Man of Honor

by Lori Wilde

Genres: Women's Fiction; Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Love at first touch . . . Air Force pilot Shane Freemont will do anything for his foster sister, including taking a role as Man of Honor in her wedding. He has his misgivings about the hasty marriage, and so does the groom’s “best woman,” Meg Stoddard. It’s about the only thing Shane and Meg, manager of a local dude ranch, do agree on. Until a tornado forces them to shelter in a cramped storm cellar together, and mutual attraction explodes. Love takes time—lots of it. Meg has always believed that. But something happened between her and Shane over the space of a few intimate, incredible hours. Her head says it’s just spectacular chemistry. The rest of her is ready to take a chance on the deepest connection she’s ever known. But if she does, will she be flying solo, or will her man of honor be by her side? Originally appeared in Happy is the Bride

Release date: January 29, 2019

Publisher: Zebra Books

Print pages: 93

Sample

“I’m getting married. Say you’ll be my man of honor.”

Air Force Major pilot Shane Freemont stared at his foster sister and best friend in the whole world, Ellie Carson, feeling a band of hot tension knot up his shoulder blades the same way it did at the end of a dangerous mission.

During the heat of the battle, he was fine. Cucumber cool. Ice in his veins. It was the aftermath that got him. The moment when everything fell silent. The sapping ebb of adrenaline and testosterone catching up to his muscles and bones.

They were standing in line at an Austin, Texas, vegan bakery at ten a.m. on a Sunday morning in late May. Ellie wore a lacy white maxi dress, her long curly blond hair braided at the temples and held back with daisy clips. With the powder-blue wall behind her and a radiant glow spilling from her pores, she looked like an angel.

“Married? To whom?”

“Why, Brady, of course. I told you all about him.”

“That’s impossible.” Shane grunted. “You’ve only known the guy two months. You can’t be serious.”

“Don’t give me that look.”

“What look?”

“The I’m-the-big-brother-and-I-know-best look. Just be my friend, okay?”

“Can I be the rational friend who points out when you’re about to make a big mistake?”

“No,” she said solidly. “You must be the supportive, nonjudgmental friend today.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“Please listen. I knew from the first date that Brady was The One.” Ellie folded her delicate palms over her heart, a honker of a diamond ring glittering on the third finger of her left hand.

The happiness shining from her dear face scared the crap out of him. He didn’t trust it. Feared she was leaping right off a cliff without looking down to see if there was a net.

Shane clenched and unclenched his hands. “What if it falls apart?”

“Supportive friend,” Ellie chirped.

“Um . . .” Shane cast around for something supportive to say. “No judgment. I just want to know if you’ve fully thought this through. Marriage is a big deal.”

“I have faith.” She said it as if that made perfect sense. That faith would solve everything. “You have to take risks to reap rewards.”

Shane believed in taking risks. Calculated ones. Risks based on analysis and experience and preparation. Risks that left nothing to chance or affairs of the heart. That belief had kept him alive for thirty years and nothing was going to change his mind.

“But is the risk worth the reward?” he persisted.

“Without a doubt. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. This is happening. Get used to it.”

“When is the wedding?” he asked, hoping for a date three years in the future.

“June eighteenth.”

“Of next year?”

“This June eighteenth.”

“As in three weeks from now?”

“As in.” Ellie did a little happy dance right there in the bakery. “I wanted to do it while you were on leave. I can’t get married without my best friend.”

Shane felt like a shit heel for what he was going to say next, but supportive friend or not, it had to be said. He took her small hand in his, ran his thumb over the back of her knuckles. “You don’t have to go through with this wedding. Even if you’re pregnant. I’ll help you. You won’t have to go it alone. I’ll be there for you, Ell. Always.”

Ellie’s dark eyes dimmed and her sweet smile evaporated. She tugged her hand from his, blinking at him as if he’d reached out and slapped her. She sucked in an audible breath. “I’m not pregnant.”

He cocked his head, confused. “Then why the rush? You don’t have to marry the guy, Ellie, just because you said yes. Think it through. You got caught up in the moment. A shiny ring. A declaration of love. Understandable. It’s not too late to change your mind.”

Her chin trembled slightly, and for a moment he thought she was going to cry, but she hardened her jaw and said, “What you’re failing to understand is that I love him with all my heart and soul.”

But how can you love him? He wanted to yell some sense into her, but instead he said in the softest voice he could muster, “You don’t even know him.”

“But that’s the thing. I do know him. From our very first date when we saw into each other, soul to soul. Brady and I are soul mates.”

Soul mates? Oh Lord. Shane jammed his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Ellie, I’m trying here, but that sounds wacky.”

“Just because you’ve never experienced love at first sight doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

Okay, he wasn’t getting through to her. Time to try another tactic. “Why can’t you wait? What’s the harm in waiting? It would give you time to plan the wedding of your dreams.”

“I’ve been waiting for twenty-eight years for my Prince Charming. I don’t want to wait a second longer. I want my life to start now. I don’t have parents to pay for the wedding and I can’t expect Brady to foot the bill for an elaborate shindig. A small, intimate wedding on a budget works fine.”

“But if you waited until your friend Kelly’s tour in Afghanistan is over, she could be here. And you would have a proper maid of honor.”

“You’re my best friend.”

“Kelly’s a woman.”

Ellie straightened, ironed her mouth flat. Her bottom lip trembled again and this time she was unable to fortify it. “If you don’t want to be my man of honor, just say so. I understand. You’re a traditionalist. A macho pilot. Maid of honor duties are too girlie for you even with the name change.”

Shane’s heart stumbled. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her feelings. When he looked at her, he saw that scared, defenseless eight-year-old with thick glasses and a severe overbite who the other kids picked on. He’d come to her defense, punching out the bullies and getting in trouble for it. He felt that same surge of protectiveness for her now.

“Whoa there, Ell. Don’t misunderstand. I’m humbled to be your man of honor if that’s what you want.”

All right, maybe not thrilled. That would be overstating. And yes, the thought of leading the bridal party and helping Ellie shop for a dress and planning the bachelorette party made him twitchy, but he was an Air Force pilot. He thumbed his nose at death every week. He could handle that froufrou, estrogen stuff without feeling like he had to surrender his man card.

“If it’s not the maid of honor thing, why are you so against me marrying Brady?”

“You really want to know?”

“I do.”

“The two of you don’t have anything in common. He’s from old Texas ranching money and you and I are from the way wrong side of the tracks. He’s country and you’re city. He’s a cattleman and you’re a vegan.”

“Big deal. He’s handsome and kind and he loves me as much as I love him. We can work through anything else.”

“Just because you’re in love with someone doesn’t mean they’re right for you.”

Ellie hitched in a stuttering breath and whispered, “You’ve never been in love, have you, Shane?”

“I love you,” he said staunchly.

“It’s not the same thing.” She folded her arms and shook her head, and he couldn’t help feeling he’d disappointed her in a hundred different ways. “And if you can’t be happy for me, I don’t know if you should come to the wedding at all.”

A flood of heat flushed his body. “You don’t mean that.”

She tilted her head and studied him, her eyes soft and sad. “I’ve known you since I was eight years old, and you’re the only family I have. No biological brother could have been better to me than you. But Brady is about to become my husband and—” Her eyes rounded and her jaw dropped.

“Ell?” Alarm raised the hair on the back of his neck. “What is it?”

“I get it now. You’re jealous of my relationship with Brady because you . . .