Runaway Bride

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “This has nothing to do with Josh. That was twelve years ago. I have moved on since then.”

  “Then why won’t you date anyone? You have so much to offer someone. Why not at least give Mark a chance? He’s a good guy.”

  Sandy thought about telling her friend the truth, to explain why Josh ended the engagement with her, but even as close as she was to her best friend, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

  “Chris and I are going to Lexie’s engagement party,” Caitlyn began, “and we’d like to pick you and Mark up. It’ll be very informal, so you shouldn’t think of it as a date. Just talk and get to know him. If things work out, that’s totally awesome. If they don’t,” she shrugged, “then they don’t.”

  “Alright,” Sandy agreed. There wouldn’t be any harm in that. “As long as he doesn’t know what you’re trying to do, I’ll go along with it.”

  “Deal.”

  “Now, what would you like to eat?”

  “The usual. A cheeseburger and fries.”

  “Do you want chocolate on the fries?”

  “No, thankfully.” Caitlyn shivered. “I know I go through periods where I want chocolate on almost everything, but I’m happy to say that isn’t the case today.”

  With an amused grin, Sandy stood up. “I see no harm in chocolate when it’s on pie, cake, or in cookies. Want dessert?”

  “I guess a slice of pie can’t hurt.”

  “Not with everything else you’ve been eating,” Sandy teased. “I’ll tell Jack what you want when he gets back and in the meantime, I’ll get you some pie.”

  ***

  On Friday, Chris walked into the employee’s lounge. “Hi, Mark.”

  Mark glanced up from his cup as he poured coffee in it. Chris walked further into the room and put his hands in his pockets. Noting the way Chris rocked on the balls of his feet, Mark’s eyebrows furrowed. “Is there something you want to talk to me about?”

  “Yeah,” Chris replied. “How did you know?”

  Mark hid his grin. It was easy to read Chris’ expressions, but he didn’t think his friend would like knowing how transparent he was. “Just a hunch.”

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  Mark placed the coffee pot down and added some sugar to his coffee. “What is it?”

  “Is Lexie still going to marry the doctor?”

  “The doctor has a name,” he replied with a chuckle.

  “Yeah, I know, but it’s hard to remember what it is since Caitlyn’s mom always calls him ‘the doctor.’”

  “His name is Nick.”

  “Right. Well, is she still going to marry him?”

  “You’re going to her engagement party. You tell me.”

  “I thought you were… That is to say…” With a sigh, he shrugged. “Anyway, Caitlyn wondered if you’d like to go to Lexie’s engagement party.”

  The invitation came at the perfect time. Mark had been wondering how he could show up at her engagement party. His plan had been to call her to ask about the movie they saw and work in an invite during the conversation, but if he went with Chris and Caitlyn, then he didn’t have to do that. He could show up and it would seem natural. Lexie was close to realizing Nick was all wrong for her. The next time he talked to her, he hoped she would admit she didn’t want to be with Nick, and even better, she’d realize she was meant to be with him instead.

  Turning to Chris, Mark nodded. “Sure, I’ll go. When is it?”

  “Tomorrow at noon. Caitlyn and I will be by around 11:40 to pick you up?” Chris asked.

  “Sounds good. Thanks, Chris.” He checked his watch, noting it was time to get to work. “I’ll see you at lunch.” Excited, he left the lounge. The next time he saw Lexie, everything between them would change.

  ***

  Lexie drummed her fingers absentmindedly. Across from her at her parents’ kitchen table, her mother worked on the seating chart for the wedding reception.

  “We can’t have your Aunt Trista sit next to your Aunt Lora. Those two are still arguing over who was more popular in high school,” her mom commented. “You’d think at this stage in the game, they’d be beyond high school, but they never did move on from the past. The petty things some people worry about.”

  Lexie forced aside the urge to roll her eyes. Her mother had her petty moments as well but didn’t see them. As her mother continued agonizing over every wedding guest and where they would sit, she looked at the engagement ring on her finger. Why was it that the closer she got to her wedding day, the heavier the thing felt? Was this something she really wanted to do? Marriage was a huge decision, a lifetime commitment. Did she want to spend the rest of her life with Nick?

  “Oh Lexie!”

  Surprised by the excited tone in her mother’s voice, Lexie’s gaze went to her. “What is it?”

  “You’ll never guess who’s coming in for your wedding!” When Lexie didn’t respond, she continued, “Your cousin, Marcia Williams! You know, the one who married the lawyer last year. I remember the way Marcia was bragging about all of the lawyer’s credentials, but he doesn’t save lives like the doctor does. And to be honest, the doctor has more awards.”

  It was on the tip of Lexie’s tongue to mention that her mother was being just as petty as Trista and Lora but kept her mouth shut. She wasn’t really interested in having a debate with her mother over what qualified as “petty” anyway.

  As her mother turned her attention back to the seating chart, Lexie stared out the kitchen window, twirling the engagement ring around her finger. It was a pleasant day. The kind of day she should be spending at the beach. She’d love nothing more than to take another walk along the shore with Mark. She could tell him about the long afternoon with her mother, and he’d listen. Sometimes he seemed like the only person who actually listened to her. Everyone else seemed more interested in telling her how to feel or act. He didn’t pass any judgments and better yet, he was interested in what she wanted.

  “I think… Lexie?”

  Lexie’s gaze went back to her mother. “Hmm?”

  Her mother put her pen down, leaned forward and studied her. “Are you alright?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “You look distracted. Honey, I’m your mother. You can tell me anything.”

  Since she’d already expressed her misgivings about marrying Nick to her mother at the mall, she didn’t know what else to say. As much as she’d like to think that she and Nick would grow to fall in love with each other over time, she was beginning to suspect that the only person Nick was capable of loving was himself. She hated thinking it, but if it was the truth, then didn’t she owe it to herself to admit it?

  Her mother offered her a smile and patted her hand. “I understand you need some time to think. You were always an introspective person. If you want to talk, I’ll be here, even if it’s in the middle of the night.”

  “I know, Mom. You’ve always been there for me.”

  “And I’ll keep being there for you. Just because you’re getting married, it doesn’t mean I’ll stop being your mother.”

  She nodded, and her mother turned back to arranging where everyone would sit. The process ended up lasting an hour. When Lexie finally left the house, she headed for the beach. Out of habit, she turned on the radio, but she didn’t pay much attention to what was playing. Her mind was a jumbled mess. She knew she needed to think through her impending marriage, but it was easier not to and the longer she went without thinking about it, the harder it was to face the future looming before her.

  When she pulled into the parking lot, she realized she had forgotten to bring her beach bag. She sighed. She was having a lot of trouble thinking straight and she suspected that wasn’t going to get better any time soon. She turned off the ignition and got out of the car. Even if she didn’t get a chance to lie down and soak in the sun, she could still go for a relaxing walk.

  She took off her sandals and held them while she made her way to where the water rolled onto the sand. It reminded h
er of that evening when she and Mark went for a walk. She scanned the beach, wondering if he was nearby, but he was nowhere in sight. Disappointed, she continued her walk.

  At one point, she unzipped her purse and grabbed her cell phone. She dialed his phone number but quickly hung up. She couldn’t call him. At least, she shouldn’t. But maybe she could call him and invite him to her engagement party. But it seemed wrong to have him celebrating her engagement to another man.

  With a sigh, she slipped the phone into her purse and zipped it back up. No. She wouldn’t call him. And she wouldn’t invite him to the engagement party. It was just too awkward and it brought up a struggle she didn’t need to think about. Figuring she’d wasted enough time at the beach, she headed back for her car.

  Chapter Ten

  Sandy took another look in the mirror and groaned. She yanked off the headband. It wasn’t working with her long blonde hair today. No matter what hairstyle she tried, her hair didn’t seem to want to stay in place.

  How she hated being fixed up with someone! She never knew what to say or how to act. There seemed to be nothing but a bunch of expectations and she didn’t know what those were. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After she held it for thirty seconds, she slowly released it. The simple action allowed her to calm to the point where she could think clearly.

  Opening her eyes, she examined her reflection. Usually, her wavy hair fell nicely over her shoulders. Usually, when she added hair mousse to it, she had no trouble styling it. Today, however, it didn’t want to cooperate with her, no matter what she did. And of course, it had to be a day when Caitlyn was trying to fix her up with Mark. Why did this kind of thing only happen when there was a man involved?

  Tapping her fingernails on the bathroom counter, she finally decided to put her hair up in a ponytail. She retrieved a green scrunchie that matched her dress and pulled her hair back. Afterwards, she examined her ponytail and decided it was her best option. At least, her hair didn’t look as if she’d just gotten out of bed.

  The doorbell rang and she checked her watch. Great. In addition to having a bad hair day, she was also running late. This didn’t bode well at all for her date. It was going to end badly. She didn’t know how, but it would.

  She turned off her bathroom light and grabbed her purse before she made a beeline for the door. When she opened it, she took in Caitlyn’s immaculate appearance and shook her head.

  “Why is it that you always look perfect?” she asked as she stepped over the threshold and shut the door.

  Caitlyn laughed. “Come on, Sandy. You look awesome.”

  She locked the door and grunted. “Yeah, for a garbage bag.”

  “You’re too hard on yourself. You look fine. You need to think positive if you’re going to enjoy yourself.”

  “Easy for you to say. Your prince dropped out of the sky and married you.”

  Crossing her arms, Caitlyn smiled in amusement. “If memory serves, you thought Chris needed to be hauled off to prison when I first told you he was an alien.”

  “Come on, Caitlyn. Anyone with common sense wouldn’t believe he came from a planet with no women.”

  “And yet he did, and you’ve seen how happy he’s made me.”

  “That’s true, but I still think you’re nuts for having sex with him right away and then taking him home.”

  “It was the bonding ceremony that made me have sex with him. I didn’t leave the diner with the intention of doing all that. Whatever hormone men from his planet have, it’s powerful.”

  “Somehow I find it hard to believe you had to have sex with him.”

  “Well, if things with Mark work out as well as I hope they will, you’ll find out soon enough.”

  Sandy glanced at Caitlyn’s minivan. She saw Chris in the passenger seat but couldn’t tell if Mark was in the back. “He’s not going to try doing a bonding thing with me, is he? Because if that’s the plan, you can count me out. You might be okay with a stranger doing that to you, but I’m not.”

  “Of course, he’s not going to do that. And the thing with Chris was different. He was assigned to me. Mark has a choice. He’s being careful, checking all his options.”

  Though wary, she nodded. “Alright. But if he emits any hormones, I’ll use my pepper spray. I need to know more about him before I commit to anything.”

  “He won’t do anything you aren’t ready for. I promise. Now, let’s get to my sister’s engagement party before my mother calls to make sure I didn’t forget.”

  Noting the way Caitlyn rolled her eyes, she grinned and joined her friend as she headed for the minivan. “At least you won’t be the focus of the party.”

  “Yeah, but I expect her to give me ‘the look’ since I appear further along in my pregnancy than I actually am, and I can’t tell her that babies on Chris’ world progress faster in the womb than they do here on Earth. You’d swear I’m five months along.”

  “If she gives you that look, tell her you think the decorations on a certain table are crooked and she’ll go running off to fix them.”

  Caitlyn giggled. “That’s a good idea. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  They reached the minivan and Sandy saw that Mark was, in fact, in the car. Since he was sitting behind the driver’s seat, she got in on the other side. She tried to ignore the nervous pounding of her heart. If nothing else could be said about him, he was good looking.

  “Mark,” Caitlyn said after she slipped into the driver’s seat, “you remember Sandy from my wedding, don’t you?”

  “Sure.” Mark offered her a polite smile. “You were Caitlyn’s maid of honor.”

  “And you were Chris’ best man,” Sandy replied.

  “I am the best, but I try not to let it get to my head,” he joked.

  “What does being the best man have to do with your head?” Chris asked.

  “It’s an expression, sweetie,” Caitlyn told him as she pulled out of the parking spot. “And he’s not serious. He’s just kidding.” Glancing at Sandy, she added, “He’s not an egomaniac.”

  “I’ll never learn all the strange phrases you have on this planet,” Chris muttered while Caitlyn drove down the street.

  “You should watch more TV,” Mark advised. “They use idioms all the time, especially in sitcoms.”

  “I have better things to do with my life than watch TV,” Chris replied and gave Caitlyn a wide smile.

  Sandy sighed. What was it like to be loved to the point where the man practically worshiped the ground you walked on? No doubt, Chris would give up anything to be with her. Sandy didn’t often envy others, but in this case, she couldn’t deny the slight twinge of jealousy over Caitlyn’s good fortune. True, Chris’ method of securing the marriage to Caitlyn left a lot to be desired, but he loved her above everything else. Sandy thought of how easily Josh ended their engagement twelve years ago and wondered why he hadn’t been willing to give up more to be with her. Because his love wasn’t unconditional, she thought.

  She forced the past aside. This was a lousy way to begin a possible relationship with Mark. Mark wasn’t Josh. He was looking for a wife, something he couldn’t have back on his planet. She had to give him a chance. Smiling, she turned her attention to Mark. “Caitlyn says you and Chris work together.” Fine. So it was a lame icebreaker, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  “Yep.” Mark nodded. “He’d get bored if not for me.”

  Sandy noted the teasing tone in his voice as he glanced at Chris. “Much like Caitlyn,” she mused. “She made the diner fun when she worked there. It’s not the same without her, but I’ll forgive her for abandoning me since she’s happy. Good friends, those you can depend on no matter what, are hard to come by.”

  “They are,” Mark agreed. “That’s why I’m glad Chris and I ended up at the same place. He’s a good friend.”

  Chris looked at Mark, his eyebrows raised. “We’re friends?”

  Mark laughed. “Of course we are.”

  Caitlyn shot Chr
is a pointed look.

  Sandy sensed a private message being exchanged between Caitlyn and Chris but knew better than to ask what it was. Every couple was entitled to their secrets.

  “Do you know Lexie?” Mark asked.

  She turned her gaze in his direction. “I do but not that well. She spends most of her time with her mom or…” She glanced at Caitlyn. “Who is the guy she’s marrying?”

  In a high pitch tone, Caitlyn mimicked her mother, “The doctor.”

  Everyone chuckled and Sandy had to wait until she stopped laughing before she continued, “I don’t know his name. I think it’s something like Rick.”

  “No, I think his name starts with an ‘N,’” Chris replied.

  “Nick,” Mark said.

  “Probably,” Sandy agreed. “Anyway, I see Lexie when my family is doing something with Caitlyn’s family, like a backyard barbeque, but other than that, I don’t.”

  “It’s sad we don’t even remember the guy’s name,” Caitlyn said as she made a left turn onto another street. “I mean, he’s going to be my brother-in-law.”

  “It’d help to remember his name if we got to see him,” Chris added. “I have no idea what he even looks like.”

  “You’ll get to see him today.”

  “Maybe.”

  “He’s not going to miss his own engagement party. Even a heart surgeon wouldn’t do that, no matter how important he is.”

  Mark leaned forward so he could get a better look at Caitlyn. “You don’t like him?”

  Caitlyn shrugged. “I don’t know him enough to like him or not like him. It’s just that from what I’ve heard about him, I get the feeling he thinks we’re all here to admire his greatness.”

  “Caitlyn,” Chris replied in a tone that suggested she was being too hard on him.

  “You haven’t met him. Ever,” she emphasized. “So how would you know?”