Always A Bridesmaid (Left At the Altar) by Jana Richards

Part of it was not wanting to face that kind of embarrassment again, and part of it was wondering if a man like Zach would ever look at her the way he'd looked at Chantal.
    Despite a couple of ardent kisses, she didn't have an answer to that question. Maybe she never would.
    In addition to losing the weight, the ill-fitting bridesmaid dress had also crystallized her determination to do something else about her figure. Something drastic.
    Restless, she finished the last of her coffee and got to her feet. "We should go. The cake should be ready by now."
    She started for the door without waiting for him and was halfway across the street before he caught up. He grabbed her arm.
    "Are you okay? Why are you running away?"
    She couldn't look at him. "I'm not running away. We're in a hurry, remember? Let's get this stupid cake and get out of here."
    Fortunately, when they arrived at the bakery, the clerk had the cake boxed and ready to go. Zach paid for it and carried it to the SUV. Dani opened the back hatch and helped him slip it inside before carefully closing the hatch again. A few minutes later they were on the highway headed back to the city. Tense silence filled the van, pressing on her heart. She didn't want to spend the rest of the weekend at odds with Zach, but she didn't know what to say to make things better.
    "I saw you with Jonathan this morning, up in the sunroom," he said suddenly, his eyes on the road ahead. "It was a very intimate picture. Have you known him long?"
    She stared at him, stunned by his question and the fact he'd seen them together. "No, I just met him this weekend." She hesitated a moment. From their conversation earlier about the number of girlfriends Jonathan had had, it didn't seem as if he knew he was gay. "Have you known him for very long?"
    "I've met him a few times before, but I can't say I know him well. Most of my information comes second-hand from Todd." He gave her a quick glance. "You two got chummy pretty quickly."
    She weighed her words carefully, not wanting to betray Jonathan's confidences, even to Zach. "He was upset. He'd just had a fight on the phone with his--with someone very close to him."
    He didn't reply. For several miles they drove in silence, Zach staring straight ahead. Finally she couldn't stand the silence any longer.
    "For a couple of people who really aren't a couple, it sure feels like we're having a fight. If we are, please let me know so I can sharpen my tongue and get in a couple of zingers."
    Though he continued to watch the road, she saw his mouth curve in a smile. "Your tongue is sharp enough."
    "I don't want to argue with you. I've got my hands full with Chantal this weekend." She held out her hand. "Friends?"
    He glanced briefly at her before shaking her hand. "Friends."
    She relaxed, glad they were once again on a friendly footing.
    Her relief was short-lived.
    "As I recall, you were about to tell me all about your love life just before we got to the bakery."
    She shifted uncomfortably. "There's not much to tell."
    "When someone says there's not much to tell, that's when I know they're hiding something."
    "I'm not hiding anything. It's just embarrassing to talk about."
    He glanced at her again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."
    She sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the scenery go by through the side window. He'd told her intimate details about his relationship with Chantal. The least she could do would be to find the courage to do the same.
    "I had a series of boyfriends when I was younger, but none of them were what I'd call keepers. Most of them were fellow nerds, guys who liked to play video games as much as I did. I only had one serious boyfriend before I was twenty-one," she said, without looking at him. "In university."
    "What happened?" he said, when she didn't continue.
    She swallowed and ran her damp palms over her pants. "Apparently, I was much more serious than he was. It was Valentine's Day and I was so excited to have a real boyfriend