Here Comes the Groom by Karina Bliss

boy, Daniel.”
    It was hopeless to persist when Rosemary was in one of her loops. And it didn’t matter because in ten minutes she’d have forgotten. But other people wouldn’t. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Tell Polly I’ll explain later.” Jo hung up and hauled the production manager out of the staff room where he was enjoying his third beer and made him design a last-minute ad for tomorrow’s edition. Bold font. Big type. Dan would know there was no room for confusion on this, no room for hope. Or doubt.
    â€œJo Swann and Dan Jansen are not getting married. It was a joke, people!” A smiley emoticon should take the sting out of it.
    Because it was so funny.
    By the time Jo had deflected Kevin with an “I promise we’ll discuss the CommLink meeting tomorrow,” and made it home from her impromptu birthday celebration, she had a throbbing headache.
    Conscious of Polly’s threat to check for lights on too early she left the curtains open and navigated the stairs by moonlight. A lanky shadow on the landing made hergasp until she recognized the lampstand from the living room. Nan had been moving things again. Pushing it to one side—she was too tired to tidy up now—Jo went into her bedroom, stripped off her clothes, put on her dressing gown, then ran a bath. While it filled she sat on the rim and listening to the house creaking and groaning as the outside temperature dropped. Steam rose, invisible in the dark. It touched Jo’s face with warm, sympathetic tendrils.
    The doorbell rang, startling her. Wiping her eyes, she groped for the tap and turned it off. The bell rang again, a peal that echoed through the dark, silent house. Jo didn’t move. Silence except for the steady drip of the tap. Finally, she heard footsteps retreating down the gravel path. Clutching her robe, she crept to her bedroom window, which provided a view of the front garden.
    Holding a bunch of white lilies, Dan stood under a bright moon. She froze but he’d caught her movement and lifted his face. Across the garden they stared at each other.
    He’d changed into a white shirt and his broad shoulders were accentuated under the moon, which also bladed his cheekbones and shadowed his deep-set eyes. But Jo read his lips.
    â€œLet me in.”
    Her heart started pumping so hard she struggled to breathe. She shook her head.
    Dan assessed a route. She could read his thoughts. Swing up onto the pergola; walk along it to her window. Jo caught the sill for support as his gaze returned to hers, unblinking. Intent.
    â€œNo!” Through her panic, she found the fiercenessshe needed. The anger that her best friend was putting them through this when she was finally bringing some control back to her life.
    Jerking the drapes together, she fumbled for the catch on the window and locked it. Counted one minute down, then two. Sucking in a fortifying breath she peeked again, half expecting to see Dan crouched on her windowsill. But there were only lilies propped against the gate. Bridal white in the moonlight.
    Closing the drapes, Jo hugged herself as she returned to the bathroom and switched on the light. In the mirror her eyes were huge…shocked. He was really serious about this? Maybe she should tell him the truth behind that pass…
    â€œDo you want his pity?”
    No. God, no. Unthinkable. She hadn’t protected her secret so carefully to reveal it now. She’d only panicked because she’d been caught unprepared.
    Untying her robe, Jo shrugged it off her shoulders. Her gaze lowered over her naked body, then she turned and stepped into the hot, steamy water, leaned back and closed her eyes.
    In company with the real Jo, his best friend, he’d soon come to his senses. He had to.

CHAPTER FIVE
    A HAWK SWOOPED OVER the pasture, its silhouette faint against the grass in the dawn light. Dan turned off the hurricane lamp he’d been using to illuminate his fencing work