A March Bride Read Online Free PDF Page B

her shoulder as he tenderly caressed her.
    She shook her head, listening to Gracie apologize ten ways to Sunday, tears bubbling in her eyes.
    “ Did you hear me? ” Gracie said.
    “ Yes, I heard you. ” She pressed her hand under her eyes, pushing back her tears. What good were tears now? Crying would change nothing.
    “ I ’ m heartsick over this. Ethan and I have been talking for days, trying to figure a way for me to come, wondering if I should just ignore the doctor ’ s warning and— ”
    “ No! ” Susanna jumped up. “ Don ’ t even think about it. The baby ’ s safety is more important than my wedding. ”
    “ I—I can ’ t believe this . . . My best friend is not only getting married but getting married to a real honest-to-goodness king and I ’ m going to miss it. ” Susanna heard the muffled sound of Ethan saying something in the background. “ Oh right, Suz, Ethan says to tell you he ’ s arranged with Reverend Smith to broadcast your wedding on a big screen from the Christ Church grounds. ” She chuckled. “ He worked it all out by himself when he found out most of the parish wanted to watch it together. Everyone is joining in to help with food and setup. Channel 11 is even sending out a news crew. ”
    “ I always wanted to get married under the oaks on Christ Church grounds. ”
    “ And you ’ ll be there, Suz, kinda. On a movie screen via a projection TV. Your mama assured me she ’ ll get one of your aunts or uncles to get your granny there. I even invited your college friends. We ’ ll be with you, Suz, I promise. If not in body, then in spirit. ”
    Homesickness hooked her heart and furrowed deep. “ I miss you, Grace. ”
    “ Miss you back, Suzy-Q. Big time. It ’ s not the same around here without you. My baby girl needs to know her Auntie Suz! ”
    “ It ’ s a girl? ”
    “ Naw, we couldn ’ t tell on the first ultrasound. I ’ m just speaking it out loud in case God hasn ’ t made up His mind yet. We ’ ll know on the second ultrasound. Hopefully. ”
    Suddenly, Susanna wanted to go home. Now.
    She needed the sunshine soaking through her skin and warming her cold bones. To walk on the beach. Bury her toes in the wet sand. To get lost in the hubbub of the Rib Shack on a Friday night. To curl up with baby sister Avery on a Sunday afternoon for a classic movie marathon.
    “ Listen, here ’ s your mama. I ’ ll e-mail you soon, okay? But I know you ’ re going to be so busy, Susanna. My girl, a real-life queen. ”
    “ No, just a princess. We decided to let Nathaniel ’ s mom be the only queen. ”
    “ Then a real-life princess. Frankly, I like princess better, don ’ t you? Feels more Disney. ”
    “ Yeah. Disney. ” This wedding felt nothing like a fairy tale.
    “ I ’ m really, really sorry about this, Susanna. ”
    “ It ’ s not like you did it on purpose. I understand. ” She did, but it hurt.
    “ You ’ re going to be a beautiful bride. We ’ ll all be praying for you and cheering you on. Go get ’ em. Show the world how a good ole Georgia redneck does it. ”
    In one sentence, Gracie summed up everything twisting and turning in Susanna ’ s heart.
    The life she knew was over. Once she said “ I will ” to Nathaniel, Susanna Jean Truitt from St. Simons Island, Georgia, USA, would be “ dead. ”
    She ’ d be a totally new person. Princess Susanna of Brighton Kingdom. Wife of a king. From private citizen to public.
    A Brightonian. A European. She was even changing continents.
    Susanna turned to Nathaniel, who ’ d perched on the edge of the wing chair, waiting. She loved him. She did, and her heart beat with that truth.
    But was it enough?
    “ Shug. ” Mama was back on the line. “ Don ’ t worry, we ’ ll have things buttoned down by the time of your wedding so Daddy and I can be there with— ”
    “ What? What do you mean so you and Daddy ‘ can be here ’ ? You have two brothers and four sisters who can look in on Granny.