My Best Friend's Bride (12 page)

Color stained Jill’s cheeks as she unlocked the door. “Well, if you’re sure…”

Hunter studied the covered porch, which was broad enough to host several cushioned wicker chairs and a large love seat with a matching table. On the opposite end from the drive, a dangling porch swing for two rocked gently in the afternoon breeze. “This is nice, Jill. Very sweet,” he said. “I didn’t quite expect it.” His nose twitched a tiny bit, but he figured that would improve once they got inside and away from so many flowering things.

“Thanks,” she said with a smile. “It’s home.”

Yep, Hunter guessed that it would be his home too, for the next twelve months. No matter. He’d just look at it as a vacation from the city. He’d kept the condo, of course, as he’d be needing it later. Besides, if things got too crazy here, he could always head back to his place for a night or two. He supposed he and Jill could work something out that gave Hunter a degree of flexibility.
 

Jill had barely pushed back the door when a big golden-colored dog came bounding in their direction. It had huge dark eyes and a stuffed toy of some kind in its mouth. “Hunter!” Jill exclaimed proudly. “Meet Fifi.”

The back end of the animal wiggled furiously until Jill commanded it to
sit
. It did so immediately, dropping the toy from its mouth at Hunter’s feet. Fifi stared up at Hunter with big dopey eyes and a panting grin, and Hunter heard himself chuckle. “Well, hey there, you poor abused animal,” he said, stooping to scratch the dog behind the ears.

“Abused?” Jill countered contentiously.

Hunter ignored her and continued addressing the dog. “Your mom couldn’t come up with a proper name for you, huh? No worries. I’m here to help in that department.”

Fifi licked the back of his hand, then craned her neck to run her tongue along the side of his face when Hunter leaned forward. He laughed out loud again. “Very friendly dog you’ve got here.”

“Yes,” Jill said, “and she’s very well treated, thank you very much.”

Hunter’s nose twitched again and he hoped he wasn’t about to start sneezing. Perhaps he should have taken an allergy pill, but he hadn’t even considered it. They were just dropping by for a bit. Besides, he hadn’t had trouble with his allergies in years. Hunter gave Fifi one last pat on the head and stood. “So? Am I going to get the rest of the tour?”

“Sure!” Jill glanced around the small living room, which was well-appointed with quaint décor and something Hunter hadn’t seen in a very long time: a real wood-burning fireplace. “Just let me check something first,” she said, darting from the room into another that was obviously the kitchen. Hunter couldn’t understand why, but she looked mildly panicked. It wasn’t like he was the kind to be disturbed by a few dirty dishes in the sink.

Jill raced through the kitchen to the open laundry room door. She’d known something was amiss the moment Hunter’s SUV had approached the house and she’d spied Fifi’s big block head observing them through the living room window. When she’d left to have lunch with Morgan, she’d secured Fifi and Mimi in the laundry room with treats and toys. She’d worked so hard to clean the house, she hadn’t wanted them to make a mess of things before she brought Hunter by. She also didn’t want them assaulting him the moment he walked in the door. Most especially though, Jill didn’t want the pair sneaking back into the guestroom, as they had repeatedly done after she and Morgan had so thoroughly cleaned it. She quickly scanned the laundry room, finding Mimi nowhere in sight. He hadn’t been in the living room or the large eat-in kitchen either. This only left three more rooms: Jill’s bedroom, her office, and… “Excuse me!” she told Hunter, scampering through the living room and toward the other part of the house. He stared at her with a curious expression as she whizzed by.

“Jill, you really don’t need to worry about—”

“No worry!” she cried, scooting past him.

“I’m really not that picky!” he called down the hall as she stepped into her office. Mimi sometimes slept in here, grabbing a spot in the sun by the window. No cat. Uh-oh.

“It’s fine!” she yelled back to Hunter. “Just checking something!”

Jill didn’t expect to find Mimi in her room. The pets had been trained since they were little to sleep elsewhere, so they rarely came into her sanctuary. Why would they, when everyone was accustomed to occupying his or her own territory? She peered into the empty master bedroom, then spun toward the guestroom, finding that door slightly ajar. She’d been quite certain she’d closed it, but the latch didn’t always engage completely and something had apparently nudged it open. “Mimi!” she hissed softly, flipping back the bedding. Sure enough, he’d broken in and had made himself a cozy nest between the sheets and comforter. Jill scooped the cat into her arms with a scolding look. “You sneak! Now I’ll have to launder everything again!” Mimi blinked in the natural light streaming in from the window. He’d apparently been enjoying himself quite a bit in his dark little cave.
 

“Is this where…?
Aaaachoo
!”
 

Jill stared in horror at Hunter standing on the threshold, covering his mouth and nose with both hands. He sneezed violently a second time, and then a third. Jill nabbed a few tissues from a box on the nightstand, carrying them to him. When he spied the approaching cat, Hunter only sneezed again. “I’m sorry.” His eyes were watery and beet red. He accepted the tissues and loudly blew his nose while Jill waited, her heart thumping hard.
 

“You weren’t kidding?” Her gaze flitted to Mimi, then back to Hunter. “About pets?”

Hunter grabbed for the tissue box and sneezed again. “Just cats.” He glanced around the sunny space. “This is not where I’m staying, is it?”

Jill backed away and put down the cat, shooing him out the door. “Mimi hardly ever comes in here,” she fibbed. “He generally stays outdoors.”

Hunter’s brow shot up. “He? With a name like Mimi, I thought—”

“Oh, that!” Jill gave a nervous laugh. “The shelter said he was female when I adopted him. Somebody must have gotten it wrong on the paperwork, or he was too young to tell.”

 
“And you never thought to check?” he asked, teary eyed.

Jill flushed brightly. “I… Well, no. Not until I took him to be spayed, and the vet informed he’d need a different kind of…” Her voice fell off when she noticed Hunter viewing the rumpled bed. “Don’t worry about the linens! I’ll wash them extra well between now and Saturday.”

Hunter nodded, looking miserable. “I think I’d better step outside,” he said sniffling.

“Right!” Jill replied quickly. “Should I bring us some lemonade to have on the porch?”

“I’ll probably just go back now.” Hunter inched toward the hall. “I’ve still got work to do at the office this afternoon.”

Jill felt terrible, hoping Hunter could manage to work in that condition. He looked a wreck. “Can I...get you anything for the drive?” she offered lamely. “An antihistamine maybe?”
 

“I’ll take one if you have it,” he said.

A slight panic seized her. What if Hunter’s allergies were too much and he couldn’t tolerate living here? Would she have to move to the city? What about Fifi and Mimi? Who would take them? Neither Brad nor Susan lived in places that allowed pets, and she doubted Hunter’s condo allowed them either. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think your condo would allow pets.”

“They don’t, and it’s okay.” He took a deep breath, then wiped his eyes and nose with more tissues. “I think I’ll take a few extras for the drive if you don’t mind.”

Five minutes later Jill stood at Hunter’s driver-side window, passing him a chilled water bottle and an antihistamine tablet. “Are you sure you should take this and drive?”

“Town isn’t far away,” he said. “By the time this kicks in, I’ll be at the office and drinking coffee.”

Jill felt horrible and at a loss, but she wasn’t sure exactly what else she could do. “I feel really awful, Hunter. I hope we can still work things out?”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I’ve got some stronger meds at home. I’ll pack them.”
 

Tears streamed down his cheeks and suddenly Jill had an image of what Hunter must have looked like as a little boy, one who’d just gotten some bad news or misplaced his favorite toy. It occurred to Jill that Hunter must have been an adorable child. He’d no doubt produce one just as attractive, with gorgeous dark eyes…like the ones that were now gushing like waterfalls!
 

“Mimi’s like my baby,” she said pleadingly. “If I didn’t feel that way about him, I—”

“Nobody’s asking you to get rid of your baby, Jill.” He blew his nose and started his engine.
 
“Just make me a promise.”

“Name it.”

“Keep the cat out of my room.”

Jill nodded numbly, unable to believe what a good sport he was being. What other man would have put up with this…and her…and this totally wack situation? Was this really happening, in spite of it all? Were she and Hunter really getting married tomorrow? “We’re still on, then?” she asked a tad sheepishly. “For the wedding?”

He looked at her, his eyes bleary. “You may not know much about me, but I can tell you this: I’m not a guy who goes back on his word.” He grabbed a few more tissues from the box in her hand, then she shoved the entire box toward him.

“Better take the whole thing,” she said sympathetically. “For the road.”

Chapter Eleven

Morgan sniffed into a tissue. “I just love weddings, don’t you?” She and Jill had arrived at the courthouse twenty minutes early and had taken refuge in the restroom to make last-minute preparations. Jill didn’t know why she should worry when it was all a stage show anyway. Still, she found herself wanting to look nice for the day. Plus, she was well aware the press would be watching and taking photos. Cassandra had eagerly accepted Brad’s invitation and had promised to be there.

“Sure,” answered Jill. “But I tend to enjoy them more when they’re not my own.” She adjusted the bodice of her dress in the restroom mirror. It was a simple design with spaghetti straps and an Empire waistline. The satin charmeuse fabric was silky to the touch and a rich cream color. Its A-line skirt was tea-length, just grazing her calves. She wore brushed ivory pumps to match. The outfit was simple but tasteful, and she’d decided to forgo the fussiness of a train or a veil. That had seemed the right decision when she’d purchased the dress for marrying Brad. Now that Jill was wedding Hunter, she was even more thankful her getup wasn’t over the top. “What do you think?” she asked, turning to Morgan, “are the earrings too much?”

Morgan studied the pretty pearl drop earrings and smiled. “They’re perfect.”

“Even for the morning?”

“They look just right with the dress,” Morgan answered. She primped in the other mirror, applying a swath of pomegranate lipstick. Her crisp linen suit was a pale lemon yellow. Her heels and purse were a vibrant red. Morgan tended to spice things up by adding a splash of color. She extracted a mascara wand from its tube and began touching up her eyelashes. “So?” she asked. “What did you and Hunter decide to do about the rings?”

Jill sucked in a gasp. “Oh my gosh! The rings!” She stared down at her ring finger and the pretty antique ring that had belonged to her late Grandmother Rose. She’d used it as a placeholder during her fake engagement to Brad. She’d gotten so used to wearing it, most days she didn’t recall it was there. But there it was! And she and Hunter hadn’t even discussed exchanging wedding bands. Not even inexpensive ones with a good return policy. She and Brad had thought they’d buy a basic set, then return the rings or sell them back later on. With Brad out of the picture as the groom and her nuptials getting bumped up, Jill had completely forgotten about that plan.

“It’s all right,” Morgan added hastily. “This elopement came on very quickly. I’m sure the judge has married other people in your position.”

Jill eyed her doubtfully. “I’ll have to say something to Hunter.”

“He probably hasn’t thought of it either.”

“No. It never came up. Between seeing my grandpa and—”

“How did that go, by the way?” Morgan asked her.

Jill angled her head thoughtfully. “You know, actually pretty well.”

“Your granddad and Hunter got along?”

Jill exuded pleased surprise. “Yeah.”

“Hunter was nice to play along with that.”

“I know. And Morgan…” She latched onto Morgan’s arm. “You’ll never believe this next part. Hunter
is
allergic, to Mimi.”

“Oh, no!”

“Oh, yes.”

“What are you going to do?”

“He says he’ll suffer through.”

“Good man,” Morgan said with a smile. “And there you thought this was going to be difficult!”

Jill self-consciously adjusted her skirt. “It is going to be difficult. Just maybe…” She tried to keep the smile from her lips, but one crept up anyway. “Not as much as I thought.”

“Holy tamale!” Morgan exclaimed in a whisper. “You
like
him, don’t you?”

Jill protested, keeping her voice low. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.” Morgan spoke with a gleam in her eye. “It’s written all over your pretty pink cheeks.”

Jill cupped her hands to her face. “Morgan!” she hissed, “Shhh!”

“It’s okay to actually like the guy you’re going to marry, you know,” Morgan stated reasonably. She tucked her makeup back in her purse and starting helping Jill pack away her accessories in the small carry-on bag that now contained the jeans and T-shirt Jill had arrived in.
 
Morgan had carefully carted in the hanging bag with the dress.

“It’s not that I
like
like him,” Jill countered. “It’s just that I’m discovering there’s more to Hunter than meets the eye.”

“And what meets the eye is really pleasing,” Morgan said with a wink.

“Okay, yes.” Jill blushed. “He’s hot. Even better-looking now than he was in high school. But back then I thought of him as a total jerk.”

“Only last week you thought of him as a total jerk.”

“That’s what makes this so weird,” Jill whispered. “I’m beginning to wonder if he’s not.”