Read Online No Reservations by Stephanie Julian - Free Book Online Page B

anytime soon.
    Those two were so in love, it made her ache to be in their proximity. And it had shown
     her what she’d be missing if she’d settled for Arnie.
    Dropping her head in her palms, she groaned, wondering when the hell she’d gotten
     so far off track with her life.
    She’d had such amazing plans. Finish college. Move to New York or Philadelphia or
     Chicago, maybe even LA. Snag an apprenticeship with one of the costume companies working
     for the stage. Work her way up to designer.
    Have a career. Build a life away from small-town Pennsylvania.
    Then her mom had died and she’d been frozen with grief.
    Like tonight, she’d been afraid to move on.
    She wanted to kick her own ass. She wanted Tyler to open the door and not take no
     for an answer.
    But she knew he’d never force her into doing anything without getting her consent
     first.
    And she’d told him no tonight.
    At least, she’d made it clear that she’d needed space.
    When maybe that’s not at all what she’d wanted.
    “Argh!”
    Her frustration ate away at her fear. And she really wanted to talk to Annabelle.
    Picking up her phone, she typed in Hey. What’s up?
    But she erased it before she hit send.
    Damn it, she didn’t want to be Needy Best Friend.
    With a sigh, she trudged into the gorgeous bedroom, figuring if she told herself long
     enough she was tired, she actually would be.
    Lying on the bed, she closed her eyes—
    And jolted awake from a dead sleep when her phone blared “Marry You.”
    Fumbling around, she finally snared the obnoxious device and answered with a smoky,
     “Hello?”
    “Oh, thank God! Kate. You gotta get here as soon as possible. It’s a disaster.”
    The panicked voice on the other end made Kate fly up into a sitting position. “Talia?
     Is that you?”
    “Of course it’s me. Who else would be calling you at six thirty on a Saturday morning
     before I’ve had my coffee and right before
the biggest wedding of my career
!”
    Uh-oh.
“Please tell me it’s not a problem with the dress.”
    Talia Driscoll laughed maniacally and Kate cringed as she threw off the covers and
     ran for her overnight bag.
    “I could tell you that but it wouldn’t be true. I need you here. Five minutes ago.”
    “Oh shit.” Kate froze, hands tightening on her jeans as pictures of the wedding dress
     she’d custom made for one Margaret Mary Shanahan flipped through her mind.
    Daughter of Pennsylvania senator Daniel Shanahan. Daughter of old steel money courtesy
     of Daniel Shanahan’s wife, Tracy Carnegie Shanahan. And yes, she meant those Carnegies.
    Her throat felt as dry as the Sahara and her stomach had clenched into a painful ball.
     “How bad is it?”
    Talia didn’t answer right away and Kate thought she might puke. “Not quite apocalypse
     but definitely Armageddon.”
    “Shit.” Kate put the phone on speaker and put it on the bed as she threw on clothes.
     “I’m not at home. I’ll be there in an hour. Can you deal with it until then?”
    Meaning could she deal with an already jittery bride who really was a sweet girl but
     tended to crumble into complete meltdown at the first sign of trouble?
    Talia groaned. “Oh God. I need a drink. And I don’t mean coffee. Just get here as
     soon as you can. I will pay any and all speeding tickets or I will have Daddy Shanahan
     wipe them clean. Kate—”
    “Don’t panic,” Kate jumped in, knowing exactly what Talia was about to say. This was
     way too big a deal for them to have something screw it up. “I’m on my way.”
    She hung up before Talia could say another word and reached for the bedside phone.
    “Good morning, Kate. Did you sleep well?”
    She shivered in response to that voice even as she told herself she didn’t have the
     time for it. “I need to be in Reading as fast as possible.”
    A slight pause. “Give me five minutes.”
    When the phone clicked in her ear, she sat, blinking at it. Anyone else would have
     badgered her with questions.
    Five