Always A Bridesmaid (Left At the Altar)

by Richards, Jana

  "Yes, that would be lovely, Adele," Chantal said with a smile. "Make sure to put lots of raw vegetables in the salad and serve it with an oil and vinegar dressing. Extra virgin olive oil, please."

  "I'll have mine with a ranch dressing on the side please, Adele," Margaret chimed in.

  "I'll see what I can do," Adele said drily.

  "We're not running a bloody restaurant here," Camp said. "You can eat what's on the table."

  Adele touched his arm. "It's all right, Camp. I've got a salad prepared in the fridge. I meant it for tomorrow, but I can always make something else. Now that I know of Chantal and Margaret's special dietary requirements, I can plan accordingly."

  She pulled away from the table and headed to the kitchen. Dani glanced to her left and saw the angry set of Zach's jaw and the fist he clenched in his lap. She slipped her hand into his, hoping to lend comfort, or at least to keep him from lunging across the table and throttling Chantal. When her hand touched his, he started slightly, and quickly turned to look at her, surprise in his eyes. She gave him a quick smile, and a slight roll of her eyes that she hoped no one else at the table noticed. He squeezed her hand, one corner of his mouth turning up in a brief smile.

  Camp completed filling everyone else's plate. A moment later Adele arrived from the kitchen with two salad plates.

  "I knew you could do it," Margaret said as she chewed on a piece of lettuce. "I always said you were Wonder Woman."

  Dani noticed that neither woman bothered to thank Adele or to apologize for the inconvenience. Had Chantal always been this self-centered? There'd been a time when she had idolized her. She'd been so beautiful and vivacious that everyone had flocked to her. Chantal had made a point of introducing her to her friends, and Dani had reciprocated by helping her with her homework, even writing essays for her. The Chantal she knew back then had her foibles, but she was kind and generous to her friends. Had she really changed that much?

  Dani felt the conversation lag. Time for a new topic. "Jonathan, do live you here in Toronto?"

  "Yes. I've got a condo on the waterfront."

  "That sounds nice. Do you have a view of the water?"

  "Well, a tiny view. If I look out my bedroom window between the two condos next to me, I can just make out a sliver of Lake Ontario."

  "That beats the view from my bedroom window--my neighbor's brick wall. Where do you work?"

  "I'm a nurse at Sick Kids Hospital."

  "Good for you," she said, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice. He certainly didn't look like any of the nurses she knew, especially since all of them were female.

  "I don't know how he does it," Fiona said. "I think if I saw so many sick children, I'd be in tears most of the time."

  "The majority of kids receive treatment for their problem, and go home healthy and happy. Thankfully, it's only a small minority who don't. I'm just glad to do my part to help the ones we can."

  "My brother is being modest," Todd said. "I'd challenge any football player or any construction worker to be as mentally tough as he has to be every day."

  "He's a regular St. Jonathan." Chantal gave him a mocking salute with her water glass.

  "That's me." Jonathan saluted her back with his own glass. "Mother Theresa, St. Francis of Assisi and Florence Nightingale all in one package."

  They all laughed at his self-deprecating joke. Still, Dani was impressed. She didn't know many men who worked as nurses, especially with kids. She imagined it took a special kind of person.

  She picked up her fork and finished her dinner. When everyone had completed the main course, Adele cleared the plates. A few moments later she brought out individual lemon tarts and placed one in front of Dani. She lifted her dessert fork and took a bite. The fresh taste of lemon exploded in her mouth. The pastry was light and flakey and delectable. She hadn't allowed herself anything this decadent for a very long time. She closed her eyes in ecstasy and emitted a sigh of satisfaction.

  "I wonder how many calories are in that tart?" Chantal said. "Do you really think you should be eating that, Dani? I mean, with your tendency to put on weight around your hips and butt?"

  Chantal's expression was full of innocence and concern. Dani felt her face flame with embarrassment. She'd worked really hard to keep the weight off with exercise and diet, and had reached a point where she was more or less comfortable with her body, although she always felt as if she had five or ten more pounds to lose.

  But with just a few words, Chantal had set back her confidence about eight years. She didn't know if she was angrier at Chantal or herself. She set down her fork, her delight in the treat evaporating.

  Zach reached for her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

  She blinked at him in surprise.

  "I happen to think Dani's curves are incredibly sexy. Especially her hips and butt." He smiled at her, and kissed her hand once more.

  If only he really meant it. She knew full well his words and actions were simply a reaction to Chantal's jab. Still, his ardent defense warmed her heart. She picked up her fork and took another bite. Zach gave her left hand a squeeze before letting it go.

  "I like a woman with a little meat on her bones." Camp took a big bite of his dessert. He glared at his granddaughter. "Nothing more aggravating than a woman who won't eat and won't let anyone else enjoy their food either."

  "Perhaps you like a little meat on a woman's bones, Grandfather, but I can assure you, there are plenty of men who don't."

  "Personally, I like a woman with curves," Jonathan said. "And I hope I'm not so shallow that I would make a friend feel uncomfortable because she wasn't a perfect size two."

  Chantal stared at him open-mouthed as he continued to eat his dessert unperturbed. Dani looked down at her hands in her lap, trying not to laugh. She hadn't often seen someone get the better of Chantal, but quiet Jonathan had managed the feat without so much as breaking a sweat. She'd have to thank him when she got a chance.

  Adele cleared away the dessert plates and brought coffee. Foster turned to Jonathan with a smile. "Believe or not, you and Chantal have something in common. She volunteers at Sick Kids Hospital."

  He looked as surprised as Dani felt. "Really?"

  "You don't have to act so shocked," Chantal snapped. "Besides, most of the time I just help out in the gift shop or the canteen. No big deal. But every once in a while I get to read to some of the ambulatory kids. That's a lot more fun."

  "Good for you. I know they're always looking for volunteers."

  Dani glanced at Zach. He was watching Chantal, a soft, wistful smile curving his lips. And she knew.

  He was still in love with her.

  For all his talk about not wanting to get involved with her again, he still had it bad.

  The pain she felt in acknowledging that truth took her by surprise. For a few sweet moments she'd allowed herself to forget this was only a charade. If she wanted to emerge from this weekend with her heart intact, she needed to remember they were only playing a game. She turned to Fiona and smiled. Time to change the subject yet again.

  "Fee, tell me about the wedding. I hear the Royal York Hotel has a beautiful ballroom."

  "Yes, it does. Oh, Dani, the chandeliers are magnificent. Everything's going to be so beautiful." Fiona happily filled her in on all the details, from the color of the napkins to the type of flower arrangements on the head table.

  She nodded and smiled, even though she'd heard much of this before. But she didn't care. Fee had been dreaming of her big day for months and she should be allowed to enjoy it.

  Besides, if Fiona was talking about flower arrangements, no one was talking about her measurements or Chantal's volunteer activities.

  "So Dani," Chantal said, interrupting her sister in the middle of a detailed description of her wedding cake. "You haven't told us how you and Zach got together. So how do two people who barely know each other end up together?"

  "We ran into each other one day, at the mall." That sounded reasonable
didn't it? People went to the mall all the time. She looked at him for help and thankfully he took up the story.

  "We sat down for a coffee together, and pretty soon we were talking like old friends. I felt like I'd known her for years. I've never felt so comfortable with someone so quickly before."

  Comfortable? He made her sound as exciting as an old shoe.

  He gave her a lopsided smile. "We started doing things as friends, going to movies, and cooking together. And then things changed between us and we were much more than just friends."

  Fiona smiled. "When did you know your relationship was moving from friendship to love, Dani?"

  She stared at her blankly for a few seconds, willing her brain to come up with a plausible answer. She looked at Zach and he smiled, as if he had every confidence she'd say the right thing. She turned back to Fiona.

  "I guess I knew when I looked at him one day and said to myself, 'Zach is a wonderful person. He's kind and generous and has more integrity than any man I know. Why aren't we together?'" She took his hand. "I just had to convince him he felt the same way."

  "I didn't need much convincing."

  "My late wife and I were good friends before we married. I believe friends make the best partners in love," Camp said.

  She glanced at Zach from under her lashes. What exactly were they to each other? They certainly weren't romantic partners or lovers, and they weren't really even friends. Nothing they'd told the people gathered around Camp's dining room table was true.

  She pasted a smile on her face and gazed adoringly into Zach's eyes. She hoped she played her part convincingly this weekend.

  But for her own well-being, she had to remember that her role as Zach's girlfriend was totally make-believe. And very temporary. Definitely a one weekend engagement.

  * * *

  Chapter Four

  Dani dried one of the beautiful baccarat flutes, holding it up to the light to make sure she'd wiped all the water spots. It sparkled in the kitchen's fluorescent lightening. With great care, she set it on the counter with the others.

  "This crystal probably costs a month's mortgage for me," she said. "I'd hate to drop one of them."

  Zach placed another flute in the drain board. "Camp likes nice things, even when he rents. He and his wife grew up poor, so when his business took off and he made a lot of money, he bought her the best of everything. Unfortunately, he couldn't buy her good health."

  "He must have really loved her." Camp had spoken fondly of his late wife. Even though their lives together had been cut short, at least they'd experienced true love. Dani sighed. She was closing in on thirty and still hadn't come close to finding true love, or even a reasonable facsimile.

  She and Zach finished washing and drying the rest of the dishes and Adele safely put things in their proper places, while Fiona, Todd and Jonathan tidied the kitchen and dining room. In a short time they finished cleaning up after their late dinner.

  Adele looked at her watch. "No wonder I'm tired. It's after ten. Goodnight everyone, and thank you so much for your help. Breakfast will be at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Camp likes to stick to his schedule."

  After kissing Zach goodnight, she left. A few minutes later, Fiona and Todd said goodnight and left as well. Jonathan returned his broom to the closet.

  "It's been a long day, folks," he said. "Time to pack it in. I'll see you in the morning."

  Dani put her hand on his arm. "Jonathan, thanks for sticking up for me tonight. I really appreciated it."

  He kissed her cheek. "It was my pleasure. Goodnight."

  "Goodnight."

  She watched him leave the kitchen as she hung her dish towel on a rack under the sink. It was nice to know she had friends to support her through this strange weekend.

  "He seems to like you."

  Zach's voice had sounded neutral, yet she detected an undertone of...something.

  "I like him too. I think he's a nice guy."

  "Yeah, a nice guy." A muscle twitched in his clenched jaw. "Look, Dani, I meant it before when I said I want to make this weekend worth the hassle I'm putting you through. I'm really taking advantage of you. I'd like to do something to compensate you for helping me out."

  "That really isn't necessary."

  "Then humor me. I want to give you something. My travel company specializes in adventure tourism. I can arrange a really special vacation for you."

  "Adventure tourism? Really Zach, I'm not a bungee jumping, mountain climbing kind of girl. An adventure would be wasted on me."

  "How about something totally relaxing then? A couple of weeks on a beach somewhere?"

  "A beach? Like maybe in Hawaii?" This was beginning to sound interesting.

  "Sure. I know a place in Maui that would be perfect for you. How about it?"

  Two weeks in paradise sounded like a dream come true, especially if it meant escaping Ottawa's cold winter for a while. But paradise would be lonely if she was there all by herself.

  "Let me think about it. We can talk sometime after this weekend is over." At least that would give her an excuse to see him again.

  "All right. We'll talk then."

  "Good. I'm going to head upstairs to bed. I'm exhausted."

  He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering for a moment. "You've had quite a day, thanks to me. I hope you sleep well."

  She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She was pinned to the spot by Zach's blue gaze. For one heart stopping moment she thought he would kiss her again, but instead he dropped his hand and stepped away.

  "Goodnight, Dani. I'll see you in the morning."

  "Goodnight."

  She watched him leave the kitchen and waited until her heart beat returned to normal before doing the same. She didn't need the inducement of a dream vacation to play Zach's girlfriend. The truth was she'd gladly perform the role for free.

  But knowing that he still had feelings for Chantal, she wondered what the cost to her might be in the end.

  * * * *

  The next morning at seven when Zach made his way down to the front foyer for his jog, he was surprised to find Dani already there, dressed in running gear and tying her shoes.

  "You're up early," he said. "Are you going for a run, too?"

  "I decided I needed to burn off the lemon tart I ate last night." After pulling her thick, dark hair into a ponytail and securing it with an elastic band, she opened the front door. "Do you want to run together? I don't know this neighborhood at all."

  He finished tying his shoe and got to his feet. "Sure. I'm no expert on the neighborhood either, but I think I can keep us from getting lost. Let's go."

  They fell into an easy jog as they ran down the tree-lined street in the crisp autumn morning. Red and gold leaves fluttered to the ground, crunching under their feet as they ran. Dani quietly jogged beside him, her strides matching his. He stole a glance at her.

  "Have you been running for a while?"

  "About four years. It's the only form of exercise I've found I can stick with."

  "I'm mostly a fair weather jogger," he said. "I hate running in the winter. Too cold and icy."

  "I go to a gym in the winter." She named a popular downtown Ottawa gym. "I run on their indoor track. It's not as much fun as jogging outside in the summer, but it beats frostbite."

  He chuckled. "Maybe I should give it a try this winter. It seems to be doing good things for you. You've got a great shape."

  "It's just the two of us here, Zach. You don't have to say stuff like that."

  "I wouldn't lie about something as important as your figure."

  She slanted him a look, her expression uncertain. "Okay, in that case, thanks."

  "You're welcome."

  He dropped back a couple of paces. He'd always thought Dani pleasant looking, but these days she was stunning. The tight stretchy material of her jogging pants emphasized every sexy curve of her lush derriere. The view from behind her was truly inspiring.

  He caught up
with her once more. "Tell me something personal about yourself."

  "Something personal?"

  "Yeah, in case someone asks me a question about you I should know."

  The truth was he really wanted to get to know her, though he couldn't quite explain the reason why.

  "Okay, sure. Well, I have six older brothers. I'm the youngest in the family."

  "Six older brothers! That's amazing. I always wanted a brother or sister, but since my mother never remarried after my Dad died, it didn't happen."

  "That's too bad. Was your mom widowed quite young?"

  "She was only thirty-two. Tell me about your parents. Are they still together?"

  "Oh yes, for over forty years now. They were both born in Italy and came to Canada as children. They met as teenagers in high school and have been together ever since."

  "They sound very close."

  "They're inseparable. If I ever get married, that's the kind of marriage I'd like." She looked away. "But they're a hard act to follow. Relationships like that don't come around very often."

  "I know what you mean. Look at me. Engaged twice, cheated on and dumped twice by the same woman. Not exactly a great track record."

  "I'd say you've had extraordinarily bad luck."

  "Yeah." Or have I just been looking in the wrong direction?

  "So now you have to answer a personal question for me," she said. "How did you get into the adventure travel business?"

  "Kind of by accident, really. My main business is as a consultant. Businesses come to me to find out what they could be doing better, or what direction the business should take. My friend Mike owned a travel agency. Do you remember Mike? He was a groomsman at my wedding last year."

  "Yes, I remember him. He's a nice guy."

  "He is. Anyway, the travel agency was losing money and on the verging of going broke. So many people book their own flights and their vacations online these days that they weren't getting enough business. He came to me to try to find a solution. The only way a travel agency can flourish is if they can provide a service the consumer can't get anywhere else. We found the service that worked for my friend Mike was creating made-to-order adventure themed tours like African safaris or cruises to Antarctica. We also arrange volunteer vacations, like working in orphanages in Kenya. A lot of people want a unique experience on their vacation and that's what the company tries to provide."