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Car wasn’t until 3:00 pet ready Still, she had plenty to do She showered and dressed in a light cotton sundress It was going to be a hot day and she would be in and out of the car Slipping into a pair of sandals with 2" heels, she headed for the kitchen The only thing she had to eat since yesterday noon was a glass of

Katie and Bill were in the kitchen when she arrived, and Katie already had breakfast ready

"There are sos on the stove," Katie invited, "and so better this ?"

Cars in it She’d better put so in her stomach

"I’m fine now" She took it back to the table and sat down "I’ht" She picked up a fork "Did you call Alex?"

Katie nodded "I thought he should know, and he said he was glad I called"

"Thank you I’ so silly, but I’lad he came"

Car – a reminder that her cell phone was in her rooot ain!" She dashed off to her roo her head as she walked toward the ringing phone

In her roo the record, her face grearain tried in vain to reach her That was probably hi rooroo"

Carmen reached for the phone "Well, it isn’t bad luck to talk to the groom on the phone"

Katie surrendered the receiver to Carmen and then walked away

"Alex?" Caro out for breakfast I guess even if you ate breakfast, that wouldn’t be an option"

Cared room had never seen the bride If she wasn’t what he wanted, he uess that would be bad luck for the bride – and good luck for the groohed "Well, I can assure you I won’t run off when I see you So how about breaking tradition and going out to breakfast with lanced at her plate "WellI don’t , but"

His voice was dry "The tradition I was referring to was you not eating breakfast"

"I eat breakfast someti and I still have some on my plate"

"I see I interrupted your breakfast I’ht Anyway, after today we’ll have the rest of our lives to eat breakfast together" She grinned "Noware you still hungry?"

"Starved"

She glanced at her plate again "Me too Are you on the way?"

"As we speak I’ll see you in a few minutes"

Car her breakfast doubtfully, she sat down Not eating supper last night left her hungry this ?" Katie asked, her expression openly exasperated

"Just for a little while," Carhed "Forget about the food on your plate You’ll have enough on your plate soon enough"

Carhed "Because you’re gettingdeal?"

"I never said gettingdeal I just said the cere deal You and a lot of others have put a lot of work into it I didn’t ht," Katie said with an understanding slad you have this in your scrap book You’re just not used to nice things or having people fuss over you You feel uncomfortable about it all, don’t you?"

Carmen eyed her warily "A little" How did Katie suddenly know so s she didn’t even know? Life hadn’t been harsh for her, but it certainly hadn’t been full of frills, either Still, would she ever have wanted those things?

Carmen stepped outside with her food and fed it to the cat Moood food For athere, saying "waste not, want not" If only Mom and Dad were here to see this day She kneeled down to pet the cat

"I wonder what happened to snowball," she ht and they never saw her again She was only a stray anyway – an unwelcome pet at the time Still, she had been welco and Katie went to answer it "I’ll bet that’s the groo Alex in her sisterly way "Now don’t keep her out long She has to get ready, you know"

"I know, Katie," Alex said, his tonetoo, you know"

Carled Why was all the focus always on the bride? She took his hand and led hio"

The ride to the restaurant was a quiet one It was obvious he had so on hissecond thoughts? Not according to his comments on the telephone Then what?

At the restaurant, he led her to a secluded booth and waited until she was seated Sliding into his side, he caught the eye of a waitress and ave her their orders and waited for her to walk away Finally he leaned toward Car his arms on the table His expression was sober, his delicious chocolate gaze fixed on hers

"Last chance Are you sure you want to do this?"

She stared at hiaze ran over her face and came back to her eyes

"No I just don’t want you to feel pressured into this"

She frowned "Why would I feel pressured?"

"Last night you said you were feeling anxious because you no longer had a home and you were about to lose your nahed "Or first thoughts I just never thought about it before"

He watched her face for a"But it upset you when you did think about it"

She reached over and placed her hand over his

"I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have soht nowreally I do want this to happen"

He continued to watch her soleod wants us to have children, ill No od doesn’t want us to have children, on’t – and not because soers up his ar the fine dark hair

"I still want children I guess I alill But I knoould regret it bitterly if I didn’t aze to his "I love youin the world"

When he didn’t respond, she pulled away

"Are you having second thoughts?"