My Super-Hot Fake Wedding Date

Bob sighed. “She wanted to know why Katie called me, first of all. Then she said that I’m not to have contact with my ex-girlfriends while I’m dating her daughter.”

“I told you you have my standing apology, right?” I poured him more wine, too. So much for not getting buzzed before the ceremony.

“Don’t worry about it.” He shook his head. “The good news is your mom seems to think we’re legit.”

I nodded then clinked my glass against his. “Cheers to that.” That had been so important to me only yesterday, but today it seemed insignificant.

He clinked back, but his eyes were still stormy.

“So why did she call? Katie?” I braced myself.

“Because she loves drama. She wanted to know if I was going to show up at the ceremony and object.”

“Whoa. Wow. So what did you say?” I realized I was holding my breath.

“I told her she was crazy. Do you know why?”

I shook my head.

“Because she’s crazy!”

A knock on the door interrupted us. Totally slutty Mia stuck her face in and narrowed her eyes at me. “Wine o’clock is over. Time to get going!” She noticed Bob and perked up. “Hey there, Bob!” She tossed her hair prettily.

“Have you seen Claire yet this morning?” I guzzled the rest of my wine. “She said she was sore. Something to do with last night.”

“Haven’t seen her.” But two hectic spots of color bloomed on her cheeks.

“Les be serious.” I winked at her. “She was looking for you.”

“Your sister needs you.” She sniffed. “So wrap it up.” With a hair toss, she hustled off.

I sighed and got up. “Duty calls. See you out there?”

He nodded. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, of course. You?”

“Totally.” He scrubbed a hand across his face. “My phone’s getting tapped, and my crazy ex-girlfriend’s calling. Did I tell you that before you asked me out, my life was pretty quiet? Things are looking up.”

I patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks for being a good sport about my psychotic mom. Twenty-four hours, big guy. That’s all there is to go. And sorry about Katie. I’m sure that was hard.”

“It was more awkward than anything else. I mean, who calls their ex-boyfriend on their wedding day? Sheesh!” He squeezed my hand then headed out. “See you on the battlefield.”

“Yeah, see you.” But as he closed the door, my heart sank.

I knew who called their ex-boyfriends on their wedding day. Women who knew they’d made a terrible mistake.

I sighed as I hurried to get to the bridal salon. At least I knew one bride who was happy today. The other one—the one who’d called Bob—worried me.

But maybe it was him I was worried about.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Sienna Siobhan Delaney to Timothy Towne MacGregor,” the pastor said.

Sienna tossed her hair, which hung in tousled waves beneath her veil. My sister was always beautiful, but she was heart-stoppingly so in her strapless, flowing wedding gown. My mother sat in the front row, her back perfectly erect, but I could see the tears in her eyes. Her baby was getting married.

I wondered if she would cry at my wedding. Maybe she would shed tears of joy that I wasn’t going to be an old maid.

I sought out Bob, who was sitting a few rows back. Easy, Maddy. But I wasn’t looking at him because I was thinking about marrying him. I just wanted to make sure he was okay. I mean, getting called by his ex on her wedding day was sort of a big deal. Then there was my mother, who’d been all over him like Jason Bourne as soon as it had happened. The poor guy needed a break.