Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea - Jane Linfoot Page 0,51

gaze, Patricia is heading straight for us, her jewel-encrusted coat flowing behind her.

From the sharpness of her eyes, I can only assume she’s been tipping all her champers away too. ‘Nicolson, you must tell me how you and Nigel know …’ She nods at me ‘I mean, Calista tells me you three met as teenagers?’

I’m gawping. ‘Nicolson?’ Cally and I are about to be totally stuffed here.

Nic laughs at Patricia. ‘Milla’s always known me as Nic.’ He gives a cough. ‘Over the years, that is. You could say we bonded over ice cream.’

If he’d said we’d met eating cow pats, Patricia couldn’t look any more disgusted as she rounds on me again. ‘I suppose you were working in one of those common little ice cream kiosks on the beach?’

I refuse to lie. ‘A lot of people in St Aidan do.’ Obviously, I didn’t, because I was looking after Mum.

Nic’s lips are twitching. ‘You should see the party trick she does with soft scoop and sundae glasses – that’s why we call her Milla Vanilla.’

Patricia sniffs. ‘Well, boys will be boys!’ She’s moving off. ‘I’m pleased we’ve sorted that one out, Nicolson. And thank heavens you grew up and left all that behind you.’

I blow out a breath as I watch her back disappearing across the room. ‘Thanks for covering for me.’

Nic’s calling after her. ‘All we’ll need is a tray and some roller skates, Patricia, and she’ll do it for you …’

I jab him on the arm. ‘Nicolson T, you are one bad man.’

Nic’s biting back his grin as he turns to me again. ‘What a pity she rushed off.’ He rubs his chin as he watches her go. ‘Anderson family survival rule number one: never let Patricia intimidate you.’

I wince. ‘I feel smaller than a worm around all these moneyed people.’

He’s staring at me open-mouthed. ‘I thought you loved all the trappings?’

I can’t believe I’m hearing this. ‘Why ever would you think that?’

He’s staring at me. ‘Because you’re a hundred times more designer than everyone else in St Aidan.’

‘Says the guy in the tux with satin lapels.’ I sniff. ‘Looking effortlessly stylish is a must for running wedding fairs, but it’s mostly hell to achieve.’ I’ve only got this far due to Phoebe’s iron will.

He pulls in a breath. ‘Who’d have thought? So maybe you and I don’t need pretence to feel okay about ourselves.’ His eyes are dark and he’s looking very deeply into mine. ‘You’re every bit as good as them and more, Milla. Never forget that.’

It’s kind of him to try to make me feel better. He isn’t to know that a deep gaze like that turns my insides to trifle. ‘Thanks for the best man personal-guru advice.’

He’s nodding. ‘You’re more than welcome. What matters is, Nige is one of the good guys – if supporting him means putting up with his arsey family, I’m happy to do that.’ He flashes me a grin. ‘It’s only a day after all. And despite Patricia’s orders about keeping the bow ties on all evening, I’m about to lose mine.’

‘Aren’t you the rebel?’ As I watch him loosen the black satin and undo the top button of his shirt, he’s practically edible. I’m not sure if it’s down to the double dose of oysters, inhaling so much champagne, or him trying to help, but ‘dangerously attractive’ just lurched to ‘having big trouble keeping my hands off’ which is bad news for all the reasons. I mean, for a start I’m working. But he’s also somebody else’s fiancé – he couldn’t be any more off limits.

Worse still, as I reach for my bag and hook it over my arm, he’s sliding his hand behind my back. ‘Come on, we need to be next to the dance floor, so we’re ready for when Nige and Cally finish their first dance.’

‘Sorry?’ I’m shivering as the sleeve of his jacket rubs against the exposed skin of my back.

He’s looking even more pleased with himself than usual. ‘I’ve studied the best man guide – my next job is to dance with you.’

It’s a relief he’s making it sound like a chore. ‘I’m sure no one will notice if we skip that.’ If my tummy’s doing cartwheels simply staring up at his throat, there’s no way I can let him whirl me around the dance floor. In any case, I’m waiting for the right moment to find out where the hell Elfie is, so I’m moving this on. ‘So anything from today you’d consider choosing