Barbara Hannay - Bridesmaid Says, ''I Do!''

‘Barbara Hannay’s name on the cover is a sure-fire

guarantee of a good read.’

—www.cataromance.com

‘Stories … rich with emotion and chemistry.

Very layered and lifelike characters …’

—RT Book Reviews

‘Barbara Hannay will take you on

an unforgettable journey …’

—www.cataromance.com

Reading and writing have always been a big part of BARBARA HANNAY’s life. She wrote her first short story at the age of eight for the Brownies’ writer’s badge. It was about a girl who is devastated when her family has to move from the city to the Australian Outback.

Since then, a love of both city and country lifestyles has been a continuing theme in Barbara’s books and in her life. Although she has mostly lived in cities, now that her family has grown up and she’s a full-time writer she’s enjoying a country lifestyle.

Barbara and her husband live on a misty hillside in Far North Queensland’s Atherton Tableland. When she’s not lost in the world of her stories, she’s enjoying farmers’ markets, gardening clubs and writing groups, or preparing for visits from family and friends.

Barbara records her country life in her blog, Barbwired, and her website is at www.barbarahannay.com

Also by Barbara Hannay

Molly Cooper’s Dream Date

A Miracle for His Secret Son

Executive: Expecting Tiny Twins

The Cattleman’s Adopted Family

Expecting Miracle Twins

The Bridesmaid’s Baby

Her Cattleman Boss

Did you know these are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bridesmaid Says, ‘I Do!’

Barbara Hannay

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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I wish to remember those who suffered the devastation of

the Queensland floods in January 2011.

Many homes and lives were lost

in the very places where this story is set.

IT BEGAN on an everyday, average Monday morning. Zoe arrived at the office punctually at eight forty-five, clutching her takeaway coffee, a necessary comfort when facing the start of the working week. To her surprise, her best friend Bella was already at work.

Bella was usually a bit late, and as she’d just spent another weekend away visiting her father in the country Zoe had expected her to be later than ever. This Monday morning, however, Bella was not only at her desk early, but she had a huge grin on her face. And she was surrounded by a semicircle of excited workmates.

She was holding out her hand as if she was showing off a new manicure. No big surprise. Bella had a thing for manicures and she often chose very out-there nail polish with an interesting assortment of decorative additions.

But as Zoe drew closer, curious to check out her friend’s latest fashion statement, she saw that Bella’s nails were painted a subdued and tasteful taupe. And they were not the focus of everyone’s attention.

The grins and squeals were for a sparkling ring.

On Bella’s left hand.

Zoe’s cardboard coffee cup almost slipped from her suddenly weak grasp. She managed to catch it just in time.

She was stunned.

And a bit stung, too.

Struggling to hang on to her smile, she hastily dumped the coffee and her handbag on her desk and hurried over to Bella.

She told herself she was misreading this. Bella couldn’t be engaged. Her best friend would most definitely have told her if wedding bells were in the air. Zoe knew for a fact that Bella wasn’t even dating anyone at the moment. Together, they’d been commiserating about their date drought, and they’d talked about trying for a double date online.

They’d even considered going on an overseas holiday together—a reconnaissance tour, checking out guys in other countries. Deepening the gene pool, Bella had called it during one of their regular Friday nights together.

Admittedly, for the past three weekends in a row Bella had travelled to her country home on the Darling Downs, and Zoe had been beginning to wonder what the attraction was. Bella had said she was worried about her widowed father, which was totally understandable, as her dad had been in a miserable slump for the past eighteen months ever since her mum died.

Bella had also mentioned her close and supportive neighbours, the Rigbys, and their son, Kent—literally, the boy next door, whom she’d known all her life.

Was something going on with this guy? Had he given Bella this ring?

Bella hadn’t breathed a hint about a romance with anyone, but it was abundantly clear that the sparkle on her friend’s finger was most definitely a diamond. And the name on her lips was …

‘Kent Rigby.’

Bella was grinning directly at Zoe now, an expectant light shining in her pretty green eyes.

‘Wow!’ Zoe managed, squeezing her cheek muscles to make sure she was smiling and not still looking like a stunned mullet. ‘You’re engaged!’

Bella dipped her head ever so slightly, as if she was trying to read Zoe’s reaction, and Zoe cranked her smile another notch while she hunted for the right things to say. ‘So— does this mean you and the boy next door have taken the plunge after all?’

She was trying not to sound too surprised, and she hoped she looked happy. She certainly didn’t want the entire office to realise she was totally clueless about her best friend’s romance.

Just in time, she remembered to give Bella a hug, and then she paid due homage to her ring—a solitaire diamond, very tasteful, in a platinum setting, and appropriately delicate for Bella’s slim, pale hands.

‘It’s gorgeous,’ Zoe told Bella with genuine honesty. ‘It’s perfect.’

‘Must have cost a bomb,’ commented one of the girls behind her in an awed voice.

Eric Bodwin, their boss, arrived then and an awkward hush fell over the office until someone piped up with Bella’s happy news.

Eric frowned, dragging his bushy eyebrows low, as if an employee’s impending marriage was a huge inconvenience. But then he managed to say ‘Congratulations,’ with a grunting nod in Bella’s direction, before he disappeared into his private den.

He’d never been the type of boss who chatted with his staff, so everyone was used to his gruffness. Nevertheless, his dampening presence put an end to the morning’s excitement.

The semicircle of onlookers melted away. Only Zoe remained, her head so brimming with a thousand questions she was reluctant to go back to her desk. And she couldn’t help feeling a tad put out that Bella had never confided in her.

‘Are you all right, Zoe?’ Bella asked cautiously.

‘Of course, I’m fine.’ Zoe touched Bella’s ring finger. ‘I’m stoked about this.’