The column of figures blurred before my misty blue eyes, and with a sigh of disgust I slammed the ledger shut and pushed it aside, I might as well accept the fact that the next two days were going to be pure agony and stop trying to convince myself that I could endure them and still carry on with my business as usual. I realized now that should never have allowed myself to be persuaded to take part in the wedding.

The wedding. I winced, an automatic reaction that occurred every time it was mentioned. In just forty-eight hours I was going to have to stand by with a bright smile and watch the man I'd loved for sixteern years, since I was eight, marry another woman. And not just any other woman. Jessica Grey, who, though four years older than me, had always been one of my best friend. I was a quite lovely girl, my father, Jimmy Grey was also a great artists, well known man, many people were coming to studio especially during his exhibitions show to buy his art work, I have my father's trait in art work, which he always admired and said I will do better than him. After my mother's deaths, my took the role of mother and father in making sure that we, his children didn't lack anything or miss her. I always work in my father's studio when I was a kid planning to take up his part. My elder brother Devin never showed any interest in my father art work, he had his goal and always focused on his studies. he had few friends, but one day he brought one home. Drake Andreas. I liked him, always following him around whenever he comes to there house, he always bought me a gifts, though he's from a rich family, a Greek. he sees me like his young sister, he always looking out for me when I was in high school, he was ready to killed anyone that bullies me. this made me to fall head over heel's in love with him but it had been my little secret, I kept it for myself, because of him, my interest in art work was gone, he study business in school , since he was genius in business world, I began to show my interest in business so that I could always be close to him. I always wish to be his girlfriend but am off limits because of my brother's friendship with him.

I closed my eyes and the picture that seemed to be engraved on the inside of my lids came to life. Drake Andreas, all six feet two inches of him A blond, blue eyed Viking, who still looked like the football start he'd been in college, with his wide shoulders that tapered down to a proportionately slender waist and hips, every inch muscle.

He'd been my older brother Devin's room mate during their four undergraduate years at Michigan State, and I'd been captivated sine the first time Devin brought him home. In the intervening years I feelngs had progressed from childish hero worship, to adolescent infatuation, to a deep and abiding love, all without his knowledge, consent or participation.

A voice speaking to me, startled me out of my reverie, and my eyelids flew open as my gaze focused on a buxom woman with strawberry blond hair, brown eyes

and treckles sprinkled across her pert nose. My sister in-law and business partner, April O'Farrell Grey. The expression on April's pretty face was one of concern.

"Lisa, are you all right? You looked so--oh hon-estly, you never should have agreed to be Brett's maid of honor. If she'd had a shred of sensitivity she wouldn't have asked you."

Since April was the only other person on earth who knew about my misplaced love for Drake, and then only because I had become over confident the year before when Drake had finally discovered that I'd grown into an attractive young woman and had begun taking me out. Not that the relationship had ever developed into much of a romance, but after several months of dating with the inevitable good-night kisses and a few sessions of makingout, I'd developed a glow of happiness that could no longer be hidden from April when we worked so closely together in the boutique every day, April had teased me gently and I'd confessed my longtime passion for my brother s friend.

I'd sworn April to silence and April had honored her vow. She hadn't even told Devin, her husband So it was to April that she had turmed for comfort.

when Jessica returned to Detroit from New York City three months before and ignited the fires of passion in Drake that made him forget everything but his desire for the tall willowy photographer's model with honey-blonde hair, brown eyes flecked with green and a golden tan

complexion. It was April whose shoulder bore the brunt of my tears, and April who had kept my humiliating secret.

Now I found it necessary to defend Jessica.

"April, I appreciate your loyalty," I began, "but that's really not fair. Jessica has no idea how I feel about Drake. I don't think she even realizes that we were dating on a fairly regular basis before she came back. She's been living in New York for the past ten years, ever since she graduated from high school. She didn't even know Drake until I introduced them. When she asked me to be her maid of honor there was no way I could refuse without arousing suspicion. Jessica and I'were very close all the time we were growing up, even though she was older. She hasn't any sisters, so I was a natural choice for the position of honor in her wedding."

April shook her head. "I don't agree. "You don't owe Jessica or Drake anything. Jisscas's too self-centered to think of anyone but herself, and Drake's an idiot. How he could possibly prefer her to you is beyond me. She'll never settle down and be the kind of wife he's looking for."

I picked up a pencil and tapped the eraser on the desk, "Drake is thirty-two years old, I said impatiently, "He knows what he wants, and he want Jessica. Sure she has flaws, but so does he. So do I. None of us is perfect, so they'll learn to live with each others imperfections." I managed a weak smile. "I'll sure you found out that Devin has a nasty temper,"

April laughed. "I sure he did, and he discovered that have one to match it, but we love each other enough to control our tantrums and not let them leave scars. I doubt that Jessica will ever love anyone enough to give up her selfish ways. She always gets what she wants no matter who gets hurt in the process. Eventually, she'll hurt Drake."

I shivered. April was right. Jessica, as an only child, had been the center of her parents universe, the Sun around which they revolved. They had been so anxious for her to be happy that they had never denied her anything. She'd been a willful, spoiled but captivating youngster, and she'd grown up to be a willful, spoiled but incredibly beautifully woman who never doubted that anything she wanted was hers for the taking. "I hope you're wrong," Lisa said. "She really seems to love Drake. Maybe now that she's getting married she'll settle down and be a good wife and mother."

April snorted. "Settle down? I've been a member of your family for eight years now and Jessica never been in love with anyone but herself. She's not in love, she's getting old and scared and has headed for the nearest shelter, which happens to be Drake."

"Old!" I laughed mirthlessly. She's only twenty-seven."

"That's old for a photographer's model. She's been modeling for ten years, and she's never lived up to her early potential, Oh, she's worked steady enough, but she never hit it really big, and now her time's running out and she knows it, and besides Drake is a big fish, eligible bachelor, with all him money and charms it's really hard for anyone to say no to him "

My shoulders slumped, This conversations was getting too painful to continue. I looked at her watch. "Didn't you say something about needing part of the morning off to take my two baby nieces to the dentist for their checkup?"

April glanced at the clock. "Baby nieces! You'd better start looking at them a little closer, Aunt Lisa. Mackenzie's seven and Shana's six, and they grow out of their clothes on an average of every two weeks,You're right, though, I'll have to hurry in order to pick them up at school and get them to their appointment on time."