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Dating the Best Man (Heartsong Presents)

By Gail Sattler

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As Daphne Carruthers dabbed the tissue to her eyes she looked around at all the other women seated nearby, who were also wiping their eyes. Women watching the wedding ceremony with men who were obviously boyfriends or husbands. Not their brothers. She wasn't so lucky.

She turned to Rick, sitting beside her with his arms crossed and scowling at the latest of their friends to get married. Any moment she expected to hear him mumble, "Sucker."

Again she turned to the front as Brad and Kayla faced the pastor, their attendants at their sides.

If the wedding wasn't so romantic, the picture could have been funny. Kayla and her maid of honor and one bridesmaid stood at about five foot five inches, give or take an inch, which was several inches taller than Daphne. Brad and his groomsman were about five foot ten, but the best man, Cory, towered above them all. She didn't know his exact height, but she would have guessed that Cory was taller than her brother by three or four inches, and her brother was six feet even.

She wondered if he had ever played basketball.

She also wondered how often he'd been asked that very thing.

Because Cory was the quiet one in her brother's group of friends, she didn't know the answer. In fact, she didn't even know how Cory and Rick had met. All she knew about him was that he was a forest ranger, which was probably a good job for him because of his size. He didn't need to be afraid of the bears; the bears were probably afraid of him.

The pastor's happy voice rang out through the building. "I pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss the bride."

Before the pastor finished speaking, Brad had already lifted Kayla's veil. After the pastor's words he kept kissing her until the pastor cleared his throat, not once, but twice. A number of the ladies giggled and a couple of the men hooted. When they finally separated, the pastor introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Kendall and they began their trip down the aisle as a married couple.

Daphne sniffled again. "Isn't that romantic?" she whispered to Rick.

Rick grunted, then actually muttered, "Sucker."

She wanted to poke him with her elbow, but it was pointless.

While Brad and Kayla and their attendants posed in front of the old brick building for a few pictures, Daphne stood back with Rick. The photographer moved the bridal party back to the door, where he could pose everyone on the steps. He positioned Cory to stand one stair lower than everyone else, so his head was only slightly higher than his friends in the wedding party. Friends and family snapped photos behind the photographer.

"Are you going to get any closer?" Rick asked when she snapped a few pictures from where they stood.

"No, I'm good."

As a young couple beside them exchanged a quick kiss, Rick stiffened. Daphne knew he was wary of love. Personally, he'd seen too many women fall in love with his policeman's uniform, then be unable to handle the life of the man beneath the uniform. Because her brother was single—and planned to stay that way—he was happy to be at her side when needed, and that was what Daphne wanted. No one messed with Rick; therefore, no one would ever mess with her.

Not ever again. At least they wouldn't if they knew Rick was never far away.

And that was why, as brother and sister, they were together as the only non-couple at Brad and Kayla's wedding.

From her purse, Daphne's phone sounded with the tone that she'd received a new text message.

"I can't believe you didn't turn that off," Rick grumbled, then automatically patted his pocket where he kept his own phone, which was always set to vibrate.

"I don't know who would text me now." The few people who would text her were either already there or knew she was at a wedding today.

She pulled her phone out of her purse. "This is odd. It's Frank, my boss." Her stomach tightened. She'd applied for a promotion into the marketing department. Word had it that the final decision was now between her and one other employee. "I don't know why he's sending me a message today. This is going to be either really good or really bad." She sucked in a deep breath and pressed the screen to read his message.

"Which is it?"

Daphne read in silence, then read it again to let the words sink in. "There's a chamber of commerce dinner tomorrow, and Frank suddenly can't go. He says he asked Ken, the other guy who wants the job in marketing, and Ken said he won't work weekends. Frank says the job is mine if I go."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"I…I think so."

For the first time all afternoon Rick smiled. "What's not good? Aren't those things usually at a five-star restaurant downtown? All you need to do is smile and listen to a few boring speeches."

She gulped. "That's true, but I can't go alone. Frank says I need a date, and you're working tomorrow."

Rick's smile dropped. "This means the difference between getting that job and not getting it, right?"

"It sounds like it. These things don't happen often, but when they do, they're important. I think the point is that he'll give the job to whoever makes it a priority, and Ken blew it. I need to go." She gulped again. "And not alone. He was specific about bringing a date. I don't know why."

"Does he know you're not dating?"

"Not really. Everyone knows I'm not in a relationship, but no one knows why. What do I do? I really need that promotion."

"Are you ready to go out on a date without me?"

She shook her head. "I don't know." Besides work, she'd only been out in public with one person—her brother—since the terrible day that had changed her life. Now, six months later, the thought of being alone with a man still made her feel like throwing up.

"Your words say yes, but your head says no. I'm inclined to go with your head."

Daphne pressed her hand over her heart, which was pounding. "You're right. I'm really scared. But I need this promotion. If I ever want to move out of Mom and Dad's house I need a better job, and this one is perfect." She also needed to show her parents that she was okay, even if she wasn't, to stop them from constantly worrying about her.

"Then you'll need to go with someone I know. Someone we both can trust."

It took everything within her to not shake her head. The few who knew understood, but being understood didn't help her right now. This was her worst fear come to life: she was going to be alone in a crowd of strangers, knowing only one person. But if her brother knew the man who would accompany her, then she didn't need to be afraid when the event was all over.

Not like the last time.

She cleared her throat. "I really need to do this. But all your cop friends are working tomorrow, too, aren't they?"

Rick nodded. "Yeah. There's a big heavy metal rock concert at the park, and everyone who didn't have a regular shift is working overtime to make sure there's no trouble."

Daphne's mind went blank, so she turned to watch the wedding party.

While the photographer positioned the wedding party again, Brad reached out and gently tucked a stray lock of Kayla's hair out of her eyes. The dreamy smile they exchanged was the thing fairy tales were made of.

That was what Daphne had wanted once. But now she didn't think she could ever let her guard down to take the risk.

The photographer snapped a few more pictures, sent the attendants away, then motioned for the bride's and groom's parents to take their turn with the happy couple.

The bridesmaid and matron of honor joined their boyfriend and husband, respectively. The groomsman joined his wife. Cory stood alone, looking quite lost.

Rick waved one hand in the air until Cory noticed him. Cory looked from side to side, probably checking in case Rick was motioning to someone else. Then, satisfied Rick meant him, Cory walked toward them.

"There's your man," Rick said to Daphne, then turned to Cory when he reached them. "Cory, my friend, are you busy tomorrow?"

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