lisa!” Kate cried and looked at her kid sister.
    “Well, did you?” Cassidy demanded. “I mean, he’s so cute, and you haven’t had a boyfriend in forever.”
    “That,” she said, pointing at Cassidy, “that is not true.”
    “You sure haven’t had a good boyfriend,” Lisa agreed. “And you obviously like Joe.”
    “Yeah,” Kate said, her smile fading. “But he’s moving to Seattle.”
    “No way!” Cassidy exclaimed.
    “That’s great!” Lisa said. “You can get a job here! It would be so great if you came back! We miss you so much!”
    “I can’t come back, Lisa. I have always wanted to be in publishing, and I have a great job.”
    “Joe and Kiefer could be friends,” Lisa continued.
    “They haven’t even met,” Kate pointed out.
    “But they will!” Lisa said excitedly. “I just want you to be as happy as I am, Katie-Kate. I want you to know what I feel for Kief.”
    Kate snorted. “Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now? Just yesterday you wanted to call it off.”
    “You did ?” Cassidy asked.
    “Not really,” Lisa said with a flick of her wrist, as if yesterday had never happened. “I never would have done it because I love Kiefer too much. And I’m going to whip him into shape.”
    Kate and Cassidy laughed outright.
    “Seriously,” Lisa said, ignoring their laughter, “I know what a great guy Kiefer is. And it’s like I told you: great guys come around once in a lifetime.” She looked meaningfully at Kate.
    That’s what Kate was afraid of.
    She was relieved when her mother burst into the room and had a fit over her dress. “Well, I have my work cut out for me this afternoon, don’t I?” she sighed as she examined the sash. “In the meantime, you girls are going to be late to the hairdresser! Lori is outside waiting for you.”
    “What about Joe?” Kate asked as Cassidy and Lisa gathered their purses.
    “Don’t worry about him,” her mother said as she busily inspected the gown. “He’s out back with your father and your Uncle Glen looking at rototillers.”
    Kate gasped. “Mom, no !”
    “He’ll be fine! He looked really interested,” her mother insisted, and began to herd them out the door. “Right now, you have bigger things to worry about. If we don’t get Lisa married today, we may never have another opportunity.”
    “Hey!” Lisa protested, but Kate’s mother had already pushed her out the door.

Chapter 10
    Thanks to the generous number of bathrooms and irons in the Preston house, Joe was able to clean up and shake out a suit to wear to the wedding. He hadn’t seen Kate all