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swamp-like humidity.
    The dim interior of the building was blessedly cool, and goose bumps rose on her overheated flesh as she stood still for a moment, letting her eyes adjust. She spied Marco’s mother in the front of the church speaking with the pastor, but no one else had arrived yet. She waved anemically at the woman and hoped her presence meant that her son was on the premises.
    Determination driving her steps, Mara headed toward the other side of the building before she gave in to her emotions and sunk into a wallowing puddle of goo. She was stronger than that, but her strength seemed to be lagging with each minute closer to the wedding hour.
    Marco would be in the room near the pastor’s office that had been designated for the groom to get ready. As butterflies tumbled about her belly, she paused outside the door. Tell him, tell him, tell him, repeated through her thoughts. Now or never. Apologize or run. Running seemed a good option, but instead, she turned the doorknob and barged in, her mind too full of her task to remember courtesies.
    Marco was there. Eyes wide, her breath caught in her throat, she froze and stared at the vision before her. Marco—her fiancé, Marco!—stood halfway across the room, dressed in his tux and clasped in the embrace of her boss, Aaron, who was apparently his best man in more ways than one. They kissed more passionately than she and Marco had ever kissed. In fact…it looked a lot like a clinch between Daniel and Jacob. Her stomach jerked at the thought of her lovers, confirming her decision to split with Marco. She couldn’t marry him when her feelings for him were so mild, yet so strong for two others. The fact that she didn’t feel upset about this new development sure said a lot.
    Her gasp had painted the air with shock, and the two men jumped apart. Marco’s eyes went wide.
    “Oh Jesus,” he murmured as he took a step toward her, a beseeching hand outstretched. “Don’t freak out,” he pleaded.
    She shook her head, her surprise wearing off. Her hands shoved into her pant’s pockets. So this was how it was. What was it with the men in her life hiding their true attractions—Daniel and Jacob to her…and Marco to other men?
    “I needed to talk to you. This only makes it easier, I guess. I…um…” How much easier would it be to blame him for this and leave him with the guilt over the broken relationship? She couldn’t. “I can’t marry you,” she said finally.
    “Don’t do this!” he exclaimed then gestured between Aaron and himself. “We can work this out.” He looked at Aaron and drove a hand through his hair. “Oh my God…”
    “It’s okay,” she assured him. “I was coming to tell you this before I saw you two together. Like I said…it’s easier now.”
    Marco looked confused. “Why?”
    “I’m in love with Jacob and Daniel.” Not that she could be with them. She shoved away that distress. She had to suck this up and get it over with between her and Marco then get the hell outta Dodge before his mother beat the crap out of her for calling off the wedding.
    “What!”
    “Oh come on… You’re not really going to be ticked off.” She glanced at Aaron then back. “ Really ?” she repeated incredulously.
    Marco sighed. “No. Damn, what am I going to tell my parents?”
    “The truth? Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be upset, but you’ve got a great guy and apparently an understanding one, too, if he was going to approve of you marrying me to save face to the family—geez, I should be pissed about that, huh? They’ll come around, and you’ll be happier.”
    Maybe the retreat to find herself had worked. She couldn’t believe the calm settling over her as all the pieces of her life seemed to resettle into place. All but two…Daniel and Jacob. The center of her calm contained a whirling storm that wouldn’t be settled.
    She’d lost them.
    Before she broke down and gave in to the tears she’d been holding back for days, she left Marco to