Courting Katarina. Carol Steward

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СКАЧАТЬ looked over her shoulder to see the sun-bleached hair of her handsome rescuer. Alex. Trying to fend off the memories of children’s cruel teasing, she forced herself to focus on him. He didn’t know she was truly deaf in one ear. And only a select few knew the degree of her hearing loss in her “good” ear. Katarina laughed. “Silly me, I must have forgotten my hearing aid today.” Struggling to free her foot, she felt Alex hoist her off the ground. “Wait!”

      Before she could explain, he let go and she fell against him. “My heel is caught.”

      The warmth of his hands pressed into her upper arms. “Sorry, why didn’t you say something? Here, have a seat while I try to do something.” He helped her over to the chair. Alex knelt on one knee and struggled with her shoe. “You did a dandy job snagging that heel somewhere in there. Maybe we should take it off?”

      “Excuse me?” Her voice squeaked.

      “The shoe.” As he tugged, she heard the satin rip, and her leg straightened.

      He held up her pump. “I’m sorry about the dress.”

      Stunned, Katarina stood and turned to look at the tear, then took her shoe from him. No one had ever flustered her like this. The words caught in her throat.

      “I’ll replace the dress.” One eyebrow rose as Alex looked at the rip.

      It’s over. Just laugh, Katarina. That always helps. “Don’t worry about it.”

      Emily rushed over, white lace flowing behind her. “Are you okay, Kat?”

      “I’ll be fine.” She twisted to the side to examine the damage to the dress. “I wondered how this would look with a slit.” She lifted her foot and twirled on the other so the bride could see, noting that Alex also watched. Then she straightened the dress and slipped her other shoe off. Glancing up, Katarina saw a smile teasing Emily’s lips. “I don’t want to hear about this again.”

      The bride excused herself from her guests to help Katarina and led the way down the hall to the bride’s dressing room. Emily’s concern was genuine. “You are okay, aren’t you, Kat?” Once inside, Emily could no longer restrain her laughter.

      “Other than my bruised ego, I’m fine.”

      A light tap on the door, followed by their younger sister’s voice, startled Katarina. “Is there a damsel in distress in here?” Lisa opened the door just enough to slip inside with Katarina’s other outfit.

      The facade of Katarina’s humor faded. She tossed both shoes into her bag and sighed. “Why do these things always happen to me?”

      Lisa turned Katarina around and unzipped the gown, then helped tug it over her shoulders. “What things? It’s not your fault the chair broke into smithereens.”

      Katarina buttoned the flowered rayon skirt at her waist, pulled the camisole over her head, then slipped into the coordinating sweater. “Like when I fainted at the all-school concert in sixth grade. Like tripping over the base in kickball. Like dropping my brand-new hearing aid into my punch at the prom. Why is it always me… Klutzy Katarina?”

      “This isn’t the same, Kat. Your ear infections were to blame for most of that.” Emily smiled as she gave her sister a hug. “If you wanted to meet Alex, why didn’t you just ask? We’d be glad to set the two of you up.”

      “No, thank you.” Her sister’s medical explanation soothed her ego, and she felt the fear subside. “That’s not the issue, and I don’t want to hear about this again.”

      Her sisters’ smiles returned. “Well, you can dream on. This is a classic. The tall, rugged, single and not to mention drop-dead-gorgeous hero hauls you, the ‘heart specialist,’ out from under the table, stands you up and you collapse into his arms.” They giggled harder.

      Lisa and Emily did a poor imitation of the accident. “You looked like a flamingo balancing on one foot,” Lisa added.

      Quelling her own laughter, Katarina crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her sisters until they quieted. “Ha ha ha.” Though she tried to remain cross, just the sight of their fake restraint made her see the humor of the entire situation.

      “Why did it have to happen in front of Alex, though?” she whispered, shaking her head.

      The room turned silent. Realization hit Lisa. “Ah, yes, Alex.”

      Katarina placed the bridesmaid dress on the hanger and zipped it, then turned to help Lisa and Emily with the wedding dress and veil. “I mean, it’s been eight years since I had that childish crush on him, and of course I’m long over that, but still…”

      “Of course,” both sisters said simultaneously with mirroring smiles.

      “Come on, don’t do this. I’m as good as engaged to…to…”

      “Ron?” Lisa suggested.

      “Of course, to Ron,” Katarina snapped.

      Emily groaned. “Oh, please, Kat. You’ve been ‘engaged’ so many times we quit counting. Don’t try to convince us that you’re serious about marrying Ron. Need I point out you just moved four hundred miles away from him?” The bride slipped the green dress over her head.

      “This will only be my second official engagement. Besides, the move is temporary.” She looked at them, putting her hands up in front of her. “It’s all part of a logical, strategic plan. Ron understands my need for financial security.”

      “Strategy, my foot. Admit it—the thought of settling down with him bores you to death!”

      Katarina looked at Emily—with her hands on her hips—and tried to argue the well-made point. “As does the idea of chasing a man almost ten years older than myself, Dr. Know-it-all.”

      “Alex is only nine years older, Katarina.”

      “Close enough. Needless to say, I discovered that mistake with fiancé number one. I made it this far without a father in my life. I certainly don’t need some older man to act as a substitute now.”

      Just the mention of the father who had abandoned his three little girls sobered them all. Katarina looked at her sisters. “I’m sorry. I didn’t need to bring that up today. I really didn’t mean to. Open mouth, insert foot.”

      Lisa remained silent.

      As usual, Emily was the first to forgive and console the younger two sisters. “It’s okay, Kat. You can’t have a wedding without missing the father of the bride.”

      A loud knock resounded through the room. “Mrs. MacIntyre,” came the groom’s seductive voice. “Are you ready to toss the bouquet?”

      Emily opened the door and greeted her husband. “Don’t forget, you have to toss the garter, too.”

      Kevin gave his wife a lingering kiss. “Then we’d better get back to our guests.” Kevin looked at Katarina as she passed through the door. “You okay?”

      Katarina looked at Kevin, suddenly seeing Alex instead. She blinked the image away, then set her shoes on the floor and stepped into the flats as she walked. СКАЧАТЬ