Page 55 of Under His Touch

I busy myself, checking on the photographer, flowers, table settings, minister and everything else. It’s the only way I can get the image of Alec with his arms wrapped around Sara out of my mind. Soon enough the guests begin to arrive, and I hide in the back and help Amanda in the kitchen. Even though I’m probably more of a nuisance than an assistant. She’s got this catering thing down to a science and everything is warming in chafing dishes.

“Stop worrying about me,” I say to Amanda, when I catch her watching me from the corner of her eye.

“Okay, okay,” she says, and turns her attention to plating the hors d’oeuvres. I check my watch and leave the kitchen when I spot Sara, her maid of honor, Jessica, and Aunt Jeannie and Uncle Dave pull up in a limo. I swallow down the knot in my throat as she waves to me and I put on my best happy face.

Looking gorgeous and radiant in her ball gown, the one I picked for her, she comes toward me. “We need to get you inside,” I say. “We can’t let the groom see you.” A groom I’ve been avoiding all day. I know he’s here, I feel his presence, can almost smell his hypnotizing scent. I usher Sara and Jessica inside the country club, while her mom and dad head off to mingle before the ceremony begins in less than fifteen minutes.

“We need to talk,” Sara says to me, the seriousness in her tone sending sparks of worry down my spine. “Jessica, do you mind. I need to talk to Megan alone.”

“No problem,” Jessica says, and steps away, her pretty lavender dress swishing as she turns.

Sara puts her hands on my shoulders. “I can’t go through with this,” she says. “In fact, I never ever planned to go through with it. I didn’t even think things would go this far.”

I shake my head, incredulous. “What are you talking about? You’re here, you’re dressed.” I wave my hand toward the window. “Alec is outside waiting for you.”

“You don’t understand,” she says, shaking her head, almost panicked. “I never wanted to marry him.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose as the room spins around me. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t need to be married to make partner. I made that up.”

“Sara, you’re losing me.”

“This you’ll understand. He’s in love with someone else. He always has been.”

“Sara—”

“Why do you think I had you go dress shopping for me? Why do you think I went away for so long, or texted you to tell you I was sleeping with someone else? I wanted to wake you the hell up, so you’d see what that man means to you and vice versa. I thought spending time together would do it, but you’re both so stubborn and dense.”

I back up, stumble a bit and grab the nearest chair. “You set all that up on purpose.”

“Of course. I wanted you two together. Heck, everyone knows you two belong together.”

“Sara,” I say. “I saw you two last night. I saw you in his arms. I went to Alec’s apartment to talk to him and I saw you two together in his bedroom.”

Her head jerks back, her eyes wide in surprise, then she laughs. “I seduced him last night.” My stomach knots, and I place my hand over it, fearing I’m going to be sick. “I did it to prove a point.”

I shake my head, unable to wrap my brain around all the things she’s saying to me. “He pushed me away, Megan. He rejected me because he’s in love with you. I kissed him on purpose, to show him we have nothing together. I jumped in and said I’d be his wife, because I didn’t want him marrying some schoolteacher or librarian or anyone but you. He loves you, Megan, and you need to be the one walking down that aisle.” She reaches behind her head and begins to unbutton her dress.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Changing clothes with you.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Of course, I am. Now go out there, and show that man you love him. Isn’t that how it’s done in those romance movies you watch?”

“It’s called the grand gesture, and for the record, I knew he loved her,” Amanda says from behind me.

I spin to face her, catch her grin. God this is all happening too fast, I don’t even have time to think it through. Amanda comes up and starts unbuttoning my dress, and the next thing I know, before I can even catch my breath, or get a word out, I’m being zipped up in Sara’s wedding dress.

“This is insane,” I say. “I can’t do this. He’s expecting you.”

“And he’ll be thrilled when he lifts this veil and finds you behind it,” Sara says.

My heart beats like I’ve just had a triple shot of espresso. Could Sara be right? Does Alec love me? “He said he didn’t believe in love or even want a family. Those are all the things I want.”

“He wants it, he just doesn’t know it,” Sara explains. “You’re going to show him he does. Now stop overthinking this.”

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