by S J Crabb
So, I made a huge effort and am feeling quite proud of the result.
As I head into the little sitting room, Liam looks up and I watch as his face looks a little shocked if I'm honest. Just for a second, there is silence and then he jumps up and shakes his head.
‘You look great, Annie. I can't believe it's really you.’
I roll my eyes. ‘Oh, shut up, who did you think it was? I didn't look that bad before, did I?’
He laughs and then grins wickedly. ‘Just give me 10 minutes and I'll be with you.’
He hurries off and I eye the brandy decanter longingly. Gosh, I'm turning into some sort of lush already and I've only been introduced to the drink for 5 minutes. I need some distraction therapy.
So, instead, I grab my phone and set about texting my mother.
Hi Mum
Change of plan. Something came up and I'll be a couple of days late. Expect me on Sunday instead and make up another bed because I'm bringing my new boyfriend.
Tell you all about it when I see you.
Love You
Anne x
There! The deed is done and there's no turning back now.
I hear Liam coming and my heart lurches. This is going to be interesting.
We stand silently in the lift as it propels us towards our stage. We are both quiet and I can tell that Liam is nervous.
I am silent for a whole other matter. Liam, as it turns out, is GORGEOUS!! When he came back into the room, I fought a huge battle with myself to just stop my mouth from falling open.
Freshly showered and smelling like an aftershave advert, he approached. He is wearing smart trousers and a white shirt that clings to him, showing off an amazing body that is straining to get out.
His hair is damp and begging for my hand to run through it.
I had to shake myself and picture him as Jason from the office because if I allow myself, I could very quickly become infatuated with this sexy stranger.
He in turn, is quiet and appears pre-occupied. I can feel my heart thumping and once again the thought of that brandy is playing heavily on my mind.
The lift comes to a stop and Liam smiles as he holds out his hand.
‘Come on, girlfriend, let the games begin.’
As I take his hand I feel like a shy girl on a first date. I really must get a grip.
We head into the bar and almost at once I hear the familiar bellow of his father. ‘Over here son.’
We look around and I see his parents sitting with a group of people near the fireplace. It looks ultra-intimidating and I feel the nerves taking hold.
Liam squeezes my hand reassuringly and whispers. ‘Don't worry, Annie, I won't leave you.’
I swallow hard and follow him into battle.
As we approach, I feel the interested stares of the waiting guests. Liam's mother smiles at me and waves around at her friends. ‘Meet, Annie, Liam's new girlfriend.’
I smile around at the gathering and like his mum, I notice the surprise in their eyes as they take in the sight of me. Oh hell!
Liam nods to everyone and then his father shouts, ‘Come and sit down and I'll pour you both a glass of champagne. Charlotte and Eric will be down shortly and then we can go in for dinner.’
Liam pulls me down next to him and his father hands us both a glass.
The lady to the other side of me leans in and says softly.
‘Hi, I'm Kim. Listen, take no notice of this lot, you could be Kate Middleton and you wouldn't be worthy.’
I look at her in surprise. ‘What do you mean?’
She laughs softly. ‘Liam's ex is April Loveday, you know, the supermodel and face of Chanel. Well, Grace and Michael dined out on it at every opportunity. Their son, with the hottest girl on the planet. They were planning a huge society wedding that would cement their status among the elite. Then for some strange reason Liam ended it with no explanation. They are still getting over the shock so expect them to be a little frosty at first.’
I just stare at her in dismay. No wonder they look so disappointed. If they think I'm her replacement then I can understand it myself. My goodness, April Loveday is a goddess. There is no more beautiful woman that ever walked this earth. I know she cheated on him but even so…. He's obviously gone mad because nobody in their right mind would finish with April Loveday.
Kim laughs softly and squeezes my arm. ‘Listen honey, I told you for your own good. Every one of these guests was hoping that the happy couple would reconcile and she would be in attendance.
Apparently, they booked him into the best room, other than the honeymoon suite, for that very reason. The fact that he's turned up with you is huge and I expect this will be a rocky couple of days for you. Liam will be ok, I mean, he just absorbs himself in his photography and is oblivious to everything. You, however, may not be so blind.
If it's any consolation, I hated April and cheered silently when he dumped her. I actually gained a lot of respect for Liam and wish you both well.’
She gets called over to talk to another lady and I sink back in my seat in shock. He could have warned me!!
Liam looks around and raises his eyes. ‘Are you ok, Annie?’
I shake my head. ‘I think I need your brandy on me at all times.’
He looks at me and then over to Kim and the realisation hits. ‘She told you then?’
I nod.
He looks annoyed. ‘I should have warned you I suppose, but I didn't think it mattered. If anyone knew the real reason why I dumped her, they would understand.’
I look at him intrigued. ‘What because she cheated on you?’
He nods grimly. ‘Anyway, take no notice of the gossip mongers. We're here to have fun and they can think all they want. There is no hope in hell that I would ever get back with her. She may be beautiful, but she is ugly inside. You are worth five hundred if not a thousand of her and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.’
I can feel the others watching us with curiosity, so I just smile at Liam and lean towards him. I can tell he's surprised and I whisper in his ear, ‘It would appear we have an audience. I am about to become the best girlfriend you've ever had. By the end of this wedding, they will only have one name on their lips—mine! I hope you're ready for this.’
He laughs softly and his eyes twinkle. Squeezing my hand, he leans even closer and whispers, ‘Bring it on, girlfriend. The trouble is—are you ready for me?’
Suddenly, we are interrupted by a loud cheer and we pull apart and see what must be the happy couple enter the bar.
Immediately, I feel Liam tense up and he looks over to the groom with a hard look. I follow his gaze and see an attractive couple standing before us, hand in hand.
His cousin is beautiful. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a pale blue trouser suit. Her jewellery looks amazing and I can tell it's the real deal. I look with interest at the groom. He seems ok, not at all like I imagined. He is holding tightly onto her hand and appears handsome and successful. His clothes look immaculate and he has a nice tan which makes him look healthy and relaxed. He is beaming around at everyone and if I'm honest, the picture is of the perfect couple.
Charlotte, says ‘hi’ to everyone and then squeals when she sees Liam.
‘Liam, thank god you're here. I wasn't sure if you would actually come.’
I watch as his face softens, and he heads over and hugs her warmly.
‘I wouldn't miss it for the world. You look beautiful by the way.’
She giggles adorably and then Liam turns to Eric. I watch in fascination as his eyes narrow and his expression hardens. It seems awkward and the two just nod at each other before Liam comes back to join me. I register the couple's surprise as Liam takes my hand and says, ‘This is Annie, my girlfriend. Annie darling, meet my cousin Charlotte and her intended Eric.’
I smile at them warmly and Charlotte says in amazement.
‘Gosh, Liam, you kept this quiet.’
She smiles warmly at me. ‘It's good to meet you, Annie. I must sa
y Liam has fallen on his feet with you, you're gorgeous.’
I can feel my cheeks flaming as I see the faces of the rest of them. They obviously don't agree with anything she just said.
Eric smiles politely. ‘It's nice to meet you, Annie. I hope this isn't too much of an ordeal for you.’
I just smile happily at everyone. ‘Thanks for having me. When Liam asked me to come and meet the family, I didn't really expect it to mean the entire clan. It's great to meet you all though.’
They all smile and then the conversation turns to the wedding. I listen as they all chatter about the guests, whose coming with who and whether it will rain tomorrow. Liam leans over and whispers. ‘First hurdle over with. Just the meal and then we can get out of here, duty done.’
I smile at him, suddenly feeling very much the 'cuckoo in the nest.' These people are all well out of my league. They mix in a world I know nothing about. It's obvious from their clothes and their conversation. This weekend is going to be harder than I first thought because for once, I feel inferior in every way, and I don't like it one bit.
Chapter Nine
Liam is kept quite busy before dinner, taking photos of everyone. I watch him with interest as he sets about his work.
He is obviously a true professional because he snaps away, ordering the guests into all sorts of poses and appears totally absorbed by it all. I am really enjoying watching him.
Kim comes and stands next to me.
‘I never introduced myself properly before. I'm Kim, Liam's Aunt, Graces' sister.’
I smile. ‘It's good to meet you, Kim.’
She grins. ‘I'm glad he's dating somebody normal at last. The trouble is, he is surrounded by so much perfection every day, it clouds his judgement on what really matters.’
I look at her in surprise. ‘Why? I mean, I know he's a photographer, but surely he's a good judge of character?’
She laughs. ‘Well, you're very understanding, I'll say that for you. Any other girl would hate the fact their boyfriend spends all day and sometimes nights photographing the top models in the world for British Vogue. I'm not sure I could hack it, especially looking like he does; it's a powerful combination. These girls lust after their photographers, especially when he's as drop dead gorgeous as Liam. When April became his girlfriend they all backed off. After all, who could compete with her? However, now that's changed…. Well, don't expect an easy ride, that's all I'm saying.’
She laughs as she sees my expression. ‘Come on, I'll get you a drink and you can tell me all about yourself and how you met. I'm bored with wedding conversation, anyway.’
She guides me over to the bar and suddenly, the need to get absolutely wasted is high on my list of priorities. It's just a good thing this is all fake, imagine if I really was his girlfriend.
Kim turns out to be great fun. She gives me the lowdown on all the guests and the stories about them have me in stitches. I discover she runs a PR company not far from where I used to work. When I told her what happened she looked annoyed. She asked for my business card and said she would be in touch after Christmas and would see what she could do to help.
It appears that I'm becoming a super networker. Surely one of these chance meetings will materialise into an actual job offer?
Soon Liam comes to find me, and I note the weariness in his eyes. ‘Hey, Annie, sorry I left you.’
Kim laughs. ‘So you should be. I've filled Annie in on every gruesome detail about you, and if she’s still here in the morning I obviously failed miserably in putting her off.’
Liam grins as she walks away. ‘I see my Aunt is her usual self.’
I laugh. ‘She's great. In fact, she's the only one who has spoken to me at all. I never knew you were so sought after though.’
He pulls a face. ‘Drawback of the job. I sometimes wish I had taken up a different type of photography. I'm sure animals and landscapes are a lot more fun to work with.’
I laugh. ‘So how long have you worked for Vogue?’
He shrugs. ‘Two years. It sounds more glamorous than it is. Most of the time it's just waiting around endlessly for hair and make-up, not to mention the tantrums of some of the models and designers.’
I grin. ‘I'm sure you throw your own fair share of tantrums.’
He laughs and then we hear them calling us into dinner.
‘Come on. Let's eat and then I'll get you out of this hellish place.’
As I take his hand, I suddenly realise that I'm extremely hungry.
We are sat between his parents and his Aunt Kim. She is on her own and I wonder what her story is.
Halfway through the meal, I find out that her husband died suddenly of a heart attack. He left her very comfortably off with a company to run. She relished the challenge, and it now dominates her life.
Liam's parents meanwhile totally ignore me which suits me fine. They chat away to him, asking him all about his work and name dropping at every opportunity.
I also take the chance to study the happy couple. I don't know why Liam is so against Eric? He appears handsome and charming and is extremely attentive to Charlotte. She is positively glowing and they appear very much in love.
By the end of the meal I am ready for my bed. The large amount of food I ate is battling with the alcohol in my system and what with our long journey I am now done in.
Liam notices my drooping eyelids and looks around at the rest of the table. ‘If you'll excuse us, I need to get Annie off to bed.’
I don't miss the smirks on everyone's faces and just smile at Liam sexily as he pulls me from my seat and we hurry out of the room.
As we head upstairs he grins at me apologetically. ‘I'm sorry, Annie. You must be wondering what you've agreed to here. At least we get the worst over first; I mean, your family will be a doddle after this lot.’
I don't answer and my heart lurches at his words. Oh my god, he has absolutely no idea what he’s let himself in for. His family will seem normal when faced with mine. I'm not sure whether to warn him or not.
We reach our room and he flops down onto the couch.
‘Finally, we can relax. Do you fancy a film, or just want to crash?’
I sink down next to him heavily. ‘A film would be good, anything but a wedding one though. In fact, it may be best to watch a good old-fashioned one about death, destruction and blowing people up to get us in the mood for tomorrow.’
He grins. ‘Terminator it is then.’
As he pours us both a Brandy, I kick off my shoes and make myself comfortable.
Chapter Ten
The sound of the telephone ringing invades my dreams. That had better not be Tosser again!
Strangely, I feel disorientated and appear to ache all over. Any movement brings with it a sudden pain and I open one eye to test the water.
It appears that I'm tangled up in a body that is somehow connected to mine.
Suddenly, a hazy memory of the alcohol infested night before swims into my consciousness and I groan.
Then I hear a muffled voice growling. ‘Someone shut that blasted phone up before my head explodes.’
I try to sit up and in doing so dislodge the arm of my captor.
I groan and my eyes focus on the aftermath of the night before.
Liam and I are still on the couch wearing our now crumpled clothes from the night before. I'm not sure how many films we watched, but it would appear the decanter is now empty.
Liam pulls himself up and rubs his eyes and I'm instantly annoyed at how gorgeous he still looks. All rough and sexy with designer stubble and ruffled hair. Me, on the other hand, I must look like the lush I'm fast turning into.
He grabs the ringing phone angrily and barks, ‘What?!!’
I can hear some sort of high-pitched voice talking quickly on the other end. Liam just grunts and runs his fingers through his hair distractedly.
Then he says shortly. ‘Yeah, we'll be there in 20 minutes.’
As he puts the phone down, he looks at me and grins ru
efully.
‘Sorry, duty calls. They want some pre-wedding shots of the happy couple and guests.’
I groan. ‘Well tell them it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the service. What's happened to the traditions these days?’
Liam grins. ‘Not much tradition left. I mean, the bride and groom appear to be already sharing the marital bed and have been for some time. The wedding is far from being conducted in a church and is part of an elaborate staged ceremony in what was once somebody's home.’
I grin. ‘Point taken. Anyway, how the hell did we let this happen? Why on God's earth did I crash on this couch, when a five-star bed was waiting through those double doors?’
He laughs. ‘Don't you remember anything about last night?’
Suddenly, I feel worried. ‘Why, what did I do? Or should I say we?’
He laughs. ‘Well, after we watched every Terminator film and drank all the brandy, we started talking about random things. One thing you divulged was a fascination with massage. You then proceeded to massage my feet while telling me every detail of what you hate about Tosser.’
I can feel my face burning. ‘You're kidding, I hope.’
He laughs and pulls me up. ‘No, but I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. I think you passed out around 3am and I sort of just followed you. I tried to wake you up, but you punched me and swore that you had a rape alarm and weren't afraid to use it.’
Now I am more mortified than I have ever been in my life—and that's saying something.
I shake my head. ‘I'm sorry, Liam. You must wonder what the hell you've got yourself into with me.’
He laughs. ‘Like I said, I enjoyed every minute. Now we've got precisely ten minutes to scrub up and meet the happy couple. Then begins the laborious task of capturing their happy day on film.’
I groan. ‘Can't I stay here? They won't want me in any of them and I could test out the bed while I wait.’
