Love, Suburban Style (37 page)

All right, so some things never change.

Luckily, some things do.

Fifteen minutes later, Meg is on her father’s arm, stepping out the back door into the hot August sunshine.

Katie and Cosette are in front of her in their pastel bridesmaid’s dresses, slowly making their way, single file, down the aisle.

Sam is up there somewhere, Meg knows, flanked by his son and his brother, waiting for her.

Ben’s girlfriend Meryl, the soloist, begins to sing an a capella rendition of “As If We’ve Never Said Good-bye.”

As she and her father walk down the lush green aisle, Meg takes in the familiar faces beaming at her. A few are old friends from the city, most are new friends—oh, and a couple of old friends, like Bill Dreyfus, and Kris—from right here in town.

In these past two years, Glenhaven Park has become familiar once again. She’s grown accustomed to the traffic and new stores and restaurants; even to the Fancy Moms. She’ll never be one of them, teaching voice and married to a schoolteacher, and she wouldn’t want to be. But she’s met plenty of other down-to-earth moms. She’s not lonely anymore.

A telltale buzzing sound becomes audible above the singing. Meg’s bouquet of white roses trembles in her hand when she looks down to see a fat August bumblebee lazily hovering above the sweet-smelling blooms.

Still walking, her smile frozen on her face, Meg watches it with trepidation.

Please go away. Shoo. Get out of here.

But she doesn’t dare drop the bouquet and run away in hysterics, the way she ordinarily would. Not with all these people looking at her. Not on this day she’s been waiting for all her life.

Ignoring her silent plea, the bee sniffs around the flowers.

Then it flies on without incident.

Meg relaxes.

It didn’t sting her.

Everything is okay. She’s okay.

She looks up and catches a glimpse of Sam at the end of the aisle, waiting for her, about to become her husband.

Everything is going to be better than okay, from now on.

Sam smiles, and she wants to run into his arms.

She forces herself to walk, though. To savor this moment, being Sam’s bride, on the verge of building a new life together.

It’s going to be wonderful, Sam. Just the way I always knew it would be, all those years ago.

Joy ripples through her and her pace quickens. She can’t help it. She’s been waiting so long for this; too long.

When she reaches his side at last, her father places her hand in his, and Sam gives it a squeeze.

“Are you ready?” he whispers, for her ears alone.

“Are you kidding? Yes.”

Looking into his eyes as they laugh softly together, Meg knows she’s come home at last.

About the Author

“Wendy Markham” is a pseudonym for
New York Times
bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub, who has won several awards, including RWA’s “Rita,” and published more than sixty novels under her own name and various pseudonyms. A happily married mother of two, she lives in an old house in a picturesque New York City suburb very much like the fictional Glenhaven Park. There, she is surrounded by Soccer Moms, Yoga moms, yes, a couple of Fancy Moms, and perhaps even a resident ghost or two—but most importantly, a wonderful network of cherished friends and neighbors. Wendy loves to hear from readers, so be sure to sign her Web site guestbook at
www.wendymarkham.com
or write to her at [email protected]!

THE DISH

Where authors give you the inside scoop!

From the desk of Michelle Rowen

Dear Reader,

I have a confession to make.

Sarah Dearly, the main character from my novels BITTEN & SMITTEN and FANGED & FABULOUS (on sale now), thinks she’s in control, and she is!

When I first conceived of my book about an “everygal” who becomes a vampire after a blind date from hell, Sarah was just a bookworm introvert who longed for a more exciting life. But as soon as I started writing, she let me know that she was no bookworm. More of a DVD aficionado with a love of fashion who uses sarcasm as her greatest weapon. And, she liked her life just fine the way it was.

She had two guys to choose from in the first book Bitten & Smitten. I said, “Hey, Sarah, you’re going to end up with Cute Guy #1.” And she said, “No, I want Cute Guy #2.” I told her I was planning to kill him at the end. She then kicked up a huge fuss claiming that “she loved him,” so I let him live because he was just too hot to die.

Then I got the chance to continue her story in Fanged & Fabulous. Sarah still wants to do things differently than I had planned. And she still has a very specific idea of who she wants to end up with. She thinks that since I put her through so much stress, life-threatening situations, and the fact that as a vampire she has to drink blood (which is a totally gross concept), that I “owe her.”

Stubborn characters. Sheesh.

Now if you’ll excuse me, the men in white coats have arrived to take me away.

Happy Reading!

www.michellerowen.com

From the desk of Wendy Markham

It’s just an hour from New York, but for newly transplanted Manhattanite Meg Addams from LOVE, SUBURBAN STYLE (on sale now), suburban Glenhaven Park feels as challenging—and remote—as the northern Adirondacks. So our heroine adapted the following handy resource:

Wilderness
Suburban Survival Guide

Even the most savvy
hiker
single mom can wind up stranded in the middle of nowhere. Be prepared to combat any of these commonly found
wilderness
suburban threats:

Predators

You never know what creatures might lurk in
the forest
Starbucks or
stream
in the soccer field bleachers: venomous
snakes
snobs, cunning
coyote
yoga moms, or maybe even a ferocious
bear
PMS victim. Just remember, if you don’t bother it, it won’t bother you. But if all else fails,
run!
offer chocolate, preferably Godiva.

Hunger and Thirst

Foraging may yield
mushrooms
decent pizza or
berries
a diner that serves cheeseburgers (just make sure they’re not
poisonous
made of soy). Remember,
insects
tofu burgers and even
grubs
low-fat veggie-sprout sandwich wraps may be unappetizing, but they are edible. With luck, you’ll find a
stream
friendly local pub nearby, where you can indulge in plenty of life-sustaining
water
frozen margaritas.

Loneliness and Isolation

Being alone in
the wilderness
a rundown fixer-upper with only
wildlife
a moody teenager for company can drive anyone crazy. It’s crucial to
keep your mind and body active
turn to your nearest neighbor for adult companionship, even if he is your unrequited high school crush.

Cold

Perhaps
exposure
a broken heart is the most dangerous threat of all. Before embarking on a
wilderness adventure
new romance, always learn how to create a spark, and gradually, without smothering the flames, build a fire that will burn indefinitely.

If you follow this guide, not only will you survive
the wilderness
suburbia; you might even
thrive
fall in love with the dad next door!

Happy Reading!

www.wendycorsistaub.com

From the desk of Jane Graves

Dear Reader,

Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but I love torturing my characters. That sounds sadistic, but let’s face it. Watching polite people in ordinary situations be sweetie-nice to each other is a bore. Watching strong people face challenges and overcoming them—now, that’s entertaining. After all, would we watch all that reality TV if everybody got along?

Here’s another truth: My characters don’t think what’s happening to them is funny, but trust me, it is. Did Lucy Ricardo think it was funny when she was trying to make candy, but the conveyor belt went so fast she couldn’t keep up? No! Did Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day think it was funny when every day was not a new day? No! But, we laughed, didn’t we?

Darcy McDaniel, the heroine of HOT WHEELS AND HIGH HEELS (on sale now), is facing the biggest challenge of her life. Her wealthy husband sends her on a vacation with a friend and, in her absence, cleans out their bank accounts, sells their house, and disappears.

Darcy is terrified of being destitute, but tough times call for tough measures. When ex-cop turned repo man John Stark repossesses her beloved Mercedes, she starts working for her sexy adversary with the goal of moving from receptionist to repo agent so she can make some decent money. Though, John refuses to turn a spoiled ex-trophy wife loose to legally steal cars, and soon, their battle of wits and sexual one-upsmanship burn hotter than a bonfire out of control.

I require all my characters to have one quality: No matter how hard they’re hit, they get back up again. And, the results will leave you laughing. Pick up a copy of HOT WHEELS AND HIGH HEELS, and ride along with John and Darcy on their rocky road to happily ever after!