Wishing in Wisconsin (At the Altar Book 3) Read Online Free

nervous!"
    Cindy let out a quick sigh of relief.  "Me too!"  She put her hand over her stomach, taking quick breaths.  How she was going to make it down the aisle, she didn't know.
    Lachele sat down and took Cindy's hand in hers.  "Do you have someone to give you away?  Sam will do it if you don't."
    Cindy nodded.  "Cissie's dad is going to do it.  He's been like a father to me since I was a little girl, so he seemed like the obvious choice."  She'd met Sam in New York, and she'd have happily let him do it if other arrangements hadn't been made.
    "That sounds great."  Lachele looked at Cissie.  "Ready to fulfill your maid of honor duties?"
    Cissie shrugged.  "Oh, sure.  As long as I'm not expected to do anything graceful, we're good."
    Lachele laughed.  "You do need to walk down the aisle, you know."
    "Oh, I can probably do that," Cissie responded quickly.  "I've walked once or twice."
    Cindy rolled her eyes at the two of them, studying herself carefully in the mirror.  It felt strange knowing in a few minutes she'd be walking down the aisle toward a stranger.  Would he kiss her?  Or would he wait to do that after they were alone?
    "People are just now starting to arrive," Lachele told them.  "Wedding starts in less than thirty minutes.  Are you ready?"  She eyed Cindy who was sitting in a chair in her robe.  "That's a really nice white robe, but I think people are expecting something more along the lines of a white dress."
    Cindy looked down at her robe.  "Yeah, probably.  Actually putting on the dress seems so final, though.  Like I can't possibly not go through with it."
    Lachele laughed.  "No one will hold a gun to your head, even if you are wearing the dress.  I promise!"
    Cindy looked at Cissie, wishing her friend could give her the courage she needed.  "Is everything set for the reception?"
    "Yup!  I've had the staff working on it all morning!"
    Lachele looked back and forth between the friends.  "You're not having the reception in the bowling alley, are you?"
    Cindy shrugged.  "Seemed logical.  It's a big space, I could get it for free, and it has special meaning for me."
    Lachele grinned.  "I forget how easy small town people are about things like that.  Yes, it's probably the perfect location!"
    "I thought so.  I have the space in the barn I rent out for receptions, but I'd rather be married in a place that means more to me than my family's barn."  Cindy stood up and dropped her robe, standing in just her slip.  She wasn't normally so bold, but she knew her friends wouldn't judge her for her imperfections. 
    Cissie picked up Cindy's gown and dropped it over her friend's head, while Lachele moved behind her to zip it up.  Cindy held her hair out of the way.  When she looked at herself in the mirror, she was surprised at how different she looked.
    Normally she wore her long blond hair up to keep it out of any food she may be cooking and to keep it from getting in the way as she cleaned.  Today, she'd chosen to wear it down around her shoulders.  It curled in waves giving her a soft look.  She wore a coronet of flowers atop her head. 
    Her dress was simple but elegant.  The long sleeves were low and left her shoulders completely bare.  She'd never worn anything quite like it, and she kept feeling like she should pull it up higher, but she knew she was wearing the dress as it was meant to be worn.  The bodice came up high enough that there was no cleavage revealed, leaving her modestly covered.  She only hoped her future husband, whoever he was, would like the look.
    She'd outlined her blue eyes with a black pencil and used the palest of pink lipstick.  She looked like a woman who didn't work for a living, who didn't toil her days away.  She'd even had a manicure that morning, which she was certain would be destroyed within a couple of days with the kind of cleaning she had to do.
    "Do I look okay?" she asked softly, looking back at Lachele and Cissie. 
    "You're