Alana laughed and choked on a sob. “Are you kidding? After all the money Vance and I spent on this, I’m walking down the damn aisle. Besides, a hundred guests are waiting out there.” She shook her head and squared her shoulders. “I’m just nervous. I’ve never been married before. It happens to all brides, right?”
Kimo stepped in front of Alana and gripped her shoulders. “Do you love Vance?”
“Why wouldn’t I? He’s handsome, successful and knows how to help plan a wedding. What more do I need?”
“Do you love him? I knew in less than forty-eight hours that I loved Rex. In your heart, do you feel like he’s the right one for you?” She cocked an eyebrow. “Be honest with yourself.”
Alana looked away. “I thought I was. Then... all that stuff happened.” She waved a hand. “The girls...being held captive. It really changes things. It really changed me.”
“Again,” Kimo said. “Do you love him?”
“It doesn’t matter whether I do or not. I’m getting married today.” She lifted her chin and adjusted the front of the strapless wedding gown. “I really don’t like this dress.”
Kimo laughed. “Then why did you choose it?”
“Kinsey chose it for me. It’s uncomfortable, and I have an overwhelming fear of my breasts falling out of the fabric midway down the aisle. I’ll flash all the guests before I get it pulled back in place. I’ll be mortified for life.
The two women waited in the refectory in the wedding chapel that the wedding planner had chosen for Alana and Vance’s May wedding on Maui.
The flowers Kinsley and Vance had chosen were white roses and lilies.
Kimo thought they were better suited for a funeral, not a wedding in Hawaii.
The introduction to the wedding march played, making Alana jump. She laughed shakily. “Guess that’s our cue. Thanks for being my Maid of Honor and for walking me down the aisle.”
“That’s my job,” Kimo said. “My other job is to sneak you out the back door if you have second thoughts and realize Vance isn’t the man for you. We can run away in the limousine, me driving with you riding shotgun.”
Kimo had never thought Vance was right for her friend. He was too concerned about appearances and less concerned about Alana. He’d been in New York when Alana had been kidnapped and had never once contacted any of them.
The whole incident had been over by the time he’d returned. He was barely shocked or concerned. As far as Vance had been concerned, it had never happened.
“So, what do you think?” Kimo forced a smile. “I’ll be your Thelma to your Louise.”
Tears filled Alana’s eyes. She reached out and hugged Kimo so tightly she could barely breathe.
When she straightened, her jaw was set. “I didn’t live through captivity to run scared of a little wedding. Vance is a good guy. We’ll be happy together. Let’s do this.”
Short of dragging her friend out the door, Kimo had done all she could to convince her to call off the wedding. Instead, she held out her arm.
Alana hooked her hand through Kimo’s elbow and walked out of the anteroom into the church. With the wedding march playing, she started down the long aisle with Kimo at her side, taking it slowly, looking ahead for Vance. He wasn’t there yet. Shouldn’t he be there?
Halfway down the aisles, the guests started whispering. The groomsmen talked among themselves, and the best man’s face paled.
The preacher leaned over to whisper something to the best man. The younger man nodded, took a step backward and darted into the room behind the altar.
Alana slowed, the pianist faltered and the music came to a halt.
The best man came out the door with a note in his hand. His gaze met Alana’s as he said, “Vance left with Kinsley. The wedding’s off.”
The guests gasped as one, all eyes moving to Alana, her hair in an updo, her makeup professionally applied—a perfect bride, a beautiful venue, with guests waiting to hear vows exchanged.
And no groom.
Anger rushed up Kimo’s neck into her cheeks. “That rat bastard,” she murmured. “I knew he wasn’t good enough for you.”
Alana stood stiffly, with a smile pasted on her face. “I’m going to turn around and walk back out of here with my head held high. That jerk did me a favor.” She made a graceful turn, still holding onto Kimo’s arm and marched back down the aisles and out of the church. She entered the reception hall and the dressing room where she’d hung the bright red dress she’d planned on wearing on her honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas. Once in the dressing room with her bridesmaids, they helped her strip off the offensive wedding dress, remove all the pins holding her hair in an updo she hated and helped her into the go-to-hell red dress.
She turned to Gina, her cousin and the only other single woman present besides her. “Gina, I need a wingman.”
