Read Bridesmaid Lotto for Free Online Page B

Bridesmaids.
    “And now I’d like to invite the wedding party to sit around the large table,” Emma said as she gracefully pointed toward it. “I can’t wait to get to know all of you better.”
    The crowd applauded again and resumed their drinking and chatting around their elegantly dressed round tables. Our escorts returned from out of nowhere to take us to our assigned spots at the table, and then vanished just as quickly as they’d appeared.
    The men were all on the same side of the long table, and the women were across from them. Emma VanHorn and Alan Hall were seated in the middle on either side. Thankfully, I was seated beside Jennifer Wilson who sat between me and Emma. At the far end of the table, were Bobbi Lynne Mayfield and Rebecca Singleton. I thought I would likely get along the best with Jennifer, so I was relieved that we were seated together. Rebecca looked very snooty upper class and Bobbi Lynne looked like she was straight off the farm. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but I just wasn’t sure how much I’d have in common with her.
    But that was certainly not the most important part. What was very, especially, amazingly most important, was that Jake hall was sitting about four feet away from me. Granted he was sitting directly across from Jennifer, but if I wanted, I could reach my foot out, just a little, and touch him.
    I thought I might faint.
    “Hello,” he said and reached his hand out to shake Jennifer’s. “I’m Jake.”
    “Hello,” Jennifer said and shook his hand and introduced herself.
    He reached his hand over to me. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.
    “Hi,” I said and smiled. “Josie.”
    “Oh yeah, I was wondering if you went by Josie when I saw your bio,” Jake Hall said to me.
    TO ME!
    But instead of quietly going about my meal, McMaster the Disaster just had to show up.
    “There was a bio?” I stupidly asked.
    All heads at the table stopped talking and turned to me. I instantly turned a vibrant shade of red which I could only assume clashed dramatically with my yellow dress.
    “Um, sorry,” I said bowing my head a little to avoid eye contact with anyone. “I uh, uh… My mother put my name in the lotto.”
    “Oh, so you weren’t even interested in entering?” Jake Hall said with an amused smirk on his face.
    “Oh, uh no. It’s not that,” I said quickly, trying to think on my feet, which was not my strong suit. “I was uh, out of town, and I uh, didn’t know about it, so my mother put my name in.” I gasped for air since I had forgotten to breathe while I was talking.
    The other faces at the table slowly moved their gaze from me and continued to chat amongst themselves.
    Eventually I noticed the guy that was in front of me. As I looked up, he beamed a toothy grin my way. I almost couldn’t smile in return; I was so taken aback at his unbelievable hideousness.
    Of course he’s fantastically homely, I thought to myself. As if fate would ever have it any other way.
    It was in that moment that I realized, without a doubt, that we had all been strategically seated in front of our wedding party partners. I was gonna be stuck with this goofball for the duration of this whole thing.
    Thank God it was only three months away.
    “Hi, I’m Eric,” he slurred through his retainer. “Eric VanHorn.”
    Aw crap, Emma’s little brother. That’s how they see me? The one to stick with the little brother?
    “Hi,” I said, fake smile wide across my face. “I’m Josie.”
    “Huh huh, right,” he said. “You already said that.”
    I nodded, smiled, and bit my lip.
    “Yeah, when I saw your picture, I was hoping you’d be the one I was paired with, huh huh, huh huh,” he laughed, and actually winked at me.
    “Oh,” I said. I was afraid that I may have looked a little shocked and disgusted. “Well, uh.” I cleared my throat. “Isn’t that sweet of you?” I somehow reproduced the gracious smile.
    I glanced over at Jake and I swear he was chuckling