The Wedding Date by Ally Blake Read Free Book Online Page A

even have a minute to spare and stand around here nattering. Do you, Bradley?’
    ‘I couldn’t possibly impose so last-minute,’ was his response.
    She glared up into his eyes to find he was refusing to look at her. Then he shifted his stance, so that her hand slid into the all too comfortable crook of his elbow. Heat slid slyly down her arm.
    She tried to pull away. He only clamped down tighter. Then he smiled at her, a quicksilver gleam in his deep, smoky grey eyes.
    Her heart tumbled in her chest and she slipped her hand free. Oh, God. Oh, no.
    She should
never
have compared him with rhinestones, or tight pink cardigans, or fruity cocktails with little umbrellas in them. He wasn’t protecting her. He was punishing her!
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Virginia said, linking her hand through his spare elbow. ‘Great-Aunt Maude left word last night to say she’s entirely sure she’s come down with consumption.’
    Elyse rolled her eyes. ‘For the engagement party it was malaria. Apart from the hypochondria she’s the perfect great-aunt. She sends gifts ahead of time!’
    Virginia turned towards the terminal and tugged Bradley in her wake. Hannah, as always, had no choice but to follow.
    Virginia was saying, ‘So there’s a spare meal already paid for.’
    Elyse, who had taken Bradley’s now free other elbow, said, ‘And the gift’s taken care of too! We’ll just pencil your name alongside Great-Aunt Maude’s on the card. She’ll never know. You won’t be sitting with Hannah, as she’ll be with Roger all night. But you seem like a man who can take care of himself.’
    Hannah rolled her eyes. When they settled back into their normal position she realised Bradley was frowning at her.
    ‘Roger?’ he asked, his tone strangely accusing.
    ‘The best man,’ Elyse explained. ‘He’s a fitness guru. As maid of honour she’ll be stuck to the guy like glue for the duration. But we’ll find you a fun table, I promise.’
    ‘Besides,’ Virginia said, ‘you’re the reason our girl hasn’t been able to drag herself away till now. You owe us, so we won’t take no for an answer. Now, I’ll go find some people to do something about your luggage and get you a hire car. Ours is filled to the brim with things for the wedding, otherwise I’d happily ride shotgun while you took my wheel.’ She patted him on the cheek before bustling ahead, with Elyse at her heels.
    Bradley slowed up till Hannah was beside him.
    ‘I told you to run,’ she said.
    ‘Yes, you did.’ He shook his head in wonder, then his cheek kicked into a half-smile that had her heart galloping all over again.
    ‘You can’t come,’ Hannah said.
    He was silent for a beat. Two. She was sure he was about to agree wholeheartedly—until he looked down at her and said, ‘And why not?’
    With his eyes on her, she said, ‘Because you’d cramp my style.’
    The sun was behind him, so she couldn’t see his eyes, but the rumble in his voice more than made up for it. ‘Would I, now?’
    She felt a smile creep across her face, and her impish streak flashed back to life as her mother disappeared from view. ‘You’ll never know.’
    His, ‘Mmmm …’ was far too non-committal for comfort. ‘So, how does your father cope around all that frenetic feminine energy?’
    Hannah’s smile faded. She fiddled with her father’s old watch. ‘He died when I was fourteen.’
    And from the moment it had happened she’d felt like Cinderella, left all alone with the step-family—only the family she’d been left with was her own.
    She felt Bradley’s eyes on her as she explained. ‘He adored Virginia to bits. Elyse and I actually thought it rather disgusting how often we caught them kissing at the kitchen sink. Then he died. And she remarried within six months. Things have been particularly cool between us ever since.’
    Several moments passed before Bradley said, ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    In the quiet of the great open space, Hannah