‘I could go with him,’ she said thoughtfully.
‘During the summer, when our business is at its busiest?’ Izzy realized her friend hadn’t thought it through, but wasn’t too worried. She knew her brother and doubted he’d stick to one girl long enough for Jess to have to make any difficult choices.
Jess lifted her feet and rested them on the thick footrest in front of her chair. ‘I know you’re only trying to pacify me.’
‘A little,’ she said honestly, aware Jess knew her too well for her to be able to fob her off with a lie.
Jess smiled. ‘This is like when we were teenagers and used to wonder who we were going to marry.’
‘Yes, and you changed your mind every time we spoke about it.’
Jess laughed. ‘And you only ever wanted to marry that rotten David, even when we were back in secondary school. I remember the first time you saw him, all skinny in his school uniform.’
Izzy giggled. ‘I was also in my school uniform and desperately skinny with untameable hair.’
Jess patted Izzy’s hand. ‘He still fancied you though, didn’t he?’
‘Yes.’ She remembered the day he’d asked her out. She’d waited the entire school year, sitting next to him during their history and English lessons, desperate for him to make a move. It was when she’d come first in their year for the hundred metres on Sports Day, and everyone in their school house had hugged and congratulated her. David’s congratulations had been her first kiss. She’d never forgotten it, or him.
‘Come along,’ Jess said quietly, as she always did when the conversation turned to David. ‘Time for bed, if we want to be alive enough to function tomorrow morning.
Izzy stood up and picked up her and Ed’s mugs, carrying them through to the kitchen and placing them in the sink to wash in the morning. He was the first man she’d wanted to kiss since, well, since David. It was a new experience and for the first time in a very long time, Izzy felt truly alive.
Izzy was following Jess up the stairs to her room when it dawned on her what the perfect table decoration might be. She turned and ran down to get her phone and text Lacey to see what she thought of her idea.
‘What are you doing?’ Jess asked. ‘Remember we’ve got a lot to do tomorrow, so don’t spend hours texting lovely Ed.’
‘I’m not,’ Izzy shouted back up to her. ‘What do you think of small lavender plants for the tables?’
‘Bloody brilliant,’ Jess agreed. ‘Perfect. The colouring will go with Lacey’s theme for our crockery and they aren’t as expensive as roses.
‘And if Lacey doesn’t want to keep them all, we can plant some here and either use them at another party or sell them on elsewhere.’
Jess followed her back down the stairs. ‘We can place them into the older sugar bowls we’ve got and mask the broken handles from old cups with greenery and use those too, if we need to.’
‘Good idea.’ Excited and with no thought of going to bed, Izzy send Lacey a text.
Chapter Nineteen
‘It’s looking perfect now the dance floor has been laid and the floral arch has been started,’ Jess said, rubbing her hands together. ‘Ed and the other gardeners are collecting roses from around the grounds to add to the hydrangeas that we’ve got to insert. I think it’s going to look spectacular.
Izzy agreed. She looked at Jess’s creation around the marquee entrance and put down the first couple of polystyrene trays of lavender plants just outside on the grass.
‘Aren’t these perfect?’ she said as Jess came over to inspect her garden centre purchases. ‘I was so relieved they had enough in stock and they’re all blooming beautifully.’
Jess bent down to sniff the small purple plants. ‘So fragrant too, clever you. I’m so pleased Lacey loved your idea.’
They walked over to the van to collect the rest of the lavender and the two boxes of crockery Izzy had bought to plant them in.
‘Hey, don’t you two worry about those,’ Ed said, walking onto the lawn from the back of the manor house, pushing a wheelbarrow filled with hydrangeas and roses. ‘You’ll get your hands all mucky and you’ve still got your tablecloths and napkins to lay out yet.’
Izzy laughed. ‘So, you did listen last night when I waffled on about everything we still had to do today?’
‘I did.’ He waved over the other two gardeners. ‘Can you guys plant up the lavenders into those little bowls for me?’
They nodded, smiling appreciatively at Jess and Izzy. ‘Thank you,’ Izzy said, as Jess gave them both the benefit of her brilliant white teeth.
While the guys got to work, Jess carried on with dressing the marquee archway and Izzy began laying the tables and setting places with the crockery and napkins. She was sure Lacey would have a perfect day.
‘It’s looking incredible,’ Ed said coming up behind her. ‘And you haven’t even finished yet.’
‘I’m glad you like it,’ she said honestly. ‘It’s good to get another opinion.’ She lowered her voice. ‘We need the photos to be as spectacular as possible. We’re hoping to use them to advertise this year’s parties for Lapins de Lune.’
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. ‘You’ll get many bookings on the back of these pictures, I’m certain.’
‘I hope so,’ she said.
He checked his watch. ‘I’d better get on. I haven’t got through half the jobs I should’ve been doing this morning. I don’t want the grounds to let the pictures down.’
She shrugged. ‘Personally, I can’t see that happening, but you’d better get on.’
A couple of hours later Jess and Izzy stood outside the marquee and smiled at each other.
‘It’s looking perfect,’ Jess said.
‘Isn’t it?’ Izzy gave Jess a hug. ‘We’ve pulled this off in record time too. I knew we could do it.’
Jess puffed out her cheeks and blew a raspberry. ‘I wasn’t so sure, but after everything that’s happened I’m so relieved it’s looking this good.’
They finished packing the remnants of their crockery and linens away into the butler’s pantry. ‘This is in case there are any extra guests we haven’t been told about,’ Izzy said when Marie asked them why they had extra stock.
‘Or in case there’s a drama and we need to replace stuff.’ Izzy narrowed her eyes. ‘You’d be amazed how many times we’ve had to do that.’
Marie wanted to see their progress, so they all headed over to the marquee. ‘Wow, you girls are seriously talented.’
‘That’s what I said.’ Ed had come up to the entrance of the marquee behind them.
The roar of a car came towards them down the long driveway. Izzy turned as a beautiful pillar-box red sports car rounded the corner, driven by Ed’s godfather.
‘Hello!’ Ed called, hurrying over to greet the tall man who seemed to unfold his long legs as he stepped out of his car. Next to him in the passenger seat was a younger, more glamorous man. He looked as if he wouldn’t seem out of place in a theatre. It was Rick from the Encore.
‘We’ve met,’ Izzy said.
Rick smiled a bleached, toothy smile.
Marie nodded. ‘Good-looking, isn’t he?’
‘If you’re talking about the Seigneur, I can’t see it myself,’ Jess murmured. ‘Mind you, I can see where Catherine gets her long legs from.’
Marie turned to them and said, ‘You should see the portrait of her mother: she really was exquisite to look at. Catherine was lucky to inherit the best of her parents.’
Ed and the two men came back towards them. ‘The girls have done a brilliant job setting up the marquee for the wedding on Saturday.’
Izzy stepped forward. ‘Yes, and we’re incredibly grateful to you for agreeing to let us hold the wedding here. It’s going to be amazing.’
Ed indicated the other man. ‘Ladies, this is Rick from the Encore.’ Izzy was surprised that the Seigneur was so pleasant, after his coolness at their initial meeting. She wondered if it could be because his friend was with him, or maybe
it was because Catherine was home again.
Rick grinned at them, holding his arms out as if he was about to take a bow. ‘I’m delighted you girls were able to return from your trip with Ed and accommodate the young bride. Francesca and I were inordinately concerned when we had the fire and had to cancel her arrangements for Saturday,’ he said in his southern American drawl.
‘It’s no problem, we were grateful to be given the opportunity,’ Jess said, glancing at the Seigneur, ‘and we were happy to be able to step in and save the day.’
He patted Ed on the back. ‘Well it’s young Ed here you have to thank, not me. Ed’s the one who persuaded that chap there and insisted you could do it and Francesca and I were willing to agree to anything to help the kid. And look, you’ve pulled it off.’
‘Not yet,’ Izzy said smiling. ‘But we will.’
‘Of course you will,’ Ed said, putting an arm each around Jess and Izzy. ‘I have every faith in you,’ he said tilting his head towards the marquee. ‘What do you say, Marie?’
Izzy had forgotten Marie was standing with them, she’d been so quiet. She wondered if it was because her boss was here and maybe she felt she should be inside doing jobs or something.
‘They’ve been very creative,’ she said.
Izzy spotted the Seigneur glance at Marie and without saying anything further she walked off back into the house. What happened there, Izzy wondered, hoping Marie was OK.
‘We’d better go,’ Izzy said. ‘But thank you once again, Mr, er, sir.’
He shook his head. ‘Just call me Ralph, everyone else does.’
‘No they don’t,’ Ed teased.
He pushed Ed’s shoulder. ‘Haven’t you got work to be getting on with instead of annoying these poor girls?’ He looked at Izzy and winked. ‘I’d better get on, too.’ He looked over at the parking area. ‘Catherine about?’
Ed shook his head. ‘I haven’t seen her today.’
The Seigneur stopped walking. ‘I was sorry that Catherine’s elopement caused you both so much inconvenience,’ he said, sounding sincere. ‘Ed was unimpressed to say the least.’ He gave Ed a smile. ‘He didn’t really give me much opportunity to refuse this idea of you holding the wedding here, although he’ll probably be furious with me for telling you as much.’
Ed didn’t look pleased for this news to have been given out to them. ‘That was because I wanted you to see how well something like this could work.’
‘Yes, well, now you have.’ Ralph patted Ed’s arm before walking off towards the manor house. ‘If I don’t see you before I hope your day is everything you hope it to be.’ He motioned for Rick to follow him. ‘Come along, I think we could do with a snifter, don’t you?’
‘He can be really lovely,’ Jess said.
‘We really need to get home and make any last-minute plans.’
Ed followed them over to the van and walked around to the driver’s side to speak to Izzy. ‘I was wondering if you’d want to come for a quick drink tonight?’
‘I’ve got the wedding tomorrow,’ she said, sorely tempted. She’d never ordinarily go out the night before a big event, but who knew how many times she’d be able to go for a drink with him before he left. She watched him waiting for her answer. ‘Go on then, but just a quick drink.’
Ed smiled. He bent down and kissed her just as she was about to add something. She wasn’t sure what because his lips on hers wiped out everything she was intending to say.
‘I’m going to have to go home and shower first,’ she said, not relishing sitting in a pub after hours toiling in the heat of the marquee.
‘No problem,’ Ed said, ‘I’ll meet you at the cottage in an hour and we can go somewhere close by so that you can go home whenever you choose.
That suited her fine. She reached up and kissed him once more, glad of the excuse to touch his perfect lips with her own once again. ‘See you soon,’ she said getting into the van.
It was only as they drove out of the gated archway onto the main road that Jess spoke. ‘You’re really crazy about that guy, aren’t you?’
‘What are you banging on about?’ Izzy asked, trying to deflect the interrogation she knew was about to happen.
‘Er, you know exactly what I mean, so don’t pretend you don’t.’ She fanned herself with a notebook from the side pocket of the van. ‘You never usually go out the night before we have a large job on.’
‘Never mind me,’ she said. ‘I think there’s something odd going on between Ed’s godfather and Marie.’
‘I didn’t notice anything. What do you mean?’
Happy to succeed in changing the subject, she said, ‘I thought the way Marie reacted to him was odd.’
Jess stared out of the window silently for a few minutes. Izzy was just beginning to wonder if she’d fallen asleep when she said, ‘Do you think they’re having an affair?’
Izzy wasn’t sure if Jess sounded jealous or simply intrigued at this notion. ‘I don’t know what I think, but she acted very strangely when he arrived and couldn’t get away from him quick enough.’
‘So?’
‘Well, I just thought there were unspoken messages going between them. I’m not sure what though, but something was going on.’
‘I wonder,’ she said, going quiet again. Then seconds later, slapping Izzy’s arm, shouted, ‘Hey, clever cow, that was sneaky.’
Pretending not to understand what Izzy was accusing her of, she frowned at her. ‘What was?’
‘You’re talking to me, don’t forget,’ Jess said. ‘I know you too well and especially when you’re trying to distract me, which only goes to prove that you are crazy about Monsieur Edouard, or Comte Edouard, or whatever his proper name is. Go on, admit it.’
Izzy shook her head, exasperated with Jess not leaving her alone with her thoughts. ‘OK, OK! Happy now?’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘At least I can make my mind up about a guy, you’ve been flitting between Alex and Roman for weeks and it’s not fair on either of them,’ Izzy said. ‘And I thought you’d decided not to pursue Roman?’
‘I changed my mind?’ Jess asked. ‘Alex is gorgeous, but we both know he’s a law unto himself when it comes to…’ she hesitated, ‘well, everything.’
‘I think my brother likes you a bit more than he expected. Now, rather than worrying about you, I’m more concerned about his emotions if you hurt him. It’s an odd sensation.’
‘It feels great to be the one with a little power,’ Jess said thoughtfully. ‘Although,’ she poked Izzy in the shoulder. ‘Your brother is so hot I think I’m madly in love with him already.’
‘Shit, that’s terrible.’
‘Why?’ Jess asked sounding hurt. ‘I’m your best friend, Iz, you should be happy for me.’
‘I am, truly, but it’s one thing you two falling for each other and being all loved up now – what happens if you fall out and one of you gets hurt?’ She pulled a face. ‘Think about it, whoever gets hurt will either be my best friend or my brother, and either way I’m going to be caught in the middle and whoever I comfort the other will feel betrayed.’
‘Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that.’
‘Didn’t think you had. Maybe you should be focusing your affections on Roman, at least that way we would be having relationships with two brothers.’
‘If they wanted us to, that is.’
Izzy laughed. ‘I hadn’t considered that. We’ll just have to make sure they fall in love with us.’
‘How?’
‘I’ve no idea.’ But she was going to think of something, she was certain of it.
Jess was concentrating on her mobile phone. Izzy drove, thinking about which summer dress to put on for her drink with Ed, when turning down the hill towards the slipway near the cottage she spotted Alex’s familiar motorbike. It wasn’t like him to make two visits in such quick succession.
‘What’s he doing here?’
Jess didn’t say anything, which was a little odd.
‘Jess? Do you know why my broth
er is parked outside the cottage?’
‘Maybe,’ she said guiltily.
‘Go on.’ Izzy suspected she wasn’t going to like what was coming next.
‘He sent me a text earlier. I didn’t mention it to you because I’m so confused about what to do. But after everything you’ve just said I quickly texted him back and agreed to go out with him tonight.’
Confused and aware there must be more, Izzy said, ‘And?’
Jess groaned. ‘I said I thought it was probably the best thing if we stopped seeing each other now before either of us got hurt and that maybe we should go out and discuss everything.’
Izzy was beginning to wonder how well she did know her best friend. ‘But you just said … oh never mind.’ They drew up next to his car and Izzy leaned her head out of the window. ‘Hi.’
Not giving her the usual cheery banter, Alex scowled past Izzy to Jess. ‘I was hoping to have a word with your friend.’
Izzy turned to see Jess getting out of the van. ‘I’ll go and park this on the hill, but I’ll be back in a few minutes. Try not to kill each other in that time.’
She drove away unhappy to see them both angry, but at the same time relieved that their fledgling relationship wasn’t going to go any further. If this was how they were after only going out surfing once together, what would they be like ending a full-blown relationship?
It took longer to park the van than she’d expected, and when she arrived back at the cottage, Izzy could hear the shouting before she even stepped inside the front door.
‘Your brother is so full of himself,’ Jess yelled as soon as Izzy was inside.
‘No, I’m not!’
Izzy stood saying nothing as they bickered back and forth, but eventually she grew sick of listening to their petty rowing, she shoved herself between the two of them. ‘I think you two need to take a deep breath and relax a little. This isn’t getting you anywhere.’
Alex paced the floor, pushing his long, tanned fingers through his sun-kissed hair. ‘I only suggested we go out for a meal. I didn’t ask her to elope, for God’s sake.’
He frowned, looking more uncomfortable than she’d ever seen him before. It occurred to Izzy that her brother was always the one in control in any romantic relationship and his feelings for Jess were causing him to feel vulnerable.
The Jersey Scene series box set Page 84
