Going to the Chapel Read Online Free PDF

him. “Exactly how are
you planning to get to Memphis? Do you have a friend coming to pick
you up?”
    His question gave Caroline
pause. Her face puckered into a slight frown. “I’ll need to rent a
car I suppose.”
    Chase shook his head slowly
from side to side, suppressing the grin that wanted to make an
appearance. “Lucy’s Branch still doesn’t have a car rental
agency.”
    She rubbed her right temple
as if a headache had begun there. Good, Chase decided, she had damn
well given him one.
    “ Zac could lend me
something from his daddy’s used car lot,” she suggested cautiously.
“He’s known me all my life. It’s not like I’m some...stranger.” She
blinked as if belatedly realizing the contraction in her
supposition.
    “ Sorry.” Chase couldn’t
quite prevent the little surge of glee. “Mr. Phillips doesn’t do
that anymore. Insurance complications,” he explained when that
silvery gaze questioned his.
    Those slim fingers stopped
massaging her temple and slipped down one soft cheek to tap those
full lips. Her pretty forehead creased with concern. Regrettably he
watched each move with frustrating fascination.
    “ You said you had a friend
in Memphis,” he ventured nonchalantly. He was fishing and it
annoyed the hell out of him.
    Caroline glanced at the
fancy watch on her left wrist. “Yes, but she’s on her way to
Nashville.” She chewed that plump lower lip a moment. “She won’t be
back until Monday.”
    He could—No! He absolutely
would not do that, Chase ordered that damned cursed protective
inclination. But she looked so lost. He almost groaned. Before he
could stick his foot fully into his mouth and offer her a ride to
Memphis, the door to his office flew open.
    “ Caroline
Gregory!”
    Felix Reems rushed across
the room and threw his arms around her. He drew back from the
embrace and beamed at her. Caroline looked as surprised as Felix
looked overjoyed. Chase wondered briefly why the local real estate
tycoon would be so all fired tickled to see her again. Of course,
the whole town probably knew she was here by now. Julie McGill’s
mamma had likely already called the guests expected at this
afternoon’s wedding to give them the headline-making story behind
the cancellation. The prodigal daughter
returns . Chase shook his head. He could
hear the rumors now. And, unfortunately for him, he would be
connected to them all.
    He might as well prepare
for the inevitable. He and Caroline had once been the town’s
favorite couple. He almost laughed out loud at the memory that
their senior year in high school the two of them had been voted the
couple most likely to marry and live happily ever after.
    “ Right,” Chase grumbled
under his breath.
    “ Look at you, little girl.”
Felix smiled widely, oblivious to Chase’s muttered sarcasm. “My,
my, how you’ve grown up on us.”
    “ Thank you, Mr. Reems.”
Caroline’s smile looked a little dim. “It’s nice to see you,
too.”
    Another “right” almost
launched from the tip of Chase’s tongue. Obviously Caroline was
just thrilled to be here and getting reacquainted with her
past.
    “ I’m so glad you got my
message, dear,” Felix explained. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be able
to catch you before you got away on that honeymoon of
yours.”
    Chase shifted in his
chair. Honeymoon? Was Caroline getting married right away? Why did that make any
difference to him? He forced his attention to the accident report
on his desk. This whole thing had nothing to do with him. Nothing,
he reiterated firmly as he signed off on Manning’s rendition of
this morning’s events. He would just ignore Caroline until she
left. Chase clenched his jaw. And she would leave.
    Just like
before.
    Caroline shook her head at
Felix’s words, confusion cluttering her weary mind. What on earth
was the man talking about? “I’m sorry, what message?”
    “ Why the message I left on
your machine in St. Louis. I called the hospital, too. I’d just
about decided