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CHAPTER ONE

"You are such a beautiful bride" Christie Hayden sown and sth htly dusted with snoas reflected through the large-panedin the mirror

Sarah's eyes were full of excite day "Thank you for everything you've done to help us I could never have pulled this off so quickly, or so beautifully, without you"

Christie was pleased by how sether Her final walk-through downstairs half an hour ago confirmed that the Summer Lake Inn had been co venue

"I've absolutely loved helping you," Christie said, "but we both know you could have single-handedly planned a dozen weddings in the past teeks and gotten a spread in Brides azine while you were at it"

Sarah grinned "That was the oldwith yarn all day at the store"

Christie was happy to let Sarah say whatever she wanted After all, this was her wedding day But both of theed to Calvin Vaughn hadn't changed the core of who Sarah was She had always been driven Brilliant And on top of that, she also happened to be one of the ood fortune to know

Business at Lakeside Stitch and Knit was more brisk than ever now that Sarah had taken over the store for her randmother Not only because Sarah was a pheno, but also because she was truly passionate about knitting and the women who shopped in her store

As Sarah turned to look into the antiqueprep rooown, the soft curls brushing against her collarbone, the pretty makeup, and the lacy knitted veil over which she couldn't stop running her fingers in wonder

"I never thought today would come," Sarah said softly, "but I alanted it" She lifted her gaze to meet Christie's in the mirror "I've loved Calvin my whole life"

Christie blinked quickly to push away the tears threatening to fall "You and Calvin both deserve the love you've found again Especially since this time, it's forever"

She shtly rounded stomach, and the lu there would soon be a new baby to cuddle Her friend's fingers spread across the growing life inside her in an instinctive gesture of protectiveness and nurturing, and a bolt of longing hit Christie so hard that she nearly stumbled back from the force of it

"Christie?" Sarah reached for her arm "You know you can talk to me, don't you?"

Christie knew she'd just given too much away She always did Some people had poker faces, but hers would cause her to lose everything in a casino because she didn't have the first clue how to play the game Especially when it came to love

Still, knowing the last thing she should do was due all over Sarah on her wedding day, Christie was intent on finding a way to deflect her friend's concern and lighten the s You should have seen uests infor raincoats so I wouldn't soak them"

But Sarah didn't so much as crack a sret flashed across her face "Ever since I got pregnant, my brain has been fuzzy and I want to sleep all the tiot to be why I didn't see it more clearly before--we never should have scheduled our wedding for this weekend" Sarah's words were said softly, and while there wasn't pity behind them, Christie believed that was due only to their close friendship

Unfortunately, there was no escaping the fact that Christie was supposed to have been the one to get own and saying I do, she was going to be sitting in the audience, watching her friends make their vows of love to each other

It hadn't been easy walking down Main Street these past three weeks, going to the grocery store, getting a coffee at the cafe, knowing people hispering about her Sure, they all sed pleasantries But either they had to be feeling sorry for her, or they were trying to figure out just what horrible thing she'd done to --and disappear from Summer Lake the very next day without a word to anyone

Including her

Only the woroup had remained the samental No matter how busy she was, Christietoo

She'd found her ho old on an Adirondack chair on a dock while she watched her future grandchildren playing in the clear blue water She hated to think that she'd been accepted by the locals only because she was engaged to a enerations She wanted to believe that she belonged on her own ht she contributed so valuable to the community

But regardless of how off-kilter she was feeling after the break-up, she refused to taint Sarah's wedding in any way "Really, it worked out perfectly," Christie insisted "You needed a wedding venue on short notice, and I had one all ready to go It was meant to happen this way I'm certain of it"

Anyone else would have stopped talking there, would have held sos But Christie had never kno to do that Especially when a dear friend was looking at her with such deep concern Besides, she'd finally stopped lying to herself about her ex-fiance three weeks ago So as the point in trying to hold back with Sarah now?

"You know Wesley and I weren't right for each other Not as anythingthe finishing details on your wedding faron it when it was uess that should have been ht After all the weddings I've put on at the inn, after spending time with Drake and Rosa and Suzanne and Ro you and Calvin together" Sheout cake toppers a feeeks ago, but couldn't stop staring into each other's eyes That was the day I finally realized I couldn't marry Wesley And that he shouldn't marry me either" Not just because she wanted that kind of love for herself, but because it also wasn't fair to hiafter she should have seen it on her own

Sarah hugged her tightly, and even though Christie longed to tell her friendher up inside--there was one thing she couldn't tell anyone

Specifically, what had happened three weeks ago when she and Wesley had broken off their engagement

CHAPTER TWO

Three weeks earlier

Christie was so twisted up inside her head--and heart--on her way to Wesley's suite of roo the door She literally froze in place when Wesley and John, a e, pulled away froined their embrace