Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea - Jane Linfoot Page 0,117
a groan. ‘Poor Nic, he’s insisting that the whole thing is his treat. I’ve just added even more to his bill. I know what he’s like, if he hears about them he’ll want to get the shoes too.’
Jess is waving away Pixie’s concern. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll do the best we can with the price.’ She gives a throaty laugh. ‘Nic got his picture on the Valentine’s board, plus he’s one of our best customers, he always gets a great deal.’
Pixie’s frowning. ‘What was that?’
I laugh. ‘It was a great move on Nic’s part, grabbing Jess’s special Valentine’s Day offer.’
Jess goes across to the desk, comes back with the Polaroid from the board, and we all crowd in, but after the first glance I have to drop back. It seems like such a long time ago now. That pale, uptight woman with her wonky laurel crown, squashed next to Nic on the love seat, is barely recognisable as the smiley, messy-haired sun-tanned person I say good morning to in the bathroom mirror every day now.
Pixie’s nodding. ‘It must have been after this that Nic offered to help out.’
Poppy’s laughing at me. ‘He’s squished in between us, Milla, but from his smile you didn’t need to stab him with your Cupid’s arrow.’
When I look at the picture it’s true, he’s facing my way with the goofiest grin. Which had to be pure chance. ‘Total bollocks, Poppy.’ To put the brakes on this I’m going for a subject change that’s still on topic. ‘We had such fab cocktails that night. Do you have any favourites, Pixie?’
She wrinkles her nose and nods at her glass on the carved console table. ‘We might be uncool, but forget the fancy stuff, Ewan and I love our triple-X G&T’s – extra straight, extra strong and extra long. With ice and lemon.’
It’s a relief we haven’t settled on anything more exotic. And Pixie and Ewan’s Mr & Mrs Three Kisses has to be the perfect name. It was a useful diversion, but it hasn’t got me off the hook.
Pixie’s squinting at the Polaroid then looking back to me. ‘I’d say, looking at this, that’s one big brother just waiting to be set free.’
Which is just what I don’t want to hear when I’ve got a wedding to deliver – with no hitches.
My biggest test is coming up. My first wedding. I can’t blow it. My whole future depends on this.
JULY
Chapter 32
The next Thursday.
Early morning in the attic bedroom.
Empty seats and spare tyres.
‘Merwyn! What the heck are you doing here?’
When I open my eyes on the morning of the wedding it should be because my phone is beeping to tell me it’s 7am. I admit it’s a bit earlier than needed. But maybe, just maybe, I was planning to make the most of Nic accepting my offer to drop by to use the bathroom. To accidentally (on purpose) bump into him wearing nothing but a towel as he dashes across the landing to grab his tux from the living room.
Okay, I know I’m totally lame and sad, but it hit me yesterday – it could be my last chance, in the world, ever to see the Trendell torso unwrapped. It would be crazy not to take advantage one final time.
But getting woken by a wet brown nose pushing in my ear, followed by an entire floor mop of a dog landing on me and pinning down the duvet, I’m struggling to make sense of what’s going on when Merwyn should be a mile away fast asleep on his bed at the castle.
As I hear a knock on the bedroom door and Nic’s voice softly saying ‘Milla?’ I’m kicking myself again. I wanted to have my hair properly tonged by the time he saw me, not be doing an impersonation of a haystack. As it is, with Merwyn on my chest licking my face I can’t even get my hands free to rake my fingers through my hair. So all I can do is brace myself for the fabulous view of tanned chest.
‘I hope it’s not too early for breakfast?’ As he pushes through the door, a full tray comes first, so at least the huge pile of almond croissants and the pot of coffee make up for the disappointment that he’s fully dressed.
I take in a T-shirt and jeans, the strands of damp hair hanging over his forehead, and do my best to enjoy the consolation prize of his lovely forearms and bare ankles. ‘You showered already?’