to explain without dropping anyone in it. ‘It wasn’t like that.’
‘Well maybe you’d like to tell me what it was like?’
‘It’s …’ It’s impossible for me to come clean here. It’s my job to protect Cally, not give away her secrets. And even though I’m rattling through my brain for excuses, none appear.
He’s straight into the gap. ‘Let me guess – it’s another of your very complicated stories?’
I let out a sigh. ‘Well, yes … and no …’
He gives a shrug. ‘If you do decide you’d like to share your problems, I’m always here to listen.’
‘Excuse me?’ Even if I did have a problem, I can’t think of anyone worse than Nic to talk to; he’s judgemental, he looks down on me, and, apart from the day the van got stuck, he’s one of the least sympathetic people I know.
‘If you’re hurting, talking might help.’ His tone is so deep and sympathetic my stomach is starting to melt.
‘It totally won’t. Thanks all the same.’
He coughs. ‘Our wedding manager will be a lot more useful to us if she’s on the ball rather than tipsy.’
It hits me like a bucket of cold water – that’s his only concern. I take a swift glance under the duvet and push myself up on my pillows to try to salvage a tiny bit of self-respect. ‘Message received loud and clear, Nic. I’m exceedingly sorry for last night’s mistakes, I can assure you I won’t be repeating them.’ If I end up talking like Phoebe to claw myself back to a more respectable place, it has to be done. As far as I can see in the gloom under the covers, I’m still wearing my slip which is a relief, but the cogs in my brain are starting to click. Sure, I blundered all over the place last night, but he’s the one opening my curtains and that has to be wrong. ‘What are you doing here, anyway?’
A shadow that could be guilt flickers across his face, then he laughs. ‘I know I was banging on about dancing being my final task. But everyone knows the best man’s last job of all is to spend the night with a bridesmaid.’
‘What?!’
His smile fades. ‘You were falling off your heels, I was the first in line to help you to your room, that’s all.’ He sends me a look. ‘If they hadn’t been so high I’m sure you’d have managed.’
At least he’s not saying how off my face I was. Not remembering any of it isn’t a great sign. ‘You didn’t have to … carry me?’ I’m so appalled at that thought it comes out as a squeak.
He’s pulling a face. ‘Sorry if that was too Tarzan for you, but it seemed the easiest way to get you up here fast.’ This is getting so much worse. ‘And once we were here you weren’t in any state to be left on your own. So I took the sofa for the night, I hope that’s okay too?’
‘You did what?’ None of this is okay.
His face is suddenly serious. ‘You could have hurt yourself, I was hardly going to run off back to the party.’ He rubs a thumb along his jaw. ‘It’s fine, I was happy to stay awake and check you were okay.’
My eyes snap open. ‘So you haven’t slept?’
He shrugs. ‘It’s not a big deal.’
It totally is. The poor guy must be knackered. ‘Thank you so much. I’m so sorry.’ I’m blinking my way through this step by step, then I hit the wall and my heart plummets. ‘And what’s Elfinor going to say about this?’
He gives a rueful smile. ‘I’m sure Pix will understand.’ He pulls a face. ‘So long as it doesn’t happen at her wedding …’
‘Hell yes … no … I mean …’ I can’t believe how easily he’s dismissing it. It must be incredible for them to be so sure of each other that it wouldn’t even figure. And this time I’m truly grateful for her Pixie-halo, and for her being such an effing amazing human being. And to Nic too.
I ease up the vest strap that’s dropped off my shoulder, and move on to the next chasm I’ve got to hurl myself across with Nic.
‘So, what happened to the dress?’ Let’s face it, questions don’t come much more awkward … to ask or to answer.
Nic’s eyes snap back into focus. ‘Right – so, your dress and my tux were whisked off to Iron Maiden’s cleaners in St Aidan first thing by