Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea - Jane Linfoot Page 0,26

it’s done to my mascara, Panda-face here I come again. But then someone comes and rolls Immie off, and I’m lying here staring up at the criss-cross strings of hanging flower-stem decorations and fairy lights with the gym ceiling far above.

For a moment I close my eyes. And when I open them again, I’m hoping to see Poppy laughing down at me. But instead I’m looking up at the kind of dark eyes and sooty lashes I’d hoped never to see again.

‘Mr Trendell.’

His lips are twisting. ‘That was a spectacular save you made there, Ms Fenton. You showed a natural instinct for averting disaster back there. Perhaps my rejection last week was a little hasty.’

I’m shaking my head. ‘No Nic, anyone could have done it. I’m just less drunk than everyone else because I’m on effing wheels, that’s all.’

He wrinkles his nose. ‘Maybe you could do my job after all?’

‘Absolutely not.’ On principle, quite apart from anything else. As I lick my lips and the taste of strawberries and cream explodes onto my tongue, I’m making a mental note to head straight for the pink sundaes as soon as I’m on my feet. Then I have a thought. ‘So I take it you haven’t found your perfect planner yet?’

He’s blowing out his lips. ‘Turns out they’re a lot rarer than day skippers.’

I wipe a glob of cream out of my nostril. ‘So, have you checked everyone?’

He blows out a breath. ‘Everyone on the approved list Jess gave me, which apparently is anyone who’s any good. I’ve been at it all week.’

I have no idea why Jess would hand him over to the opposition. As I’m scraping seven sundaes worth of cream off my boobs, I have to point it out. ‘This is how I am at the moment, like a magnet for disasters. Truly, you wouldn’t want me anywhere near your wedding.’

He’s frowning down at me. ‘Sure, the gym is knee-deep in ice cream and bodies. But if this were the Trendell reception, at least we’d still have a cake. For me that counts as a result.’ He blows out a breath. ‘You’re the one who said there’s no time to lose. At least step in and get it going for me. How about you start by showing me those venues you mentioned?’

‘If you were the last man on earth … In any case, it’s not as straightforward as it seems. Venues will be the same as planners; anything worth having will already have gone.’

‘I’ll pay double.’ Don’t you just hate these people who think qualifications and money make the world go round?

‘Cash isn’t everything.’ I’m about to add, sorry, but I’m not for sale when another voice cuts in.

‘Make it triple and I think we can confidently call that a deal, Mr Trendell.’ It’s Jess, and her laugh is husky. ‘Monday morning at nine. Don’t be late, we’ll make a start.’

‘I’ll be at the shop.’ He’s holding out his hand to help me up.

But I’ve already rolled over. And by the time I’m pushing myself up from all fours to wobble onto my skates he’s gone, and I’m face to face with Jess’s legs.

‘Brilliant save, Milla, marvellous work.’ Even though Jess has gone as far as navy cigarette pants and a tailored denim jacket, she still looks exactly the same as she does every day in the shop. ‘And I see it’s game on with Nic! Well done for that too.’

My heart’s sinking. ‘Really? After everything he said?’

‘He needs us and we’re going to come through for him.’

‘We are?’

‘What’s more, when you ace it you’ll feel so much better.’ She’s smiling down at me. ‘You’re not on your own, Milla. We’ll all be here to help you.’

And I need this like a hole in my tights. Because after all my efforts to avoid it, here I am helping organise a short-notice wedding that’s guaranteed to be a disaster, which won’t be great for my reputation. If this is what Jess meant about talking about it later, well I’m the fool again. Because worse than all of that, I’ll be working for Nic Trendell. And from the way my pulse was racing when he looked down at me just before, I’m really not sure that’s a good idea.

Chapter 7

The next Monday.

The Harbourside Hotel, St Aidan.

Long legs and long stories.

‘So we knew the Harbourside Hotel might not be “the one”. But seeing it gives us a good baseline to start from.’

Even if the morning sunlight has turned the sea to a