Page 3 of Something Borrowed

“Mr. Donovan, please tell me that whatever that message is from Jim it’s only filled with how much he lovesher?”

Mr. Donovan gave a crooked smile and shook his head, tussling the small amount of hair he still had left. “I only wish. I know my baby girl, and I’m not thrilled to be delivering thisnews.”

Adrianna felt sick to her stomach, and she swore the room spun at the older man’s words. “I’m afraid to ask . . .” she let her voice trail off, hoping that maybe Mr. Donovan would take pity on her and just keep the issue to himself.

“Marco wasn’t able to make it back from deployment.”

That time she knew the room dipped and spun at the words. They’d been told Marco would be arriving from Jordan early morning and that he’d be over as soon as the plane landed. No Marco meant no BestMan.

“I thought it was a sure thing.”

“Nothing in the military is a sure thing.” Mr. Donovan sighed. “We’re lucky Jaxon wasn’t on a deployment or there’s no telling where that boy of mine would be rightnow.

“How in the hell is an account best friends with an Army man after all?” she groaned, resisting the urge to dig her hands into her hair as she always did when she was rattled.

“I wish I knew,” he said with a short chuckle.

“She’s going to lose her shit,” she blinked realizing who she was speaking too. “Sorry.”

“I think you’re more than old enough to curse in front of me, Adrianna.”

She shrugged, “Old habits.” Leaning her back against the door she blew out a deep breath through her nose to release some of the tension trailing through her like a snake . “Do they have a solution? One that won’t involve me walking down the aisle alone and no one handing Jim a ring. Oh, and one that isn’t attaching a small pillow to Percy’s collar.”

“I assure you, the cat is not in the solution. Jim has asked Jaxon to step in, and he’s happy to do it. He’s even changed from his uniform into a tux – good thing I had an extra lying about.”

“She’s going to lose it. They’ve never gotten along.” She was talking more to herself than her friend’s father.

“Not unless we don’t tell her. You know, that should be enough.” Harry said with a twinkle in hiseye.

“I don’t know if that’s brilliant, or evil as allhell.”

If Kailey didn’t find out until she was gliding down the aisle, there was no chance she’d blow a fuse. If there was one thing Kailey Donovan always was in public, it was the picture of refinement. She often said being the local anchorwoman that allowed her to remain poised when eyes were on her, and there wasn’t likely to be a time when more eyes were than her wedding.

“She’s going to kill us if she ever found out we knew . . . or Jim for asking Jaxon.”

“Let’s just take it one disaster at a time? If we play our cards right, she’ll be too swept away by Jim to even remember Jaxon was in the wedding party for most of the night.”

“Excuse me? I’ve just finished with the groom and would like to begin photos with the bride,” the photographer said, lifting her camera as if she needed to prove who she was. “That means you’re going to need to come in out of the hall as well, Miss Maid of Honor.” The older woman waggled a finger at her as if Adrianna had done something wrong.

Adrianna reached behind her and twisted the door knob, letting it swing inward for the photographer and her assistant to walk into the master suite.

“Kailey wanted to do photos out on the balcony,” Adrianna said without looking at the woman. “What do I tell her you wanted?” She asked once the photographer was inside.

“Just tell her I loveher.”

“I hate lying.”

He beamed at her. “It’s not a lie. I do love my baby girl, and you should tell her that, on this final day of her being my babygirl.”

Laughing, she hugged Mr. Donovan. “This is going to bite me in the ass if I ever get married, butokay.”

Shaking her head, she stepped back in the room, closing the door behindher.

“What did my dad want?” Kailey asked from behind an elegant bouquet of white roses.

“Just for me to tell you how much he lovesyou.”

She watched as Kailey’s smile shifted from forced for the photo, to genuine happiness. There’s got to be a certain ring in hell for people who lie to their best friends – let alone for people who lie to brides.

“I wish he’d come in,” Kailey said, a slight trace of sadness in her voice.

“He will see you when it’s time to walk down the aisle. For now, why don’t we let the photographer do her job of creating those elegant memories you wanted.”

Kailey wrapped her arms around Adrianna in a hug when she got close enough. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m fairly positive you’re the only reason everyone is still alive in thisroom.”

She chuckled, “I don’t think I can take all that credit, but just slip me one of the fancy presents you don’t want and we will call iteven.”

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