Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,31
do it again. “But it’s done now. The only people to blame are myself, and Ian.”
“Even so. I don’t know if I’ve ever said it to you, but I wanted to say I’m sorry.”
Honey bit her lip as Jasmine met her gaze, her eyes sincere. “Thanks,” was all she could manage, her throat tightening.
Jasmine smiled brightly. “Still, you have Dex now, eh? And you’ll be married on Saturday and then off on honeymoon!”
“Yeah. I guess.”
Jasmine’s smile slipped. “What’s up?”
“I…” To her alarm, Honey’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh crap.”
“Oh no.” Jasmine stared in alarm and shoved a paper serviette in her hand. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s nothing, it’s just me being over-emotional as usual.” Honey mopped her eyes. “I’m being stupid, I know. But with Mum’s anniversary, and then this awful court case touching a nerve, I’m worrying about everything.”
“What’s bothering you about Dex? Last time I saw you both on Sunday, he looked like the cat that had been at the cream.”
“I know. Something happened on Monday, but he won’t tell me what. At least, I think something happened. I’ve only spoken on the phone to him since then, but he’s been distant. He didn’t want to come and see me Monday night, or last night, and he was sharp with me. Dex is never sharp with me.” She rubbed her nose.
“I’m sure it’s just nerves,” Jasmine soothed. “After what happened last time, he’s bound to find the whole process nerve-racking.”
Honey frowned. “I don’t quite get the logic of that. The idea of waiting to sleep together until we were married was supposed to take the stress away. What does he have to worry about? I’m the one who has to worry if he’s going to turn up, because his track record has proven he has a habit of doing the opposite. I can’t pretend I’m pregnant. And until recently, he didn’t show a bit of nerves. No, something happened to change his mind.”
She stared into her coffee. Had one of his friends said something to put doubt in his mind? Something about the serious nature of marriage, and about how awful it was to be tied to one girl? Was it just sinking in about how it would be forever? Or was it about sex? Ian’s words about her being boring in bed were always fluttering in her head like moths in an attic. Maybe Dex was beginning to worry that Ian was right.
While they were making out, Dex had often murmured the things he’d like to do to her once they were married, but Honey had always been too shy to return the sexy talk, worried she’d say the wrong thing and make him laugh. She’d always responded to him, and she was certain that when they went to bed—even if she didn’t know every move in the book—they’d have a great time because she loved him and wanted to please him. And she enjoyed sex, or at least she thought she would, if she were with the right man. But maybe Dex had taken her reticence as meaning she wasn’t keen on it. Maybe she should have been more open with him about what they were going to do when they finally got to the bedroom.
But she was who she was, and Dex had fallen in love with the shy, uncertain girl—in fact he’d told her he adored her relative innocence, and that she cleansed him and brought light into his life where before there had been only darkness. There was no point in trying to pretend to be someone she wasn’t.
She gave Jasmine a bright smile. “I’m sure everything will be fine. It’s just me being me, you know what I’m like.”
“I wish you didn’t have this horrid case to go through,” Jasmine said.
“Yeah, me too.” Honey checked her watch. “And unfortunately, it’s time to go back there now. But thanks for lunch.”
The sisters hugged.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” Jasmine whispered in her ear. “You’re so lovely, Honey, you deserve to be happy.”
Honey smiled and kissed her goodbye, then began the short walk to the courthouse. But Jasmine’s words played in her head. You deserve to be happy. The trouble was, not everyone got what they deserved, or Sarah Green wouldn’t be the one on trial.
Chapter Thirteen
Dex was working at his computer when the sergeant stuck his head around the door and said, “Someone to see you.”
Dex looked up, his heart pounding at the thought that it might be Cathryn. “Who is it?”