Always a Bridesmaid

by Lizzie Shane

  “If I have to beg my sister for help or even your sisters, I will. You show me how to let people in, how to connect. You teach me that I need to be responsible to you—even if I suck at it sometimes because I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know anything about healthy relationships, Parv, but I love you and I will always keep trying. Please just give me the chance to prove I’m not a freaking island. I’m a peninsula. Because of you. Okay? You’re my isthmus. Which sounded much more romantic in my head.”

  “That was quite a speech,” she managed to whisper around the bursting well of feels.

  “I practiced it on the drive. Did it work? Because if it didn’t Sidney and Josh are waiting outside to vouch for me. And I’ve still got Tori ready to fake going into labor so I can rush her to the hospital and be a hero—thus proving how reliable I am. I mobilized the troops—”

  “Max,” she cut him off gently, putting a hand on his shoulder and going up on her toes. “It worked.”

  He didn’t need any more encouragement to close the last of the distance between them. His arms slid around her, his lips settled on hers, and Parvati was home. God, how was it possible she’d missed him so much in just a matter of hours? One minute she’d been running out of the wedding reception, feeling like she’d broken her own heart on the rocks and the next—

  “Hang on—” She broke the kiss, leaning back in his arms. “Aren’t Sidney and Josh supposed to be leaving for their honeymoon right now?”

  “They decided to take a later flight. She said she owed us.”

  Parvati teared up at the gesture—her best friend giving her blessing by helping Max and putting her own life on hold to do it—but gestures could be expensive with flight change fees. “We should tell them they can go the airport. Maybe they can still catch their original flight.”

  “Good idea,” Max murmured, but his eyes were on her lips and he was lowering his head—

  “You guys!” A rustle of tulle announced the arrival of Sidney, still in her wedding dress. “Glad to see everything’s working out, but can we wrap this up? Tori’s water just broke.”

  Max laughed. “We’re good, Sid. We don’t need the fake labor plan,” he explained—not seeming to notice the tight strain in Sidney’s voice, or the fact that Sid had never been that good an actor.

  “Good for you,” Sidney said. “But Tori’s water really did break in Angie’s driveway. So come on, Romeo. Your car is the fastest.”

  * * * * *

  “So this is what it means to be connected to people, huh? Everyone bossing you around and appropriating your car and making you sit around for hours in an uncomfortable tux waiting for the arrival of a very slow baby?” Max griped good-naturedly.

  “Shut up.” Parvati grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, leaning into his side. “You know you love it.”

  He looked at her, the weight of the moment in his eyes. “I do.”

  They’d been at the hospital for nearly seven hours now, joined by the entire bridal party and Lorelei. They were all still in their formal wear because it seemed like every time one of them would feint toward going home and collecting jeans or yoga pants, Nick would rush into the waiting room with an update and everyone would forget that they were currently dressed to the bridal nines.

  Then Nick rushed in with one last update—his eyes glazed with wonder. “Lorelei, come meet your little brother.”

  There were tears, cheers, questions after the mother (who was wonderful), the name (Jordan Neil), when they could see him. Parvati hugged everyone—grateful for Max’s pocket square when she became a sappy mess. But if ever there was a day she was allowed to be a sappy mess, it was this one.

  “Jordan Neil.”

  He was perfect. It was over an hour later when he was put in the nursery and they were finally able to see him en masse. Parvati looked through the glass, Max standing behind her with his arms looped around her waist as he peered over her shoulder.

  His voice rumbled through his chest at her back. “I was thinking we could get married.”

  Parvati twisted—trust Max to find the one thing that could distract her from Jordan in that moment. “What did you just say?”

  “You did catch the bouquet. It’s tradition.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a little fast?”

  “I’ve known you since you were six years old. You’re my best friend. You’re the only one who calls me on my bullshit and drags me kicking and screaming into the human race. I need you, Parvati. And I love you like crazy. Let’s make it legal.”

  Wow. When the universe decided to give her her dreams, it didn’t play around. It was fast. It was so fast. But it felt like she’d been waiting all her life for something to feel this right. She wet her lips. “You’re supposed to ask me, remember? Not just dictate the way things are.”

  He grinned, sheepish, that dimple flashing. “I’m afraid you’ll say no.”

  She turned fully in his arms. “Ask, Max. I won’t say no.”

  Then the love of her life smiled. He dropped his arms, reached into his pocket, pulled out a box and sank down onto one knee in the hallway in front of a nursery full of babies only a few hours old.

  “Parvati Jai. Will you marry me?”

  THE END

  About the Author

  Two-time Finalist for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® Award, Lizzie Shane lives in Alaska where she uses the long winter months to cook up happily-ever-afters (and indulge her fascination with the world of reality television). She also writes paranormal romance under the pen name Vivi Andrews. Learn more about Lizzie and her books at her website or follow her on Facebook. And sign up now to receive Lizzie’s New Release Newsletter for updates on upcoming releases.

  Did you enjoy Always a Bridesmaid? Leave a review at Goodreads or catch up on the rest of the series…

  Reality Romance

  Marrying Mister Perfect (RR#1) – Read it now for FREE

  Romancing Miss Right (RR#2)

  Falling for Mister Wrong (RR#3)

  Planning on Prince Charming (RR#4)

  Home for Christmas (A Reality Romance Holiday Novella)

  Courting Trouble (RR#5)

  Reality Romance: The Bouquet Catchers

  Always a Bridesmaid

  Little White Lies – Coming in 2017

  LITTLE WHITE LIES

  (Reality Romance: The Bouquet Catchers, Book 2)

  It all started with one harmless little fib…

  Candy Raines has made a damn fine life for herself in California as the resident tech specialist for Elite Protection—far away from her high profile DC family. She may have told a few harmless little lies to keep her parents off her back, but as long as she keeps her two lives separate, no one has to know the truth.

  Only now her sister is getting married and to keep her entire family from descending on Malibu and blowing up her perfect California life, Candy is forced to agree to come home for the splashy society wedding—and bring her husband with her. There’s just one tiny problem. She isn’t actually married.

  Ren “Pretty Boy” Xiao owes Candy big, but flying to DC and pretending to be her husband for a week of glitzy events isn’t exactly how he pictured repaying her. However, it may be the perfect chance to pin her down to something more than their on-again-off-again friends-with-benefits relationship.

  Surrounded by her family, maybe that one little lie can finally reveal the truth he’s been trying to make her see for years: that his heart was made for her.

  Coming in 2017

  Sign up for Lizzie’s Newsletter to be notified of New Releases

  MARRYING MISTER PERFECT

  (Reality Romance, Book 1)

  Sometimes it takes a reality television show to show you the love that’s right in front of you...

  To Louisa Tanner, Jack Doyle is perfect—heart surgeon, loving single father, and best friend a girl could have—so it's no surprise when he's tapped as the next Mister Perfect for the reality dating series Marryin
g Mister Perfect. But watching her secret crush romancing gorgeous women on national television? That flat out sucks—even if he will never see her as more than a pal.

  Jack is skeptical of reality shows as a path to love, but drastic measures are needed to shake him and Lou out of their rut. His friend deserves better than being his live-in nanny and will never chase her dreams if she is busy taking care of him and his kids, so he vows to take the show seriously and find a new wife.

  But the more stunning women he woos on command, the more he begins to realize the only woman he wants just might be the one he left back home. How can he seduce his best friend without jeopardizing their friendship? Especially when the cameras are always rolling...

  ROMANCING MISS RIGHT

  (Reality Romance, Book 2)

  They aren't in it for love... but love has it in for them.

  Marcy Henrickson isn't looking for love as the latest Miss Right on the reality dating show Romancing Miss Right. She's realistic enough to know the odds of finding true love on national television are astronomical--but the chance that the exposure will boost her next book onto the New York Times Bestseller List? That's a risk worth taking. And if she's the one picking from the handsome Suitors, how can she possibly get hurt?

  The last thing Craig Corrow wants is to fall in love. San Diego's Favorite Bad Influence is looking to transition from local radio shock-jock to national television host and a reality dating show is his ticket to fame and fortune. He's there to stir things up and Miss Right is just another pawn in his game plan...

  Until he meets Marcy and she isn't the fake reality princess he was expecting. She's all too real--and so is the way he feels about her. But when he's faced with a choice between love or money, can this bad boy give up his villain ways and get the girl?

  FALLING FOR MISTER WRONG

  (Reality Romance, Book 3)

  Between 'I will' and 'I do', there's room to fall.

  Caitlyn Gregg just agreed to marry 'Mister Perfect' on national television. There's only one problem: as soon as the cameras stop rolling on their whirlwind reality show romance, she realizes she doesn't love him. Returning home to Colorado as the show begins to air, she has only her doubts for company--until she accidentally sets her apartment on fire and finds herself in the arms of oh-so-sexy fire-fighter Will Hamilton.

  Sparks fly--and not just from her singed apartment--but Caitlyn is engaged to another man and is contractually forbidden from talking about the engagement, breaking it off, or seeing other men until the show's finale.

  Will doesn't know what to make of Caitlyn's hot-and-cold routine, until he turns on the TV one night and sees her being wooed by another man. Thinking she must be gunshy after what is about to be a very public break-up, he tells her they can take it slow... but their insane chemistry has other ideas.

  Falling hard for Will is against all the rules and every week she dreads Tuesday, knowing any episode could be the one that drives him away. When the truth comes out, will Caitlyn lose the man of her dreams because she already said yes to Mister Perfect?

  PLANNING ON PRINCE CHARMING

  (Reality Romance, Book 4)

  What would Cinderella do?

  Wedding planner Sidney Dewitt is always the fairy godmother, never the heroine of her own love story--until she's selected for the reality dating show Marrying Mister Perfect. It might finally be her chance to ride off into the sunset, but when she sneaks out of her room on the night before the show begins to catch a glimpse of her prince, the man she meets is far from Prince Charming.

  The jaded--and recently divorced--host of a television show celebrating love and marriage, Josh Pendleton doesn't believe in fairy tales anymore. He's done with love and getting involved with a Suitorette is the fastest way to destroy his career, but there's something about Sidney he can't get out of his head.

  On a show where everything is staged, could this be real?

  COURTING TROUBLE

  (Reality Romance, Book 5)

  She’s trying to live down her reputation. He’s trying to live up to his.

  Elena has always been impulsive, until one wild night on a reality dating show earns her a reputation she can’t escape. She wanted to be famous, but now she’s infamous and determined to redeem herself. No more impulsive Old Elena. New Elena is going to be respectable and sweet if it kills her—and her first task is attending the wedding of the woman who beat her on the show.

  Secret Service golden boy Adam Dylan never wanted fame, but when he’s caught on camera saving the daughter of an A-List actress the video goes viral and he becomes America’s favorite hero. But there’s more to the story than the media hype. Now a sought-after celebrity bodyguard, he’s determined to earn his heroic reputation—even if that means nothing more glamorous than working security at a celebrity wedding.

  When one of the wedding guests doesn’t want to take no for an answer, Adam comes to Elena’s rescue. It’s been a long time since anyone has stood up for her, but her reputation can only drag him down. Elena knows she should keep her distance, but it’s oh so tempting to give in to her wild impulses just one more time.