Fated Mate

by Juniper Hart

  “Anyway,” Catherine continued. “I’ll leave you to it. We don’t want to be late, right?”

  Lisa nodded in agreement but stared after her mom, wondering why Catherine’s words left her feeling slightly unsettled.

  La Marquee was lit in stunning white Christmas lights, illuminating the expensive French restaurant in a festive glow despite the almost smoldering June heat in Bloomington.

  Lisa had never really understood the fuss about June weddings, but she reasoned it was easier to dress for a summer wedding than one in the winter. If she was to choose a date for a wedding, she would have much preferred October.

  Nobody asked your opinion on the date, she reminded herself. And one day, you’ll hopefully be able to choose your own.

  She stepped from the backseat of her parent’s Escalade and waited for them to join her, scanning the lot for other members of the wedding party.

  The rehearsal dinner was going to be an affair in itself, Brian and Angie renting the entire restaurant to celebrate the night before the big day. Like every other event, Lisa had also helped organize that dinner, and she noted with satisfaction that the décor was precisely as they had discussed.

  Of course, it helped matters that Brian’s father was wealthy and Angie’s mother had put some money away for her big day years ago. No expense had been spared.

  There are things I could not have justified spending money on, Lisa thought wryly. But again, it isn’t my wedding.

  “Are you coming, sweetie?” her father called, and Lisa nodded.

  “I’ll be right in,” she promised, pausing to check out the bouquets at the entranceway.

  They were done in white and royal blue, as Lisa had made sure to clarify, and she exhaled in relief.

  Maybe I’ll feel better when this is all done, too, she thought, stepping back to inhale the sweet scent of the Indiana summer. But so far, I have nothing to complain or worry about—everything has been perfect.

  She turned to follow the red carpet toward the front doors where a doorman smiled at her patiently, but as she did, a glint caught her eye in the slight distance. Startled, Lisa moved her head toward the trees across the street from the parking lot, her brow furrowed slightly in confusion.

  She didn’t see anything.

  Lisa reasoned she had caught the bounce of the streetlamp in the parking lot and turned back around.

  I’m imagining things, or I need glasses, she thought, shaking her head. When she moved again, the same flash attracted her once more. What the hell?

  Slowly, she spun back around, stepping off the sidewalk and into the parking lot, her eyes trained on the distance.

  As she approached, a flurry of movement caused her to freeze in her spot. Hiding in the trees was the unmistakable shape of a man, his strange eyes glimmering through the greenery as his gaze fixated on her.

  Although her view was blocked, Lisa could see his flaxen blond hair and iridescent blue eyes upon a face that was slightly too pale.

  He looks like a ghost, she thought nervously. It was most likely the darkness casting him in such an ethereal glow. Is he real? Or am I imagining him?

  “What are you doing in there?” she demanded, even though her heart was racing.

  She needed to speak and ensure he was actually real, rather than an illusion her mind had concocted. Just for her own sanity. She was more intrigued than afraid, as if she was seeing something she wasn’t supposed to see.

  The man didn’t reply, but he made no other move, either, and for a long moment, they just stood where they were, eyeing each other through the manmade thick of trees.

  “Lisa?” Lisa whirled as one of the bridesmaids, Jasmin, called out to her from the sidewalk. “Why are you standing in the middle of the parking lot?”

  “I’ll—I’ll be right in!” Lisa called back, forcing a smile.

  Jasmin, apparently satisfied with her answer, waved at her, linking her arm with her date’s before disappearing into La Marquee.

  Lisa spun back around, her pulse racing in her ears. Had Jasmine not seen the strange man standing there? It took only a moment for Lisa to understand why, and her eyes widened—the man was gone.

  Lisa tried not to think about the odd man in the shadow of the trees, but it weighed on her mind as the dinner started. She found herself looking around, wondering if he wasn’t one of the guests who was hiding in the woods because he was smoking a joint and didn’t want to be caught. However, she saw no one who remotely resembled the silent form in the parking lot.

  She was seated with Brian and Angie at table near the stage, looking out into the crowded restaurant.

  “You seem a little tense,” her friend commented, studying Lisa’s face curiously. “Are you having pre-wedding jitters for me?”

  Lisa laughed and shrugged.

  “Could be,” she agreed winking playfully, but Angie did not seem content with the lighthearted response, like she could sense something more serious concerned her.

  “No, really, Lisa, you seem off,” she said. “Is everything all right?”

  “It’s kind of silly,” Lisa replied, taking a sip of her champagne. “I thought I saw some guy lurking around in the trees outside, and I keep thinking about him.”

  Angie narrowed her eyes at her, a smile on her face.

  “You saw a guy lurking around in the trees outside?” she repeated.

  “I know, I know,” Lisa chuckled. “It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? I just…” She sighed and shrugged her shoulders again. “I could’ve sworn I saw someone, but when I looked again, he was gone.”

  Angie frowned slightly. “Did you manage to see what he looked like?”

  Lisa tried to remember what few details she had been able to see of the shadowy figure lurking in the trees. “Blond hair, strange eyes. Around Brian’s height, maybe taller? But it could’ve just been my imagination. Maybe I am having pre-wedding jitters for you.”

  She let out a small, soft laugh, knowing that Angie would probably roll her eyes and tell her she had nothing to worry about. After all, Lisa had been tremendously involved with the planning of this wedding, and she had made sure everything was the way it should be.

  But Angie continued staring at her instead of laughing alongside her, her eyes still narrowed, as if she meant to say something else. Before Lisa could ask if there was something wrong, Angie turned to Brian and murmured something to him that Lisa couldn’t hear. Lisa saw Brian’s eyes widen, and he whispered something back to Angie, though it didn’t seem to be anything good, if his expression was any indication.

  Angie turned back to Lisa.

  “I don’t think pre-wedding jitters are to blame,” she said.

  “What?” Lisa asked, her own eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?”

  Angie stood up from the table and grabbed Lisa’s arm, gently pulling her to her feet. “C’mon,” she said. “I need to talk to you.”

  Lisa could do little other than allow herself to be dragged from the busy dining room and into the washrooms. She had never seen Angie’s demeanor change so suddenly, and she wondered what her friend and Brian could’ve possibly told each other.

  Once inside the washrooms, Lisa turned to the bride-to-be.

  “Angie, what’s going on?”

  Angie stalked through the elegant bathroom, her head looking beneath the stalls to see if anyone else was there to overhear their conversation. Lisa had no idea what was going on, but she waited until Angie finished checking, and then her friend locked the bathroom door behind them.

  “I think you probably did see someone lurking around in the trees outside,” she said. “If it’s who I think it is, it’s Avison.”

  “Avison?” Lisa echoed blankly. “Who is Avison?” She wracked her brain for any memory of the name, but nothing surfaced.

  “An old friend of Brian’s,” Angie sighed. “The three of us used to hang around a lot before Brian and I started dating, but I didn’t know him all that well. He was always more Brian’s friend
than mine, you know? But he was nice, as far as I could tell. I actually thought about introducing him to you when you came back.”

  Lisa couldn’t help chuckling slightly. “Why is that?”

  “I once showed him a picture of the two of us,” Angie answered. “And he seemed to like you, so I thought maybe you guys could get to know each other, if you didn’t have a boyfriend waiting for you back in Boulder.”

  “Okay… So, if he’s a friend of Brian’s, why would he be lurking outside rather than just come in?”

  Angie took a deep breath and then exhaled it through her nose.

  “One day,” she continued, “Brian told me he and Avison had had some kind of fight about something. He didn’t tell me why or what happened to bring it about, he just said Avison wasn’t invited to the wedding anymore.”

  Lisa’s eyes widened. She hadn’t spent much time with Brian, but she did know he was a nice guy. From what Angie had said, apparently so was Avison. What could’ve happened between the two of them to break their friendship apart?

  “It must have been a big fight if Brian doesn’t want him around anymore,” she said, mostly to herself.

  “I guess,” Angie agreed. “Honestly, I could tell Brian didn’t want to talk about it, so I didn’t press the issue all that much. Like I said, Avison was more Brian’s friend than mine, anyway.”

  Lisa nodded her head. It made sense that even the prospect of having Avison lurking around would upset Brian, and it definitely explained the somber expression Lisa had seen on his face.

  “I need to ask you a favor,” Angie said.

  “Oh, please don’t tell me what I think you’re going to tell me,” Lisa groaned, even though she had a feeling she was going to hear precisely what she didn’t want to.

  The way Angie cringed before speaking gave her answer away.

  “Will you keep an eye out for Avison?”

  “Really?” Lisa snorted.

  “Please, Lisa!” Angie begged.

  “I barely know what he looks like!”

  “Just like you saw!” she cried. “Kind of tall, extremely hot, blond hair, weird blue eyes…” Lisa shook her head to herself, unable to believe what her friend was saying, but she didn’t have the chance to refuse before Angie interjected. “Please, Lisa, please! Brian and I have been waiting for this day for so long, we can’t have Avison ruin everything!”

  Lisa turned to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Her mind slipped back to the conversation she’d had with her mother earlier, and she remembered the words Catherine had spoken.

  I think it hasn’t been easy for Angie to get where she is. She’s lucky she found Brian, and I’m sure they will be very happy together.

  Her mother was right—Angie deserved to have the wedding of her dreams.

  “What should I do if I see Avison around the wedding?” Lisa sighed, knowing she didn’t really have any other choice.

  Angie exhaled in relief. “I honestly don’t think he will try making any kind of scene,” she said. “Maybe just try to distract him somehow? I don’t know why he would show up, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  “Okay,” Lisa mumbled. “I’ll do what I can.”

  “Oh, Lisa, thank you!” Angie threw her arms around her, squeezing her in a hug so tight, it made Lisa wince slightly. “Thank you so much! You don’t know what this means to me!”

  Lisa could only pat Angie’s back, wondering if she was going to regret having agreed to do this.

  “Woah!” Angie yelled at her when she appeared at the church the following morning. “You need cucumbers, stat!” Lisa did not say anything. “What is going on with your eyes? Please tell me you were not up partying all night! Not on the eve of my wedding!”

  Lisa scowled and shook her head. Of course she had not been up drinking—she hadn’t slept a wink, her mind racing with the possibilities of having to look out for and distract a complete stranger.

  “Well, cheer up, girl! It’s my wedding day!” Angie shrieked, wrapping her in a tight hug. “I’m marrying the love of my life today!”

  Lisa sighed and hung her garment bag on the rack with the others, stepping in to dote on the bride-to-be as she fussed to get ready for her wedding.

  The girls sipped on mimosas and joked around as they prepared, slowly melting away any worries that had kept Lisa awake the night before.

  Look how excited she is, she thought, eyeing Angie’s bright smile and glowing aura. I bet Brian is just as excited, too. I can’t let anyone stand in the way of their happiness.

  Dressed in her tight blue dress, Lisa made her way into the courtyard, her drink in hand. She let the others finish tending to Angie as she took the last breathable moments to herself.

  The chapel was quaint and secluded, on the outskirts of Bloomington, Illinois. The church itself was home to a very small number of parishioners, but the service was not being held inside.

  “I just want a perfect backdrop for my pictures,” Angie explained, and Lisa had found the venue herself while home during Thanksgiving weekend.

  I did put a lot of work into this wedding, she thought, proud of herself. Maybe when I graduate, I’ll go into wedding planning. There’s good money in the business, and I have a good eye for it. A lot of unforeseen stress, but what job doesn’t have that?

  Lisa took a small sip of her mimosa. It was her second one already, and she didn’t want to get carried away, no matter how tempting it might be. She had a job to do, and she would ensure that Angie’s special day went off without a hitch. That had been her vow as bridesmaid—nothing would stand in her way to keep it.

  The limo carrying Brian and the groomsmen pulled into the lot, and Lisa waved at them, smiling. The men piled out of the car, laughing and joking, seeming oblivious to the other vehicles following behind them.

  Avison won’t come here, Lisa told herself. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and he would never be able to hide among the other guests… would he?

  A prickle of nervousness coursed through her.

  And what if he shows up right in the middle of the ceremony? How am I supposed to keep him distracted then?

  Her nervousness became a sense of panic that coursed through her, and Lisa wished she had not agreed to stand as a look-out for her friend.

  “We’re about to get started, Lisa!” Jasmin called from the back of the church.

  Lisa waved her over. Once Jasmin was before her, Lisa spoke. “You have to stand in for me.” Jasmin’s face contorted in shock, and she started to shake her head.

  “No!” she protested. “Angie will freak out!”

  “She won’t,” Lisa said with more calmness than she possessed at the moment. “Tell her I’m taking care of what we talked about last night!”

  Jasmin stared at her, mouth agape. “I don’t know, Lis—”

  “Trust me!” Lisa cried confidently. “You’ll do a great job!” She forced a smile and hurried away before Jasmin could argue any further.

  Her mind whirling, Lisa looked about at the dozens of cars, wondering how she could ever even start looking for Avison. After a few minutes of looking about unsuccessfully, Lisa realized there was only one thing she could do: hold sentry at the back of the ceremony and keep a keen eye out for any disruption. She stood near the back of the lawn, ignoring the curious looks of her friends, parents, and groomsmen, who were most likely questioning what she was doing so far away from the party.

  If I stand right here, I should be able to see anyone who looks suspicious, Lisa told herself, but she wasn’t sure how true that was. There were many people she didn’t know personally; friends and family of Brian’s and extended family of Angie’s.

  Besides, Lisa didn’t know if she would even recognize Avison.

  I barely saw him, she grumbled silently. How much of him could I recognize if I had to? I highly doubt he’s the only blond guy with blue eyes out there. Why do I feel so compelled to watch out for him? Likely, nothing is going to happen.

  She felt slig
htly foolish about standing conspicuously, but she had made a promise to Angie, and she intended to keep it.

  At least I got to wear the dress, she thought wryly, cautiously perching on the edge of a chair.

  “Here Comes the Bride” started to play inside the church, and Lisa craned her neck to watch as Angie walked down the aisle, her grin beaming like the Cheshire Cat’s as the flower girl illuminated her path with rose petals.

  Lisa exhaled slowly as Angie made her way to where Brian stood. She hadn’t even realized she had been holding her breath until they clasped hands. Everything was going to be just fine. Avison was not going to show up and ruin the entire evening.

  He’s not crazy, Lisa told herself. Is he?

  Then again, she had no way of knowing all that much about him. Not even Angie herself seemed to know all that much about him! What if he was a crazy stalker? What if he was even more than that? What if Brian had just downplayed his argument with him so that Angie wouldn’t worry about it? What if—?

  Suddenly, Lisa lifted her head and turned to stare toward the church, as if someone had guided her head in the direction. She knew what she was about to see even before her blue eyes registered the figure there: standing at the back door, looking straight at her, was Avison.

  Lisa gasped aloud, and the guests in the vicinity turned to look reprovingly at her, but she didn’t pay them any attention as she jumped from her seat.

  Everyone immediately turned to look at her, and Lisa froze, unsure of what to do. She caught Angie’s scathing look, and then she glanced desperately toward the church doors. But when she turned back to them, Avison was gone.

  Am I imagining things? she wondered, offering Angie a weak smile and sinking back into her seat. She still continued to look over her shoulder, expecting the pale stranger to be there. However, she did not see him again.

  As the ceremony progressed without incident, Lisa willed herself to remain calm.

  You’re acting paranoid for no reason, she thought, shaking her head at the realization. You need to keep it together for Angie.

  Still Lisa could not shake the feeling that she was not fantasizing. Avison had been there, she was absolutely sure of it—for some reason, though, he had decided not to interrupt the wedding.