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

was my turn.’

      Reaching across the table, Zoe touched the diamond on Bella’s left hand. ‘This is real, isn’t it? You’re properly engaged. I’m not dreaming.’

      ‘It’s totally real.’ Bella gave a crooked little grin. ‘But I must admit I still have to pinch myself.’

      ‘You, too?’ Drawing a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts, Zoe asked carefully, ‘So … you weren’t expecting this engagement?’

      ‘Not really,’ Bella said, blushing. ‘But it wasn’t exactly a surprise either.’

      Zoe blinked and gave a helpless flap of her hands. ‘I’m sorry, I’m lost already. You’re going to have to explain this.’ She took a sip of her chai latte, but she was too intent on Bella’s response to register the sweet and spicy flavour she usually loved.

      ‘There’s not a lot to explain.’ Bella tucked a shiny strand of smooth blond hair behind one ear. ‘The thing is … even when we were kids there was a lingering suggestion from Kent’s and my parents that we might eventually—you know—end up together some day. They teased us when we were little, then toned it down later, but all the time we were growing up it was there in the background as a possibility.’

      This was news to Zoe and she couldn’t help asking, ‘How come you’ve never mentioned it?’

      Bella looked contrite. ‘You must think I’m crazy, talking so much about guys without ever really mentioning Kent.’

      ‘You spoke about him, but you said he was just a friend.’

      ‘He was. For ages. We were just … neighbours … and good mates …’ Her shoulders lifted in a casual shrug. ‘To be honest, I’d never seriously thought about marrying him. But then—’

      Zoe leaned closer. ‘Is Kent the reason you’ve headed for home every weekend lately?’

      Pink crept into Bella’s cheeks and her green eyes took on a touching mistiness as she held out her left hand and admired her ring again. ‘It sort of crept up on us. Kent’s been so sweet.’

      ‘Oh-h-h …’ Watching the dewy smile on Bella’s lips, Zoe was overcome by the romantic possibilities of her friend’s situation. Her skin turned to goose bumps and she could picture it all: a wonderful, long-term friendship where a couple felt really comfortable with each other, and knew each other inside out—all the good bits and the bad. Then, suddenly, they were hit by a blinding and beautiful truth.

      So different from Zoe’s soul-destroying experience with Rodney the Rat.

      ‘Out of the blue you just realised you were in love and meant for each other,’ she said.

      Bella nodded.

      ‘And you definitely know Kent’s Mr Right?’

      Another nod.

      Zoe couldn’t believe the way her throat was choking up. ‘I thought those blinding flashes of insight only happened in movies, but look at you. This is a real life friends-to-lovers romance!’ To her embarrassment, a tear spilled down her cheek.

      ‘So you understand?’ Bella’s smile was a mixture of sympathy and relief.

      ‘My head’s still trying to catch up, but I guess I understand here.’ Not caring how melodramatic she looked, Zoe pressed a hand over her heart. ‘I’m happy for you, Bell. Truly.’

      ‘Thanks.’ In a blink, Bella was out of her chair and the girls were hugging. ‘I knew you’d understand.’

      ‘Your dad must be thrilled,’ Zoe said when Bella had sat down again.

      To her surprise, a flood of colour rushed into Bella’s face and then she paled and looked down at the sandwich in front of her. She pulled at a piece of lettuce poking out from the bread. ‘Yes, he’s very happy,’ she said quietly.

      Puzzled, and just a little worried by the reaction, Zoe wasn’t sure what to say next. Something wasn’t right here.

      Or was she imagining Bella’s tension?

      She wondered if Bella’s dad had expressed mixed feelings. It would be bittersweet for Mr Shaw to watch his daughter’s engagement blossom so soon after his wife’s death. He’d miss having her there to share the joy with him.

      Zoe thought about her own parents, settled at last, running their little music shop in Sugar

      Bay and raising her little brother, Toby. After

      Toby’s unexpected arrival when Zoe was fourteen, her mum and dad had undergone a dramatic transformation. By the time she’d started work and Toby was ready for school, they’d given up their nomadic existence, travelling round the country in a second-rate rock band.

      But becoming conventional parents hadn’t dimmed their love for one another. They’d remained fixed in a crazy love-struck-teenager groove and, although their relationship had always left Zoe feeling on the outside, she

      couldn’t imagine either of them having to manage alone. Not for ages, at any rate.

      Poor Mr Shaw …

      ‘Earth to Zoe. Are you there?’

      Zoe blinked, and realised Bella had been talking, and by the look of frustration on her face she’d been saying something important. ‘Sorry. I—ah—missed what you said.’

      Bella sighed and gave a little, heaven-help-me eye roll. ‘I said I was hoping you’d be my bridesmaid.’

      Zap!

      Zoe’s heart gave a jolt, like a soldier jumping to attention. She’d been so busy getting her head around Bella’s new status as fiancée, she’d given no thought to her actual wedding. But bridesmaid?

      Wow!

      She had a sudden vision of Bella looking lovely in white, with a misty veil … and herself in a beautiful bridesmaid’s gown.

      There’d be bouquets … and handsome guys in formal suits.

      She’d never been a bridesmaid.

      Warmth flooded her and she felt quite dizzy with excitement. ‘I’d love to be your bridesmaid. I’d be totally honoured.’

      This was no exaggeration. In fact, Zoe was quite sure Bella could never guess how over-the-top excited she was about this.

      She’d heard other girls groan about being bridesmaids. They seemed to look on the honour as a boring chore and they told war stories about having to wear horrible satin gowns in the worst possible colours and styles.

      Talk about ungrateful! For Zoe, being a bridesmaid was a wonderful privilege. She would wear anything Bella chose—puce coloured lace or slime-toned velvet—she wouldn’t care. Being Bella’s bridesmaid was clear, indisputable evidence that she was someone’s really close friend.

      Finally.

      Oh, cringe. Anyone would think she was a total loser.

      Well … truth was … she’d actually felt like a loser for much of her childhood. She’d had so few chances to make close friends, because her parents had dragged her all around the country, living—honest to God—in the back of a bus. There’d never been time for her friendships to get off the ground.

      Her best effort had been in the fifth grade when the band broke up for a bit and her parents had stayed in Shepparton for almost twelve months. Zoe had become really good friends with Melanie Trotter. But then the band had regrouped and her parents had moved on, and the girls’ letter exchange had lasted six months before slowing to a trickle, then, inevitably, dried up.

      It wasn’t until Zoe started work at Bodwin & North and met Bella that she’d finally had the chance to form the kind of ongoing friendship she’d always longed for. And now, here was the proof—an invitation to be Bella’s bridesmaid.

      Zoe