A Surprise Christmas Wedding - Phillipa Ashley Page 0,99

predicting who would celebrate their golden anniversary and who wouldn’t last five minutes.

‘Erm …’

‘But it must have taken you some balls to come here,’ Keegan said. ‘Not that you have any actual balls, but you know what I mean.’

‘It was the least I could do, to give you the whole story. Thanks for at least hearing me out.’

‘Mmm. Well, I wanted to hear your side of it before I make my final decision. I pride myself on being tough but fair.’

‘Thank you,’ Lottie said. ‘Um. Do you think it would be a good idea to hear Connor out too?’

Keegan sighed. ‘I suppose I should at least let him come over so we can talk.’

‘Whatever you think best.’ Lottie felt that a wrong word now could tip the balance either way. ‘I also should be getting back to Firholme now.’

Keegan seemed almost surprised then arched an eyebrow. ‘Because you have a wedding to coordinate?’

‘Maybe …’ Lottie said, with a hopeful uplift.

Keegan nodded. ‘I’ll let you know what I decide after I’ve spoken to him.’

‘OK,’ Lottie said, thinking of the logistical operation of getting everyone to Firholme, through the snow at what was increasingly short notice. ‘But can it be quite soon?’ she said.

Keegan picked up her phone, gingerly, careful of her freshly manicured nails. ‘I’ll call him now and let you have my decision.’

Chapter Thirty-Five

‘Well?’ Shayla demanded the moment Lottie shut the car door.

Lottie leaned back against the car seat, her eyes closed and a headache starting. ‘It’s in the lap of the gods, but just in case, we’d better be prepared.’

There was no time to dwell on what might happen. She made some calls and by the time they’d arrived at Firholme, Operation Wedding was back in full swing. The council snow ploughs were too busy clearing the main roads to reach the lane to the estate. Jay and the team had cleared the driveway with the tractor plough and were carving routes to the house and café. He was outside with his staff, in wellies and hi-vis, shovelling away the last few feet of snow from the door of the main house.

Shayla dropped Lottie off in the courtyard. A quick check of her phone again still showed nothing from Keegan. She’d felt hopeful when she left but her optimism was dwindling fast. The sight of all her colleagues making a huge effort, possibly for nothing, wasn’t helping.

Jay hurried over to her. ‘Is it on?’ he asked. Trevor cocked his head on one side, as if to ask the same question.

‘The jury’s still out.’

He nodded. ‘We’re going ahead on the assumption it’s happening. I’ve asked my deputy to manage the Christmas tree sales today and we’d have had to clear the access anyway so that’s not wasted,’ he said curtly.

‘That’s good …’ she said.

He looked at her intensely, and she could tell he was struggling for words and still probably stinging from the home truths she’d flung his way. She half-wished her words back now but it was too late.

‘I’d better get on with it,’ he said and strode off up the drive, with his hands in his pockets and Trevor at his heels.

Lottie felt paralysed with uncertainty.

She thought of all the things she had to do: organise transport for the guests, the bridal party, make sure suppliers were going to turn up, arrange a warm place for people to gather and change, alongside all the usual checks on the flowers, the guest bedrooms, the bridal suite … Would that ever be used?

Would Keegan’s jelly beans be eaten? Would her firework display light up the sky? They were little things, trivial ‘extras’ and yet they meant a lot to Keegan.

Lottie felt a lurch of sympathy for her. She didn’t want Keegan to be hurt as she had been.

Her phone buzzed and Keegan’s text flashed up.

I’m coming.

‘Thank God for that.’ Her shoulders slumped in relief and she started to text Shayla but the phone buzzed again. It was Connor.

Thanks. I do love her, u know. C

‘You’d better do,’ Lottie murmured.

Another message. Keegan again.

How will I get there?!!!!!

Texting as she walked to Shayla’s office, Lottie typed:

Don’t worry. It’s all sorted.

Another little white lie to Keegan, but Lottie didn’t feel bad about this one. Compared to the mountain she’d had to climb to smooth things over with the bride and groom, getting eighty guests, a registrar and all the suppliers to a snow-bound Firholme should be a doddle.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Lottie, Shayla and Jay gathered in the café for a war cabinet. The tractor had