The Wedding Dress(68)

Charlotte lifted her head, and when their eyes met, she kissed him again, her light touch tasting his passion.

“I love you, Charlotte,” his lips whispered against hers.

“Lord help me, but I love you too.” Gently, she stroked her fingers over his forehead. It was the one place where he wasn’t bruised. “I don’t want to, but I do.”

He slipped his fingers though the ends of her hair. “When I came to after the crash, all I could think about was you. I didn’t know where I was, and for a few minutes, who I was, but I knew there was you.”

“Good friends are hard to find, you know.” She smoothed her hand down his chest between the tapes and the tubes.

“I have good friends. But a woman I love who’s also the hottest thing I’ve ever seen and happens to be my best friend too—that’s darn near impossible to find. Charlotte—” He seemed awake now, peering at her, his voice unwavering.

Behind them, the door swung open. “Goodness, Tim, I got here as fast as I could.”

Charlotte jumped back as Kim, the blonde from the restaurant, barged across the room.

“Katherine called hours ago, but I was in a commercial shoot. Oh, darling, are you all right?” She walked around the side of the bed and kissed him full on the lips.

The lips where Charlotte’s had just been.

“Kim.” Tim winced, tipping his head away from her. “This is Charlotte Malone.”

“Nice to meet you.” Kim offered her hand, then set her handbag on the nightstand and slung her sleek, gorgeous hair over her shoulder. She bent her sculpted face over his and leaned close with her taut, perfect body. “I canceled our dinner reservations, babe. George and the gang send their love.”

Charlotte stumbled over her chair as she backed away from the bed.

Kim looked up, frowning. “Goodness, are you all right?”

“Yeah.” Charlotte contracted her ribs, holding the roiling emotions in her belly. If she let loose, she didn’t know what would come out of her. “I’ll see you, Tim.”

“Charlotte, wait—” His voice weakly trailed her out of the room.

She was halfway down the hall, her throat thick with swallowed sobs, before she realized she’d left her purse in the chair by Tim’s bed.

But there was no way she was going back to get it now.



Sunday morning Charlotte woke up early, the sunrise bright over the mountains, and for a second all was right with the world.

For a second.

Then she remembered. Tim and Kim. Cute, huh? Tim and Kim. They deserved each other.

She popped out of bed, without allowing herself to dwell on the pain in her heart, and showered for church.

Finding a seat in the back, she worshipped with the early service congregation, eyes closed, arms held wide, her heart offering it all to the One who wooed her with love and grace. Unconditional and uncompromising. Perfectly done on His part, not so much hers.

But she could trust Him. He’d not switch His gaze from her when another walked into the room. It was the miracle and beauty of Jesus—fixed, unwavering affection. A smile started in Charlotte’s belly and floated to her lips. She was His favorite one.

I am Yours, I am Yours

She opened her eyes when a masculine body scented with sandalwood took the seat next to her. “Hey, Jack.”

“I heard.”

“Heard what?”

“Kim showed up.”

“Thanks to Katherine.”

Jack heaved a sigh as the music faded and the woman in front of them scowled over her shoulder. “He wants to see you,” Jack whispered in Charlotte’s ear.

“He saw me. Yesterday.”

“Charlotte, come on, don’t let Kim kick you out of the race.”

“Never fear, Jack. Kim can’t kick me out of the race.” She patted his shoulder and bore her gaze deep into his. “Because I’m not competing.”

She faced forward as the next song shifted from verse to chorus. Jack didn’t move.

Saturday night Charlotte had spent the evening munching on a bag of baby carrots, resisting the overwhelming urge to order a large pizza and eat the whole thing herself. With her carrots-of-comfort, she watched movies and talked to the dress. Hillary’s dress. The dress from the trunk. The dress she was charged to care for until she could find its next bride.

“Then this Kim chick comes into the room. Dress, are you listening? Comes in like she owns the place. A second earlier she’d have caught us kissing. Yeah, I know. He asked me to kiss him, but he had a date with her.”

“What do you want me to tell him?” Jack said as the worship song rose in power, the chorus transitioning to a glorious tag. Our God reigns, our God reigns. The band drove the music hard and tight, and Charlotte wrapped her heart in the power of the melody.

“Tell him to get well.” Charlotte closed her eyes, feeling the drums and bass in her chest, prophesying to her spirit, encouraging her soul.

Our God reigns. Our God reigns.

“He loves you.” Jack’s declaration wrenched Charlotte’s soaring spirit.

She popped open one eye for Jack. “He has a funny way of showing it.”

“Tell me about it. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him.” The third oldest Rose boy hooked his arm around Charlotte’s shoulders for a one-arm side hug, then slid out of the row.