Someone Old, Someone New, Someone Borrowed And Someone... Blue?

By Lisa Pendergrass

A bride and her three bridesmaids have one week to get down the aisle and then on with their personal happily-ever-afters. But take an old boy friend, coupled with a new romance, toss in a borrowed date and escort in a groom named Blue, and these girls are certain to take a plunge into calamity! Kate Ridgeway has dreamed of her wedding day all of her life and Caleb Blue is just the groom to complete her perfect picture. Nothing can dampen her enthusiasm... except maybe the return of her old boyfriend. Rebekah Blue, the groom's sister, has no time for wedding non-sense. Her bags are packed and all she has to do is stand up as a bridesmaid for her soon-to-be-sister-in-law, and then she's off to join the mission field in Honduras... until an unexpected romance sparks with a new someone. Lucy Vance never believed she'd end up "borrowing" a date for the wedding of her former college roommate. She's even more surprised to realize she doesn't want to give him back. Emily Carmichael is everyone's first choice for maid-of-honor. She's upbeat, organized and romantic to a fault, and nothing will make her happier than seeing her best friend get her fairytale ending. But when she finds out that her long time one-sided crush on the groom might not be so one-sided after all, will she end up making the bride turn Blue?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Pendergrass
• Release date: May 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311172419

Lisa Pendergrass

An insomniac since birth, my earliest memories are of lying in bed at night and making up stories to keep myself entertained. Anytime life got dull, I'd create my own adventure in my mind and suddenly I could be anyone, anywhere. It seemed only natural that those characters who've been bouncing around my own personal make believe world, would eventually find their way to the pages of a book. Each of my characters has a beloved life of their own, and the stories I'm telling about them are just the windows into their adventures.

Book preview

Someone Old, Someone New, Someone Borrowed and Someone… Blue?

Lisa Pendergrass

Copyright 2014 by Lisa Pendergrass

Smashwords Edition

Someone Old, Someone New, Someone Borrowed and Someone… Blue?

Chapter 1

Monday

At least you have your something old. Emily Carmichael said sympathetically.

I think it’s pretty; and sweet; very sweet. Lucy Vance amended with a head bob for emphasis.

Kate Ridgeway studied herself critically in the full length mirror in Emily’s bedroom. It wasn’t the first time she’d tried on her wedding dress. In truth, she’d tried it on every day since her future mother-in-law had delivered it, freshly altered to fit Kate’s super-toned frame. You are my two best friends in all the world; my maid of honor and my bridesmaid; my sister of my heart since grade school and my college roommate with whom I shared notes, clothes and a variety of secrets that no one will ever know. And now you are lying to me.

You’re overreacting. Lucy argued. Emily, tell her.

I’ve told her, every time she’s tried it on for the last three weeks and every time since she agreed, over a year ago, to wear it. I was hoping you’d have better luck.

It seemed so romantic. Kate said woefully. When Caleb introduced me to his parents I thought, ‘I want to be just like them when I’m their age.’ I mean, my parents are great, but they’re my parents. I’ve been a part of the whole process, but to meet people in their fifties who are still as in love as the Blues is just so inspiring. So when she showed me her wedding pictures all I saw was… the love.

Lucy looked around the room for someone to roll her eyes at, but came-up short when she saw that Emily looked like one of those cartoon girls whose irises had turned to hearts.

So then she alters her dress and it arrives and it’s … this! Kate shrieks. Not fifties glamour like Grace Kelley or Liz Taylor or sixties chic like Audrey Hepburn. No, it’s … Princess Di complete with puffy sleeves and a train for days.

It’s pre-Di. My parents were married in 1978. And if you don’t want to wear it, just tell her. It won’t be the end of the world. Rebekah Blue exclaimed, joining the trio in the bedroom with a fresh bowl of birdseed. According to her the world ended the day she packed the dress up to give to you… since I’m going to die a lonely, withered old maid in some forgotten jungle in Honduras.

Bek, don’t be silly. Your parents are so proud of you. You’re going into the mission field. You’re our hero. Kate said, offering her future sister-in-law, and third bridesmaid, an encouraging hug.

Besides. Emily began as she moved over on her bed to make room for Rebekah to join them. You are going to go to Honduras and meet a preacher or a doctor or a teacher, and fall madly in love and I’ll come be your maid of honor on the beach.

Oh Em, I may be the missionary, but you’re the one with the childlike faith. Rebekah teased.

Play nice girls, I need happy vibes on my special week. Kate said, as she began to unfasten the row of buttons down the back of her dress. And I’ve made Caleb promise, upon penalty of death, to have lots of eligible bachelors at the wedding. She turned and reached for Emily’s hand. So maid-of-honor, just be ready to catch the bouquet because that is your most important job.

I don’t know. Lucy is the one with the new man; she’s yet to tell us anything about. Emily prodded.

His name’s Max… Duncan. He’s just a guy. She evaded, before standing up to help get the dress back in the bag.

Okay, so, you have your something old. Emily said, reaching for her notepad and returning to take-charge maid-of-honor. And something new?

Um… everything. My shoes, my veil, my ring, my flowers… everything but the most important thing. She said, looking mournfully at the dress bag.

This time Lucy was unable to suppress her eye roll before adding, And I brought your something borrowed.

Are you sure? Kate asked softly.

Of course. My mom adored you. She always said meeting you was the best thing that could have ever happened to me in college and she was right. Besides, we had a deal. You’ll wear my mom’s pearls, and I was going to carry your mom’s handkerchief. Just because my wedding fell through, doesn’t mean I’m not holding up my end of the deal.

Kate resisted the urge to get overly sentimental, knowing that not only was Lucy uncomfortable with outward emotions, but she was still very fragile about the death of her mother and the end of the relationship she’d shared with Kate’s older brother. Well your mom’s pearls will be the best part of my ensemble. And when you get married someday, you’ll carry my mother’s handkerchief. It’ll be perfect.

Ok. Lucy said, swallowing hard and then bravely squaring her shoulders. So you’ve got something old, new and borrowed. What about the blue?

Does the groom count? Emily laughed, referring to Kate’s fiancé, Caleb Blue.

And Bekka! Kate said, as she joined the three of them on the bed. Bekka, will you be my something Blue?

***

Hi sweetheart. Did you girls have fun? Annie Blue asked when Rebekah returned to the hotel suite they’d rented for the week leading up to the wedding.

Yes, we cut big pieces of tulle into small pieces of tulle, filled them with birdseed and tied tiny lavender ribbons around them until we all lost feeling in our fingers and succumbed to carpal tunnel syndrome. Rebekah said sarcastically. But it was fun talking.

You should have stayed at Emily’s this week. I know you would have more fun, and be more comfortable than here.

Rebekah arrived for her first year at Samford University, terrified and deeply homesick, but one afternoon with her shy new roommate Emily and she knew she had a soul mate.

Rebekah was tall and serious with an oval shaped face, glasses and long, straight, thick brown hair. Emily was short and curvy, too curvy in her own opinion, with bouncy strawberry blonde curls; a bright, cheerful style both in fashion and life and an almost crippling lack of confidence when it came to dating. The two became fast friends, and spent the next four years sharing their spots on the dean lists and as wall flowers together.

Lucy needed a place to stay too since it would be too awkward to stay at the Ridgeway’s after the whole Eric incident. Even though she and Emily don’t know each other that well, Emily can make anyone feel welcome. Besides, I’m leaving for Honduras in eleven days. I want to be with you and daddy.

Oh my precious girl. Annie said, hugging her fiercely. It’s too much. I’m used to Caleb not being at home. He’s lived here in Florence since after graduating from College, but he’s getting married and joining a whole new family. And you’re leaving. What am I going to do without you?

We’ll email. And we’ll Skype. You know this is my calling.

I do. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. She said squeezing her shoulders. Anyway, I hope you get to spend some time with Emily before you leave. I know you’ll miss her almost as much as you’ll miss us.

I will, but we haven’t lived in the same city for five years. We’re used to long distance friendship. And believe me. We will be together plenty this week. She’s got a list of jobs a mile long that she and Lucy and I have to do to get Kate ready for the wedding.

She is a full service maid of honor, isn’t she? But you know I’ve always thought Emily was from another era. If you ever get married, I hope you’ll have the good sense to choose her as your maid of honor too.

If… we’re back to if? I thought it was a forgone conclusion I was going to die alone in the jungle. It certainly seemed that way after you cut your wedding dress down to fit Barbie sized Kate. Rebekah said, sounding more-bitter than she’d intended as she held up a dress she was considering for their dinner later that night.

I’m being optimistic. Annie said, stepping up behind her so their eyes, the same serious gray, met in the mirror. And you know I left all the seams in tact, just in case. She kissed her cheek, and gave her long, brown braid a final tug before disappearing into the next room.

Rebekah eyed herself in the mirror and sighed. She wasn’t unattractive. She was a little plain. Her style was somewhat lacking. Her hair was pretty, but in desperate need of a new cut. But she had good bone structure, and great skin. Her eyes weren’t sparkling, but they had depth, and were much more of an asset since Kate convinced her to get contact lenses. She spent four years of college telling Emily that five extra pounds was not the reason she didn’t have a boyfriend so she had sense enough to know that an oval shaped face and serious eyes couldn’t be blamed for her same fate.

She sighed and turned away from the mirror, but then turned back again. She was about to embark on a great adventure as well as fulfill a calling she’d had since she was a teenager. She’d done part time missions since high school, but this was the real deal. She had more important things to worry about than a lack of style. So how was it that when she looked in the mirror all she saw were serious gray eyes, an oval shaped face, and long, dark hair – in desperate need of a new cut?

***

I need to go. I have to get ready for dinner tonight. Kate said, lying on her back on Emily’s bed and staring up at the ceiling. After she’d graduated from Middle Tennessee State and Emily from Samford, they’d both ended up back home in Florence where they promptly rented this apartment together. They lived here for three years, long after they could have afforded to go their separate ways. But eventually Kate moved out into a place of her own, but part of her always felt like it was just a place she stayed, while Emily’s place, like the house she’d grown up in where her parents still lived, always felt like home.

How does it feel, being back home in your little girl bedroom this week? Emily asked, hearing the sound of the shower cutting on. Lucy had gone on to begin getting ready, but Emily and Kate had stayed behind, always finding one more thing to talk about.

Odd – and then not odd at all. But it makes my parents happy so I can stand the sacrifice. Although it would be easier if I knew I’d be coming home from my honeymoon to a beautiful newly decorated house instead of Caleb’s condo.

Caleb’s condo is beautiful. And he’s being sensible, waiting till you’ve saved enough money to make a bigger down payment. And I think he’s right about building as well.

You always take his side. Kate argued.

I do not. I just happen to agree with him.

I know. I know. Caleb is smart. He always knows best. It’s one of the things I love most about him. It’s also slightly infuriating.

Yes, well, he also has those other terrible faults of being sweet, devastatingly handsome and having a greater faith than anyone I know except maybe Bekka. It’s so good of you to love him despite all his flaws. Emily said with a laugh.

You don’t have to sell me on him… not anymore anyway.

Well, the first time I met him, I knew he was perfect for you. I’ll never forget it. Bekka talked about her big brother constantly. And then I went home to Montgomery with her one weekend and he was home from Alabama and I knew… he was meant for you. I talked about you constantly to him and him to you. Of course it took all of college to get you away from…

Kate cleared her throat. "We promised not to mention his name ever again… especially