Click on image to enlarge.

Category: Romance
Description: by Arline Chase Novella. A bride learns while hundres of guests wait in the church that the groom has betrayed her. Does she go through with it? ISBN 1-59431-877-3 Romance / novella Also Available in RTF and HTML formats CHAPTER 1 This should be the most beautiful day of my life. My wedding day. More than 500 people are forgoing their Sunday dinners to wish me well. I stand in the anteroom of the church, watching my mother fuss with the veil and wish that I could run, hide, find some kind of way out of this mess. My father, looking proud in his tuxedo, is waiting to escort me down the aisle and give me to Patrick O'Leary. In another room, Pat is waiting with the priest. And Tony will be there too. Tony --the best man. I laugh aloud at my mental joke, and even to my own ears the sound is bitter. The bridesmaids are clustered in the cloakroom next door: Sandy, Ruth Ann, Betty, Nan ... and Sadie. I take a deep breath and think about Sadie. My best friend in all the world. I don't realize I'm shaking until Mom takes my hands. "Rosemary, look at you! Channel Three's best nightly newscaster, and you're trembling at the thought of saying a few words in public. Never mind. All brides are nervous." "I can't do it, Mom. I'm scared. No, really I--" "Nonsense. Sit down and I'll do your hair." I try to find a way to perch on the bench without getting creases in the heavy train of my satin wedding gown, close my eyes, and think about how hard Mom has worked to prepare for this wedding. Both my parents adore Patrick. They are living testimony to his charm. I wonder if they've noticed how he uses that charm to gain his own ends. Boyishly handsome, eager and winning, Pat is a man that women find it difficult to say no to. I've known that all along. His old girlfriends were always popping up while we were dating. Giving Pat knowing glances and me wary looks. If sometimes he smiled back, I was too caught up in the rush to care. But I have to face it now. "Rosemary, don't you dare cry! You'll spoil your makeup." My mother's voice is sharp as she pats my cheek with a tissue. How can I go through with this? How can I not?
eBook Publisher: ebooksonthe.net/ebooksonthe.net, 2010 ebook
eBookwise Release Date: December 2010

2 Reader Ratings:

Great	Good	OK	Poor

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [31 KB]
Words: 5126
Reading time: 14-20 min.

Chapter 1

This should be the most beautiful day of my life. My wedding day. More than 200 people are forgoing their Sunday dinners to wish me well. I stand in the anteroom of the church, watching my mother fuss with the veil and wish that I could run, hide, find some kind of way out of this mess.

My father, looking proud in his tuxedo, is waiting to escort me down the aisle and give me to Patrick O'Leary. In another room, Pat is waiting with the priest. And Tony will be there too. Tony the best man. I laugh aloud at my mental joke, and even to my own ears the sound is bitter.

The bridesmaids are clustered in the cloakroom next door: Sandy, Ruth Ann, Betty, Nan ... and Sadie. I take a deep breath and think about Sadie. My best friend in all the world.

I don't realize I'm shaking until Mom takes my hands. "Rosemary, look at you! Channel Three's best nightly newscaster, and you're trembling at the thought of saying a few words in public. Never mind. All brides are nervous."

"I can't do it, Mom. I'm scared. No, really I--"