on that, and even wonder if she was pregnant. But this felt so right to him. Despite her mixed emotions about her parents, it felt right to her too. She remembered Sam’s admonition then that she get married in the States with an airtight prenuptial agreement to protect her, but there wouldn’t be time now, and all of Nigel’s friends were in England, for the reception. He wouldn’t know a soul at their wedding if they did it in New York.
“Let’s say a month from today, in January,” Nigel said happily. “That gives us time to plan whatever we do. We could go skiing for our honeymoon,” he said, looking excited. “I’m sure someone would lend us a chalet.”
“I’d like to go to New York after that. You could see the apartment, and my parents’ house in the Hamptons. It’s my house now.” And would be theirs, and their children’s.
“I didn’t realize you still had an apartment and a house of theirs,” he said, looking intrigued by both. She had never mentioned them. “That should be fun,” he said. He looked like a child at Christmas, as she sat next to him, with his grandmother’s diamond on her hand. His mother had given it to him before she died, for his future wife. He had been saving it in case he ever had to sell it, if he needed money, but this was a much better use for it, as the symbol of his love for her, and a prelude to their marriage. Coco looked dazed when they went home to her place that night. They never used his, it was too grim, and he’d been talking about letting it go. He was with her all the time. But she didn’t know how long she was staying in London, so he had kept it. But now she would be staying forever, as his wife. She hadn’t even thought about that yet. New York was still her home. But Nigel expected to live in London with her. He was so profoundly British, she couldn’t imagine him living anywhere else, and he wouldn’t want to.
She agreed to the January wedding date, because she couldn’t think of a reason not to. She had qualms about marrying so quickly, but she got swept along on the tidal wave of his excitement. There was a lot to think about and plan, even for a tiny wedding. She called Sam the next morning and told him the news. He was shocked.
“In January? You’ll only have known him for four months then. Coco, that’s crazy. Why the rush? Are you pregnant?”
“Of course not. Nigel doesn’t want to wait,” she said with a sigh. “He wants to do it then. He’s like a kid when he talks about it. And why not? We’re going to get married anyway. January or June? What’s the difference? Can you come then?”
He sounded upset when she asked. “No, I can’t. My father’s having knee surgery then. It’s not serious, but he’s going to be immobilized for three or four months. I have to run the business, and my mother is all stressed out about him. I can’t leave them. I probably couldn’t come till May.”
“I think Nigel will go nuts if he has to wait that long. We’re not really having a wedding or a big reception. Just a small church ceremony and lunch with a few friends afterward. That’s all I want since my parents won’t be there. I can’t do a real wedding without them, and especially if you can’t come either.” He felt guilty, but he just couldn’t make it. “We’ll give a party later when you can come.”
“I’m sorry to let you down,” he said apologetically.
“You’re not letting me down, and this is very short notice.”
“Did you look into that matter I suggested, the financial check?”
She understood immediately. “No, I didn’t. We’ve been so busy, and I didn’t think there was any rush. It doesn’t really matter. He says he has nothing and I believe him. What’s to find out?”
“Well, you’d better do something about a prenup in the U.S.,” he said sternly.
“I will. My dad always said that too. I’ll email Ed today, he can get something drafted and send it over.”
“Have you told Nigel about that yet?”
“No, I haven’t, but I will.”
“And you should probably get married in the States to make sure U.S. laws apply.”
“I don’t think he’ll want to.”
“Talk to Ed. Or any New York lawyer. Just make sure you’re covered.”