Read Online Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Caper by Patricia McLinn - Free Book Online

suspicion hit K.D. “This dress isn’t —”
    “No, no,” Rose said. “Your guess that they were describing me is right, but I’m not the only one who came right up to the moment before I realized I’d planned to marry the wrong man. But that’s one dress Anne doesn’t still have.”
    “It was a mess,” said Anne.
    “You had to—?”
    “Get rid of it? Not at all. Anne made it as good as new. It was always the right dress for me. I just had to trust my heart to tell me who was the right groom for me.”
    Anne straightened. “Okay, I’m ready to take this off you, K.D.”
    “Good, I have to feed her samples of the hors d’oeuvres,” said Julie.
    “Anything you make,” K.D. said. “I’m still dreaming about those samples from yesterday.”
    “Of course,” Anne said, as if she hadn’t heard that interchange, “there is another kind of bride, and just because we haven’t had any other brides have a pretend wedding, then come back for the real thing with the same groom, doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”

 
    CHAPTER TWELVE
     
    W ith the fitting complete, Julie led them to the kitchen, where Andrew was keeping the men from sampling the appetizer they’d created.
    “It’s our twist on pigs in a blanket,” Julie said, passing the platter around. She smiled at Andrew over her shoulder. “Just for fun.”
    “Finally,” grumbled Tyce. “Food. I’m starving.”
    “Wait. Not yet. I want you all to try it at the same time. It looks like what you’d expect on the outside, but that’s only a cover story for what’s really going on inside. Just like you two.” She smiled at K.D. and Eric. “Okay, now.”
    There was silence, then soft moans of pleasure. Before those had faded, hands were reaching for seconds.
    “But what do you think?” Julie asked.
    Andrew put an arm around her shoulders. “Empty platter in ten seconds flat. And look at their faces. There’s your answer.”
    “The pastry —”
    “—melts right into that amazing sauce, against the crisp—“
    “—of —
is
that a basil leaf you’ve wrapped around —
    “—that incredible meat — that’s no hot dog.”
    “No it’s my special sausage, with a little twist I wanted to try. What do you think? Shall I add it to the menu?”
    “As far as I’m concerned, this should be the entire menu,” said Eric. “Piles and piles of these little guys.”
    “Amen,” said Tyce. “Do you have another platter stashed away somewhere?”
    Julie chuckled. “Sorry, no. But I’ll get on it this afternoon so we have them for tomorrow. But you are going to have to eat other things.”
    “Twist my arm,” Tyce said.
    “So,” Rose said, and by the way everyone else turned to her, K.D. knew this was her down-to-business voice, “the menu is set, the dress is on track, the flowers —?”
    “All set,” Phoebe said.
    “Good. Music?”
    “Check,” Tyce said. “Once I axed Eric’s Most-Depressing-Wedding-Ever suggestions.”
    “I still like Your Cheating Heart and Love Stinks,” Eric protested, drawing chuckles.
    “And Ella told me she’s all set. I think we have everything covered— No. No, we don’t.” Rose’s right hand touched her left. “Rings.”
    “
Rings
,” echoed several more voices.
    Eric cut her a look. “More shopping.” His words recalled their differences, but also their camaraderie yesterday.
    “But not around here,” she said. “We don’t want anyone seeing us buying rings.”
    “Good point. We’ll go across the bridge.”
    Rose consulted her watch. “You better go now. If you don’t find something this afternoon, you won’t have much time tomorrow. K.D. has her final fitting in the morning and we need everyone ready to go at 4 p.m., right after our last client appointment.”
    ****
    I t was a beautiful afternoon for a drive out of San Francisco. Except for all the other drivers who’d decided the same thing.
    Eric drove safely, yet at ease. She’d seen too many drivers — male and female —