All of me

ALLOFME
THEBRIDESMAIDSCLUB,BOOK1

LEEANNAMORGAN


Copyright©2015byLeeannaMorgan
Allrightsreserved.
Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyformorbyanyelectronicormechanicalmeans,including
informationstorageandretrievalsystems,withoutwrittenpermissionfromtheauthor,exceptfortheuseof
briefquotationsinabookreview.


CONTENTS

Dedication
Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter7
Chapter8
Chapter9
Chapter10
Chapter11
Chapter12
Chapter13
ThankYou

ExcerptFrom‘LovingYou’
EnjoyOtherNovelsByLeeannaMorgan
BonusRecipe-BlueberryButtermilkPancakes


ABOUTTHISBOOK

Fourfriends.Twenty-twobridesmaids’dresses.
Onerandomactofkindnessthatwillchangetheirlivesforever.
TesshasgivenuplookingforMr.Right,butthatdoesn’tmeanshe’sgivenupon
love. When she reads a newspaper article about a young couple who’ve had
everything stolen from their home, including four bridesmaids’ dresses, she
knowsshehastohelp.
Butbyhelpingthebride,Tessrisksexposingapastshedoesn’twantanyoneto
know about. She does everything she can to minimize the danger she’s in, but
shedoestheonethingguaranteedtodestroyeverything—shefallsinlovewith
thewrongman.
LoganAllenhasspentmostofhiscareerreportingonthenewsfromaroundthe
world.WhenaletterarrivesfromAfghanistan,thetraumahe’sbeenlivingwith
is about to explode back into his life. He betrayed a small Afghan village and
Tessthinkshe’sbetrayedher.
From their first random act of kindness comes an experience Logan and Tess
will never forget. And maybe, if they work together, they can create a future
that’sbetterthananythingthey’veleftbehind.
AllofMeisthefirstbookinTheBridesmaidsClubseries,butcaneasilyberead
as a standalone. All of my series are linked, so if you meet someone you like,
youcouldfindtheminanotherbook.Fornewsofmylatestreleases,pleasevisit
leeannamorgan.comandsignupformynewsletter.Happyreading!
OtherNovelsbyLeeannaMorgan:

MontanaBrides:
Book1:ForeverDreams(GracieandTrent)
Book2:ForeverinLove(AmyandNathan)
Book3:ForeverAfter(NickyandSam)
Book4:ForeverWishes(ErinandJake)
Book5:ForeverSanta(AMontanaBridesChristmasNovella)
Book6:ForeverCowboy(EmilyandAlex)
Book7:ForeverTogether(KateandDan)
Book8:ForeverandaDay(SarahandJordan)
MontanaBridesBoxedSet:Books1-3
MontanaBridesBoxedSet:Books4-6
TheBridesmaidsClub:
Book1:AllofMe(TessandLogan)
Book2:LovingYou(AnnieandDylan)
Book3:HeadOverHeels(SallyandTodd)
Book4:SweetonYou(MollyandJacob)
EmeraldLakeBillionaires:
Book1:SealedwithaKiss(RachelandJohn)
Book2:PlayingforKeeps(SophieandRyan)
Book3:CrazyLove(HollyandDaniel)
Book4:OneAndOnly(ElizabethandBlake)
TheProtectors:
Book1:SafeHaven(HayleyandTank)
Book2:JustBreathe(KellyandTanner)
Book3:Always(MalloryandGrant)
Book4:ThePromise(AshleyandMatthew)
Book5:ComingHome(MiaandStan)
Book6:TheGift(HannahandBrett)
Book7:TheWish(ClaireandJason)

TheProtectorsBoxedSet:Books1-3
SapphireBay:
Book1:FallingForYou(NatalieandGabe)
Book2:OnceInALifetime(SamandCaleb)
Book3:AChristmasWish(MeganandWilliam)
Book4:BeforeToday(BrookeandLevi)
Book5:TheSweetestThing(CassieandNoah)


DEDICATION

ThisbookisdedicatedtothemanwhoworkedinashoestoreinNewYorkCity
twenty-fiveyearsago.
Yourrandomactofkindnesshelpedalosttwenty-one-year-oldfindherhotel.I
willbeforevergratefultoyou.


CHAPTER1

T

ess stared at the cartons of buttermilk she’d left on the counter
overnight.Bymistake.
Shewouldn’tpanic.She’dstrutteddowntherunwaysoftopfashionhouses
wearinghautecouturemasterpieces.Shewouldnotcryoveralittlesourmilk.
Except it wasn’t a little bit. It was her last four quarts. She’d promised the
Groovy Grans Motorcycle Club that she’d have blueberry buttermilk pancakes
readyforthematseveno’clock.Shecheckedherwatch.Inanhourandahalf,

she’d have fifteen unhappy grans standing in her café, wondering what had
happenedtotheirbreakfast.
She needed buttermilk and she needed it fast. She took a deep breath and
grabbed her jacket. Safeway would be open. She could race across Bozeman,
buy the buttermilk and be back in fifteen minutes. She’d make the pancakes.
Thenshe’dstartonthemuffins,cakes,piesandsconesthatherothercustomers
wouldbewaitingfor.
She opened the front door, raced across to her car, then remembered her
wallet.Shesearchedherpocketsforthekeystohercafé.Shethoughtshe’dleft
theminherjacketpocket.Shelookedonthepassengerseat,thebackseats.They
weren’tthere.Maybeshe’dtossedtheminhertotebag.
Theonethatwassittinginsidethecaféwithherwallet.
Thiscouldn’tbehappening.Itreallycouldn’t.Sheturnedthehandleonthe
frontdoor,hopingforamiracle.Itwaslocked.Sherestedherheadagainstthe
glassandtriedtothinklikealogical,mature,twenty-nine-year-oldinsteadofthe


ditzyblondthatneededtobreakintoherownbusiness.
“Everythingokay?”
Tess looked sideways and sighed. Logan Allen, local multi-award winning
reporter,andtheonemanguaranteedtomakeagooddayturnbad,stoodbeside
her.
“Tess?”
“I’m fine.” She let go of the door handle and turned to Logan. He’d been
running.Sweattrickleddownhisface,wethisT-shirtuntilitstucktohiswide
chestandbulgingbiceps.Notthatshewaslooking.Notmuchanyway.
Tessrefusedtofindhisdarkhairanddeepbrowneyesattractive.She’dspent
mostofherlifearoundmalemodelsthatweresohandsometheytookherbreath
away.Butshe’dlearnedthehardwaythatthoselookscouldhideaheartofsteel.
“Itdoesn’tlookasthoughyou’refine.”Hiseyesskatedoverherblondhair

andflushedface.“Youlook…frazzled.”
“That’sabigwordforfive-thirtyinthemorning.Youcoulduseitinoneof
yourstories,”shesaidsweetly.
“Yeah.Ahomicide.Blondcaféownerfounddeadinthestreetafterinsulting
areporter.”
“Thereyougo.AnotherPulitzerPrizewinningstoryinthemaking.”
Logan crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Now that we’ve gotten over
ourfirstinsultfortheday,doyouwanttotellmewhat’sgoingon?”
“Ineedbuttermilkforpancakes,exceptIleftmywalletinthecafé.”
“Letmeguess.Yourfrontdoorkeysaresittinginthecafé,too.”
Tessglaredatthesmileonhisface.“I’llcheckmycar.Mykeysmighthave
fallen down the side of the seat.” She crossed the sidewalk and open the
passengerdoorofhertrustyToyota.Shehuntedundertheseat,besidetheseat,
intheglovecompartment,anywhereshecouldthinkof.
“Haveyoucheckedthetrunk?”
Tesspulledherselfoutofhercar.“WhywouldIleavetheminthetrunk?”
“Idon’tknow.Maybeyouopenedittostashadeadbodyinside.Ormaybe
youleftyourgroceriesinthereliketherestofusmeremortals.”
Tess kept her lips clamped tight. She didn’t have time to bicker with him.


Sheopenedhertrunkanddroppedhercarkeysintoherpocket.“Whatisitwith
you and dead bodies. Has something happened that you’re not telling me
about?”
“There’slotsIdon’ttellyou,”Loganmutteredashestartedhuntingthrough
themessinhertrunk.“You’vegotanentireclosetfullofclothesinhere.”
“I have not. It’s my emergency gear. You know, if I need a change of
trousers,ajacketorasweater.”
Hepulledoutaslinkyeveningdress.“Thisisanemergencyitem?”
Tesssnatchedthescrapofpalepinksilkoutofhishands.“Iforgottotakeit

inside,”shemuttered.
“Lookslikesomeoneelsehasthingsthey’dsoonernotshare.”Hemoveda
pairofsneakersandgrinned.“Thekeystoyourcaféwouldn’thaveacoffeecup
onthetagwouldthey?”
“You’vefoundthem?”
Hedangledthekeysinfrontofhischest.“Whataretheyworth?”
ThesmilefelloffTess’face.“Whatdoyoumean?”
“Ilikeyourbuttermilkpancakes—especiallytheoneswithbaconandmaple
syrup.”
It must have been the early morning air, but she felt disappointed that the
keysweregoingtobeherssoeasily.KnowinghowLogan’smindworkedshe’d
expectedsomethingmorechallenging,moredaring.“Youdon’tneedtotellme
howmuchyoulikepancakes.Youeatenoughofthemtosinkaship.”
“I’m flattered you’ve noticed.” He stepped forward, until their noses were
almosttouching.“I’lltradethekeysforahighstack.Tenpancakes,crispybacon
andasidebowlofsyrup.”
Tessliftedthekeysoutofhisfingers.“Fine.ButunlessIgettothestoreand
backintenminutesyouwon’tbeeatinganything.”
“Icouldbuywhatyouneed.”
“Whatdoyoumean?”
Heheldouthishand.“Givemeyourcarkeys.I’llgotoSafewayandbring
yourgroceriesbackhere.Youcanstarttheotherthingsyouneedtobake.”
“Idon’t…Imean…”Tessstaredathim.Shewassuretheremusthavebeena


catchinhisoffersomewhere.
“Say,‘Yes,Logan.You’resuchawonderfulpersonthatI’llthrowinasmuch
coffeeasyoucandrinkwhenyougetback.’”
TesshadneversaidyestoLogan,andhissparklingbrowneyesandlopsided
grinwouldn’tchangehermind.“Youneedashave.”

Loganlookeddownathermouth.“Sayyes.”
Shetookastepbackwardandpassedhimhercarkeys.“Thankyou.”
Hefrownedanddroppedthekeystothecaféintoheroutstretchedhand.“I’ll
bebacksoon.”
“Wait.I’llgiveyousomemoney.”
“Youcanpaymebacklater.Howmuchbuttermilkdoyouneed?”
“You’dbetterbuyfivecartons.Gettheorganicbuttermilk.It’swiththeother
milkatthebackofthestore.”
“Organicbuttermilk.Fivecartons.Anythingelse?”
Tesswasholdingthefrontdoorkeyssotightthattheydugintoherfingers.
“Areyousureyouwanttodothisforme?You’rehotandsweaty.Youhaven’t
warmeddown.You’llgetcramps.”
Loganscowledather.“I’llbebacksoon.”
Andthenhefoldedallsix-foot-fiveinchesofsweatymanintothefrontseat
ofherToyotaCorolla.Tessdidn’thangaroundtowatchhim.Shehadthingsto
do,foodtobakeandacoffeemachinethatneededtobeturnedon.

L OGAN ARRIVED BACK at Angel Wings Café not knowing what to expect. Tess
could be so stubborn and annoying. She drove him insane with the snippy
commentsthatwereneverfarfromhertongue.
Buttherewassomethingabouther,somethingthatmadehimwanttokeep
coming back. What he didn’t understand was why he seemed to be the only
personinBozemanshedidn’tlike,buthewasgoingtofindout.
Heknockedonthefrontdoorofthecaféandwaited.Tesshurriedacrossthe
roomandhauledhiminsidebythearm.


“Thankgoodnessyou’reback.TheGroovyGranswillbehereinanhour.”
Shetookthegrocerybagsoutofhishandsandwalkedintothekitchen.
“TheGroovyGrans?”Loganfollowedher.Theovenswereonanditlooked

asifabatchofsconeswerealreadycooking.She’dbeeninthemiddleofmaking
somethingelse.Abowlofcreamybuttersatbesideabagofflourandacartonof
milk.
“Can you pass me one of the small bowls?” Tess pointed in the general
directionofthepantry.
Helookedinsideandgrabbedabowl.
Tesstookitoutofhishands.“TheGroovyGransarefromBillings.They’re
allgrandmaswhodrivemotorcycles.Theygoonweekendtours.Onthefirstand
thirdSaturdayofeachmonth,theypassthroughBozemanforbreakfast.”
“Howmanyareyouexpecting?”
Tessbrokefoureggsintothebowlandstartedwhiskingthem.“Fifteen.”She
took a measuring cup off the counter and started pouring buttermilk into it.
“Howgoodareyouinthekitchen?”
“Dependsonwhatyouhadinmind.”Hetriednottolaughatthescowlshe
senthisway.
“Doyouknowhowtouseagriddle?”
He looked at the stove and frowned at the heavy metal pan. “I’ve been
runningforfortyminutes.I’mnotsmellingthatsweetatthemoment.”
“The pancakes won’t care what you smell like. Wash your hands and I’ll
showyouhowtocookapancake.”
Tess wiped her hands on her apron and took something out of a cupboard.
She walked toward him with a determined look in her eyes. “Hold your arms
up.”
“Whatdoyou…You’vegottobejoking.”
“Up. I’m on a tight time frame.” Tess held her spray deodorant in front of
him.
“It’spink.”
“Don’tbeawuss.Thepancakesmightnothaveanose,butIdo.Up.”
He stuck his arms in the air and glared at her. “As long as you know I’m

doing this for humanitarian reasons only. If you tell anyone I wore girls’
deodorantIwon’thelpinthekitchenagain.”
“Thechanceofyoueverbeingoutherewithmeagainisalmostzilch,soI
guesswe’rebothsafe.”ShesprayedtheoutsideofhisT-shirt.“Nowyousmell
pretty.”
Logan sniffed the air. “I’m going home for a shower after I’ve cooked the
pancakes.”
“Ihopeso.”Shepulledopenadrawerandtookoutanapron.“Wearthis.”
“Haveyoualwaysbeenthisbossy?”
“OnlywhenI’mdesperate,”shemuttered.“Anniewon’tbehereforanother
halfhour.”
Annie was Tess’ part-time baker. They’d worked together for as long as
LoganhadbeeninBozeman.
Tess walked across to the long stainless steel counter in the middle of the
room. “I’ve already put the dry ingredients in a bowl for the pancakes. I just
needtoaddthebuttermilk,eggs,andmeltedbutter.”Shepickedupaspoonand
started mixing everything together. She moved across to the stove, grabbing a
stick of butter on the way through. “The griddle’s hot, so the pancakes can go
straightonit.Addapatofbuttertothepan,thenafterit’smelted,wipeitaround
thepanwithapapertowel.”
Hepulledapapertowelofftherollanddidwhatshe’dsaid.
“If you’ve got excess butter in the pan, it will burn and that gives the
pancakesanastyflavor.”Tesstookaladleoutofadrawerandstartedspooning
pancakebatterontothegriddle.“Halfaladleperpancakeisenough.Justpourit
on,thenaddanotherone.Youshouldgetfourpancakesonthegriddleatatime.”
LoganlookedoverTess’shoulder.“Thepancakemixtureislumpy.”
“It’ssupposedtobe.Smalltomediumlumpsareyourfriend.Thatwaythe
pancakes will be light and fluffy. After the pancakes are on the griddle add a
small handful of blueberries to the top of each one, like this.” Tess sprinkled

freshblueberriesonthepancakesandreachedforaspatula.“They’lltakeabout
twominutestocookonthefirstsideandlessonthesecond.”
“HowdoIknowwhentoturnthemover?”


“Air bubbles should have risen to the surface and they’ll look a little dry
aroundtheedges.”
He watched Tess flip the first batch, then slide them into the oven to keep
warm.Shehandedhimtheladleandsmiled.“Don’tlooksoworried.Aslongas
theydon’tburnthey’lltastegreat.YoudothenextbatchandI’llwatch.”
Loganfeltasifhewasgoingforajobinterview.Hepouredthebatterinto
thepan,addedtheblueberries,thenwatchedthemcarefullywhiletheycooked.
Heneverwouldhavethoughtcookingpancakescouldbesostressful.Heslidhis
firstbatchintotheovenandrelaxed.
“Goodjob,”Tesssaid.“Letmeknowwhenyou’regettinglowonbatter.I’ll
makesomemoreforyou.”
Henoddedandaddedmorepancakemixturetothepan.Tesswentbackto
whatevershewasmaking,workingwithaquickefficiencythatimpressedhim.
Heflippedthepancakesandwatchedthemrise.“Youstartedworklatethis
morning.”
Tessglancedupfromthebowlofingredientsshewasmixing.
HeathitLogan’sfaceandithadnothingtodowiththestove.“Irun.Inotice
things.”
Tess grunted and pulled a baking sheet out of a drawer. She started rolling
ballsofdoughinherhands.“Whydoyourunsoearly?”
Loganopenedtheovenandslidthecookedpancakesinside.Hedidn’tfeel
comfortable talking about the real reason he ran. Ever since he’d come back
from Afghanistan, he couldn’t sleep, couldn’t forget the images that were
stamped on his brain. He’d written award-winning stories and nearly killed
himselfintheprocess.

Tesswasstillwaitingforareply,sohedidwhathenormallydid.Answered
as close to the truth as he dared to go. “I wake up early. It keeps me fit.” He
sprinkledblueberriesonthenextbatchofpancakebatterandstaredatthepan.
Thefrontdoorbangedopen.“SorryI’mlate,”Annieyelledfromthefrontof
thecafé.“How’syourheadthismorning?”
Aminitornadoofredsweaterandjeansarrivedinthekitchen.“Mollydidn’t
get…” she stopped in the middle of the room. “Logan? What are you doing


here?”
“Tesshadanemergency.”
“You’remakingpancakes?”
Henodded.“Blueberry.”
Annielookedbetweenthemandsmiled.“Whatdoyouwantmetodo?”
“Make the apple huckleberry pies,” Tess said. “I’m just about to start the
pecan pie Mr. Donaldson ordered.” Logan moved out of her way as she slid a
trayofcookiesintotheoven.“TheGroovyGranswillbeheresoon.”
Anniewashedherhandsandnodded.Sheliftedacontainerofsugarontothe
counterandmeasuredflourandbakingpowderintoabowl.
He watched Annie and Tess move around the kitchen, adding random
ingredientstobowls.“Whereareyourrecipebooks?”
Anniegrinned.“Wedon’tneedthem,notfortheregularrecipesanyway.”
Loganpouredanotherbatchofpancakebatterontothegriddle.“I’mgoingto
needmorepancakemix.”
“Already on it,” Tess said. She left a bowl of batter beside him. “I’ll just
checkthecafé.”
ShewalkedoutoftheroomandLoganwatchedAnnierolloutthepiecrusts.
Anniesmiled.“YoumusthavedonesomethingreallyniceforTess.”
“Becauseshe’snotgrowlingatme?”
She looked over at the kitchen door. “We had a really late night last night.

I’msurprisedshemadeitinhereontime.”
“Wheredidyougo?”
“Ennis.”ThebeeperontheovenwentoffandAnnietookthesconesout.
Loganlaughedasheflippedthepancakes.“Iwouldn’thavethoughtthere’d
beawholelotofactionhappeninginEnnisonaFridaynight.”
Anniestartedpeelingabowlofapples.“Youaresowrong.Wehadagreat
time.MollyandTesshadn’ttastedmoonshinebefore.Willie’sDistillerymakes
thebestlegalmoonshineever.Justdon’tmentiontheirbourbonwhiskeytoSally
whenyounextseeher.”
“Shelikedittoomuch?”
“Enough to buy a few bottles to bring home. Can you pass me two of the


lemonsbesideyou?”
LoganlookedalongthecounterandhandedAnniethelemons.Heheardthe
distantroarofmotorcycleenginesandcheckedhowmanypancakeshe’dmade.
Anniedroppedthehalf-peeledappleinherbowlandracedovertoasetof
cupboards. “They’re early. They don’t usually arrive for another fifteen
minutes.”Shestartedliftingoutglasses,puttingthemontraysandmovinginto
thecafé.
ThekitchendooropenedandTessheadedstraightacrosstothefridge.“The
GroovyGransaredownthestreet.Keepthosepancakescoming,Logan.I’llbe
backsoon.”Shetooktwo jugsofjuiceintothecaféandhelookedaroundthe
kitchen.
If it had been a calm oasis when he arrived, it wasn’t now. And with the
amountofnoisecomingfromthestreet,itwasn’tabouttogetanybetter.

T ESS TOOKanothersipoforangejuiceandsighed.Themorningrushwasover.
Shecouldhaveabreak,enjoysomepeaceandquietinthecafébeforethelunch
crowddescended.

“Doyouwanttoshareapancake?Youlookasthoughyouneedit.”Logan
sentasunnysmileherwayandshescowled.
“No,thanks.”
Heateanotherbigforkofpancakeandshruggedhisshoulders.“Youdon’t
knowwhatyou’remissing.”
Shedidknowwhatshewasmissingandshestilldidn’tcare.Herheadfelt
like it was pounding off her shoulders. She’d swallowed a couple of Tylenol
halfway through the Groovy Grans’ breakfast, but it hadn’t made much
difference.
“Moonshinecandothattoyouifyou’renotcareful.”Logandrizzledmore
maplesyruponhislastpancake.
TesswatchedLoganputthecapbackonthebottleandpickuphisknifeand
fork. After the Groovy Grans had left on their motorcycles, Logan had gone


home,hadashowerandreturnedtoeathispromisedpancakes.
“HowdoyouknowIwasdrinkingMoonshine?”
AnnieleftagrilledcheesesandwichinfrontofTess.“Thatwouldhavebeen
me.Wewere,youknow,passingthetimeofday.Ihappenedtomentionourlate
night.”
Tesslookedatthesandwich.Shedidn’tknowifshecouldeatit.
Annieputtheweekendnewspaperonthetableandpattedhershoulder.“I’ll
lookafterthecafé.Takeaslongasyouneed.”
“Thanks,Annie.”Tesswatchedherfriendwalktothefrontcounter.
“Youshouldgoforarun.Sweatthealcoholoutofyourbody.”
TessflickedopenthepaperandignoredLogan.
“Sowe’rebacktobickeringbuddiesagain?Iwonderedhowlongourtruce
wouldlast.”
“We didn’t have a truce and we aren’t buddies. Although I do appreciate
yourhelpthismorning.”

“Nicetoknowthere’saheartintheresomewhere.”
Logandidn’tseemparticularlydevastatedbyTess’lackofenthusiasmwhere
hewasconcerned.Andheshouldn’thavebeen.Theyweren’tfriends,butTess
supposedhecouldbecalledanacquaintance.Especiallyafterheronedisastrous
attempt to find out why he was living in Bozeman. He ate at her café at least
threetimesaweekandhadasoftspotforpancakes.Theonlythingtheyhadin
commonwasthatLoganwasareporterandshehatedreporters.Mostdaysthey
didn’thavealottosaytoeachother.
“Pancakestastedgood.”
Tesslookedup.“Thanks.”
“WhatIdon’tunderstandishowyoucanbesoniceoneminute,theninthe
nextbreathturnintoanicemaiden.Someonemusthaveburnedyourealbad.”
TesssquintedatLogan.“Ibelievethecorrectphrasingis‘reallybad’.”
“Sowhowashe?Someheart-throbwhospurnedyouatthealtar?Ormaybe
you didn’t get that far. Maybe he dumped you for your best friend and you’ve
neverforgivenhim.”
Tess turned over another page in the newspaper. Logan didn’t know how


closehe’dgottentothetruth.Exceptithadn’tbeenassimpleasherboyfriend
running off with her best friend. Her best friend had died and Andrew Gibson
hadwalkedawayafreeman.
Logan wiped his mouth on a napkin and took his dirty dishes across to
Annie.Beforeheleftthecafé,hecameandstoodbesideTess’table.
He leaned down, close enough that she could smell his aftershave and the
cleanscentthatwasallman.“Somedayyou’regoingtotellmewhyyoudon’t
likeme.Andwhenyoudo,I’mgoingtoshowyouhowwrongyouare.”
Tesslookedhimstraightintheeyes.“Thatsomedaywillnevercome.”
Logan smiled. “It almost happened once.” His eyes dropped to her mouth
andTessblushed.

“Well, if it’s not Mr. Hot and Steamy.” Sally, Tess’ friend, stood beside
Logan, smiling at him as if she’d seen something funny. “Don’t worry about,
Tess.Shedoesn’tappreciateagoodmanwhensheseesone.”
“Youcansaythatagain,”hemuttered.“I’vegottogo.Enjoyyourweekend.”
HesmiledatSallyandnoddedatTess.
Tesswentbacktoreadingthepaper.
“Youcanbesuchawitchsometimes.”Sallydroppedintotheseatopposite
her.“Logan’sagoodguy.Youdon’tlikereporters,andIguessyou’vegotyour
reasons.Butthat’snoexcusetotreathimliketheenemy.”
Tessfoldedthenewspaperinhalf.“Canwetalkaboutsomethingelse?”
“AssoonasI’veboughtmylunch.I’llbebackinaminute.”
Sally walked over to Annie and started looking through the glass cabinets
besidethecashregister.
TessimaginedthatsomewomenmightfindLoganattractive.Hewaseasily
six-foot-five. He had dark brown eyes that turned to amber when he was
thinkingabout…shedraggedherbrainawayfromwherethatthoughtwasgoing
andconcentratedonhisbody.Thatdidn’tdohermuchgoodeither.
Rock hard muscles that could have been sculptured out of granite summed
himupperfectly.Hewouldhavetickedmorethanone‘yes’boxinadesperate
woman’s fantasy. But she wasn’t desperate. She didn’t even care if his smile
couldmeltaniceberg,oranicemaiden.Hewasareporterandthatmeantoff-


limits.Noway.Ever.
“WhathaveyoubeenarguingaboutwithLoganthistime?”Sallyreturnedto
thetablewithachickenpieandaraspberrymuffin.
“Weweren’targuing.Hehelpedcookpancakesthismorning.”
“Whywouldhedothat?”
Tesssighed.“It’salongstory.Whathaveyoubeendoing?”
“Recovering from last night.” Sally bit into her pie and smiled. “These are

thebestchickenpiesinMontana.Youshouldstartapierestaurant.”
“It’shardenoughfindingthetimetorunthiscafé.Icouldn’timaginehaving
arestaurantaswell.”
“It’sbecauseyou’reacontrolfreak.Youcan’tletsomeoneelsetakeover.”
Tesssmiled.“Youcouldberight.”
“IknowI’mright.SohowcomeLoganwashere?”
“Iwasdesperate.I’drunoutofbuttermilk.”
Sally blew on the pie. “The old buttermilk excuse. It will get a man every
time.”
Tessbitintohercheesesandwich.“Itwashalf-pastfiveinthemorning.My
optionswerelimited.”
“Butwhatanoption,”Sallysaidwithagrin.
Tesslookedatherwatch.“I’vegottogetmoving.Annieneedsabreakand
thelunchcustomerswillbeheresoon.Molly’scomingbyforacoffeeafterwe
close.Doyouwanttojoinus?”
“Countmein.AndtrynottobesohardonLogan.He’saniceguy.”
“Maybe,” Tess said grudgingly as she stood up. But he was a reporter and
shehadapastnooneknewabout.Andsheplannedonkeepingitthatway.

B Y FOUR O ’ CLOCK THAT AFTERNOON , Tess was glad she’d invited her friends
overforcoffee.ShelaughedatsomethingMollysaidandfelttheday’sdramas
meltingaway.
The Irish photographer laughed back. “It’s true. He said he’d had a grand


timeonourfirstdate.Whenhetoldmehewaslookingforawife,Ididn’tknow
whattosay.”
“Ihopeyousaidno.”SallyreachedforhercoffeeandstoppedwhenMolly
didn’treply.“Youdidsayno,didn’tyou?”
Molly’scheeksturnedred.“ImarriedRowansixmonthslater.”

Annie’smouthdroppedopen.
Mollylookedslowlyaroundthetable.“Hewascharmingandhandsome.He
whispered the poetry of Yeats and Moore in my ear.” She shrugged her
shoulders.“Itwarmedmyhearttobewithhim.”
“Whathappened?”Tessasked.“Hedidn’tcometoMontanawithyou.”
“HeranoffwithabarmaidfromCountyKerryafewmonthsafterwewere
married.Iwasnaiveandfoolish.”
“Atleastyouwereabletobefoolish.”Anniebitintohercookie.
“Welldon’tkeepusinsuspense,”Tesssaid.“Telluswhathappened.”
“That’s a story for another time.” Annie glanced at another table and
frowned.“Didanyoneseethearticleintoday’spaperaboutthehouseburglary?”
“You’rechangingthesubject,”Mollysaid.
Annieshookherhead.“It’sreallysad.Waithere…”Shewalkedacrossthe
caféandpickedupanewspaper.Sheopenedittothefirstpageandhandeditto
Tess. “The house was burgled while the owners were visiting the bride-to-be’s
mom in the hospital. They’re getting married in two weeks’ time and their
bridesmaids’dresseswerestolen.”
Tess skimmed through the article. “No insurance,” she muttered. “Why do
peopledothat?”
“Can’t afford it or don’t think anything will ever happen to them.” Sally
lookedoverTess’shoulder.“Theylosteverything.That’ssad.”
“Thebride’smomhasgotbreastcancer,”Annieadded.“Theycan’tdelaythe
weddingincaseshedoesn’tmakeit.”
TessgavethepapertoSally.“Itdoesn’tsoundasthoughthey’vegotmuch
money.” She knew what it felt like to not know where your next meal was
comingfrom.Butatleastshe’dhadaroofoverherheadandgrandparentswho
didn’tmindtakinginanangrythirteen-year-old.


Tess watched Sally finish the article and pass it to Molly. “A couple of

monthsagoweweretalkingaboutalwaysbeingbridesmaidsandneverbrides.”
Sally frowned. “Was that the one where we were also discussing our nonexistentlovelives?”
Tessnodded.“Howmanybridesmaids’dresseshavewegotbetweenthefour
ofus?”
“Iknowwhereyou’regoingwiththis.”Sallygrinned.“I’vegoteight.”She
smiledatAnnie’sshockedgasp.“WhatcanIsay.Cupidkeepsmissingmewith
hisarrow.”
“I’veneverbeenabridesmaid,”Mollysaid.“ButI’msuresomeofthebrides
I’vephotographedwouldbehappytodonatetheirbridesmaids’dresses.”
“I’vegottwo,”Anniesaid.
Tess added up how many weddings she’d been a bridesmaid for. “I’ve got
seven. We could easily help the couple in the paper.” She looked around the
tablewaitingtohearwhateveryoneelsethought.
Sallyfrowned.“Whatifthey’rethewrongsizes,orthebridewantsthesame
colorsandstyles?We’vegotseventeendresses,butthey’realldifferent.”
“Wecouldmakeacatalog,”Mollysaid.“Icouldtakephotosofeachdress.
We could add the sizes and the skirt length. It wouldn’t take much to match a
bridesmaidupwithadress.Ifthebridewantsthesamecolor,shecandyethem.”
Tessranbehindthesalescounterandpickedupapenandhernotebook.“It
could work.” She sat back down at the table and started making notes. “How
manybridesmaids’dressesdoweneedforthebrideinthenewspaper?”
Mollylookeddownatthearticle.“Four.”
“Theremustbefourdressesshe’dlike,”Anniesaid.“Whoisthebride?”
Molly ran her finger over the article. “The bride-to-be is Estelle and her
fiancéisDarren.Therearenolastnames.”
Tesswroteaquestionmarkbesidetheirnames.“Weknowhermomisinthe
hospitalandthattheweddingisintwoweeks’time.Itshouldn’tbethathardto
findthem.”Shetappedherpenagainstherlips.“Weshouldfindthepersonwho
wrotethearticle.”
Anniesmiled.“Ibelievethereporter’snameisLoganAllen.”

Tesslookedupfromthenotesshewaswriting.“You’rejoking?”
“Ikidyounot,”Anniesaid.“Aren’tyouluckyyoumadehimpancakesthis
morning?”
She might have made him pancakes, but she’d also annoyed him. “I think
Sallyshouldtalktohim.”
Sally shook her head. “I don’t think so. You’ve known Logan a lot longer
thanIhave.He’sallyours.”
TesslookedatMolly.
“Don’t look at me with those big blue eyes,” Molly said. “Sometimes a
womanneedstolivealittledangerously.Andhe’ssuchacharmer.”
Tess knew Logan was charming when he needed to be, ruthless if it suited
the occasion. She passed Molly another muffin. “Please, Molly. You like men
thatarecharming.Youcouldtalkhimintogivingyoutheinformationweneed
tofindthebrideandgroom.”
“I ended up married to the last man that charmed me. So no, Logan is all
yours.ButIwillhavethatmuffinyou’reholdingundermynoseasabribe.”
Tessdroppedherheadontothetable.“You’reallsomean.”
Sallylaughed.“IbetLogancouldbereallymean,too.Especiallyifhe’sgot
somethingyouneed.”
“Exactly. That’s why someone else needs to go.” Everyone looked at Tess
withsmilesontheirfaces.
“Okay,”shemuttered.“I’llgoandseehimonMonday.”
Mollyleftthenewspaperarticleinthemiddleofthetable.“Mondaywillbe
too late. We have two weeks to find the bride, see if she wants our help and
make sure all of the dresses fit the bridesmaids. You need to see Logan by
tomorrowatthelatest.”
“It’s Sunday tomorrow,” Tess squeaked. She didn’t want to see him at his
home.Itwasbadenoughhavingtogointohisoffice.

“Molly’s right. We need to do something now.” Sally jumped up from her
seatandpickedupherbag.“Let’schecktheonlinephonedirectory.Therecan’t
bethatmanymencalledLoganAlleninBozeman.”
Tesshopedhehadanunlistednumber,butknowingSally,itwouldn’tmake


anydifference.Sheseemedtoknowmostpeoplearoundtown,orsomeonewho
knewsomeoneelse.
Sally balanced her tablet on her knees and tapped the screen. “Bingo. 86
HarryShawLane.Here’shisphonenumber.”
She passed the tablet across to Tess and she wrote his address and phone
numberinhernotebook.“Whatifhewon’ttalktome?”
“Anymanwhobuysbuttermilkatfivethirtyinthemorningandhelpsmake
pancakeswon’tignoreabrideindistress.”Anniesoundedsosureofherselfthat
Tessfeltalittlebetter.
“Evenifhedoesn’tlikeyou,he’llwanttohelp,”Sallyadded.
“Idon’tknowwhetheryou’retryingtomakemefeelbetterorworse,butI’ll
do it. I’ll go and see him today. After he’s told me the bride’s name, I’ll send
everyoneatext.”
Sally held her coffee mug in the air. “Here’s to making a bride’s dreams
cometrue.”
Tessclinkedhermugagainsteveryoneelse’s.
Sheonlyhopedthatmakingabride’sdreamcometruewouldn’tturnintoher
worstnightmare.


CHAPTER2

T

ess parked her car outside Logan’s home. She hadn’t called him,
hadn’t done any of the things a normal, sane woman would have
done.Shedidn’tknowwhethershewasmoreworriedabouthimnothelping,or
whatshe’ddoifhesaidhewould.
As soon as everyone had left the café she’d put two muffins in a bag and
drivenacrosstown.Logan’shomewasdifferentthanwhatshe’dexpected.She’d
thoughthe’dliveinanapartment,abachelorpadhecouldleaveatthedropofa
hatwhenheracedofftoreportonastorysomewhereintheworld.
Thetwo-storyhomeinfrontofherdidn’tlooklikethesortofhomeyou’dbe
away from for long. With its wide front porch, steep gabled roof and pretty
garden,itlookedlikeahomesomeonespenttimein.
Shepickedupthemuffinsandthenewspaperarticlesittingonthepassenger
seat.Ifshe’dbeenabletothinkofanalternativesolution,shewouldn’tbehere.
ButLoganwastheonlypersonwhoknewwhothebrideandgroomwere.The
onlypersonthatcouldhelpthem.
She couldn’t let Sally, Molly, and Annie down. She couldn’t let the bride
down.
Her shoes clicked on the stone driveway as she walked toward Logan’s
home. She recited the words she’d practiced in the car. The ones that would
makehimrealizehowimportantitwasthattheyfindthebride.
Shewalkedupthewoodensteps,pushedthedoorbellandwaited.
ThedooropenedandTessplasteredapolitesmileonherface.Shefrowned,