Running Out on The One: A Small-Town Runaway Bride Novella

Chapter 1

The last people Paige White expected to see at her rehearsal dinner were her parents.

Cold dread shot up her vertebrae when her sister and brother strolled into the Zachsville, Texas Country Club behind her mother and father.

The taint emanating off of the criminal family she’d run from ten years ago fell on her like a diseased enemy. This could not be happening. She forced her eyes closed then opened them quickly, hoping they’d have vanished.

They hadn’t.

She grabbed her maid of honor and one of her best friends, Roxanne Odom and hissed into her ear, “My family is here. What am I going to do?”

Roxanne peeked toward the door, grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing tray, then turned her attention back to Paige like nothing in the world was wrong. “Holy shitfire, how did they find you?”

“I have no idea.” Paige grabbed the drink from Roxanne and downed it in one gulp. A waiter strolled past, and she snatched another drink from his tray. She couldn’t face this catastrophe sober.

Roxanne confiscated the alcohol and set it aside. “Slow down, girl. You need to keep your wits about you.”

“I know, I know. You’re right.” She frantically searched the room. “I’ve got to get rid of them before Will sees them.”

Just then a strong, warm arm curled around her waist and Will kissed her temple. “Surprise, baby.”

“What?” Her voice sounded like the back end of a whoopie cushion.

He drew Paige to his side. “Hey, Roxanne. Are you having a good time?”

“You know, Will, I’m having the most unexpected time. How about you?”

Paige shot her a look.

Will kissed Paige’s temple again. “I’m having a great time. I couldn’t be happier.”

Roxanne patted his arm. “That’s good. I’m going to find Natalie. I’ll talk to you in a few minutes, Paige.” She sidestepped the elbow Paige tried to jab into her ribs. When Roxanne was behind Will, she gestured over his shoulder by holding up five fingers, and mouthed, “Five minutes, in the john.”

Paige gave a slight nod to her best friend, as one of only two people who knew her true story slipped away. The other was Natalie Pine, her second bridesmaid. She’d never dreamed her two worlds would collide like this.

Stupid. She’d been so stupid to believe she could keep the poison of her family away from the pristine life she’d created here in Zachsville.

She couldn’t rip her gaze from the merry band of thieves standing at the entrance, who thankfully, hadn’t seen her yet. Either that or they were scanning the crowd for their next victim.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Nothing to do but play it out, and hope for the best. Ironically, she pulled from the conditioning and training of her grifter upbringing. Slapped on a fake smile and faced her fiancé. “Will, did you invite my parents?” She tried to make the words excited but feared they sounded like an accusation.

Will’s concerned expression confirmed her fear. “Hey. Are you alright?”

Love for this good man overwhelmed her. He was everything she’d ever wanted in life, and he’d done what he thought was a sweet thing. She relaxed the muscles in her face and gave him the most genuine smile she could muster. “I’m fine. So, you did this?”

He smoothed a stray hair from her cheek. “I did. Good surprise?” His honest, open, green eyes expressed so much hope it melted her heart.

There was no way for him to know what an absolute train wreck he’d set in motion. A hysterical laugh raced up her throat. The District Attorny of Blister County had invited the most notorious bunch of con artists and thieves she’d ever known to his rehearsal dinner.

“Good surprise.” She was lying, but what else could she say?

Oh, my lord! Grab the babies and the valuables and run like hell!

It was what she wanted to scream, but she didn’t. Instead, she kept her voice light and breezy, even though she wanted the ground to open and swallow her whole. “How were you able to get in touch with my folks?”

Will played with the strap of her party dress. “Your dad actually contacted me.”

“Really?” How had her father known?

It hit her like a ton of bricks.

Lola.

In a moment of weakness last week, she’d called her favorite cousin to tell her about the wedding. She’d been feeling alone and wanted to share her good news with someone she trusted in her family. Stupid sentimentality. She should’ve remembered there was no honor among thieves.

“Yes. He knew you wouldn’t ask them to leave your Uncle Rosco while he was ill, so we came up with a plan to surprise you. Oh, and good news, they’ve moved your uncle to a rehab facility in upstate New York.”

Ha. The rehab facility was the state penitentiary where the man was serving time for scamming a group of senior citizens out of their social security checks.

Will looped her arm through his. “Let’s go say hello.” He led her through the crowd to the disaster waiting for them in their Sunday finest.