"No, no, I'm fine. Just give me a minute."
She tried to get to her feet while holding the torn dress together with her left arm. But her legs kept getting tangled in the fabric. She simply couldn't get enough leverage with one arm. She felt like a turtle that had been rolled onto its back and couldn't right itself. Worse still, the more she struggled, the lower the bodice of the dress slipped, threatening to expose her completely.
The man gave an exasperated sigh. Dani felt strong arms around her waist, and let out an indignant squeal as he lifted her up and set her on her feet. Could this situation get any more embarrassing?
Apparently it could. Her mortification quadrupled when she turned around and confirmed that Zach was her rescuer. If she had to have a wardrobe malfunction, why did he, of all people, have to be there to witness it?
Please God, let a black hole swallow me right now.
He shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket. "Here, take this."
Keeping her face averted, she reached for the jacket, grateful to find that on her it reached nearly to her knees, long enough to cover the split seam. This wasn't the first time she'd been embarrassed because of her weight and her over-large chest, but it was probably the most humiliating. The only saving grace was that the dress hadn't ripped in front of the entire congregation.
After wrapping the jacket around herself like a security blanket, she felt brave enough to meet his gaze. "I thought you'd left." If she'd been the one dumped at the altar, she would have found the nearest bar and drunk herself into oblivion. Which would have taken all of two drinks.
He shrugged a broad shoulder. "I was in a back room. I just needed to be alone for a while."
"Sorry for the interruption."
"That's okay. I was just leaving." He bowed his head, his shoulders drooping. "I was waiting for everyone to leave. I didn't want to talk to anybody about...about what happened."
Her heart cried for him. Zach was a good guy. He didn't deserve the humiliation Chantal had heaped on him. She wanted to tell him how badly she felt for him, wanted to let him know that she would gladly listen if he felt like talking. But their relationship had always been superficial, one that didn't include intimate heart to heart conversations. Offering sympathy would only embarrass him more.
So she'd do what she did best. She'd make him laugh.
"I realize you've had a bad day, but hey, look at me. I got squeezed into a dress that makes me look like an overstuffed Barbie doll. My shoes are killing me, and then to top it all off, the dress from Hell splits across my ass so the whole world can see my underwear."
One corner of Zach's mouth quirked in a brief grin. "Yeah, you've got it all over me. I've only been cheated on and humiliated on my wedding day. For the record, the whole world didn't see your underwear, just me."
She did her best to keep a straight face. "I happen to take my semi-nakedness seriously, even if there's only one person to witness it."
He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that did funny things to her insides. But despite his laughter, his blue eyes were full of pain. Dani wished there was something more she could do for him.
"Thanks for the loan of the jacket," she said. "Can I hang on to it for a while?"
"Of course. Thank you for providing a diversion."
"Always glad to provide comic relief." She sneered at the neon pink satin spilling out from beneath the tuxedo jacket, while lifting the fabric and dropping it in disgust. "It wasn't a much of a stretch, seeing how I was already dressed like a pink clown."
Zach's lips twitched. "It's certainly an interesting color."
"Please. This pink is bright enough to be visible from space."
He laughed out loud, and she was struck by the warmth of his smile. Once upon a time, she'd had a secret little crush on him. He was way out her league and had been devoted to Chantal, but what red-blooded woman wouldn't lust after a man as handsome as Zach just a little bit, in the privacy of her bedroom?
"The best thing about this dress is that someone else paid for it." Dani was saving her money for something special and nothing was going to stand in her way. "Chantal said she wanted the bridesmaid dresses to make a statement. In my case, the statement was, 'Get a different dress.'"
Hearing his fiancée's name instantly wiped the smile from his face. "She shouldn't have made you wear a dress you felt so uncomfortable in. Don't be so hard on yourself, Daphne."
Her heart fell. "Actually, it's Daniella, Daniella DiPietro. Everyone calls me Dani." She knew this was probably the longest conversation they'd had in their acquaintance, but it still hurt that he didn't remember her name.
He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Of course I know your name. I don't know what's the matter with me. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You've had a hell of a day. Not as bad as mine of course, but still lousy. It's not a big deal."
"It's a big deal to me. I'm really sorry."
Dani brushed aside his apology with a wave of her hand, trying not to let her disappointment show. She wasn't the kind of woman men remembered. Men remembered women like Chantal, beautiful, tall, slim blondes, with cute little turned up noses. Not short, dark, pudgy women with prominent Italian beaks.
"I should go. Your mother and Camp are waiting for me in the limo. Would you like a ride home with us?"
Zach shook his head. "Thanks, but I think I want to be alone for a while longer. Please tell my mom I'm fine."
"I will," she said. "Can I ask you to do one more favor for me? I promised your mother I'd bring her purse to her, and we both know what'll happen if try to crawl under there again." She pointed to the little beaded bag on the floor beneath the pew.
"Of course." He bent to retrieve it, giving her a close-up and personal view of his gorgeous, tight butt. She swallowed and looked away.
Zach straightened and handed her the bag. "There you go."
"Thank you. How do I get the jacket back to you?"
"Just drop it off at the rental place." He told her the address.
"Okay, I'll do that. Well, I have to go home now and burn this dress. Goodbye Zach."
"Goodbye, Daniella."
It surprised her that he called by her full given name. She blinked and looked into his face. The desolation she saw felt like a punch in the gut. He'd obviously loved Chantal and she'd hurt him deeply. Without thinking, she laid her hand on his arm.
"It's going to be all right."
He placed his hand over hers. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he took a deep breath. "I know. I just..."
Wanting nothing more than to comfort, she wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. He held her tightly, pulling her against him and burying his face in her neck. Dani inhaled the intoxicating scent of spicy aftershave laced with underlying notes of warm, clean male. How could Chantal treat a wonderful man like Zach this way?
She gently pulled away, keeping him at arm's length. "You're going to get past this, Zach."
"It doesn't feel like it right now."
"I know, but someday, when you're old and grey, you'll be sitting on the front porch with your wonderful wife of fifty years, and you'll say 'Thank Heaven Chantal cheated on me or I never would have met you.'"
He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Fifty years, eh?"
"Trust me."
Some lucky girl would snap Zach up in a minute, and if she was smart, she'd shower him with the love and consideration he deserved.
Some lucky girl, but not me.
Reluctantly, she took a step back. He squeezed her fingers before letting her go. With her heart pounding in her chest, and regret nipping at her heels, she hurried from the church.
Before she did something stupid, like kiss the jilted groom.
* * *
Chapter Two
One Year Later
Dani paid the taxi driver, grabbed her suitcase, and turned to face the imposing three-story brick house where she was to stay for the weekend. How rich are these people? She'd known since univer
sity that Fiona came from a wealthy family, but this house--correction--this mansion, with its opulent exterior and its massive size, told the viewer in no uncertain terms that its owner was rich. Really rich. Ritchie Rich rich.
"Damn." She checked the address she'd scribbled on a scrap of paper. No doubt about it. This was the place.
Fiona had said her grandfather had rented a house in Toronto to accommodate her wedding party for the weekend. But she hadn't expected anything like this. She smoothed a hand over her grey wool pants and hoped they hadn't creased too much on the plane. Despite wearing one of her best outfits, she suddenly felt underdressed.
Taking a deep breath, she climbed the stairs to the front door, pausing a moment on the threshold to gather her courage to ring the bell. She'd thought long and hard before agreeing to be Fiona's bridesmaid. She loved Fiona and had remained friends with her since university, even though she lived in Ottawa and Fiona now lived in Toronto. But she was sick of being a bridesmaid. How many times had it been now? Fifteen, sixteen? Twenty? She'd lost count.
Unluckily for her, Fiona had wanted her in her wedding party. She knew it would be expensive, considering the cost of the dress, travel and gifts. With her big project coming up soon she needed to save every penny. But she simply couldn't say no. As usual.
It was too late for second thoughts. She'd made her decision and there was no going back. She pushed the bell.
The door swung open, and for a moment Dani could only stare. Zach Morrison stood holding the door and looking even more handsome then he had a year ago. She'd learned from Fiona that he'd be here, that they'd be paired together in the wedding party. But even though he'd had a starring role in her fantasies for the last year, she hadn't expected her insides to go all mushy at the sight of him.
Finally, she remembered her manners and held out her hand. "It's nice to see you again, Zach."
He took her hand and held it tightly. "It's nice to see you, too. In fact, I'm really glad you're here."
Her mouth went instantly dry. "You are?"
"Yeah." He squeezed her fingers, the look on his face intense. "I know we don't know each other well, but I have a favor I need to ask you. A really big favor."
"Okay." She couldn't imagine what kind of favor he'd want from her. "Why don't I come inside and you can tell me about it."
He looked furtively over his shoulder. "I haven't forgotten your kindness when I saw you last. My mother told me how considerate you were to her and Camp as well. Thank you."
"You're welcome. But I really didn't do anything." Her heart pounded so hard she was sure he could hear it.
"It meant a lot to me. Listen, there's not much time. I wanted to ask you--"
"Zach! Who's at the door?"
Dani started. She knew that voice. Chantal.
Zach visibly shuddered at the demanding tone in Chantal's voice. His blue eyes implored her.
"Please, play along with me. I'll make it worth your while."
"What?"
"Daniella, help me, please!" he whispered.
How could she say no to a handsome man asking for her help?
"Okay, but--"
Before she could articulate a question, he pulled her into his arms, his mouth descending on hers. Dani was too shocked to object. For a full ten seconds she remained rigid and unyielding. Then she relaxed slightly, sighing at the sweet sensation of his lips touching hers. Her hands seemed to move on their own accord, first exploring his muscular chest, then winding around his neck. Her body trembled as it molded itself against his.
"Dani? Is that you?"
Chantal's voice doused the pleasant awareness. She stepped back with a jolt, shocked that she'd been so intimate with someone she hardly knew. She cringed. And in front of an audience, too.
Zach put his arm around her waist, pulling her against him and kissing her cheek. "Just follow my lead. Please," he whispered urgently in her ear. Dani looked up into his eyes and saw his desperation. Without thinking, she gave an imperceptible nod. He grinned and turned to face Chantal.
"I was just saying hello to Daniella."
Chantal looked her up and down. "Since when do you say hello to Dani by sticking your tongue down her throat?"
Dani blushed furiously, but she'd be damned if she'd let Chantal ruin her weekend before she even set foot in the house. She held out her hand.
"Hello, Chantal. It's nice to see you again."
She took her hand. "Do you always make an entrance by kissing strange men?"
"I'm hardly a strange man." Zach tightened his hold around her waist as if afraid she might make a run for it. "Daniella and I have been seeing each other for a while now."
She turned to stare at him. We have?
Chantal stared at him as well. "You have? Our little Dani? Seriously?"
"Try not to sound quite so shocked," Dani said. It irked her that Chantal believed it impossible for a man as attractive as Zach to be interested in a girl as plain as her. Of course, she couldn't quite believe it either.
But it was the principle of the thing. She was inclined to go along with this lie just to prove a point.
Fiona entered the foyer, followed by her fiancé Todd and another man. With a squeal of elation, Fiona ran to Dani and threw her arms around her.
"I'm so glad you're here!" She held her at arm's length. "You look wonderful! Have you lost even more weight since I saw you three weeks ago for the final dress fitting? I hope the dress still fits you."
"Don't worry, Fee. The dress fits just fine." She squeezed her hand. "You look wonderful, too. Obviously, love becomes you." She smiled at the two men. "It's nice to see you again, Todd."
Todd Woodman wore wire framed glasses over dark brown eyes that shone with intelligence and good humor. He was tall and a bit gangly, the poster boy for computer geeks everywhere. Fiona had proudly told her he'd just opened his own computer consulting firm and was doing booming business. From her short acquaintance with Todd, she knew he adored Fiona and treated her like a precious jewel. Despite her model good-looks, Fiona was shy and something of a computer geek herself. They made a perfect match.
"We're glad you could be in our wedding party, Dani."
"I'm happy to be here," she said politely, glancing at Zach. Happy may not be quite the right description. Dazed and confused seemed more appropriate.
Todd turned to the man standing beside him. "This is my brother, Jonathan, my best man."
Jonathan Woodman was as tall as his brother, but with shoulders impressive enough to belong to a linebacker. His eyes, like his brother's, were dark and intelligent, set in a face almost as handsome as Zach's. It seemed she would be surrounded by male beauty this weekend.
Dani shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Jonathan."
"Nice to meet you, too."
"And you know Zach Morrison, my other groomsmen."
"Oh, she knows him all right," Chantal said with a roll of her eyes. "Fee, Zach says he and Dani are dating! Do you know anything about this?"
"Dating? Really? That's wonderful!"
"I still can't get my head around this. How in the world did you two get together?" Chantal asked.
"Well..." Dani looked at Zach, desperately trying to come up with a believable lie.
"We ran into each other a while back," Zach said. When she blinked up at him, the tender look in his eyes surprised her into silence. "Daniella is funny and kind, and we've become good friends. And maybe something more."
"Why didn't either of you tell us you've been dating?" Fiona asked. Dani could tell by the look on her face that she felt hurt they hadn't shared their news.
She gave her head a shake. What was she thinking? There hadn't been any news to share.
"As you can imagine, I'm a little gun shy," Zach said. "We haven't told anyone we're dating."
Adele Morrison entered the foyer. "No, he didn't tell anyone. Not even his mother."
Zach's mother wore a plain white blouse and a navy skirt with sensible black flats, her dark ha
ir cut in an attractive bob. "It's wonderful to see you again, Daniella." She shook Dani's hand.
When she smiled, Dani noticed for the first time that her eyes were the same shade of blue as her son's.
Considering she thought they were dating behind her back, Adele was being very pleasant.
"It's lovely to see you again, too, Mrs. Morrison. Everyone calls me Dani."
"Please, call me Adele." She turned to Zach. "So, were you ever going to tell me about Dani?"
He had the good grace to blush. "Of course. Eventually."
"Well, I think it's wonderful news," Fiona said. "Two of my favorite people together. I believe this calls for a toast. Do we have champagne, Adele?"
"We do. It's on ice in the kitchen as we speak."
"Fantastic. I'll get the champagne flutes. Guys, can you give me a hand? You too, Chantal."
"Fine." With another roll of her eyes, Chantal swept past Dani, her chin raised in haughty disdain. She shook her head. Why was Chantal so pissed at her? The last she'd heard, she was engaged to remarry Harry, her first husband, the wedding crasher. What did she care if Zach was seeing someone else?
Todd and Jonathan followed Fiona and Chantal into the kitchen. Adele turned to Dani. "You know Fiona's parents, don't you? Why don't you say hello before I show you to your room so you can freshen up before dinner?"
"I'd love to see them again." Dani's heart skipped a beat at the thought of lying to Margaret and Foster Campbell about her relationship to Zach. Aside from her uneasiness about lying, even for a good cause, she had no idea if she could do it convincingly. She hadn't had a lot of practice.
"And Fiona's grandfather," Zach said. "You remember Camp, don't you?"
"Yes, of course." She didn't mention the last time she'd seen him had been at his non-wedding to Chantal.
"Don't worry. He doesn't bite. Much."
She sucked in her breath and stared at him. What the hell have I gotten myself into?
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't tease you. Don't worry. Camp already likes you."
Zach offered his hand and she hesitated a moment before taking it. His much larger hand enveloped hers with warmth and gave her a sense of confidence. She couldn't help the goofy grin that spread across her face as he smiled at her. This whole thing was crazy, and she was probably in way over her head, but with Zach beside her it somehow felt right.
Always A Bridesmaid (Left At the Altar) Page 2
