Page 12 of The Runaway Bride's Vow

“Are you laughing?” Clara asked.

Brooke swallowed hard as she gave herself a mental shake. “No.” Anxious to change the subject, she said, “I’m almost to the chapel. I’ll make sure everything is on track for the wedding.”

Clara and Andrew were supposed to get married a few years ago before Clara moved to California but something happened. Clara was vague on the details, as though it hurt too much to discuss. The wedding never happened.

Now Clara and Andrew say that they’ve wasted too much time apart and they wanted to be married as soon as possible. Clara thought it’d be romantic if they were the first couple to be married in the newly renovated chapel.

“Thank you,” Clara said. “You don’t know how much this means to me. You’re the best.”

The pressure to fix this mess weighed on her. “I’m not doing anything you haven’t done for brides time and time again.”

“I just want you to know how much I appreciate you. You’re a good friend. The best of friends.”

Brooke smiled as she recalled how Clara had asked her to be a bridesmaid. Their friendship had blossomed over the past year. It felt good to have such a close friend. It also added pressure for her to keep everything on track in Clara’s absence.

“I feel the exact same way. And your wedding is going to be perfect.”

“Shh… Don’t jinx things.”

“I won’t. I promise.” Brooke slowed at an intersection. “I’ve almost reached the chapel parking lot, so I need to go.” And make sure Logan doesn’t run off before he does any work.

“Understood. Thanks for everything. Remember, if you need me, I’m just a phone call away.”

“I won’t forget.”

They said their goodbyes, promising to talk soon. Brooke disconnected the call before wheeling into the parking lot of the chapel. She’d hoped to find a fleet of construction vehicles and a parade of tanned guys flexing their muscles as they carried lumber and equipment through the parking lot. Hey, a girl could dream, right?

But the only vehicle in the parking lot was a familiar white pickup. So, he has returned. She breathed easier. But why was his vehicle the only one in the parking lot?

She checked the time. It was a little after eight o’clock in the morning. She’d have thought they’d be hard at work by now. Was it possible the rest of the crew was out picking up supplies? Yes, that must be it.

She pulled to a stop in a nearby parking spot. When she got out, she noticed the signage on the side of the pickup: L.M. Construction. She strode through the parking lot with purposeful steps. All the while she made a mental note that the asphalt was going to need a new top coat and the parking spaces needed painting. Because soon this chapel was going to be “the” place to get married. A San Francisco hot spot. They already had a list of clients inquiring about booking their wedding at the Seabreeze Wedding Chapel.

She climbed the steps to the double doors. The chapel wasn’t huge, but what it lacked in size, it definitely made up for in charm. If she ever considered getting married, she wouldn’t mind getting married here.

She pulled open the door and stepped inside. Her thoughts stumbled to a halt as she took in the benches covered with brown tarps. This was progress. Hope bloomed in her chest.

“Hello.” A little girl in pink pants and a bright green shirt stepped in front of her.

It took Brooke a moment to recover from the surprise of finding a child alone in the chapel. She knelt down. “Hi. Who are you?”

The girl pressed her hands to her sides, lifted her chin, and asked in all seriousness. “Who are you?”

Brooke hadn’t expected that response from the little girl. “I… I’m Brooke.” Her gaze scanned the chapel before returning to the little girl with her brown hair pulled up into a messy ponytail that was slightly off center. “Where’s your mommy or daddy?”

“Right here.” A deep male voice came from the side. Logan peered out from behind a stand at the front of the chapel. His thick eyebrows were drawn together in yet another frown.

“You know my daddy?” The little girl crossed her arms as she stared at Brooke.

“Um…” How did she put this gently? “We’ve met before.”

“Are you his girlfriend?”

Immediately, heat rushed from her chest and set her face aflame. “No!” Realizing that she’d been too assertive with her answer, she softly added, “Definitely not.”

“Do you want to be Daddy’s girlfriend?”

She turned a pleading look at Logan. For the first time since she’d met him, he wore a laughing smile. It smoothed out the frown lines on his face. Amusement danced in his eyes, making him look so handsome. This realization only intensified the heat in her cheeks.

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