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Falling for Chet

By Christine Schimpf

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Chapter One

Chet Taylor strode up the concrete stairs of the church two at a time. He was planning to grab the first available seat once he was inside, but he detected a pair of pretty velvet heels and the woman who wore them standing next to him. It was hard not to notice her with her jet black hair and the white woolen coat that cinched at the waist. It was a striking combination. He opened the door and then stepped aside. “I beg your pardon, after you. Friends of the groom or the bride?” he asked, hoping to discover more about the beauty before she disappeared into the chapel.
Her dark hair swayed with a flutter of wind, moving a scent of lilac in Chet’s direction. Her almond-shaped face and full lips gave way to a petite frame, and the look she gave him with her violet eyes radiated confidence. To say she was gorgeous would’ve been an understatement. Chet stood there, frozen in time, and waited for her response.

The smile she gave him broke the ice between them. “The bride. I’m Andrea Lockhart.” A soft thank you fell from her berry-colored lips, and she slipped inside the church.

Chet intended to follow her, hoping for the opportunity she hadn’t given him to introduce himself. But it took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the interior’s dim lighting, losing sight of her entirely. So instead, he squeezed into one of the last seats in the back of the church and waited for his friend Conrad Hamilton’s wedding to begin.


Andrea Lockhart couldn’t believe her bad luck as she walked down the aisle on the arm of one of the ushers. Not only had she just made it in time for the wedding of her dear friend, Lila Clark, but now she was being led to the front of the church, drawing much-unwanted attention. She hadn’t even given the handsome stranger who’d opened the door for her an opportunity to introduce himself.
Now seated on a wooden pew near the front of the church, Andrea noticed the elegant touches throughout the chapel. Creamy white satin bows, white and red roses, and soft light glowing from wall scones. With gentle snow falling outside, it appeared the New Year’s Eve wedding of the year was happening right here in this beautiful stone church in the Door County countryside. Andrea shushed the memories from her own marriage that ended in shambles. She didn’t want to clutter this perfect day with all the reasons why she was still single. Her mother did a good job reminding her of that.

Andrea shifted her thoughts to the literary conference where she’d met Lila. She was in search of an agent for her first series while Andrea was scouting for new clients. After signing Lila, the two women became colleagues and soon good friends. Two professional, single women living in New York and pursuing their careers acted as the glue between them. Lila’s career had quickly taken off, and she was an established author, but Andrea found herself once again at a crossroads in her career because of a merger at the agency. Now she was without a job, and all she had left to work with was hope for a brand-new start in life.

"Andrea?" Cassie Hamilton stood nearby, interrupting her thoughts. She wore a red velvet gown and the tiniest baby's breath woven into a waterfall braid that fell past her shoulders. The groom's sister was a Christmas vision. Andrea gave her a warm smile, happy to see her.

“I’m so glad you made it. How was your flight out of LaGuardia with all that snow?”

Andrea rolled her eyes. "We sat on the tarmac for an hour de-icing, but I made it. Wouldn't have missed it. It's good to see you.”

"Let’s catch up after the service. I’ll find you." Cassie waved a hand and then walked toward the back of the church.

The soft music of violins swept through the chapel. The matron of honor started her walk down the aisle wearing the palest shade of red. Like Cassie’s style, her long, dark tendrils cascaded down her back. Andrea searched the wedding booklet for her name. Matron of Honor, Mrs. Melanie Winters. So this was Lila's childhood best friend. Like every detail about the wedding so far, Mrs. Winters fit the part beautifully.


Chet scanned the area for the pretty woman he’d met at the doorstep. Instead, he met the eyes of Olivia Hawkins, the woman he’d recently stopped dating. She threw him a warm smile. Chet responded with a nod. It would’ve been easy to have her on his arm today.

The music changed, lassoing Chet’s thoughts. He watched Melanie Winters walk down the aisle when a rainbow of sparkles caught his attention. At first, he assumed it was a unique lighting effect, but he traced the flickering to one of the guests. The pretty woman he met at the door. Andrea Lockhart. He craned his neck to better the view, rubbing shoulders with the man seated next to him. He mouthed a sorry, but his attention soon returned to Andrea. She wore a simple grey-toned gown with a row of gemstones around the neckline that caught the light at the slightest movement. She stood out among the crowd like a ripened apple from one of their trees on the farm. She’s not from around here.

His smartphone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his trance-like state. Why hadn’t he shut it off? He hoped it wasn’t the bank calling to remind him of the overdue payment again. Irritated, he retrieved his phone and glanced at the incoming call. Dad. They’d talked over lunch about a few issues regarding the farm, but his dad was aware of his plans to attend the wedding. He wouldn’t call unless it were critical. Chet stifled a groan. The last thing he needed was another argument, but if they didn’t see eye-to-eye soon, the whole farm would go up in financial smoke.

Violin music eased Chet’s shoulders and upper back. Earlier today, he’d helped the construction crew install metal shelving units in the last of the new greenhouses. The day’s work left his shoulders sore and a good-sized bruise on his upper back for not seeing one of the support beams soon enough. Ignoring the pain, Chet craned his neck to get a glimpse of the woman he spotted before he was interrupted, but when the congregation stood as Lila entered the room, it made his attempt impossible. He followed the eyes of those around him and soon found out why everyone appeared so transfixed. He’d never seen Lila as beautiful as she was right now.

Conrad’s bride walked past him. Her eyes were on her groom. The silky fabric of her gown reminded him of fresh cream. Chet sighed. Conrad was a lucky man. He noticed a little flower girl tossing rose petals on the white runner and a little boy carrying the rings on a satin pillow with a death-like grip. I can see my kids doing that one day. The sight was adorable.

His gaze moved to Conrad, who stood next to his brother and best man, Luke. The two men dressed in dark suits stood like two recruits after being sworn into service. Their postures were solid and erect. One of them, with clear eyes for the future that waited for him. The other with unwavering support. Even from this distance, Chet envied what he saw. The unmistakable expression of love. It was written all over Conrad’s face.

He remembered Conrad and Lila’s story of how they went their separate ways, but both believed God had used their circumstances to bring them back together and fall in love all over again. If only he hadn’t made so many mistakes, maybe God would have brought someone special into his life. A partner all of his own. In his weakest moments, Chet feared he’d never find her.

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