Almost Like Being in Love by Beth K. Vogt Page A

something?”
    Caron resisted the offer of the pen and paper. “But I’m not even engaged—”
    â€œIt’s only a matter of time. You and Alex have been together forever.” A chorus of agreements followed Margo’s statement. “Fill out one or two, just for fun. Put an imaginary date on the form. Besides, what are the odds? There are hundreds of other people here.”
    â€œFine. But just one.”
    She’d humor Margo. One of the reasons she’d come to Colorado was to join in on the prewedding fun, right? It was all about making the bride-to-be happy today. Caron scribbled her name on the form. She picked a date sometime next fall for the line labeled Wedding Date , filling out her phone number, e-mail, and future husband’s name.
    Caron stuffed the slip of paper into a large box wrapped in white paper covered with silver filigree hearts and topped with an enormous silver bow. She trailed behind the other women into the side of the convention center filled with all things nuptial. Vendors displaying wedding invitations. Tables decorated for wedding receptions in coordinating table linens. DJs playing competing playlists—each advertising the perfect songs to get guests on the dance floor. Floral bouquets and displays. Romantic getaways for honeymoons. Caterers with food displays. Alloverlaid by a frantic buzz of nonstop conversation punctuated by laughter.
    â€œWhere do we start?” Caron had to raise her voice to be heard.
    â€œLet’s just go counterclockwise around the room.” Emma took charge. “Margo, you let us know when you want to stop at a particular booth, okay? If we get separated, we’ll meet back by the display with the huge black-and-white geometric wedding cake in an hour. Sound good?”
    â€œIt’s a plan.” Caron stepped aside as another group of women flowed into the room. One girl with long blond hair wore a white sash emblazoned with the words BRIDE-TO-BE . Did she think this was some sort of bachelorette party? “Let’s get moving.”
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    When, oh when, could they head south to Margo’s apartment in Colorado Springs? Caron didn’t want to fight crowds of brides and their bridesmaid wannabes. She didn’t want to listen to wedding music. Didn’t want to ooh and aah over reception favors. Didn’t want another stranger to ask her, “So when are you getting married?”
    All she wanted was something to eat and then crawl into bed and go to sleep. She’d start having fun again tomorrow.
    â€œCan we leave now?” Caron tapped Margo’s shoulder, certain she sounded like a whiny child on an endless road trip asking her mom, “Are we there yet?”
    â€œWe can’t leave before they finish. They’re getting ready to announce the winner of the grand prize.” Margo bounced on her tiptoes, trying to peer over the shoulders of the rows of women in front of her. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll win.”
    â€œOr maybe Caron will.” Brooke laughed at her suggestion.
    â€œI don’t think so.”Caron backed away from her friends. “I’m going to wait outside. I need some fresh air.”
    Well, as fresh air as she could get standing on a street in downtown Denver. Of course, she could be a total tourist and take a photo of the huge sculpture of a blue bear peering into the Denver Convention Center and then post it to her Instagram account.
    She made her way through the crowd gathered near the stage that, only an hour earlier, had been the site of a fashion show of wedding gowns. The emcee had described each one in glowing terms. Perfect. One-of-a-kind. Elegant. Showstopping. Was that the goal of a wedding—to stop the show?
    Now the exuberant emcee in a black tux rattled off the names of the various winners, causing the attendees to erupt in shouts of “Me!” and “I won!” as women rushed the