Bayside's Most Unexpected Bride. Kerri Carpenter

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      “Oh well, thank you. And speaking of looking good...” She wiggled her eyebrows as Elle, the bride-to-be, sidled up to them.

      “You look very bridal,” Riley said, gesturing to Elle’s off-white gown. Of course, she’d helped her pick out the dress a month ago. “Practicing for the big day already?”

      “Don’t mention the big day. I’m stressed.” She grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter.

      “Oh no,” Riley said. “What can we do?”

      “Are you kidding? You’ve both been bridesmaids of the year so far. Between you two, my soon-to-be mother-in-law, every bridal magazine ever written, and even my dad, I think I may be approaching too much help.”

      “Too many opinions?” Carissa guessed.

      Elle grimaced. “Too many very strong opinions.”

      As they chatted about the upcoming spring wedding a little longer, Riley couldn’t help noticing that something was off with Carissa.

      “What?” Riley asked.

      “What do you mean what?” Carissa countered.

      Riley wiggled her pointer finger in front of Carissa. “Something’s up. I can tell.”

      Carissa turned to Elle. “I swear, she’s a psychic or something.”

      “It is eerie sometimes,” Elle agreed. “But is something wrong, Car? You look a little pale.”

      “No, not wrong. The opposite of wrong, actually. Just scary.”

      “Can you be a little more cryptic?” Riley laughed.

      “Sorry.” Carissa glanced across the tent. Riley followed her gaze and saw that Jasper was deep in conversation with his brother. “Jasper asked me to move in with him this morning.”

      “Whoa, that’s huge.”

      Riley wondered if the Bayside Blogger should mention this. She chewed on her lip as she considered. It was pretty major news. Carissa and Jasper had been hot and heavy back in high school. Then they’d broken up right after graduation and hadn’t seen each other for years. After Carissa’s divorce, she’d moved back to Bayside to start her catering business, Save the Day Catering, which had really taken off. She’d not only gotten back together with Jasper, but they would be opening a bookstore and café soon. And now they were taking the next step. Cohabitation.

      All of this was right up the Bayside Blogger’s alley, but Riley knew that her friends—just like Sawyer—hated being written about. Still, she couldn’t leave them out of the column. She’d become tight with Elle and Car. Everyone in town knew that. If she didn’t mention them from time to time, then her identity would be obvious.

      Maybe she should wait a couple days and see how this played out.

      “There’s more,” Carissa said, drawing Riley and Elle’s attention. “A lot more.”

      Riley immediately let her gaze drop to Carissa’s ring finger. The all-important finger was empty of a ring.

      “What’s going on?” Riley asked.

      “Well, um, I went to the doctor yesterday.”

      Elle’s face washed of color. Her father had dealt with bladder cancer recently and Elle was particularly sensitive to talk of doctors. “You weren’t feeling well a couple days ago. I remember. You had to run out of our brunch when you got sick.”

      “Right,” Carissa said.

      Elle grabbed one of Carissa’s hands. Riley took the other.

      “Are you okay?” Riley asked, her pulse skyrocketing.

      “Well, turns out I’m...pregnant.”

      A long moment of astonished silence passed between them. Riley didn’t know who started it, but then all three of them were screaming and hugging.

      “Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod. How did this happen?” Riley asked. “I mean, I know how it happens.”

      Carissa laughed. “We’ve always been so careful. Except, well, this one time.”

      Elle hugged Carissa again. “And one time is all it takes. Congratulations.”

      “Thank you. I wasn’t going to tell anyone yet, but I just couldn’t keep it from you two. So mum’s the word until I say. Especially from the men.”

      They agreed and hugged some more.

      “Speaking of men,” Carissa began as she pinned Riley with a knowing glare.

      Uh-oh. She had a feeling what was coming even though they weren’t talking about men. “Don’t start, Car,” Riley begged.

      “I’m just saying. When was the last time you went on a date?”

      Riley shook her head. “I’m focusing on my career right now.” Which was a total lie. Elle saw through it immediately.

      “You were just saying the other day how you could do your job with your eyes closed.” Elle wagged a finger at her. “I know for a fact that Jason Wellington asked you out last week and you blew him off. What gives?”

      Riley opened her mouth to answer, but the words caught in her throat as she noticed Sawyer walk into the tent. Her mouth went dry at the sight of him in his tux, which was stupid really because she’d seen him in a tuxedo before. Many times. She supposed it had to do with the fact that he usually wore jeans and... Wow, he’d shaved today instead of leaving his face all scruffy. Although, normally, his scruff was appealing too.

      What was she doing? What was she thinking? This was Sawyer. She’d known him her whole life. She couldn’t get all swoony over him. Only he’d just noticed her, too. He grinned and she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach.

      He started to walk toward her and once again her friends faded away. Her knees actually went weak like she was one of the characters in those Hallmark Channel movies she loved so much.

      Only this wasn’t a movie. The way her heart started racing was very, very real.

      * * *

      Riley always looked amazing. But tonight? For an editor, a man who dealt with every aspect of a newspaper every single day, he had no words.

      At first, he’d thought the green dress was a bit demure for her. Then she’d turned around—the back of it was close to nonexistent. It dipped low, almost to her shapely behind.

      Again he chastised himself. He wasn’t supposed to be thinking about her behind. Or her front. He shook his head. Or any side of her. Except the friend side. They’d practically grown up as siblings. No, that wasn’t quite right.

      He should stop walking toward her, yet he couldn’t. He noticed she wore dangly earrings that sparkled so brightly they practically lit up the whole tent on their own. Very Riley-esque. Because when he thought about her, he thought about a bright СКАЧАТЬ