Page 58 of The Runaway Bride's Vow

It wasn’t his fault she didn’t say anything about the wedding date or the house. There was plenty of time for her to speak up. It wasn’t like he planned the wedding all on his own. He hadn’t rushed things along. It just worked out that way.

This wasn’t all on him. She was the one who took off.

It was his day off from the fire department. He really wished it was a work day because he’d have things to do to take his mind off Brooke’s words. And he didn’t have Kaylie, because she’d just left with her mother to visit an amusement park for a couple of days.

All of that left him climbing the walls. Was it his fault the wedding didn’t happen? No. He was the one who had been waiting at the altar. She was the one who had left. And yet there was something in her emails that chewed at him.

He was going to drive himself nuts if he stayed at home parsing her words. He needed someone to assure him he had nothing to do with Brooke’s cold feet. His first thought was to go see Dylan, but then he recalled his friend had gone on a road trip.

There was his mother, but she was working until that evening. And then his thoughts turned to Clara. She knew both him and Brooke. Clara had been involved with every aspect of the wedding plans. She would be able to give him the perspective he needed.

He headed out the door and jumped into his pickup. He headed for the offices of the Perky Pink Wedding Company. It wasn’t until he’d pulled into a parking spot out front that he realized he should have called before driving all of that way. With Clara being a wedding planner, it was quite possible she wouldn’t be in the office.

Still, he was there so he might as well see if she was available. He got out and took long strides toward the office. When he tried the door and it opened, he breathed easier.

A young woman looked up from the front desk. A big smile covered her face, and unlike Brooke’s smiles, it didn’t fill him with warmth. He’d never seen this woman before and he was in no mood to smile.

“Hello. Can I help you?” the young woman asked.

“I’m here to see Clara.”

“Do you have an appointment?” When he shook his head, the woman checked something on her computer. “I’m afraid she has meetings all morning. Could you come back later this afternoon?”

He shook his head. “That will be too late.”

The young woman’s brows rose as her eyes filled with unspoken questions. He preferred not to elaborate on his comment.

She pursed her lips as she stared at the computer monitor. Then she picked up the phone and pressed a button. Softly she said, “There’s a gentleman here to see you. I told him you were booked this morning, but it seems important.” There was a pause, and then the young woman looked at him. “What’s your name?”

“Logan.” And then realizing that Clara might deal with other Logans he added, “Montgomery.”

The woman repeated it into the phone. When she hung up, she turned to him but before she could get a word out, Clara’s office door opened. She stepped out. “Logan, please come in.”

He glanced at the young woman. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She flashed him another bright smile.

Once inside Clara’s office, he shut the door. “I’m sorry to bother you.”

“It’s not a problem. I have a few minutes before my next appointment.” She moved behind her desk and sat down. “What can I help you with?”

“Have you heard from Brooke?”

Clara nodded. “She called me. She apologized and said she would be back for work next week, as planned. Have you heard from her?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s been emailing me.”

Clara’s brows rose. “Really?”

He nodded. “She tried explaining why she left.”

“I see.” Clara pursed her lips together, as though to contain her questions.

“She said the wedding was too soon for her. Did she say anything about this to you?”

Clara hesitated. “She did ask if there were any openings in the calendar for late in the year or early next year but I told her we were booked for the next year.”

So, she had tried to delay the wedding. He wasn’t sure what to do with this new information. “Why didn’t she say something to me?”

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