Body Double (16 page)

“I could play his part if you want,” Joe said. “I’ll get with him tomorrow to go over the details.”

Blake shifted to the side and pulled out his cell phone, buzzing quietly. This time, instead of letting it go to voice mail, he excused himself and stepped away to answer the call. Andrea wondered whether it was Sarah.

“Shall we?” Uncle Roy said, standing.

Blake finished his call in time to pull Gloria’s and Andrea’s chairs out for them as they stood.

“Is everything okay?” Andrea asked him.

“Oh, yeah. It was the limo service. Steven had a family emergency.”

“I’d offer you two a lift home,” Joe said, “but I rode the Harley. Maybe Aunt Gloria will give Blake a ride.” He winked at Andrea.

“Dream on,” Blake said with a chuckle. “They’re sending another driver. No big deal.” He and Joe talked about the motorcycle while they all followed Scotty outside to a white gazebo on the lawn near the lake.

Gloria hooked her arm in Andrea’s and slowed her pace so that the men passed them. Charlotte cast Andrea a worried glance, asking with raised eyebrows if she needed rescuing. In response, Andrea smiled and looked up at Blake’s mom. Gloria didn’t concern her—she worried more about Harold, and he hadn’t even shown up.

“Sarah,” Gloria said, “seeing the two of you together warms my heart.”

“Being with him warms mine,” Andrea said. Gloria would make a much better mother-in-law than Sean’s mother would have. “He’s so wonderful. My friends are always asking if he has a twin brother.”

Gloria gave a delighted laugh. “He’s a good man, not a perfect man, but a good one. Believe me, I know my son well. Even as recently as Monday, when we met for a quick nine holes of golf, he was tense and ill at ease. I was afraid that you two had been arguing or that he was having doubts about getting married.”

Thinking about her groom being hesitant made her stiffen.

“But look at him now,” Gloria said. At that moment, Blake glanced over his shoulder at them and smiled before putting an arm across Joe’s shoulders and saying something into his cousin’s ear. “He’s the most relaxed he’s been in months. The way he looks at you is the way a man should look at the woman he’s about to marry.”

Andrea smiled at his back, at the playful way he and Joe interacted, at his infectious laugh that carried across the dozen paces that separated them. He’d been a pleasure to spend time with—not at all the stuffy or snobbish prude she’d assumed he would be. If she had her choice of men to fake-marry, he would be her first pick. She couldn’t wait to feel his lips on hers at the altar. “I’m the luckiest woman in the world,” she said.

“I’m so glad to finally have a daughter.” Gloria squeezed Andrea’s arm affectionately. “I don’t want to meddle in your relationship, but I was sort of hoping we could do some mother-daughter things from time to time, like see a play or meet for breakfast.”

Gloria’s enthusiasm made Andrea miss her own mother way out in Arizona. Sarah didn’t even have a mom anymore. “I would love that. It’ll be nice to have a mom again.”

Scotty directed Blake, Charlotte, Joe, and Uncle Roy to where they would wait, where to walk, and where to stand in the white gazebo, and placed Gloria in the first chair in the first row on the right side of the aisle. He described how Andrea would walk up and where she would stop. Her father was to hand her off to Blake, who would help her up the gazebo’s one step, and she would stand beside him, facing Uncle Roy.

“I’ve already paced it off,” Scotty said. He took Andrea by the hand. “Let’s practice your bridal walk.”

“Want me to come?” Joe asked.

Scotty gave him a quick look-over, flashed a smile, and said, “Oh, yes, honey. I sure do.”

Joe blushed and followed Scotty and Andrea across the grass while Scotty described where the chairs would be set up.

“The flowers have been delivered and are waiting in the cooler,” Scotty said. “Everything will be assembled in the morning so that the chairs don’t get wet and dirty overnight. The sprinkler system has been turned off, so the grass should be dry for you tomorrow.”

Andrea was so glad she didn’t have to think of these things herself. Next time she got married—if she ever did—she would definitely hire a wedding planner. And next time, she’d be able to afford one.

She stood behind a white, ivy-covered lattice partition, just outside the clubhouse.

“When you’re ready to get married, you’ll come out this door and wait here for the music to start. Your father should be just inside the door waiting for you.” Scotty took Joe by the arm and moved him to Andrea’s right. “Your dad looks so young for his age.” He opened his cell phone and tapped a few buttons. “All right. Here we go.” The wedding march began to play from the phone’s tiny speaker. “Listen for when it goes duh-duh, and then take your first step... now.” He put the music on pause. “That’ll be your cue to begin the march, okay?” He started it over again, and when the cue came, Andrea took Joe’s arm and started walking.

“Honey, no no no,” Scotty said, pausing the music again. “It’s step-together, step-together, step-together. You don’t just trudge out there in your glorious gown like you’re slogging through a mud pit. This is the biggest day of your life. Savor every step. Try again.”

This didn’t feel at all like what Sarah would have wanted for her wedding. Granted, Andrea didn’t know Sarah well at all, but she was a strong, independent woman. She didn’t strike Andrea as the sort who would cling to tradition. “No, wait. I don’t want to walk like that,” Andrea said. “It’s too stilted and old fashioned. I’ll just walk slowly. And I want Blake to meet me halfway. I’m not a prize my father’s giving to him. This is a decision we made together.”

“Oh, okay. Sure,” Scotty said, looking surprised. He jogged toward the gazebo. She heard him say, “Slight change in plan. She wants the groom to meet her halfway.”

Blake smiled and followed Scotty back. “How about if I walk toward her when the music starts and wait by the last row of chairs?”

“Perfect,” Andrea said. She loved that idea.

“That should be right about here.” Scotty stood with his feet together, marking the spot. “Okay, places, everyone.”

This time, Andrea took her time, strolling across the grass on Joe’s arm. While Blake walked from the gazebo toward her, their eyes were fixed on each other, smiles on their faces. She could almost imagine this as her own wedding.

A shadow appeared on her left, and Joe stepped aside. Another man took his place, a gray-haired fellow with steely eyes and a practiced smile. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, falling into step with her. He breathed heavily, as if he’d been running.

Andrea looked away quickly, her heart pounding. What if he noticed that she wasn’t Sarah? This whole charade was about to crumble around her. On the inside, her spine felt like it had turned to jelly and her stomach churned. Blake’s smile faded, and his gaze grew more intense, as if he were trying to reassure her telepathically. She had the urge to quicken her pace, to flee to the safety of Blake’s arms, but she had to focus. Sarah would be pissed about her father’s tardiness. She might even holler at him.

Charlotte’s words came back to her.
She pretends he’s not even there. Doesn’t answer his questions, doesn’t respond to his remarks, doesn’t even look at him.

Andrea glanced at her maid of honor, who also watched intently, nodding slightly as if affirming Andrea’s thought:
Just ignore him. It’ll be less suspicious that way.

“What’s he doing way back here?” Harold said. “Blake, get up there on the gazebo.”

“Oh,” Scotty said, walking backward in front of them, “we changed it. You’ll see. It’ll be wonderful.”

Harold grumbled and muttered about breaking tradition and young people having no respect these days. Andrea was tempted to stop right then and kick him out of the wedding, or at least make him sit and watch like Gloria, but she couldn’t do that. Not without giving him a good look at her face.

Finally, they reached Blake, and Andrea withdrew her left hand from Harold’s arm and took her groom’s arm with her right.

“Perfect,” Scotty said, clapping his hands. “You didn’t even break stride. That was perfect.”

Blake glanced at her with a smile as they walked. Joe had run ahead to take his place on the gazebo, and now he and Charlotte were grinning and nodding, sharing her victory over making it through her first encounter with Harold Gentry. At last, she and Blake reached the gazebo, and he helped her step up before taking his place. They held hands while the march finished playing on Scotty’s phone.

“Excellent,” Scotty said. “That was perfect. Now Judge Williamson says his thing, blah blah blah, do you Blake Thomas blah blah blah, do you Sarah Gentry blah blah blah. You two can face Judge Williamson the whole time, or you can turn and face each other, whichever you prefer.”

“Face each other,” Blake said.

Sarah would probably want to face Uncle Roy. It wasn’t a marriage she was entering into with any degree of enthusiasm. But Gloria would think it strange if Blake was the only one showing any excitement or love. This show was for Gloria’s sake anyway; had it been solely for Harold’s, they could have gone to the courthouse and skipped the ceremony. Andrea nodded. “Yes, let’s face each other.” He took both of her hands in his, stroking her fingers with his thumbs.

“You may now kiss the bride,” Scotty said. “Sorry, Your Honor. I know that’s your line, but I always like saying that.”

A few people chuckled politely. A few seconds ticked by with Blake and Andrea still holding hands.

“Well? Kiss kiss,” Scotty said. “Don’t be shy.”

Blake moved one hand to the side of her face and head and bent down, placing a warm, soft kiss on her lips. His lips lingered for a second, and another, and another, before pulling away.

She felt a lightness in her chest, like her heart was a feather floating within a cage, and her knees weakened. With her free hand, she fanned herself with a throaty laugh, slightly embarrassed at the way her body had responded to him in front of his mother.

Scotty clapped again. “Nicely done. You’ll pose for a few photos, turn to your guests, give a little fist pump or wave or whatever, and then walk back up the aisle. Your carriage will be there, by the curb. You can walk directly to it instead of going through the clubhouse. Any questions or concerns?”

Andrea gripped Blake’s hand, sensing that they were wrapping up and she might have to address Harold Gentry.

“No, I don’t like this. I’ll walk her all the way to the gazebo,” Harold said. “Blake can wait there for her.”

Scotty blinked, momentarily silenced by the man’s audacity.

“Sarah wants it this way,” Blake said, “and I agree. It’s more symbolic of our marriage—a step we’re taking together.”

Harold glared at him for a second before his stormy gaze shifted to Sarah. “Fine. If that’s how Sarah wants it. At least I got her here.”

“I beg to differ,” Blake said, stiffening. “I put that ring on her finger. I got her here.”

“Well, she’ll be your problem after tomorrow.”

“Harold,” Gloria said in a scolding tone. “Really? Is that any way to talk to your only daughter? At her wedding rehearsal?”

“Or any other time,” Blake added. “You owe her an apology for that remark.”

Andrea knew then that Blake didn’t like Harold any more than Sarah did. “Let’s go,” she said quietly. She didn’t want an apology from him. She didn’t want anything other than to get as far away from him as possible.

Harold looked around at the hostile glares all focused on him like lasers and burst out laughing, a too-loud, fake laugh, the kind people used to cover their own embarrassment. “I was joking. Sarah knows I love her, don’t you, baby doll?”

She turned her face away without answering, not at all sure Sarah knew that.

“All right, that’s it,” Scotty said. “Do you want to run through it one more time?”

“No, we’re good,” Blake said, sliding a protective arm around Andrea.

Scotty tucked his tablet under one arm. “The guests will arrive between one and one thirty. I’ll have them seated by one forty-five. The seven of you should plan to be here no later than twelve thirty, earlier if you think you’ll need more time to get ready.” He looked back and forth between Andrea and Blake. “Be sure to eat a decent meal before you come, otherwise your growling stomachs will scare your guests. They might think a wild animal is loose somewhere.”

“What did you do to your hair?” Harold Gentry was staring directly at Andrea. This time, Joe didn’t giggle.

Don’t answer him. Don’t even look at him.

“She’ll be getting it styled in the morning,” Charlotte said.

“I meant since last time I saw you. Well, whatever you did, it’s nice. Makes your face look fuller.”

Oh, God. He was noticing the differences. He would know she wasn’t his daughter, and then Gloria would know, and their business deal would dissolve and Gloria’s dream would go
poof
, right into thin air, and it would be Andrea’s fault and Blake would hate her forever and Sarah wouldn’t pay her, wouldn’t hire her, and she would get evicted and have to move to Arizona to live with her parents. The world in her vision began to break apart into swirling snow like late-night TV in the days of old. Her knees weakened, and she thought she was falling. She felt Blake’s arm tighten around her waist, steadying her, snapping her back to consciousness.