Stand-In Groom Read Online Free PDF Page A

office when he wasn’t flying. Since Mama and Daddy aren’t traveling as much, they decided to sell off the two company jets and sign a contract with this charter service.”
    Anne’s stomach churned at the thought of flying.
    “Of course, that means Rafe will be gone a lot more now,” Meredith continued. “Most of his flights will be single-day round-trips, but occasionally he’ll be gone overnight. He’s going to get to fly bigger planes, too. Not the big commercial planes, but the kind that carry about thirty passengers—”
    Bile rose in the back of Anne’s throat, and clamminess spread over her skin. That was the same size plane…
    “Oh, Annie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of— here.” Meredith pulled over one of the tall, ladder-back chairs from the table. “Sit down and put your head between your knees.”
    Anne sank into the chair, drew a few deep breaths, and tried to smile. “I’m okay. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that kind of reaction just from someone talking about planes.”
    “You sure you’re okay?” Meredith crossed the kitchen, took a glass out of the cabinet, filled it with water from the refrigerator door, and handed it to Anne.
    Anne sipped it and pressed the cold glass to her forehead. “I guess I’m just tired. You’d think after twenty-seven years and thousands of hours of therapy, I’d be over the fear.”
    Meredith gave her a sympathetic smile and rested her hand on Anne’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
    Patting Meredith’s hand, Anne set the glass on the table and rose, her knees not too weak to support her. “I know you are. If youtalk to Rafe before Sunday, tell him congrats from me.”
    “I will. Good night, Anne.”
    “Sweet dreams, Mere.”
    Shutting the door behind her cousin, Anne took a few more deep breaths and tried to put the images and sensations from a lifetime ago out of her head. The best way was to concentrate on something else.
    Work.
    For the next two hours, she focused on entering data into the software her cousin Jason had written for her to help with organizing seating arrangements at events, then moved on to making lists of everything that needed to happen in the next forty-eight hours— not just for the wedding on Saturday, but for weddings coming up in the next few weeks as well.
    Why was George Laurence in town, and why was Forbes being so secretive about it?
    She shook her head and returned her attention to the half-finished checklist on her computer screen—and saw she’d typed George Laurence’s name. She deleted it and continued working, only to have the memory of their brief encounter pop up when least expected.
    At 2:00 a.m., she finished the last list, saved everything, e-mailed the files to herself at work, and shut down her computer. When she finally climbed into bed, she grabbed her burgundy fabric–covered prayer journal and fountain pen filled with purple ink from the nightstand:
    June 1—Lord, I know there’s a reason why You had me meet George Laurence tonight. I’ve never felt this way about any other man I’ve only just met. Could he be the one You’ve had me waiting on for so long? I don’t know what Forbes meant by “not available,” but I do intend to find out. You showed me tonight that I need to take that first step on my road to my own happy ending. Thank You, Lord, for the confirmation I’ve made the right decision.
    She set the journal aside and pulled out her worn, black leather Bible, flipping it open to where the ribbon held her place from this morning. She’d read the twenty-seventh Psalm many times in her life, but this night, the last two verses stuck in her mind:
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.
    She closed her eyes and cleared her mind. “Lord, I’ve been waiting for a very long time. Please let this be