Team Bride

by Valerie Comer

  The guy grinned at her. “See you at the front.”

  What a flirt. Sarah tried to wipe the smile off her face, but failed.

  Chapter 2

  Corbin rocked on his heels. “Team Groom is all over it. Right guys?”

  Heath high-fived him. “I’ll get a ladder.”

  Yeah, Corbin attended church over in Castlebrook. It wasn’t much farther to drive than Riverbend. At any rate, he had no clue where River of Life kept mundane equipment like ladders. He jogged over to Sarah where she stood on a chair holding a bundle of autumn leaves against the wall. “Your knight in shining armor,” he quipped as he stretched up. “How high do you want this?”

  She glanced down at him, closer than she’d been since he’d escorted her out of the sanctuary after rehearsal. What kind of perfume was she wearing? Not that he knew one from the other, but this was a pleasant kind of tickle. Or maybe not so pleasant.

  He dropped the leaves and averted his face just in time to aim his sneeze at his shoulder instead of on her. Oh man. Way to make an impression. He buried his nose in the crook of his arm before two more sneezes erupted in rapid succession.

  “Excuse me,” he gasped. This could not be happening. Cutest girl in forever, and he was allergic to her? Well, her perfume. How did a guy politely ask her to leave that at home? And what about when he married her and her home was his? Could she forego scents forever?

  Corbin pinched the bridge of his nose and backed away. His thoughts might be as recalcitrant as pigs escaped from the pen, but hey, it never hurt to daydream a little. One day, surely, he’d meet the right woman. Why not today?

  Achoo.

  “You okay?” Sarah’s pretty face puckered into a frown.

  “Fine.” He backed up another step.

  “Are you coming down with something? If you were one of my kids, I’d make you stay home for a day or two.”

  One of her kids? No. Couldn’t be. She was the maid of honor, not the matron. She was too young to have kids that would be going anywhere.

  She burst out laughing, the sound as pleasant a burble as a hen who’d just laid an egg. “I’m a teacher, Corbin. If you could only see your face.”

  He never could hide anything he was thinking. “A teacher, eh? That explains it. You had me wondering for a minute there.” His nose twitched, and he took another step back. Not good. So not good.

  “Dude. You all right?” Heath stood there with a stepladder and a concerned expression.

  “Sort of.”

  “You allergic to something?” Heath glanced around. “Autumn leaves? Pretty girls?”

  Sarah grinned.

  Corbin had to say it. “Perfume.”

  The smirk wiped off her face. “Mine?”

  “I think so. Sometimes I can handle scents okay, but some really seem to irritate more than others.”

  “So you’re saying common sense is fine...”

  Corbin blinked and stared up at her. Was she punning?

  Heath slapped his hand to his leg. “Good one, Sarah.”

  “Thanks.” She smirked at him, eyes twinkling. “I try.”

  Hey, she was supposed to be looking at Corbin that way, not the guy with the ladder. Unless maybe they were already an item? But then Nick and Lindsey would have paired them together in the wedding party, wouldn’t they? He shook his head. Enough speculating.

  “Hey, I’m sorry. I’ll leave it off for the wedding tomorrow. The school is a no-perfume zone, so I’m used to not smelling nice.” Sarah eyed him uncertainly. “Maybe I get carried away when I get the chance to spritz some on.”

  Corbin couldn’t help it. “And here I thought teachers had to have sense.”

  Heath high-fived him.

  “Can we get those leaves up, guys?” called Lindsey. “Some of us would like to get some sleep yet tonight.”

  “Yeah, ’cause you sure won’t get any tomorrow.” Corbin laughed then looked around at the shaking heads. “Well, it’s true. Er, I imagine it must be true. I’ve never had a wedding night—” Time to shut his mouth. It had a habit of running on without him. He glanced at Lindsey’s red face. “Never mind.”

  Heath climbed up and secured the autumn leaves while the women stacked the rest of the decorations on a few tables.

  “Thanks for getting the stuff that needed a ladder,” Nick said. “The church women will be in first thing in the morning to set up the rest. They couldn’t do it earlier because of the Golden Agers luncheon here this afternoon.”

  “There’s still some pizza and pop in the ready room, if anyone’s still hungry.” Lindsey grinned at Corbin. “Or is hungry again.”

  “That’d be me.” Corbin looked at Sarah. “I think you promised to have pizza with me out on the fire escape.”

  She planted both hands on her slender hips. “I said nothing of the sort. Besides, being near me makes you sneeze.”

  “I can live with it if you can.”

  Sarah tilted her head to one side. “Trying to enjoy pizza while sitting next to someone who sneezes every thirty seconds? Excuse me if that doesn’t sound like my idea of a fun time.”

  Ouch. And he tried so hard to be the life of the party, too.

  “You can wash off enough of it that he can handle it, Sarah.” Lindsey hip-checked her friend. “Seriously. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Corbin? Especially on the fire escape. Sounds like a hot date.”

  “Only if there’s a fire.” Heath managed to keep a straight face.

  “Thanks, dude,” Corbin muttered.

  “Any time. And besides, Sarah, there’s a good breeze out there. Sit upwind of Corbin, and you should be fine.”

  “And exactly why would I want to do that, anyway?”

  Lindsey laughed. “Isn’t there some kind of tradition about the best man and maid of honor getting together?”

  One of the bridesmaids giggled. “I thought that was the ring bearer and the flower girl. Did you see that darling video on YouTube about how they met years later and got married?”

  “I’ve been a ring bearer a time or two. Some of those flower girls were pretty cute.”

  “Bet you made a move on them, too, Corbin.” Lindsey laughed. “I doubt you’ve changed all that much since you were five.”

  “Hey now. I resemble that remark. But it’s hard dating when your parents have to drive you, and you’re too short to get on the good rides at the fair.”

  Too bad that joke didn’t make Sarah smile. He leaned closer. “Were you ever a flower girl?”

  She stepped aside. “Once. Not so fun.”

  “Bridesmaid?”

  “Corbin...” Lindsey gave him a look meant to quell.

  But why? He looked back at Sarah. “A gorgeous woman like you must’ve been on Team Bride a dozen times.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “I don’t know where you get that name from.”

  “Does it matter? I think it’s fun. One for all and all for one and all that.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.” Wait. Had she diverted the conversation away from past weddings? A mystery. “What do you say, pizza on the fire escape?”

  “And you don’t give up.”

  He quirked his eyebrows. “Also true.” If she ditched her perfume, he’d be happy to focus his attention right here for the rest of his life.

  He took a step back. Whoa, Morrissey. Really? But why not? He was ready, too. Ready to take his spot at the head of Team Groom and then never join another one.

  * * *

  The River of Life Church actually had a fire escape. Sarah guessed she’d never been around the entire building. Sure, there was a four-story wing back there with offices and meeting rooms and all. She’d never looked out the windows or wondered about where that door led. The wide interior staircase worked just fine.

  She glanced at the tall guy sitting beside her. She’d agreed to this why? Because he wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’d even tried to remove some of the perfume so h
e wouldn’t sneeze. Seemed to have worked.

  Corbin held out a napkin with a slice of pizza on it. “I know you didn’t have time to get much earlier.”

  “Thanks.” Sarah accepted it. “True. And I skipped lunch.”

  “You’re not fat.”

  She pulled back and stared at him. “What?”

  “Isn’t that why women skip meals?”

  “I was on playground duty and had a bully to keep an eye on.”

  “Oh. Sorry. I guess I jumped to conclusions.”

  Yeah, she guessed he did. Good grief. “Healthy appetite here, no worries. I’m not a health freak. I ride my bike a lot because I enjoy it. Plus I like real food.” She held up the slice. “I can’t believe Lindsey let Nick do pizza.”

  Corbin laughed. “I don’t think the bride is supposed to cater rehearsal dinner even if she’s a chef, so she had to give Nick some freedom. I’m pretty fond of real food myself. I can even cook. Maybe I should swing by the school and bring you lunch when you’re on playground duty.”

  Did the guy’s mouth never stop? “I usually take a lunch, but the teacher who was scheduled for playground had a migraine, so I took her place. On the one day I’d planned to sneak over to Loco-To-Go for a sandwich.” She took a big bite of the pizza and closed her eyes with a sigh.

  “Here. Let me.”

  She felt something wipe at her chin, and her eyes sprang open. Seriously, the guy was mopping up a drip of tomato sauce? She couldn’t even eat neatly. “Um, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. You get something at Loco-To-Go often? I’m one of their suppliers.”

  “Really? That’s cool. What do you sell them?”

  “Chicken. Eggs. We can never decide which comes first.” He tipped his head to one side.

  “I’m always looking for places to take my class on field trips.”

  His grin remained stable. “I’m sure there are more interesting places. Want me to think of some?”

  She reached for the bottle of pop. “Do you never give up?”

  Corbin leaned a bit closer. “Not very easily.”

  “Well, I’m a happy single, okay?” She took a swig of pop. “Not looking for a relationship at the moment, either permanent or temporary. Sorry to disappoint.”

  “You’re not looking at the moment? I can wait. You might change your mind by tomorrow.”

  Seriously? Sarah wadded up her napkin and slammed the lid of the pizza box. She surged to her feet on the narrow fire escape. “Thanks for keeping me company while I ate.”

  “My pleasure.”

  He didn’t even bother following her up the stairs. She reached for the handle, but there wasn’t one. The door was securely shut. She whirled. “You knew this would happen.”

  “Knew what?”

  “You don’t need to sound so smug. You know what I mean.”

  “It’s shut? I stuck a sandal in it to keep it open.”

  Sarah glared down the metal steps. “Sure you did. The door’s locked.”

  Corbin lifted a sandaled foot then a bare one. “Promise.”

  “Great.” Sarah glanced at her watch. Already ten-thirty, and she was due for hair and makeup at seven in the morning. “Well, wave your magic wand then. This isn’t funny.”

  He tugged his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at it. “Oops. Dead.”

  And hers was in her purse in the ready room. How much better could this night get? She looked out at the huge field behind the church. Likely no one lived within yelling distance, and the escape stopped a story above the ground. If she sprained her ankle jumping, she’d be hobbling at the wedding.

  “Kidding.”

  Sarah stared down at him. “What do you mean?”

  He flashed her a grin. “It’s not dead. I was just messing with you.” He punched some buttons. “I’ll give Nick a call. I’d rather bug him than Pastor Davis, and I’m not sure who else has a key to the building.”

  Even from half a flight of stairs away, Sarah heard Nick laughing through the cell. Corbin swiped the phone back off. “He’s still in his office and will rescue us in a minute.”

  Sarah narrowed her gaze and tapped her foot. “Sounds suspicious. Do you think he took your shoe out of the door?”

  “Oh, now you believe that I wasn’t that thoughtless?”

  She was thankful the darkness covered the burn on her face. “Um, I guess. You’re stranded, too.”

  “But I admit to not minding being stranded with a pretty woman.”

  “Stop flirting. Just turn it off already.” A metallic click came from behind her and she whirled as the door opened.

  “Everything all right out here?” Nick’s head poked around.

  “Fine now, thank you.” Sarah brushed past him and down the corridor.

  “Dude,” came Nick’s voice. “I give you a golden opportunity and you can’t even keep her from getting mad at you?”

  Great. All she needed was to be ganged up on. She jogged down the stairs to get her stuff and go home. Knight in shining armor indeed. He’d needed someone else to rescue him.

  Chapter 3

  Somehow Corbin got through the ceremony. Sarah avoided eye contact while she strolled down the aisle looking like a million bucks in that burnt orange knee-length dress. She’d given him enough space to herd a dozen chickens through while watching him sign the register as a witness to the marriage. When he’d rested his hand on the back of the chair while she was writing her name in a neat script, she’d leaned forward, well out of easy reach.

  But Nick and Lindsey had just spent five minutes kissing at the front of the church and been declared married. They faced the audience, beaming and waving. The recessional march began, and the newlyweds strode toward the back of the church.

  This was the moment Corbin had been waiting for. He marched the three steps toward the center aisle and held out his bent elbow for Sarah. She took it without meeting his gaze. He tightened his arm against his side and leaned over. “You look great.”

  Sarah’s chin came up slightly. “Thank you.”

  The musical cue came and they stepped off the platform toward the back of the church. The rustle of fabric and muffled footsteps behind him assured him that the other two couples were right behind them. As acting leader of Team Groom, he needed to know that.

  They swished through into the foyer where Nick and Lindsey had resumed kissing. Corbin glanced at Sarah, who seemed to be watching the newlyweds. “Aren’t you going to tell me I clean up good?”

  Her jaw clenched. “Well. You clean up well.”

  He chuckled. “Good to know. You should be a teacher.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh, wait. You are.”

  She whirled to face him, her dress flaring around her knees, and pulled her hand away from his tightened hold. “Can you please stop this right now? How many times, in how many ways, do I need to tell you I am not interested? Can we simply be here for Lindsey and Nick today and then forget we ever met each other?”

  Was he really that annoying? On the other hand, was she really such a spoilsport? “Can’t you simply play along and have a good time for a few hours? Is that too much to ask?”

  “If you mean, will I pretend an attraction to you, the answer is no. That’s not in my skill set.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Meet me in the middle?”

  “Hey, everyone, get in line. The ushers are letting the guests out now. Time to play nice and pretend not to hate each other.” Lindsey glared daggers at him.

  “No hate here.” Corbin touched the small of Sarah’s back to direct her to her spot in the receiving line.

  Sarah stumbled into Lindsey’s arms and they hugged for a minute, rocking back and forth. Lindsey’s narrowed gaze met Corbin’s over Sarah’s shoulder. “Be nice,” she mouthed.

  He shrugged. He was doing the best he could.

  Nick’s parents and Lindsey’s step dad joined them, and the group spread into a line as they’d practiced last night. Soon Corbin had been hugged by at leas
t forty middle-aged women, many of them smelling extravagantly floral and having exceedingly large bosoms.

  He leaned closer to Sarah when there was a gap. “Remind me to elope.”

  “Have fun with that.” She shifted away.

  “What do you mean? You can’t seriously want a big hoopla like this. Think of all the perfume that could have been poured on Jesus’ feet instead of worn here.”

  She actually met his gaze for a split second. “You haven’t been sneezing.”

  “No, I took a double dose of allergy meds to forestall the worst of it.”

  “Good thinking.”

  He allowed a slow grin to spread across his face. “That sounded suspiciously like a compliment.”

  “Get over it.” She rolled her eyes. “Look, the crowd seems to have thinned out. Now I guess we have two hours of photos before the reception.”

  Two hours of posing beside Sarah for posterity. How tragic. He could stick a photo in a frame on the wall for a while, then the batch would go in his Team Groom box where mementoes from weddings gone by resided. Twice a ring bearer, twice a groomsman, now twice a best man.

  Oh come on, Morrissey. Shove the dark thoughts aside. One of these days you’ll meet the one, and you’ll both know it.

  Too bad it wasn’t Sarah, though. She had plenty of spunk when she chose to show it. How had he gotten off on the wrong foot with her again?

  * * *

  The photo shoot and sit-down reception dragged. At least during the meal Sarah sat between Lindsey and her teenage sister, Madison, who was totally thrilled to be a bridesmaid even though she’d really wanted a pink dress, not deep orange. Sarah heard about the drama of it all. And the bride, of course, was understandably distracted by the dashing man seated on the other side of her.

  Just a few more hours, and it would all be over. So far it hadn’t been as horrible as she’d feared. The zipper on her dress hadn’t split open. She hadn’t tripped in the aisle and fallen. She hadn’t dropped the bouquets or Nick’s wedding ring. No one had had any reason to stare at her. Or laugh.