Heart of the Cross

by Emily Madden

  ‘Keep it. We can drink it another time.’ He winked before jiggling his keys and disappearing into the night.

  As she closed the door behind her, Brie realised she was grinning like a fool. Grabbing her phone, she intended to reply to Seb’s message, but instead was distracted by a new friend request on Facebook that had just appeared from Josh Cooper.

  Brie cleared the wine and dinner plates, showered, brushed her teeth, then replied to a text from Tam before going back to Josh’s request.

  Tonight, Brie had had the most fun in a long time. So the last thing she did before falling asleep was accept Josh’s friendship request. Because if friends was all they could be, then so be it.

  Eighteen

  Brianna

  ‘I have the perfect dress for you,’ Tam beamed as she walked into Albi & Ruby’s on Friday morning. Brie had made the mistake of telling her all about Josh, their history and the upcoming wedding, and now Tam was on a mission to secure an outfit for her.

  ‘It’s black lace, tiny shoestring straps, fitted bodice with underwire at the bust.’

  Brie cocked her brow as she slid her sunglasses to the top of her head. ‘Are we talking about a dress or lingerie?’

  Tam rolled her eyes as she tapped the screen of her phone. ‘Look.’ She thrust an image of what was admittedly a nice-looking dress, even if it wasn’t Brie’s style, in her face.

  ‘I could never get away with wearing that,’ Brie said, handing back the phone.

  ‘Why the hell not? It’ll look gorgeous on you.’

  ‘Well for one, I’m as white as a ghost, and two, that neckline would … let’s just say my assets would be spilling out of the top of the dress. Besides, isn’t it bad luck to wear black to a wedding?’

  ‘Didn’t you say it was black tie? This,’ Tam waved the phone precariously to emphasise her point, ‘is black tie. No one cares about that antiquated don’t-wear-black-to-a-wedding business.’

  Brie pursed her lips. She could almost bet that Abigail Cooper would care. She’d probably make a snide remark about how gorgeous the dress looked, but how inappropriate it was for her daughter’s wedding—was Brie trying to place a hex on the marriage or something? It almost made her want to wear it out of spite.

  ‘Let me look at it again.’ She grabbed the phone. ‘I would need new shoes.’ She didn’t think she’d packed anything that would do the dress justice.

  ‘What size are you? If you’re a seven and a half, I have a ton you could borrow.’

  ‘Either a seven or a seven and a half, but I probably need to get a pair myself. I don’t want anything too high,’ she said, assuming that because of Tam’s petite stature she would have a penchant for stilettos.

  ‘Nope. You need killer heels for this dress. And maybe a spray tan,’ Tam mused.

  ‘You’re joking,’ Brie deadpanned. She’d never had a spray tan in her life.

  ‘I never joke about spray tans. I know a girl, her sprays are amazing and they’re all natural.’

  Brie sent her a dubious look. The last thing she wanted was to turn up looking like an Oompa Loompa.

  ‘And no, you will not look like an Oompa Loompa,’ Tam read her mind. ‘I got this tan yesterday; do I look orange to you?’ She flaunted her sun-kissed legs. ‘I get them done religiously, how else do you think I’m this brown? I inherited my gran’s pale-arsed Irish skin.’

  Brie had to admit—she would never have picked it to be fake. Like Tam, she too had an Irish grandmother, and her skin was as white as snow.

  ‘Okay, book me in with your spray tan person, but I draw the line at anything else fake.’

  Tam grabbed her hands and scrutinised her nails. ‘Hmm, neat and tidy, but you could do with some shellac.’

  ‘Some what?’ Brie swore Tam had just told her she needed Spacfilla on her nails.

  Tam looked at her curiously. ‘Shellac, a type of nail cover?’ When Brie merely shrugged, Tam elaborated. ‘It lasts longer than your average mani. I swear, it will change your life.’

  ‘Tam, I’m not sure I have the time to do all this—between the dress, shoes, spray tan and all.’

  ‘Nonsense. I have a girl coming in half an hour. I’ll make a few phone calls and then I’m taking you shopping.’

  ‘All I wanted was a coffee,’ Brie protested.

  ‘Well, I’ll get you a double, and some food, too. You’re going to need sustenance.’

  ‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’

  Brie never had been one of those girls who loved shopping. Rosie often would drag her around on Sundays fossicking through garage sales or second-hand furniture stores. Maybe it was that, or maybe it was being lucky enough to have had Rosie being so handy with a needle and thread that she often made Brie’s clothes, including any formal dresses. Not that there were many occasions; the last time Brie had needed to go through such effort to dress up was her Year Twelve formal, and funnily enough, Josh had been her date then, too.

  No, this was not a date, she firmly reminded herself. She was going as Josh’s plus one, as friends. As Tam dragged her to the third shoe store in a row, Brie wondered why she was going to so much effort. She still had a mani and pedi booked in, not to mention the spray tan. As Brie tottered around the store in the shiniest pair of silver shoes she’d ever seen, Tam tapped her chin.

  ‘Hmm, I’m still not sure, maybe we should—’

  ‘No,’ Brie said firmly. ‘This is it. I cannot try another pair of shoes. These seem comfortable enough, and they’ll go with the dress, won’t they?’

  ‘Yes, but don’t you want the perfect pair?’

  ‘These are perfect. In fact, any of the other hundred pairs I tried on were perfect.’

  ‘Okay, then.’ Tam seemed a little deflated. ‘If you’re absolutely sure.’

  To prove just how serious she was, Brie took off the shoes and gave them to the sales assistant. ‘I’ll take these, please.’

  It was only when she was handing over her credit card that she realised she’d neglected to check the price.

  Too late now, Brie thought as she keyed in her PIN. She only hoped she could last long enough in them tomorrow to get her money’s worth, but considering how good it felt to take off the shoes, she somehow doubted that.

  By the time the spray tan was finished, Brie was done. Tam had lent her a short, strapless dress to put on afterwards to minimise rubbing and streaking.

  ‘Now, remember you need to leave this on for a couple of hours before rinsing it off,’ Amy, the spray tan girl, duly informed her.

  ‘A couple, as in two?’ Brie baulked and Amy blinked, as if she was trying to figure out if Brie was serious.

  ‘Yes. Two hours. And no vigorous drying with the towel, you’ll just ruin all my hard work.’

  Brie wanted to point out that all Amy had done was stand there with a spray gun and instruct her to turn this way and that. It was hardly brain surgery.

  ‘What time is Josh picking you up tomorrow?’ Tam asked as they were finally driving home.

  ‘Just after one o’clock. It’s an early-afternoon ceremony.’

  ‘Then I’ll come around half past ten.’

  ‘For what?’ Brie asked.

  Tam blinked and looked at her much the same way Amy had only minutes prior. ‘Your hair and makeup,’ she said.

  Brie groaned. ‘Is that really necessary? I mean, haven’t you tortured me enough today?’

  ‘Trust me, when Josh needs to pick up his jaw off the floor tomorrow when he sees you, it’ll all be worth it.’

  ‘I told you, we’re going as friends.’

  ‘Uh-uh.’ Tam sounded unconvinced. ‘Honey, I don’t think that anyone can go from being lovers to just friends. There are only two possible reasons Josh asked you to go to the wedding as his date.’

  ‘Pray do tell.’ Brie tried to feign nonchalance, but she had to admit, she was a tiny bit curious to hear Tam’s theory.

  ‘One, he’s gay and needs a handbag to go with him?’

  Brie let ou
t a belly laugh. ‘No chance.’

  ‘Or … he’s still in love with you and wants you back.’

  ‘No chance,’ Brie repeated in a much different tone, her face flaming. ‘There has to be another reason.’

  Tam shrugged. ‘Well if there is, I’m a monkey’s uncle.’

  * * *

  Tam was right about one thing though—all the preparation was worth the priceless look on Josh’s face. He was gobsmacked.

  ‘Brie. Wow, you …’ His eyes swept up and down her body, igniting flames in the wake of his gaze.

  ‘Don’t look like a dishrag?’ she offered, unknotting her hands, which she had been wringing nervously. Tam had spent the better part of the morning fussing with her hair and makeup. She’d even arrived with coffee and fresh muffins that John had pulled out of the oven not long before.

  ‘I was going to say stunning, but then you always are.’

  A beat of time passed, and Brie could feel the cool breeze against the heat of her face. She cleared her throat.

  ‘Thanks, you scrub up pretty well yourself.’ She thought he looked a whole lot better than scrubbed up well; he looked dashing and dapper in his tux. He was clean cut, a departure from the scruffy look he was sporting the other day—not that she minded the unkempt look, she didn’t mind it one bit, but he wore this debonair style well.

  It was a short drive to Watsons Bay, where both the wedding and reception were to be held. She’d only been to Dunbar House once before, a few years ago when she and Rosie had breakfast at the café, so she already knew the venue was to die for.

  Sydney’s Indian summer lingered, giving Avery and Max the type of weather all brides pray for—warm and sunny with just a hint of a cool breeze. They made their way to the lower lawn, where the wedding was to take place under the grand old fig tree against the beautiful backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Sailboats dotted the sapphire water, glittering against the cerulean sky streaked with wisps of cotton-candy-like clouds. Antique white wooden chairs adorned with a simple posy of champagne and blush roses lined the aisle.

  Guests were starting to arrive. Brie’s stomach swarmed with butterflies as she glanced around, noting a few familiar faces. When Josh led them to the front row, Brie stepped back. ‘Josh, no, that’s for you and your family. I’m sure Avery has other people she wishes to sit there.’

  Josh sent her a bemused look. ‘Brie, you’ve known Avery since she was a little girl, she’s damn excited you’re here today, and as my plus one, how would it look if you weren’t sitting next to me?’

  ‘Avery knows I’m here?’ It was a silly question—after all, it was her wedding.

  ‘Of course, I told her you were my date for the day.’

  How silly it was that her heart fluttered at his reference to her being his date.

  He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

  ‘Joshua.’

  The sound of a familiar woman’s voice had Brie stiffening.

  ‘Mum,’ Josh said, turning towards Abigail Cooper, who automatically offered her cheek for Josh to kiss. ‘You remember Brie?’

  Brie swore her blood turned to ice as Josh’s mother looked her up and down and pursed her lips. A decade may have passed since she’d last seen Abigail, but her face was as youthful as ever, thanks to her love of fillers and Botox.

  ‘Hello, Mrs Cooper, it’s nice to see you.’ Brie proffered a hand. ‘You look lovely.’ Abigail considered her outstretched hand before hesitantly taking it and giving it a limp shake. Brie knew the old saying cold hands, warm heart was a myth, but if it was true, it certainly wouldn’t apply to the woman who was glaring at her right now.

  ‘Josh, your father has arrived with …’ Abigail grimaced, ‘Sheena.’ The Coopers had divorced when Josh was in Year Ten and Avery was still in primary school. Surprisingly, Josh and Avery had handled the breakup and their father’s subsequent quick remarriage fairly well. It always had been Abigail who had struggled with the fact that there was another Mrs Cooper.

  ‘I’ll make sure to say my hellos,’ Josh said diplomatically.

  ‘Oh, and Lauren is here, too. Make sure you’re nice to her.’

  Brie was about to flippantly ask who the hell Lauren was and why Josh needed to be nice when she spotted the steely look on his face.

  ‘Josh, are you okay?’

  ‘Lauren is an ex-girlfriend,’ he explained. ‘It’s been over for a while, and I should’ve remembered that Avery would’ve invited her. Guess it slipped my mind.’ His gaze skittered over her head, presumably looking for Lauren.

  Brie felt her stomach drop. She wanted to ask more questions. How long had they been together? How long had it been since they’d broken up? How well did Lauren know Max and Avery that she would be invited even after she and Josh had broken up? But Brie didn’t partly because she felt it wasn’t her business, and partly because there was a very pregnant woman waddling towards her, screaming her name.

  Sylvie looked exactly the same as she had in high school, except for her basketball-sized bump.

  ‘When are you due?’ Brie asked, figuring it was a safer thing to say than commenting on how she looked like she was about to pop.

  ‘Not for another three weeks,’ Sylvie groaned, rubbing her ripe belly. ‘But I’m so ready for her to come out!’

  ‘Her? You’re having a girl?’

  ‘Or him,’ Harry interjected, slinging an arm around Sylvie’s shoulders. ‘We don’t know, but there’s a good chance that one of us is right and the other is wrong.’

  ‘As you can see, Harry’s jokes have improved since high school,’ Josh quipped. ‘He’s now on track to reach dad level by the time this kid arrives.’

  ‘Hey, the gang’s all here!’ Max appeared. ‘How’re you going, bro?’ He slapped Josh on the back, kissed Sylvie on her cheek and pumped Harry’s hand, before turning to Brie and chucking on the worst Irish accent known to humanity. ‘Well, blow me down with a feather, it’s Brie Hart!’

  Brie chuckled as Max pulled her in for a kiss. ‘That’s not even an Irish saying, you moron.’

  ‘I don’t think you can call the groom a moron on his wedding day.’

  ‘You can if he’s Max Lo Bentley,’ Harry quipped. And they all laughed.

  ‘You look good, Brie,’ Max said, giving her hand a quick squeeze. ‘I was sorry to hear about Rosie.’

  ‘Thanks.’ She smiled, wondering if her gran had known that the boy she had once caught flirting with a married woman was about to get married. Rosie had given Max his first part-time job, and even she had called him Lo.

  A moment later, the celebrant took her place on the dais, signalling the ceremony was close to starting.

  ‘It’s show time, folks.’ Max clapped his hands. ‘Time to take your seats!’

  As the groom took his place front and centre anxiously waiting for his bride, Josh leaned over and his warm breath tickled her ear. ‘Did I happen to mention that Avery wants to hyphenate her name?’

  ‘No,’ she answered, puzzled as to why it was so imperative he passed on this bit of information just as the bride was due to walk down the aisle.

  ‘You do remember what Avery’s middle name is, don’t you?’

  Brie went to shake her head when it hit her. Her hand flew over her mouth as the string quartet strummed the first notes of the bridal march, signalling it was time for the guests to stand to witness Avery Mercedes Cooper marry Max Ford Bentley and become Avery Mercedes Cooper-Bentley.

  Avery had grown into a stunning woman and she was a beautiful bride. At the conclusion of the ceremony, before the bride and groom were whisked away for their official photos and the guests ushered to the main house for canapés and drinks, Avery pulled Brie into a bear hug.

  ‘Brie!’ she squealed before pulling back, a sombre look crossing her face. ‘Josh told me about Rosie, I’m so sorry.’

  Brie shook her head. ‘Thanks, but no sad talk on your wedding day, Mrs Cooper-Bentley.’

  Avery giggled, and in that instant Brie remembered
braiding Avery’s hair, painting her nails and chaperoning her at the movies. And now, she was a married woman.

  ‘I’m so happy that you’re here, Brie,’ Avery whispered, her eyes brimming with tears as if she also recalled the same memories.

  ‘Me too.’

  Max appeared, claiming he missed his wife, and Brie shooed off the happy couple.

  ‘Champagne?’ Josh appeared by her side with two glasses.

  ‘Thanks.’ She took a sip, and noticed a willowy brunette homing in on them and figured she must be the infamous Lauren. Josh either didn’t notice, or chose to ignore her, so Brie did the same. There was no point making a big deal if Josh didn’t. Besides, why did she care? They were here together as friends.

  Harry and Sylvie soon joined them, and for the next while, Brie chatted to Stan and Jenny, Max’s parents, as well as Rod, Josh’s father, and Sheena.

  ‘Your work is impressive,’ Rod commented as they briefly chatted about her latest assignments and Brie was slightly taken aback that Rod had been following her career. ‘So where are you off to next?’

  ‘Um …’ Brie was distracted by the brunette, who was walking towards Josh. ‘Sorry, what were you saying, Mr Cooper?’

  Rod gave a hearty laugh. ‘Brie, how many times have I told you to call me Rod. And I was asking when you’re next off. I know you came back for your grandmother’s funeral. My condolences on her passing.’

  ‘Thank you, Rod. And as for my next assignment, I’m not sure when. I’ve taken some time off.’ Brie discreetly flicked her gaze towards Josh and Lauren. Josh was standing with his arms crossed, while Lauren had one hand on her hip and was madly pointing a finger at him. Whatever she was saying, it wasn’t boding well with him.

  ‘Good for you, Brie. A little down time never hurts. At least, that’s what Sheena keeps telling me. She’s always planning our next holiday. Hell, we just got back from Europe not long ago and she’s already talking about heading to New York in June.’ He laughed good-naturedly, indicating he didn’t mind Sheena’s travel bug one bit.

  ‘New York is an amazing city; you’ll love it, Mr Cooper, I mean, Rod.’ She smiled apologetically. ‘I lived there for a few years. I’d be happy to give Sheena some tips.’