The Wedding Countdown by Barbara Hannay

Author:Barbara Hannay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE sick feeling in Tessa’s stomach was not jealousy.

Of course Isaac had every right to take Alice out to dinner. Yet, in spite of her resolve to remain indifferent, annoying questions kept jumping into Tessa’s head. How and when had Isaac met Alice? What not so subtle moves had Alice made to wangle the invitation? Most importantly, why was Isaac suddenly motivated to date her best friend and bridesmaid?

Tessa’s mind whirred endlessly while the group stood at the chancel steps waiting for Paul, chatting politely with the dean about the weather and other ceremonies he’d conducted.

No, she was definitely not jealous. This hideous tension, this inability to breathe was just nerves, she told herself, and it was perfectly normal to feel on the edge of panic at a wedding rehearsal. From what she’d heard, nearly everybody got nervous at the ceremony itself, so why not for the rehearsal, as well?

But she might have felt better if she had been quite sure it was Paul’s absence and not Isaac’s presence that was causing her so much distress.

Eventually, the group ran out of topics for idle chitchat, and the dean started to sneak surreptitious glances at his watch. Nigel, sensing the restlessness, cleared his throat. ‘Look, I hate to say it, but there is a chance Paul may be kept really late. This case he’s defending…took a rather unexpected turn today.’ He looked distinctly uncomfortable.

‘Perhaps we’d better run through the service anyhow,’ suggested the dean. ‘Tessa, dear, you can go over the important details with your groom some time before the ceremony, can’t you?’

‘Of course,’ she said, her voice a croak. She swallowed hard to ease the spasm in her throat.

‘Now,’ the dean began, peering at the group over the top of his gold-rimmed spectacles. ‘We start with the bride.’ He nodded an encouraging smile at Tessa, and she hoped her answering smile looked better than it felt. ‘You stand in front of me here, my dear. And then the best man is next to where the groom would be, bridesmaid this side—that’s right, lovely.’ He looked at Isaac expectantly.

‘Oh, I’m just part of the congregation,’ Isaac grinned, raising his hands in a gesture of non-involvement and backing towards a front pew.

‘Don’t rush away. We can use you,’ the dean called, his small, grey eyes brightening behind his spectacles. ‘Could you stand in as our groom for now?’

‘Oh, no!’ cried Tessa.

And everybody looked at her curiously.

Tessa bent her head. Too bad if they thought her odd. This twist of fate was just too cruel. Tears of anger, tears of utter helplessness stung her eyes. Once again she was living her worst nightmare, only this time events had outstripped even the most bizarre scenarios conjured by her wretched imagination. This was agony. Silently she pleaded to Isaac. I can’t bear this. Please refuse. It’s not necessary.

Isaac seemed to be having difficulty answering the dean’s request. ‘What would I have to do?’ he asked at last.

‘Basically just stand here and fill in the empty space.

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