LITMIR.BIZ

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you for coming.” She paused and sucked in air. “You’re all welcome to stay and enjoy yourselves for as long as you like…but I’m leaving.”

      As the crowd quieted, the nervous bride seemed to be stretching herself taller, mustering courage. Jake straightened in his chair, sensing something had run amok.

      Then it hit him.

      She’d said I’m leaving, not we’re. Where was Studly? Quickly Jake scanned the room while the bride continued.

      “If you brought a gift tonight, please take it home with you.” There was a collective intake of air from the hushed crowd. Jake abandoned his search and stared at Catherine incredulously. Seeming determined to finish what she had started, she rushed on. “Those who sent something to the house, I’ll see that your gifts are returned.”

      Jake followed her nervous glance to the table at the edge of the dance floor. Catherine’s mother was clinging to her husband’s arm like a lifeline and the older woman with a corsage sitting next to her began to weep.

      The bride averted her gaze from her loved ones to an anonymous spot on the opposite wall. “The reason I’m leaving is that my husband—” she spat out the word “—of three hours and twenty minutes—” she made a dramatic show of consulting her watch “—is out in the parking lot with one of my bridesmaids…starting the honeymoon without me.” On that note, with back straight and head high, she crumpled the paper in her hand and made for the nearest exit.

      The door no sooner closed behind the bride when pandemonium reached ten on the Richter scale. While some openly cried and others expressed anger or shock, it was all Jake could do not to jump up and shout, “Bravo!”

      It might have taken her awhile, but Catherine had finally discovered what he’d known from the first. The groom was a jerk. She deserved better.

      A little voice inside added Yeah, someone better—like yourself. He drowned the nasty thought with a last swallow of beer and stood. He found Aunt Helen a few tables away, wide-eyed and excited, huddled with her ride home. Her hands were moving as fast as her lips and neither stopped when Jake approached. He bussed her cheek, then pushed his way through the confusion, feeling an urgency he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know what he was going to do or say but he had to find Catherine before anyone else did— this perfect and innocent creature—help her through this embarrassing ordeal, make her see the Fates had actually smiled on her.

      It wasn’t hard to spot all that white in the middle of the clear, dark night. She was pivoting wildly between two rows of parked cars, fists clenched. He expected to see flames shooting from her nostrils any second. He approached cautiously, wondering if she was looking for hubby, though he hadn’t noticed any rocking vehicles, nor arms or legs protruding from unusual places. Then he understood the problem.

      Where would a bride put car keys in a getup like that?

      His role clearer now, he closed the space between them quickly, moving within a yard of her back before speaking. “Can I give you a ride somewhere?”

      She spun around. “Who the hell are you?”

      The sweet, innocent part of his fantasy launched itself to Pluto. This was clearly a woman capable of taking care of herself. Not to be deterred he held out his hand.

      “Jake…Jake Alley.” His hand hung out there. Naked. Exposed. She stared at it but didn’t touch it. If she had he was certain it would blister. Slowly he slipped it into his pocket and tried to appear nonchalant. “I just thought under the circumstances you might need a lift.” She was still breathing rapidly. “Unless, of course, you have keys—” she seemed to waiver for a moment “—or you want to go back inside and find some.”

      That did it. He had her now.

      “I don’t even know you.” There was a slight pout on those great lips.

      “That’s okay…I don’t know you, either.” He turned and walked toward his Jeep. The sound of rustling material and clicking heels followed.

      Jake opened his door and hopped in. He reached across the passenger seat and shoved open the opposite side. Catherine stood there glaring at him with a look that could send a pit bull whimpering into the corner. Then she turned, hiked up her big skirt, stepped backward onto the running board and jumped into the seat. She landed with a whoosh atop yards of satin, lace and what-all and Jake grinned.

      She rotated in her seat and looked at him, catching his amused expression. He fully expected another angry outburst but, instead, she jammed the balled paper down the front of her dress, then ripped off her headpiece and tossed it in the back. Next she ruffled her hair, letting it fall loose around her face. Then she shot both arms straight up into the exposed night air and tilted her face to the moon, holding the pose for what seemed like the longest time.

      Finally she dropped her arms into her lap and turned to Jake. “Well? What are you waiting for? Let’s go!”

      Jake threw the gearshift in reverse and left a patch of rubber as he rounded the corner heading for Woodward Avenue and downtown Detroit. When he glanced at his passenger she was gripping the roll bar and eyeing him critically.

      “Late for an appointment?” she asked, not hiding her disapproval.

      “New suit,” he smirked. “Didn’t want blood all over it…duking it out with your husband.” She rolled her eyes and faced forward, hair blowing out behind her, and he thought she looked more beautiful than when she’d walked down the aisle.

      What in Sam Hill was he thinking? No matter how women came packaged, they were all basically the same. He eased up on the accelerator and reminded himself of previous experiences that bore out that sentiment. Images of Sally and her slick attorney were never far below the surface. He indulged his anger a few moments before braving another glimpse at Catherine.

      When he finally looked, her head was lolled to one side, eyes closed. He wondered what kind of woman could sleep at a time like this? But then she spoke.

      “He’s not actually my husband.”

      “Really?” He pictured the pricey Townsend Hotel they’d just left. “Kinda expensive rehearsal, don’t you think?”

      She shot him an exasperated look. “You know what I mean…” Her voice trailed off as she turned her face to the far side. “…no consummation, no marriage.”

      Jake thought about the groom, Studly. He had consummated. Did that mean he was married but Catherine wasn’t? He decided she probably wouldn’t appreciate his humor so he bit his tongue and kept driving.

      “Besides,” she continued, sounding as if she were talking more to herself than to him. “We never completed the paperwork. The minister was trying to get us all together…that’s when I went looking for…”

      Jake glanced at her. She was staring intently at the dashboard. Then she turned to him.

      “Do you suppose that means I’m not actually married?”

      What did he look like—a lawyer? Heaven forbid. “Interesting question,” he said, and wondered if she could be right. The light ahead turned red and he rolled to a stop.

      A convertible full of teenage girls pulled alongside. Apparently spotting the mound of white surrounding his passenger, they started leaning on the horn. Jake pretended not to notice the kisses being blown in their direction and the clanking of keys against pop cans in the familiar symbolic gesture. Catherine slumped lower in her seat and groaned. For a crazy second he thought about planting a big, sloppy kiss on the bride and giving the girls the show they wanted. The light turned green and he stepped on the gas.

      At the next crossing he turned right, pulled to an abrupt stop behind a vacant office building, and turned to her. “Isn’t it time you got out of that dress?”

      Her eyes widened. She turned away and jerked at the locked handle, ready to take flight.

      Jake grabbed her arm and held tight. “Whoa…I

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