Always A Bridesmaid (Left At the Altar)

by Richards, Jana

  "It sounds like a lot of fun."

  "Mostly I'm a silent partner. I bought into the company as an investment, and Mike and his staff arrange all of the adventures. I've gone on a couple of the trips and had amazing experiences."

  "So mostly you're some kind of business guru, riding in on your white horse to save the day."

  He chuckled. "Not quite. Sometimes the best decision is to pull the plug and just put that puppy out of her misery. But it's not a decision I make lightly, especially when people's jobs and livelihoods are at stake."

  She grinned up at him. "I don't know. You still sound like a white knight to me."

  Charmed by her sense of humor, he laughed and shook his head. "Tell me about losing weight. How did you do it?"

  "Do you really want to know? It's not very exciting."

  "Yeah, I really want to know."

  "There's no magic formula, I'm sorry to say. The only thing I can do is eat less and exercise more." He heard her long exhale of breath. "When I started I could barely walk around a block, let alone run. I hate to admit it now, but I was really fat."

  "Is that why Chantal's remark last night upset you?"

  Her cheeks pinkened with her blush. "My weight's been a problem all my life. I may have lost the pounds, but not the issues. It's still a sensitive subject for me."

  "How much weight are we talking about?"

  "Over fifty pounds."

  "Very impressive."

  "I just never want to go back there, you know? I don't want to be fat again. That's why I'm running this morning." She took a deep breath. "Losing weight was the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not sure I could do it again."

  He was incredibly proud of her. She faced her problems head on and worked her way through them. She was a fighter, and a fearless one.

  "I think you can do anything you set your mind to. You're a remarkable woman, Daniella."

  Turning to look at him, she blinked, her surprise evident. "Thank you."

  "You're welcome."

  After making a loop through the neighborhood, they headed back to Camp's house. Zach followed Dani up the stairs to the front door.

  "Dani, can I share something with you?"

  "Of course. What is it?"

  "As your friend, I think I should tell you..."

  "What?" she said, when he didn't finish.

  "You have one of the sweetest asses it has ever been my pleasure to ogle."

  She stared at him a minute, her mouth open in surprise. Then she started to laugh. "You are such a jerk." She punched him in the arm. "But thank you."

  "My pleasure."

  She laughed again and entered the house.

  He hoped she realized how remarkable she was, no matter what Chantal said.

  * * * *

  After a quick shower and change, Dani headed downstairs. When she found the dining room empty, she went to the kitchen where Zach's mother was busy preparing breakfast.

  Adele looked up from the batter she was mixing. "Good morning, Dani. You're up early."

  "Zach and I have already gone for a run this morning."

  "Oh really? That's nice." Adele gave her an enigmatic smile as she set her bowl on the counter. "Would you like some coffee?"

  "I'd love some. But please, don't wait on me. I can get it myself."

  Adele chuckled. "That's a refreshing attitude. Be my guest. The mugs are in the cupboard over the sink."

  Retrieving a mug, she filled it with coffee, and added milk from a carton she found in the fridge. After taking a sip she set her mug on the counter. "Now, what can I do to help you?"

  "You don't have to do anything. You're a guest in this house, part of the bridal party. Relax and enjoy yourself."

  "If you don't mind, I'd rather help you here in the kitchen. This is the last place Chantal would think to come."

  Adele smiled. "If you really want to help, you can cut up the fruit for the salad. But honestly, I don't think you have to worry about running into Chantal until at least noon. From experience, I can tell you she's not exactly an early riser."

  "Today may be the exception to that rule. Fiona is treating us to a spa day. We're supposed to be there mid-morning."

  "I see. In that case, you're welcome to hide out here as long as you'd like." She poured batter on the hot griddle. "Did she upset you last night? She certainly tried to draw attention to your weight."

  Dani rinsed grapes and apples under the faucet. "I'm okay. It was my own fault. I let her get to me."

  "Chantal can be...difficult."

  Adele's tight expression told her how hard it was for her to be around Chantal. She'd broken Zach's heart, and treated him abominably. If given the chance, she'd go for another kick at the can. Yet she was Camp's granddaughter, and both Adele and Zach were loyal to him.

  "How old was Zach when you started working for Camp."

  "He was eight. It was a couple of years after his father died. We'd married right out of high school and had Zach a few years later. I didn't have training for anything. The only thing I knew how to do was cook and clean. So when John died, I worked for a cleaning service for a while, but when school let out for the summer I had to quit because I had nowhere to leave Zach. I cleaned houses on my own and took Zach with me to the jobs, but I couldn't get enough work to even pay the rent." Adele flipped bacon on a griddle. "I was pretty scared."

  "What did you do?"

  "I answered an ad in the paper for the job with Camp. It was minimum wage but it came with an apartment. I wouldn't have to pay rent or utilities and I'd be able to give Zach a decent home in a good neighborhood. It was the answer to my prayers, if only he would hire me. The day of the interview Zach and I dressed in our best clothes, trying to make a good impression. But I was so worked up, I broke down in tears after Camp's first question. Zach calmly answered the rest of Camp's questions and told him I made the best cookies in the world and kept everyone's house clean. To my surprise, he gave me the job. If Zach hadn't been there, we might have been out on the street."

  Zach was special, even back then. "He must have been an amazing little boy."

  "He was." Her expression spoke of her pride in her son. "He's still my amazing boy. When you have kids you'll understand."

  Adele's comment caught her off guard. A vision of a little boy with Zach's dark curly hair and bright blue eyes popped into her mind's eye. "Yeah, I guess I will."

  She went back to dicing assorted fruits while Adele continued to make pancakes.

  "So when you go back to Ottawa what are you going to do?"

  "I'll go back to work, back to my life, I suppose."

  "What about Zach?"

  "I guess he'll do the same."

  "Will you see each other?"

  She kept her gaze on the fruit. "Zach says that after an appropriate time we'll tell everyone we've broken up."

  "Is that what you want to do?"

  "I..." She stared blankly at Adele. She thought of her run with Zach this morning, and the sweet way he'd teased her. She remembered his kisses and she knew she definitely wanted to experience more of those. But he was out of her league, and hung up on Chantal in a way that was unhealthy for everyone concerned. Did she really want to get in the middle of that?

  "I don't know, Adele. I really don't know."

  * * * *

  After showering, Zach emerged from the small suite in the basement he was sharing with his mother and made his way to the dining room in search of coffee. Foster and Camp were seated at the table reading the paper. He poured himself a cup from the carafe on the sideboard and joined them. "Good morning."

  Foster put down his paper. "Good morning, Zach. You're up early this morning."

  "Force of habit, I guess. Dani and I have already been for a run."

  Camp set his own paper aside. "Oh really. She's a runner too, is she?"

  "Yeah, she is. But she's more dedicated than I am."

  He smiled when he thought of her blush at his compliment on her derriere. Funny,
he'd never thought of himself as an ass man before. He'd always been partial to tall, leggy women. But Dani, with her petite stature and womanly curves might just change his mind.

  "Just how serious are you about Ms. DiPietro?" Camp asked.

  Trust Camp to come straight to the point. He cleared his throat before answering.

  "We enjoy each other's company very much," he said carefully. "I like and respect Daniella. I don't know if our relationship will go any further than that."

  "Hrrumph," Camp grumbled. "Damn shame, if you ask me. We all know you and Chantal aren't right for each other. Daniella seems like a very down to earth girl."

  Foster took off his reading glasses. "Stay out of it, Dad. Maybe it's too soon for him to get involved with anyone else. He has to find his own way."

  "Thanks Foster."

  "Even if he doesn't see a good thing when it's right in front of his nose." Foster put his glasses on and went back to his paper.

  Camp frowned at Zach one last time and did the same.

  Zach shook his head and concentrated on his coffee. What were they seeing that he wasn't?

  Chantal entered the dining room on a wave of expensive perfume. "Good morning, everyone. Isn't it a glorious morning?"

  Camp stared at her. "Considering it's probably the first morning you've seen in years, I'd say it was damn special."

  "What are you doing up so early, sweetheart?" Foster said. "You're not exactly a morning person."

  She wrapped her arm around her father's neck and kissed his cheek. "No, not usually. But the rehearsal dinner is tonight and all of us girls are having a spa day. We're going to be pampered and primed and painted until we're all so gorgeous you won't be able to stand it."

  Foster chuckled. "And this process is going to take all day, will it?"

  "You can't rush beauty, Dad." She went to the sideboard to pour a glass of orange juice. "Good morning, Zach."

  "Good morning, Chantal." Zach's spidey senses were tingling. What was she really up to?

  She sat next to him at the table. "Pass me the arts section, would you, Dad?"

  He handed over the newspaper and went back to his reading. She laid out her paper on the table in front of her. Zach relaxed. Maybe his spidey senses were off.

  And then he felt it. Something was stroking his calf. What the hell?

  He glanced at Chantal, but she was innocently perusing the paper, seemingly ignoring him. He dared a glimpse under the table. She had slipped her foot from her high heel shoe and was running it up and down his leg. He jerked his leg away.

  "Interesting article here about a new exhibit at the art museum," she remarked. "'Eroticism in Modern Art'. Sounds very interesting. Do you think you'd be interested in seeing that exhibit, Zach?"

  He felt her hand on his knee. What game was she playing? "Modern art's not my thing."

  "I guess that's true. You always liked the works of the old masters better. All those Rubenesque women. But I really think you should give this exhibit a try. Perhaps you'll come to a new appreciation of the art form."

  Her hand inched up his thigh. Sweat broke out on his forehead. "I don't think so. I have other interests."

  "There's no reason you can't appreciate two art forms at the same time."

  Her hand drifted to the top of his thigh. For the first time she looked at him, giving him a triumphant smile. Then her hand moved to his crotch.

  He shot to his feet, his chair scraping against the wood floor and nearly tipping. Just at that moment, Dani entered the dining room with a bowl, and after setting it on the sideboard, turned to smile at him. He reached her in three strides, enveloping her tightly in his arms and covering her mouth with his before she had a chance to protest or even say good morning. He wanted to make sure Chantal understood in no uncertain terms that he was with Dani now.

  For several heart beats, she held herself rigid. And then something remarkable happened. He felt her sigh against his mouth as her arms wound around his neck and she pressed herself against him. His own response was swift and totally unexpected. He held her close, running one hand over the lush curves of her bottom, her softness speaking to a primordial part of his being. The taste of berries on her tongue made him want to strip off her clothing to taste every inch of her naked skin. Though he was vaguely aware of people entering the room, he ignored them. Urgency built inside him, demanding to be released.

  "Whoa! Guys! Get a room."

  "Geez, Zach. People are trying to eat here."

  With regret, he ended the kiss. Dani slowly opened her eyes as if awakening from a dream. She stared up at him, desire sparkling in her dark eyes. He willed his body to relax, and gradually let her go.

  "Well, that's one way of saying good morning," Camp said drily. Zach didn't miss the I-told-you-so in his expression.

  "Good morning, Dani," Fiona said with a smile. "I guess I don't have to ask how you are this morning."

  She blushed, and turned away.

  He'd embarrassed her, and he was sorry, but if it kept Chantal off his back, it was worth it. He didn't want to examine the kiss, and how he'd felt when he kissed Dani, too closely.

  Adele finished laying out the food on the sideboard, putting the hot dishes into warming trays. "Everything's ready. Please help yourselves."

  Zach noticed for the first time that everyone was down for breakfast, even Margaret. After filling his plate at the buffet, he sat next to Dani. He noticed that she was picking at her fruit salad, ignoring the pancakes and French toast that he knew from experience would be mouth-watering.

  He stabbed a bit of maple syrup soaked pancake with his fork and held it out to her. "Would you like a taste?"

  She looked up at him, her expression guarded, as if she wasn't sure she should trust him. It killed him that she felt that way, but he'd given her little reason to think otherwise. Finally, she gave him a shy smile, put her hand over his, and guided the fork to her mouth. Her eyes drifted shut as she slowly chewed, savoring the sweet morsel. His knees went weak at the sensual pleasure he read on her face. Would she look like that if he made love to her? Then she opened her eyes and smiled into his.

  "Does this mean we can expect another wedding in the family soon, Zach?" Camp asked, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

  Wedding? Who the hell was talking about a wedding? Panic exploded in his chest.

  "No, of course not," he blurted. "What gave you a crazy idea like that?"

  Beside him, he felt rather than saw, Dani flinch. She turned her attention back to her fruit salad, the pleasure he'd seen on her face just seconds ago wiped away.

  "Not everyone wants to get married, Grandfather," Chantal remarked. "Some of us like to keep our options open."

  "And that's exactly what we're doing," Dani shot back. She put her hand on Zach's arm in a proprietary fashion. "We're enjoying being together right now, but we're not thinking about marriage. Perhaps we'll live in sin for a while."

  Chantal's mouth dropped open and then abruptly closed. Everyone else at the table stopped eating to stare. Daniella got to her feet and retrieved the coffee carafe from the sideboard.

  "Can I pour coffee for anyone?"

  He didn't miss the tremor of her hand as she filled coffee cups. He'd hurt her, angered and humiliated her. So why did she keep coming to his rescue?

  * * *

  Chapter Five

  Why did she keep rescuing him? She should have left him to hang out to dry, the rat.

  After breakfast Dani helped Adele with the dishes before making her excuses and running up the two flights of stairs. She wanted to decompress in her room for a while, away from Zach, away from Chantal, and away from all the personal questions and their embarrassing answers. Soon she wouldn't have any peace. The idea of spending the entire day at the spa with Chantal gave her about as much joy as the thought of a root canal. As long as Chantal thought she was a rival, she'd continue her campaign of jabs and barbs. The day would be complete agony.

  She'd just reached the top of th
e stairs and was headed to her room when the other bedroom door crashed open. Jonathan stormed from his room, barreling into her and knocking her over. She landed on her butt in an undignified heap.

  This day just kept getting better and better.

  "Dani! I'm so sorry," he said as he helped to her feet. "Are you hurt?"

  She rubbed her bottom. "Luckily, I'm well padded."

  "I'm so sorry," he repeated. He ran an agitated hand through his short, sandy-colored hair. "I got this phone call and I went a little nuts. I'm sorry."

  "Is everything all right?" She took a look at his red-rimmed eyes, and realized he'd been crying. She put her hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

  He shook his head, his expression bleak. "I don't know. Everything is such a mess. I don't know what to do."

  "Come with me."

  She led him to the sunny glassed-in porch overlooking the street, shut the glass door behind her, and made Jonathan sit on the rattan sofa. She sat beside him.

  "Do you want to talk about it?"

  He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and his head bowed in misery.

  "It's not easy to talk about."

  "That's okay. We'll just sit here for a few moments and catch our breaths."

  She curled her legs under her and leaned her head against the soft cushions of the sofa. Outside the sun was shining, though she knew the air was crisp. The trees across the street were still in the lovely stage when all the leaves were a fiery red and still attached to the branches. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, slowly letting the tension seep from her body.

  "I'm gay."

  She opened her eyes, turning her head to look at Jonathan, not sure if she had heard correctly.

  "I've known that I'm gay for a long time, but I've never openly acknowledged it. My dad and I are very close. We go to hockey games together, and he coached my football team when I was a kid. It's very important to him that I'm a manly sort of son. It would kill him if he knew."