John didn’t often panic, but his heart was thumping against his chest. Bella had been beside him the entire afternoon. She’d sighed when the bridal party had walked down the aisle, straining against his hand as she’d tried to get closer. She hadn’t stopped staring at Annie’s lace and satin wedding dress all afternoon.
While he’d been talking to one of Dylan’s relatives, Bella had slipped away. She’d disappeared into the middle of the reception venue as easily as a pat of butter melting on a hot skillet.
For the first five minutes, he hadn’t been too worried. Then five minutes stretched to ten and panic had set in. He’d walked quickly around the room, peering under tablecloths and behind the white fabric that had been draped along the walls. He’d even checked the bathrooms, shocking an elderly woman as she’d come out of one of the stalls. And he still couldn’t find Bella.
He’d seen Rachel on the dance floor, drifting through the other couples with one of the groomsmen. As soon as she’d seen him, she’d disappeared. He didn’t have time to wonder why she was avoiding him. His daughter was missing and he needed to focus on where she could be.
He took his cell phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial. “It’s me. Bella’s missing. Watch all exits. Tell Tank to check everyone leaving the building.”
He nodded at the short response he got from Tanner and put his phone away.
“Are you okay?” John spun toward Dylan. His mind was still on Bella, thinking of all the things that could have happened to her.
“I’ve lost Bella.”
“How long has she been missing?”
He checked his watch. Damn. “Twenty minutes.” She could be out of Bozeman by now, heading toward the Canadian border in a truck, or sitting in a plane, ready to fly out of the country. He looked around the room, then back at Dylan. “Are you using any other rooms in the building? Maybe an audiovisual office or a storage room that isn’t obvious?”
“Come with me.” Dylan started walking across the room. “The AV room is over here. One of the staff set everything up this morning. He’s coordinating the sound system, lights, and data projector from in here until we cut the cake.” Dylan threw the door open.
The guy sitting in front of the sound system leaped out of his chair. “You nearly gave me a heart attack. What’s wrong?”
John scanned the room. “Have you seen a little girl? She’s eight years old.” He held his hand at hip level. “She’s about this tall, curly brown hair and big brown eyes.”
The AV guy shook his head. “No kids have been in here all day. Do you want me to call the front reception desk? They could keep an eye on everyone who comes and goes.”
Dylan told him to make the call while John left the room.
Within seconds, he was back on the dance floor, weaving through the couples who were oblivious to what was going on. On the far side of the room, a white curtain billowed into the air. It was November and freezing cold. No one would have been outside unless there was another reason they were there.
He rushed toward the curtain and frowned as one of Dylan’s groomsmen walked through the French doors. Rachel followed him.
For a split second, the skirt of her dress caught on the wind, hiding the child beside her. He didn’t need to see the face of the person holding Rachel’s hand to know it was his daughter.
He ran to Bella and hugged her tight. “Where have you been?” He didn’t wait for her to reply. She was shivering in her dress. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I’m taking you over to the fire. Are you okay?”
Bella nodded. “I’m sorry, dad. I went outside to watch the snow and the doors locked behind me. No one could hear me knocking on the glass.”
He picked Bella up and walked quickly across the room. Rachel and the groomsman didn’t follow him. He’d find them later and thank them for finding Bella.
He sat in one of the high-backed chairs and held his daughter close. “Don’t worry about being locked outside. You’re safe and that’s all that matters.” With Bella sitting on his lap, he called Tanner. “Stand down. Bella’s safe.”
A flash of blue silk caught his eye. Rachel was walking toward them with a blanket and a takeout cup in her hands. She left the drink on the floor and shook out the fluffy blanket. “Wrap this around Bella. It will help keep her warm.”
When the blanket was tucked around his daughter, Rachel handed Bella the cup. “It’s hot chocolate. It will warm you up from the inside.”
Bella glanced at John. He nodded and she carefully took the drink out of Rachel’s hands. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Rachel said softly. She glanced at John and he saw the understanding in her eyes. If she knew the full reason why he’d panicked when Bella had gone missing, she wouldn’t be so calm.
“Are you okay?” Rachel asked.
John nodded. “I am now. Thanks for finding Bella.”
A red blush hit her pale cheeks. “It was lucky that Jeremy and I were outside.”
Disappointment dragged its heavy feet against John’s heart. He’d never bothered to ask her if she was dating anyone. He didn’t know her any better than most of the people in Bozeman. What she did with her personal life wasn’t anything to do with him.
Her blush got a whole lot redder. “Jeremy was helping me to…” Her voice petered out. “Jeremy’s talking to the manager about the door. The lock’s broken. Bella couldn’t get back inside.” She knelt down in front of Bella. “Are you feeling better?”
Bella nodded. “Dad’s keeping me warm.”
Rachel’s gaze locked on his. “Dad’s are good at that. Do you need anything else?”
She shook her head. Her mouth popped open when Annie rushed over.
“Dylan told me what happened. Are you all right, Bella?”
Bella looked at Annie with such utter devotion that John almost smiled. She pushed the blanket away and slid off his legs. John took the drink out of his daughter’s hands before it spilled over Annie’s dress.
“You look beautiful.” Bella’s voice was soft and sweet. Her hand reached out to gently touch Annie’s dress.
Annie smiled and held the skirt of her dress toward her. “My dress is made from champagne silk. My friend Emily made it for me. The lace came all the way from Italy. If you look closely, you can see little beads stitched in the pattern.”
Bella’s fingers ran across the lace on Annie’s dress. John hoped like crazy that her hands were clean.
Annie didn’t seem to mind. She pulled her veil forward and showed Bella the silver thread that had been sewn along the edge.
“Did your friend make your veil, too?” Bella asked.
Annie nodded. “She’s very clever. Would you like to try and catch my bouquet?”
Bella’s eyes were glowing with excitement.
John opened his mouth to tell her he couldn’t let her out of his sight. He knew she’d be disappointed, but he’d nearly lost her once and he didn’t want to lose her again.
“I could hold her hand.” Rachel caught his gaze and held it. “She’ll be safe with me.”
He glanced at Bella, then back at Rachel.
“Please, dad. I’ll be really careful. I’ll stay with Ms. McReedy and I won’t move from beside her.”
Rachel didn’t say anything. She waited for what he had to say.
“Okay. But I’ll be on the edge of the dance floor. We’ll go home after you’ve finished.”
Bella turned to Rachel and held out her hand. “Let’s go, Ms. McReedy. Do you think I’ll be able to catch the bouquet?”
Rachel smiled. “It depends on where you stand. If you want to catch the bouquet, you stand at the front of the group. If you don’t want to catch it, you stand at the back.”
Bella looked up at Rachel, a hopeful look in her eyes. “Where are we going to stand?”
“We’ll go to the front.”
A grin as big as the moon filled Bella’s face. John didn’t k
now where Rachel would have normally stood, or if she would have been there at all. But he was grateful for her thoughtfulness.
“I guess I’d better get a move on, then.” Annie gathered the skirt of her dress in her hands and whispered something in Bella’s ear.
Bella tugged on Rachel’s hand and whispered something in her ear. Rachel nodded, then looked at him. “We’ll be back soon.”
John watched them move toward the dance floor. He picked up the blanket and Bella’s half-full cup of hot chocolate. Tonight hadn’t been as stress-free as he’d imagined.
Most weddings had moments when something didn’t go to plan. But in his case, if something didn’t go to plan it could be deadly.