Ten minutes later they pulled up in front of the church. Zach turned to Ellen, wanting to say something to smooth over the uneasiness between them, but she climbed out without speaking to him.
Shoving down his disappointment over the chasm that had opened between them, Zach stepped out of the car and stretched the kinks from his muscles. He heard the clatter of high heels on the sidewalk and spotted two women, one a sixtyish version of Ellen and the other wearing a long, dark green dress, rushing toward them.
“Oh, thank goodness! Ellen, honey, your dad and I have been so worried!” The older woman wrapped her arms around Ellen and looked as if she might not let go.
“I’m fine, Mom. Thanks to Zach.” Ellen faced him, a wistfulness in her expression. “I wouldn’t be here if not for him. In more ways than one.”
Mrs. Davis turned to Zach on cue and treated him to the same bracing hug of welcome. “In that case, I’m forever in your debt, you darling man.”
“I hate to break this up, but we’ve got to get a move on,” the other bridesmaid said, tapping the watch on her wrist. “Ellen has forty minutes to shower, fix her hair and dress before showtime!”
Ellen’s eyes widened. “Forty minutes?”
The bridesmaid tugged Ellen’s arm, hauling her toward the church door, and Mrs. Davis kissed Zach’s cheek.
“And you have to get in your tux, Zach. Hurry!” Ellen’s mother gave him a gentle push toward a door at the other end of the building. “The groomsmen are dressing in the first room on the left through that door. Sean’s waiting for you.”
In a swish of perfume and taffeta, Mrs. Davis and the bridesmaid swept Ellen away. Zach shoved his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders against the stiff icy breeze as he watched her leave. She gave him one last look over her shoulder before she disappeared into the church, hustled along by her escorts.
A cold emptiness settled in Zach’s chest in her absence. Until she was gone, Zach hadn’t realized how much he’d depended on her to buoy his spirits through the treacherous trip from Seattle and the long frigid night in the wintry elements.
She’d given him credit for getting her to Spokane, to the church, but he hadn’t done it alone. They’d survived the harrowing experience together, the experience far less dreary because they’d had each other to rely on, to keep each other’s morale up. The two stronger as a team than alone.
A tingle rippled down his spine. A team…
“Zach!”
Sean’s shout lifted Zach out of his reverie, before the conclusion nipping his heels could fully form. Giving Sean a wave, Zach grabbed his backpack from the backseat and headed into the church.
He’d no sooner stepped inside the welcoming warmth of the church than Sean slapped a garment bag in his hand. “Your tux. Shake a leg, pal. Service starts soon.” Then pumping his hand, Sean added, “You gave us a scare, dude. After the wedding, I want to hear all about the accident and your night with Trixie’s sister.”
Zach steeled himself. No time like the present. With the ceremony minutes away, he might not get another chance to have his talk with Sean. “Actually, I need to speak to you…now. Before the service starts.”
Sean frowned as he hustled Zach into the makeshift dressing room for the groomsmen. “Can you talk and dress at the same time?”
“I—Yeah. Whatever.” Zach slipped off his shoes and gathered his thoughts. “Sean, are you sure you want to marry Trixie? Can you honestly tell me you’re marrying her because you want to and not because you have to?”
Sean paused in the middle of pulling Zach’s suit out of the garment bag. He blinked, stunned. “Is this a joke?”
“No joke.” He unfastened the buttons on his shirt then paused, facing his former roommate. “I have to ask, because…well, I remember what you were like in college. Back then, you scorned the idea of marriage before you were forty. You would never have committed yourself to one woman.”
Sean laughed. “You’re right.”
“So…what changed?”
“Well…”
While he waited for Sean to form his answer, Zach noticed they had company. He did a double take. “Uh, Sean…is that a cat?”
Sean glanced to the chair where a large tabby sat blinking at them…wearing a bow tie. “Yeah. That’s Trixie’s cat, Buttons. He’s the ring bearer.”
Zach snorted a laugh. “Excuse me? You have a cat in your wedding party?”
Sean rolled his eyes and grinned sheepishly. “Trixie’s idea. Neither of us have a young nephew to do the job, and she considers her cat family, so—” He shrugged. “Whatever Trixie wants.”
Zach frowned then waved a hand at the cat. “See, this is what I mean. You would never have a cat in the wedding if it were up to you. But you’re doing stuff out of character for you, because Trixie wants it. What about what you want?”
Sean gave him a withering glance. “It’s no big deal. Get dressed, will you?”
“Sean, I don’t want you to wake up in ten years and find you made a mistake. Is this wedding—is Trixie what you want? It’s not too late to back out.”
Squaring his shoulders, Sean stepped closer to Zach and met his best man’s eyes. “This is what I want. When I said all that stuff in college, I didn’t know how one woman could change your life, change your view of things, make you want different things for yourself and your future. I love Trix. She fills up a place inside me that was empty before. She gives me a happiness I never knew possible. Ten years from now I will still want Trixie, I will still love Trixie, and I will still be happy, because she is everything to me. She is the only woman I want.”
The sincerity and intensity in Sean’s expression startled Zach. Took the steam out of his argument. Zach released a slow breath, feeling the tension that had him wound tight release its grip.
“Someday you’ll meet someone who’ll turn your world upside down, and you’ll understand,” Sean added, and Zach’s heart performed a slow roll in his chest.
“Now, if that’s all, I’ll let you dress. Be ready in ten minutes, okay?” Sean paused at the door and aimed a finger at the cat. “Oh, yeah. As my best man, you’re in charge of Buttons.”
Zach placed the fur-ball ring bearer on the podium next to Sean and dusted cat hair from the tux as he took his place at the altar. The groom gave him a crooked smile.
He had resigned himself to Sean’s decision, although a few doubts still niggled inside him, when the organist began playing the processional. Clasping his hands behind his back, Zach glanced to the back of the church to watch the bridesmaids enter the sanctuary.
And caught his breath.
Ellen was at the back of the line of women, gliding gracefully to the altar rail, and in the past forty minutes, she’d been transformed. Pinned up with soft tendrils framing her face, her hair shone with golden highlights. The beautiful face he’d admired in the moonlight last night had been emphasized with just the right application of makeup, and the emerald-green dress she wore brought out the sparkle in her green eyes and defined the womanly curves her bulky coat had hidden. Sprigs of baby’s breath in her hair reminded him of the sprinkling of snowflakes that had shimmered on her eyelashes and shoulders last night. His winter fairy looked every bit as beautiful and elegant as a Christmas princess.
Someday you’ll meet someone who’ll turn your world upside down, and you’ll understand.
“I already have,” he murmured to himself.
His acknowledgment of what Ellen had come to mean to him rattled Zach to the marrow. He frowned, realizing how much he wanted Ellen to be a part of his future, realizing Ellen might not return his feelings, realizing the geographic and emotional distance they still had between them.
Her anxious gaze sought his, and when their eyes met, his chest filled with a warmth and joy that expanded until he couldn’t breathe. He’d never felt a rush of emotion so pure and sweet in his life and knew something significant was happening in that moment. His life was about to change.
He als
o knew he was responsible for the nervous look she wore. His serious expression had to have added to her uncertainty over his intentions. Zach longed to hold her, soothe her, assure her he’d come to grips with Sean’s decision. The best he could do for the moment, however, was send her a smile. Her brow knit, as if she were trying to decipher his silent message, and she bit her bottom lip.
Heat flashed through him at the prospect of nibbling that plump lip himself in the days to come.
When Ellen tore her gaze away, sending an equally worried glance toward Sean, Zach glanced to the groom himself. And jolted at the expression that lit his college friend’s face.
Sean’s smile couldn’t have been broader, his smile brighter, his eyes damper. The love and confidence that glowed in Sean’s eyes were as pure and genuine as Zach had ever seen. Turning slightly, Zach followed the direction of Sean’s gaze to find Trixie walking slowly down the aisle with an identical joy and affection warming her face.
Zach’s heart thumped. The naked emotion and happiness in his best friend’s eyes was a mirror of the warmth that had filled Zach’s chest when he’d seen Ellen walking toward the altar.
And suddenly it clicked. He got it.
He understood the love that had changed his womanizing roommate into a devoted groom. He knew the happiness and desire that made Sean want to spend his life with Trixie. Because he knew he could share the same love and longing for a future with Ellen. His head spun with the possibilities and the challenges his realization wrought. He weighed the sacrifices he’d gladly make for Ellen.
“If there is anyone here who knows why these two should not lawfully be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace,” the minister intoned, bringing Zach’s attention to the ceremony in progress.
Sean sent him a warning glare. Trixie divided a curious glance between Zach and her groom.
And Ellen lifted an anxious stare to meet Zach’s gaze.
Zach shrugged and grinned. “Not me. I’m good.”
Sean chuckled and drew his bride closer.
Ellen released an audible sigh of relief, her lips curling in a grateful smile. Zach continued to exchange stolen glances and secret smiles with Ellen until the bride and groom led the recession out of the sanctuary. After gathering the docile, feline ring bearer, whom Zach was convinced had been sedated for the ceremony, he met Ellen at the head of the aisle and offered his arm. Together they fell in step behind the newlyweds to exit the church.
“Thank you for not saying anything,” she whispered to him.
“Actually, I did.”
When Ellen raised a startled look, he chuckled and kissed her forehead. “But Sean convinced me he was making the right choice. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?”
Her eyes warmed, and her mouth tugged into a grin.
As they stepped into the narthex, Trixie rushed over to get her cat. Zach turned the pliant ring bearer over to his mistress and grabbed Ellen’s hand as she started to step away.
“Hey, I was wondering…”
Her expectant gaze lifted.
“Am I still welcome at your house for Christmas?”
She squeezed his fingers. “Of course.”
“Then I’d like to come. We can talk about new possibilities for employment, other ways I can change the world besides politics.”
Ellen blinked and furrowed her brow. “What?”
“You were right about my needing to leave the job that was sucking my soul. I’m going to turn in my two-weeks’ notice in January.”
Her face brightened. “That’s great, Zach. You deserve to be happy.”
“I’m glad you think so, because…you’re a big part of what makes me happy. The biggest part.”
The smile on her lips slipped. “Zach?”
“I want to come to Portland. I want to spend more time with you and see what develops.”
Her mouth opened and shut soundlessly, her shock written in her wide eyes.
Zach’s gut tightened. Had he presumed too much? Nothing said Ellen returned his feelings. He drew a deep restorative breath and plunged on, risking it all for the promise of love and happiness he’d found, stranded with his bridesmaid on a snowy winter night.
“I’m falling in love with you, Ellen. Last night I found everything that was missing in my life…with you.” He swallowed the knot of trepidation climbing his throat. “I want you to be a part of my future. You make me happy.”
She hesitated, searching his face as if verifying his honesty. “Was there a question in there somewhere? Something about how I feel and what I want?”
His pulse kicked. “I—well…how do you feel? What do you want?”
Her cheek dimpled as she flashed a lopsided grin and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I feel lucky to have met you, Zach Kallen, and I don’t want anything.”
Zach’s heart sank. “You don’t? Nothing?”
“Nope.” She leaned into him, and he saw the spark of amusement in her evergreen eyes. “Last night, Santa gave me everything I’d been hoping for, too.” She brushed a kissed across his lips and sighed happily. “You are the best Christmas present I could ask for.”
Dipping his head, he captured her lips and poured his heart into a deep, soul-shaking kiss. As the church bells began to ring, celebrating the newlyweds’ union, Zach’s spirits soared. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4312-9
BLACKOUT AT CHRISTMAS
Copyright © 2009 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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STRANDED WITH THE BRIDESMAID
Copyright © 2009 by Beth Cornelison
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