Dex was out when I arrived at the room, which was fine with me. No distractions. I managed everything, except putting my dress on, in record time and sat down in my robe to letter the last few place cards without distraction. I thought I'd just drop them by wedding control and do a last-minute check on my way to the ceremony.

  The last few cards went quickly. I managed to get into my dress by myself. I slipped on my shoes and put on lip gloss. I grabbed my beautiful cape to take with me. I opened the curtains and stopped to check myself in the full-length mirror.

  My beautiful gold fireworks dress, which had looked positively golden in Staci and Zander's shop, looked almost white in the bright natural light streaming in. It was the white underlay. I'd seen this problem in wedding photos too many times. So many lace dresses had light underlays that flash photography emphasized.

  It was like that picture of the dress that was floating around the Internet a few years ago—was it blue or was it gold? Only mine was more—is it gold or is it white?

  In reality, it was definitely gold. But color was in the eye of the beholder.

  No time to worry about it now. The dress fit perfectly. My new bracelet looked awesome with it.

  I grabbed the remaining place cards and headed out. It was five forty-five by the time I made it to wedding control. Katie and Laura were happy to see me. I handed over the cards for the staff to set out just as Paige walked in.

  "What a lovely dress, Plus-One." She had her phone out, texting someone.

  Laura caught me before I could answer. "We have one more task. It will just take a few minutes. I hope. We gave you the wrong spellings on a few names…"

  There was nothing I could do. I texted Dex that I'd probably be late.

  Paige breezed out to join the wedding party and assemble for the ceremony.

  I was hard at work when Dex texted back. You look gorgeous in that dress. It was worth the struggle getting it in the car.

  I frowned. Wait. How did you see me?

  I'd wanted to surprise him in it, to see his face when he first saw me.

  Paige posted a picture to her social media.

  Curses. Paige again. She wouldn't quit.

  This couldn't be good. Send it to me.

  Okay…

  What?

  Ignore the snarky comments.

  Oh, I'm anticipating them.

  A second later, a picture of me pinged in. I gasped in horror when I saw it. Rage followed right in horror's heels.

  Paige had snapped a shot of me and altered the exposure to make the dress look bright white. Like the whitest white you've ever seen. There were only hints of sparkle where the gold fireworks were.

  Yeah. The caption—Wedding faux pas number one—never compete with the bride. #HudsonKangley

  In that moment, I so wanted to do her bodily damage. Maybe throw chalk dust in her face. White chalk dust.

  Dex

  The wedding ceremony was to be in the large gazebo on the cliff walkway overlooking the falls. I had to hand it to Chrissy—the falls were a stunning backdrop for the ceremony and photos. One of the finer ones of all the zillions of weddings I'd been to.

  Rows of chairs spread out on the lawn in front of the gazebo. Rhododendrons and lilacs bloomed all around. The gazebo was festooned with swags of evergreens and flowers.

  I joined up with Ellie, Christopher, Lala, and Justin to walk to the ceremony. Shelby's signs gave directions and pointed the way to the ceremony.

  "Shelby did these?" Lala stopped in front of one of the standing chalkboard signs.

  "Yeah. She was working on that one when I stopped by to check on her earlier." Finished, it was impressive.

  "They're gorgeous," Ellie said. "She has real talent."

  "These are really going to put her on the map," Lala said. "Brides are going to be outbidding each other to get on her schedule."

  "Of course Shelby has talent. She's already highly successful and in demand. Do you think I hang around with talentless women?" I admired the sign again, feeling a stupid sense of pride.

  Justin slapped me on the back. "We're still stunned you hang out with any woman at all."

  "Keep it up. Just keep it up," I said. "Do you want me to share that Brora with you or not? I hope you enjoyed your bath with your rubber duckies."

  Justin laughed. "Nice try."

  We asked to be seated in a row toward the back so Shelby could easily join us. We left her an aisle seat. Lala sat next to me. Justin was next to her. Then Ellie and Christopher.

  I texted Shelby our location.

  "Texting again? Put your phone away." Lala shook her head at me. "You're such a dunce. You shouldn't have texted Shelby that picture Paige posted."

  "What? I complimented Shelby. She looked hot."

  "You played into Paige's hands. She wanted Shelby to see that photo and get upset."

  "Shelby can handle it."

  "Where is she, by the way?" Lala asked. "The ceremony is about to start."

  "She'll be here any minute."

  A string quartet played softly. The weather was cooperating—sunny and warm. Everyone, but Shelby, was seated.

  The minister took his in place at the front of the gazebo, accompanied by Adam.

  I glanced at my watch. Six. If Shelby didn't get here soon…

  The string quartet to the side of the gazebo started the strains of the processional. The audience turned to watch for the bride and prepared to stand.

  The sun lit up a woman in a long white dress and cape that looked almost veil-like as she came around from behind the bush-lined path where the wedding party was waiting.

  "Shelby?" I whispered as she approached.

  She saw us standing, looked horrified and embarrassed. She waved the crowd off as she headed for her seat next to me, shaking her head. "No. Sorry."

  Just as we prepared to sit again, a guy dressed as a gardener popped out of the bushes next to Shelby.

  She stopped in her tracks and paled again. "Mitch?"

  The music stopped.

  He reached for her. She turned to run.

  The guy grabbed her by the cape, reeled her toward him, and tossed her over his shoulder. Shelby screamed to be put down and pounded his back, her bracelet sparkling in the evening sun.

  The wedding guests, the groom, the minister, everyone was stunned and motionless.

  What the hell is happening?

  He took off at run with Shelby over his shoulder.

  Shelby kicked and screamed. "Put me down! Put me down, you bastard." She pummeled the guy's back.

  We could see her feet flailing and puffs of gold and white skirt over his shoulder.

  "You're not marrying someone else on our wedding day!" Mitch shook her. "You're not doing it. I'll kill you first."

  "Someone's abducting the bride!" someone yelled.

  Cell phones came out. There were two kinds of people—those who wanted pictures and those who called for help.

  I jumped out of my seat, threw off my jacket, and sprinted after Shelby. Justin jumped over Lala and headed out after me.

  Chrissy peeked around the corner on the arm of her father to see what all the commotion was about.

  The wedding videographer had a drone up to capture the ceremony. It now hovered above Shelby as Mitch ran with her toward the parking lot.

  Someone spotted Chrissy. "That's not the bride. There's the bride."

  A dozen people pointed. "He's running off with a guest."

  "Which guest?" People looked around.

  "Your guest is as good as mine," some smartass said.

  My heart was pounding. Everything was both in slow motion and high speed. I took everything in as I ran. There was a van in the parking lot right next to the path.

  I pointed and yelled to Justin. "We can't let him get her in that van."

  Mitch was fast, even carrying a spitting-mad Shelby, who was fighting and clawing back. His lead was too much. He was too far away to catch.

  I spotted the drone and pointed. Justin had seen it, too.

  I caught the videographer by surprise as I pulled up in front of him. "I'll take those." I grabbed the controls from him and kept running.

  It wasn't easy to run and drive a drone. But I was high on adrenaline. I just hoped the path was flat as I glanced between the controls and Shelby and dive-bombed Mitch with the drone.

  Mitch was slowing as he neared the van. He got his remote out. The van door slid opened. Half a stretch of sidewalk and he'd be able to toss her in and drive off with her.

  We were bridging the gap. The drone was distracting him.

  Justin held out his hand for the controls. "Flying the drone is slowing you down, too. Let me take over. You make a run for him. You can catch him."

  I handed Justin the controls without slowing down, just like passing off the baton in a race. As soon as he had them, I got a shot of adrenaline and put on a burst of speed, thanking Stryker for keeping me in shape.

  "Hang on, Shelby!" I pumped my arms, gaining on Mitch.

  Chapter 25

  Shelby

  I was thrown over the shoulder of my crazy ex. Being chased by my fake boyfriend that I was falling in love with too hard, too fast. Being dive-bombed by a drone. Oh, and ruining the wedding of the season. Nice.

  "I'm not marrying anyone," I screamed at Mitch, still beating his back with my fists. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and tried to pull his head back to listen to me. "Did you hear me? Put me down. I'm just a guest here."

  "I saw the pictures. Hudson/Kangley wedding." Mitch sounded angrier, and crazier, than I'd ever heard him.

  "Just a coincidence." I gave his head another jerk as the drone buzzed in front of him.

  Mitch tried to slap it away like he was brushing away a mosquito or an angry bird. But Justin had the controls now and had slowed down to concentrate. He was relentless and vicious with the drone, which was no doubt capturing all this for posterity. What a wedding video this would make.

  Dex was gaining on us.

  I tried to get a look behind me to see where Mitch was taking me. Oh, shoot. He had a van waiting.

  "You're crazy," I screamed at Mitch. "Put me down now and we'll just forget about this."

  "No way, baby. No fucking way."

  I reached for my shoe, kicking my foot up so I could grab it over my shoulder. It took a few tries, but I got it. I started beating him on the head, wishing I'd picked a sturdier heel. But at the time, who knew I'd need it as a weapon?

  We reached the van. Mitch tried to pull me off his shoulder. I grabbed his shirt, trying to hang on.

  Mitch pulled my legs and grabbed for my waist. "Stop hitting me on the head."

  "Stop kidnapping me. Ouch. You're hurting me." I tossed my shoe away just as he wrenched me off his shoulder.

  A breeze kicked up and blew my skirt in his face. He struggled with the tulle of both the cape and the dress as he tried to stuff me into the van.

  I grabbed the edge of the door, hoping Mitch didn't close it on my fingers.

  He struggled as much stuffing the dress in the van as Dex had getting it in the Porsche. Of course, Mitch had me and the breeze to contend with.

  "Ruin this dress and I'll never forgive you!" I screamed. Which was really silly. He'd already crossed a line. There were a lot of things I wasn't going to ever forgive him for now. But I was trying to distract him.

  The drone hovered around the door, buzzing Mitch and trying to find a way inside. But it couldn't get past me and the fluff of dress.

  Mitch was distracted trying to stuff me and the dress in.

  Dex put on a burst of speed. He grabbed Mitch from behind, spun him around, and gave him a right hook to the jaw.

  Mitch teetered on his feet, stunned. He stumbled back.

  Dex grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. Security finally showed up and grabbed Mitch. The drone hovered above us, capturing our tender moment as Justin stood back and gave us a moment.

  "My hero," I whispered to Dex, cuddling into him and holding on tight.

  For just a second, I thought he had a glimmer of recognition. I had to stop doing that. No more using the word "hero."

  Dex held me tight. "Life with you is certainly exciting. I'd say this weekend has been a success. I haven't had this much fun since college. We should definitely keep this fake relationship going. When Mitch was running away with you, I realized I couldn't fake-live without you."

  Tears welled in my eyes.

  He swallowed hard. "Shelby, I l—"

  "No. Don't. Not yet. Let's just be. Let's just be in the moment."

  "All right, then." He kissed the top of my head and lifted my chin so our eyes met. "What if I just say, I think it's possible I could fall in love with you, even fakely, given enough time. After we take things slowly. In the future. With absolutely no pressure or timeline."

  "I think that's perfect. I think I might possibly, maybe, feel the same."

  I was already weak with relief. But his answering smile and look of relief made me weak in the knees. I cupped his face. "Now kiss me, you fool. Like you mean it. Like there's nothing fake about it."

  Epilogue

  Shelby (Nervous dog mama awaiting pregnancy news.)

  Three weeks later

  Vet's office

  Dex and I sat in the vet's office, waiting for Bella's pregnancy test results. The vet had taken a small amount of blood. Bella had been very patient about the test.

  Now, apparently, the vet had to spin Bella's blood in a centrifuge. Don't ask me why. But then she could test the blood and the results would be accurate and nearly instantaneous.

  We sat in the waiting room with Bella straddling our laps.

  The past few weeks had been a whirlwind. Mitch was charged with attempted kidnapping. And no, I didn't think he was really going to kill me. I didn't necessarily want him to go to prison. I wanted him to get help.

  But I also didn't want him to have one of Bella's puppies, if she were pregnant. Dex thought she was. All the signs were there.

  I wanted Mitch to get help and get better. And find the right person for him.

  The drone video from the Hudson/Kangley wedding had gone viral, surpassing the popularity of my original running-from-my-dress-fitting video. We still didn't know who had originally posted it. The headlines had, at first, been disturbing. Popular wedding subscription box service owner and hand letterer wears white to a wedding and is mistaken for the bride. Gasp.

  Never wear white to a wedding unless you want to be carted off.

  Major wedding faux pas by wedding expert who should have known better.

  But in the end, my friends and colleagues stuck by me. Zander was indignant. He posted his own video of the dress in different lighting situations, showing how the white was all an illusion and trick of the light.

  That video went viral, too, making Zander and Staci minor celebrities and throwing more business their way than they could handle.

  Chrissy forgave me for disrupting the wedding—though it was Mitch's fault—after her wedding of the season got worldwide attention for its glamour and the understanding way she handled the interruption. And she and the wedding were featured in stories in most of the major bridal magazines and on all the major wedding sites and blogs.

  The wedding reception had been epic and beautiful. And fun. And that night, I had shown Dex just how grateful I was for his heroics.

  The signs I did for the wedding also got a lot of attention and were featured in the same sites and magazines as Chrissy's wedding. My subscription boxes and I were in more demand than ever.

  And now, everyone was completely on my side for calling off my wedding to Mitch. People now called me emotionally intuitive and smart. And said I made a lucky escape. And calling me not a runaway bride, but a run-away-with wedding guest.

  But best of all, Dex and I were in a perfect fake relationship. Taking it slow. Getting to know each other.

  My work phone rang. "This could be a new client," I told Dex. "I better take it."

  I slid Bella into his lap, stood, and walked to the corner of the room for privacy. "Shelby Hudson."

  "Shelby. Baby."

  My heart stopped. The blood drained not only from my face, but my whole body. I recognized that voice. I'd hoped to never hear it again. I couldn't speak.

  "It's taken two years since Vegas, but I finally caught up to you, my darling runaway bride. You broke my heart. And embarrassed the hell out of me."

  My mouth went dry. "What do you want?"

  "Hell, that's easy. Just one thing—I want my dog back."

  Just then the vet came into the room, beaming. "Congratulations! You're having puppies."

  NEXT UP: Shelby and Dex are happily in a fake relationship and testing the boundaries of what’s real and what’s not when Shelby’s runned-away-from Vegas groom shows up. And he wants both Bella and Shelby back.

  Loves Billionaires and Puppies will be available soon. Sign up for Gina Robinson New Release Alerts (via email newsletter at www.ginarobinson.com) and be the first to hear when it’s available. Then turn the page and see what you haven’t read while you wait.

  Also by Gina Robinson

  Contemporary New Adult Romance

  The Reckless Series (Ellie and Logan’s story, featuring Dex as the best friend in college)

  Reckless Longing

  Reckless Secrets

  Reckless Together

  Jet City Romantic Comedies

  The Switched at Marriage Series (Justin and Kayla’s story, featuring Dex as the best friend)

  A Wedding to Remember

  The Virgin Billionaire

  To Have and To Hold

  From This Day Forward

  For Richer, For Richest

  In Sickness and In Wealth

  To Love and To Cherish

  The Billionaire’s Christmas Vows

  You can find the complete list of my books at ginarobinson.com.

 

 

  Gina Robinson, Loves Billionaires and Dogs: A Feel Good Romance