Substitute Bride (Special Edition)

by Alexander, Trisha

  Sure you did. You deceived David last week. And you’re deceiving him now.

  “I’m sorry,” she said inadequately.

  “Stop saying you’re sorry. It’s not your fault.” He threw his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks, Rach. You’re a good friend. In fact, you’re the best. Some guy’s going to be awful lucky to get you.”

  Oh, David, David… Rachel looked down, afraid the intense emotions battering her would show in her eyes. Why did she love him so much? Why couldn’t she master this?

  “Hey,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  Somehow Rachel managed to raise her eyes and smile at him. “Thanks, David. That means a lot coming from you.”

  An hour later both sisters were home and in their respective rooms. Rachel was already in bed, but she could hear Roxanne moving around. She wondered what her sister was thinking. They hadn’t talked on the way home from the party. Roxanne had been lost in her thoughts, and Rachel was afraid of what she might say if she ever got started, so she’d been quiet, too.

  They still hadn’t talked when they reached the town house. Roxanne headed for the cupboard where they kept the aspirin. She downed two, then said wearily, “I’m going up to bed. See you in the morning.”

  Rachel just nodded. “Me, too.”

  Now Rachel wondered if she should have told Roxanne that David was worried. But what good would that have done? It wouldn’t have changed a thing. Besides, the twins had exhausted the subject. Roxanne had made her decision. She was marrying David, as scheduled, so all Rachel could do now was hope for the best.

  The sounds next door stopped, and Rachel knew Roxanne was in bed. She hoped her sister would be able to sleep. Rachel closed her own eyes. She needed sleep, too. Getting through tomorrow would take all her strength. She decided to count, very slowly, which sometimes helped her to relax. She had just gotten to thirty-four when she heard Roxanne’s phone ring. It rang only once.

  Rachel lay still, listening. Either the party had hung up or Roxanne had answered. For a moment there was silence, and she relaxed. But then she caught a sound, followed by another.

  Roxanne was talking to someone.

  Maybe it’s David. Maybe he called to say goodnight.

  She heard nothing further and had just decided it had indeed been David calling when a floorboard creaked. A few minutes later she heard soft footsteps going down the stairs, followed a few minutes after by the sound of the garage door opening.

  That could mean only one thing. Roxanne was going out to meet Carlos. On the eve of her wedding, only hours before she would pledge herself to David, she was going out to be with another man.

  David toed off his shoes, sighed gratefully and propped his feet on the coffee table. He and Hank had just gotten back from. the rehearsal dinner and they had settled in David’s living room. Even though David had been taken aback by Roxanne’s suggestion that she go home with Rachel, now he realized how thoughtful it had been of her to give him this time with Hank, who had been his college roommate and was still his best friend. Tonight would probably be their only chance to talk.

  “Well?” He looked at Hank expectantly. “What’d you think of her? Isn’t she everything I said she was?”

  Hank grinned. “Your grandmother? Yeah, she’s a foxy lady, all right.”

  David picked up a pillow and threw it at Hank, who dodged it neatly. “You know who I meant.”

  Hank laughed. “Okay. You didn’t exaggerate. She’s gorgeous.”

  David smiled happily. “She is, isn’t she?”

  Hank nodded. “So is Rachel. Man, those two look so much alike. If they hadn’t been dressed in different outfits, I wouldn’t have been able to tell which one was which.”

  “I know. Half the time, even I can’t tell them apart.” David laughed again, remembering once when he’d nearly kissed Rachel, thinking she was Roxanne, and how Rachel had blushed when she’d realized his intention.

  “Um, is Rachel going with anyone?”

  The question was posed casually, almost as an afterthought, but David knew Hank well enough to understand that it wouldn’t have been asked if Hank wasn’t interested. “Not that I know of. Why? You interested?”

  Hank shrugged, then, losing the battle to appear’ nonchalant, he grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, I think I am.”

  “And I suppose you want me to put in a good word for you.”

  “Hey, buddy, I figured you’d want to tell her what a great guy I am.”

  “So you want me to lie, then?”

  Hank picked up the pillow David had thrown earlier, and David ducked. “Okay, okay, you twisted my arm,” he said when they’d both finished laughing. “Tomorrow, first chance I get, I’ll talk to her.” But for some reason he didn’t feel very enthusiastic about the prospect of Hank dating Rachel. Maybe it was because Hank had always played the field and, in the process, broken more than a few hearts.

  The two fell silent for a moment, then Hank, frowning a little, said, “You know, if I hadn’t known which twin you were engaged to, I would’ve guessed it was Rachel.”

  “Rachel? Why do you say that?”

  “She just seems more your type. You know, quieter, more serious, more thoughtful.”

  David started to dispute this statement, then stopped. Hank was right Rachel was more David’s type. In fact, several times in recent months he’d had the guilty thought—quickly banished—that he wished Roxanne was a bit more like Rachel. The thought had disturbed him, because all his life he’d thought of Roxanne as perfect. “What can I say? Opposites attract”

  Hank nodded, but his steady gaze made David squirm a little. To change the subject, he said, “Tell me how your job’s going. Do you still like it?”

  Hank worked in the publicity department for the Atlanta Braves. “Yes. It’s great. Interesting and fun.”

  “Fun?” Envy tugged at David. “Work isn’t supposed to be fun.”

  “Yes, it is. In fact, when it stops being fun, I’ll find something else to do.”

  Now the envy was full-blown. “You’re lucky, you know that?”

  Hank studied him thoughtfully. “Still hate what you’re doing?”

  David shrugged. “It’s not so bad.”

  “Hey, buddy, this is me, Hank, you’re talking to.”

  David grimaced. The truth was, he lived for Friday night, and when Monday morning came, he dreaded going back. “I hate it,” he finally said.

  “Why don’t you tell your grandmother how you feel?” Hank said after a bit.

  “It’s not that easy. You know how much she’s counting on me taking over the company.”

  “Yeah, but who knows? Maybe, if she knew how you feel, she might surprise you.”

  The two of them had been over this ground before, and suddenly David was sorry he’d introduced the subject with his comments about Hank’s job. He shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “I’m serious. Have you ever tried to talk to her about it?”

  “No.” That wasn’t strictly true. David had tried, once, but either his grandmother wasn’t really listening or she didn’t want to hear what he had to say, for she’d neatly managed to steer the conversation into safer territory, and David had never tried again.

  “I think you should,” Hank said.

  “Yeah, well, who knows. When Roxanne and I get back from our honeymoon, maybe I’ll talk to her about it then.” He forced a lighter tone. “Enough about my job. Tell me about Julie. What’s she up to these days?” Julie was Hank’s younger sister and a favorite of David’s.

  Hank smiled fondly. “She’s got a new boyfriend, and it’s looking serious.”

  “Oh?”

  They talked for another hour or so, getting caught up on each other’s lives and the lives of mutual friends. Finally Hank yawned. “I’m bushed. I’ve been up since five this morning. I think I’ll hit the sack.”

  David glanced at his watch. It was after one. He stood and stretched. “Yeah, me, too. You know where everythin
g is, don’t you?”

  Hank nodded and headed upstairs. David locked up, turned off the lights, then headed for his own bedroom.

  Later, lying in bed, David thought about their conversation. He remembered Hank’s remarks about Rachel and wondered what his friend would say if he knew that David’s grandmother had said something similar to David when he’d first told her about his engagement. At the time, her statement that Rachel seemed more suited to him had stunned him, because it was so unexpected. It had also bothered him that his grandmother, whose opinion he respected and valued more than anyone else’s, should question his choice. Before long, though, he’d realized Georgina Hanson didn’t disapprove. She’d just been honestly surprised, and once she got used to the idea that it was Roxanne he loved, she was just as enthusiastic about the marriage as Wylie Carlton.

  David punched up his pillow and looked out the window. The moon shone brightly in a cloudless sky, casting patterns of light across the room. Tonight was the last night he would sleep alone. Twelve hours from now he would be a married man and Roxanne would be sharing his bed and his life. It would be a good life, too, because despite his grandmother’s and Hank’s comments, David had made the right decision. Roxanne’s devil-may-care approach to life would balance out his too-serious one. She would be good for him, and he would be good for her.

  We’ll have a great marriage, he reassured himself. Everything will work out fine. He was still telling himself that all would be well twenty minutes later, when he finally fell asleep.

  Rachel didn’t mention the fact that she’d heard Roxanne go out the night before, and Roxanne didn’t say anything, either. In fact, Roxanne slept until nine, and by the time she’d showered and emerged from her room, it was almost ten and time for the arrival of the stylist who would be doing their hair and makeup.

  Roxanne avoided Rachel’s eyes as she poured herself coffee and then, turning her back to Rachel, she sipped at her coffee and stared out the window over the sink. A male cardinal landed gently on the lip of the bird feeder mounted on the sill, his scarlet plumage bright in the morning sun.

  Rachel watched him as he fed and wondered what Roxanne was thinking. “It’s a beautiful day for a wedding,” she murmured after a moment.

  “Yes.”

  Their father had suggested holding the reception on the back lawn of the family home, saying he would have tents put up, but Roxanne had vetoed the idea, saying, “I don’t want the guests sweating, Daddy. I want this to be an elegant wedding.” As usual, Wylie had given in to Roxanne’s wishes.

  “I’m glad you decided against an outdoor reception, though.”

  Roxanne nodded, still not looking at Rachel.

  Rachel started to say something else in the same vein, then thought how silly it was to pretend everything was normal. The two of them would have to spend most of the day pretending. Why not be honest with each other while they could? She walked over to her sister and gently squeezed her shoulder. “Roxie.”

  Roxanne slowly turned around. Her eyes were bleak as they met Rachel’s.

  “I just want you to know,” Rachel said softly, “that no matter what, I love you, and I’ll always be here for you.”

  Roxanne swallowed. Setting her mug down on the counter, she allowed herself to be drawn into Rachel’s embrace. For a long moment they held each other. Then, slowly pulling away, Roxanne said, “I love you, too, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Soon after, the stylist arrived, and from then on, they had no opportunity for private talk.

  “I’m glad you decided against cutting your hair,” Nina, the stylist, said as she finished fashioning Roxanne’s hair into a sophisticated upsweep. “Longer hair looks better on a bride, I think, especially with the headdress you chose.”

  Roxanne’s eyes, shadowed with pain, met Rachel’s briefly. A few days earlier, she had said how much Carlos loved her hair and how he’d asked her not to cut it when she’d said she was considering it. Rachel couldn’t help wondering if Roxanne would have made the same decision if it had been David who had voiced the objection. Immediately, she banished the thought. Don’t judge her, she told herself. It’s easy to criticize someone else. Besides, you’re not exactly unbiased, are you?

  When Nina finished with Roxanne, she turned to Rachel. “I think your hair shouldbe worn up, too,” she said.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Rachel protested. “This is Roxanne’s day. I don’t want to take away—”

  “I certainly don’t mind,” Roxanne interrupted. “And I agree with Nina. Your hat will look better if you wear your hair up.”

  The bridesmaids were wearing lacy aquamarine picture hats trimmed with pink satin ribbons and tiny pink rosettes to match their aquamarine taffeta dresses.

  Rachel finally succumbed to Nina’s and Roxanne’s arguments and allowed the hairdresser to arrange her hair in an identical upsweep.

  Afterward, Nina applied their makeup, and before they knew it, it was eleven-thirty and time to leave for the church. The wedding was scheduled for one o’clock, and the reception would start at two. Roxanne and David were booked on a seven-o’clock flight to Miami, where they would spend the night. Their final honeymoon destination was the Caribbean island of Colombé, and that flight would take place the following morning.

  By noon, the sisters were ensconced in the bride’s room at the church. The other bridesmaids were dressing at home and would be arriving separately. The wedding coordinator, after saying she would meet them in the vestibule after they were dressed, had gone out to check everything in the church.

  Slowly the sisters undressed. Rachel wondered what Roxanne was thinking. Suddenly Rachel missed her mother desperately. If only her mother were alive, if only Rachel had her to confide in. But Jayne Carlton had been dead for fifteen years, a victim of breast cancer. And Rachel had no one to help her—or Roxanne—get through this day.

  They began putting on their wedding finery. Rachel, clad in a strapless bra and filmy, floor-length half-slip, stepped into her satin pumps and reached for the aquamarine taffeta dress. Roxanne, similarly clad, reached for her shoes.

  Just then, there was a knock at the door.

  Both sisters looked up.

  Rachel frowned. “It’s probably Liz,” she said, referring to the wedding coordinator. “Just a minute,” she called out Hurriedly donning her dress, she walked to the door and unlocked it

  Behind her, Roxanne stepped behind the screen provided for anyone who desired privacy when dressing or undressing.

  Rachel opened the door.

  Her eyes widened. Standing there was a handsome, dark-haired man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. For a brief moment she thought he was a delivery person of some sort, but one look at his designer slacks and shirt told her that couldn’t be. Besides, he had nothing in his hands.

  He smiled. “You must be Rachel.”

  Suddenly Rachel knew exactly who he was. Her heart sped up. Oh, my God.

  “I am Carlos Terr—”

  Before he could finish, Roxanne burst from behind the screen. With a glad cry, she flung herself into his arms. “Carlos! Oh, Carlos!”

  “Querido,” he murmured, followed by a string of Spanish spoken so fast and so low, Rachel couldn’t understand most of it

  The kiss he gave Roxanne, who eagerly accepted it, was so intimate, Rachel felt uncomfortable watching them. Stunned by his unexpected arrival, she stood there in a daze before the realization that the door was still open penetrated. Dear heaven! Anyone could walk past and see them. Walking behind them, she quickly closed it, her mind spinning with the possible ramifications of Carlos’s presence.

  “Roxanne,” she said.

  Slowly, reluctantly, Roxanne and Carlos drew apart, although he kept a protective arm around her. Roxanne seemed oblivious to her state of undress—she was still wearing only her white satin slip and undergarments— and she looked as dazed as Rachel felt.

  “I—I thought you were gone,” she said to Carlos.
“I thought I’d never see you again.”

  “I couldn’t go without you, my darling.” He tipped her face up to his. “We belong together.”

  “But Carlos, I—”

  “You don’t love this David person. I know you don’t You love me.” His voice throbbed with passion. “I’m not leaving without you.”

  Roxanne’s throat worked, and a tear trembled at the corner of her eye.

  Carlos gently wiped it away. “Do not be afraid to follow your heart, my love. Come away with me. Now, before it is too late.”

  Roxanne slowly turned, her blue eyes pleading for understanding as they met Rachel’s. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I…Carlos is right. I can’t go through with this marriage.”

  Rachel just stared at her, shocked.

  “Carlos,” Roxanne said in a firmer voice. “Do you mind waiting outside? I—I need to talk to Rachel privately for a moment.” When he seemed about to object, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “I’ll join you in a couple of minutes, I promise.”

  When the door closed behind him, Rachel finally found her voice. “Roxanne, you can’t do this. You can’t! Not now. Not today. What…what about David? What about Daddy? What about all those people out there waiting for you?”

  “You were the one who said it would be wrong to marry David if I didn’t love him,” Roxanne cried. She rolled her slip down and reached for the sundress she’d worn to the church.

  “I know, but this…leaving him like this…” Words failed Rachel.

  “I know it’s awful. But love, real love, the kind of love Carlos and I have, it’s so special and so wonderful and it…it doesn’t come along every day. Some people are never lucky enough to find it. And when you do, you have to seize it.” She slipped her feet into her sandals, then reached for Rachel’s hands. “Be sides, marrying David when I don’t love him would be a much worse thing to do to him than I’m doing now. I’m only sorry I’m leaving this mess for you to clean up, but you’ll think of something to tell everyone.”

  Rachel’s mind was numb. Her brain still hadn’t accepted the fact that Roxanne was serious. She was indeed leaving. And she expected Rachel to break the news to their father…and to David.