‘Ah, well… Thing is, Chlo…’ He gave her a weak smile, as he seemed to take a moment to centre himself. His body softened the longer he looked at her as if he were remembering good times, good things. ‘Thing is… I’m trying to think about her. I am. It’s just, I can’t stop thinking about you.’
‘Well, tough, Jace. Tough, if you feel guilty about it. You made a decision, and you have to live with it.’ ‘I don’t think I can.’ And to her horror, he reached out and touched her face. Oh, good God. No.
Really? He wasn’t feeling guilty about what he’d done to her; he wanted her back. Or wanted her, as well.
She prayed no one was watching, that they were all distracted by the amazing cake or… something. She hoped no one would see this drunken morose idiot spouting nonsense, and her standing there taking his thinly veiled passive-aggressive rubbish all over again. Not anymore.
She didn’t want him to like her anymore.
Taking a step back, Chloe took a deep breath. ‘Please don’t touch me.’
He looked sulkily at her. ‘You used to like it.’
‘When we were together, yes. And now we’re not. You’re with Amy. And she’s watching. And pregnant. In fact, everyone’s watching. Including Jane, the bride, my client.’ Jane was standing, cake knife gripped in her hand, her face thick with anger and frustration as if contemplating where to stick that knife next. Chloe had a few ideas… ‘Jason, please go back to Amy.’
‘I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with you.’
She took hold of his hand and pulled it away from her face, flashing a smile to the watching crowd while simultaneously silently praying for the ground to swallow her up. ‘You’re drunk, Jace, and you’ll regret all this tomorrow. Just go back to your girlfriend and stop making a scene. You’re going to ruin this for Jane and Tim, and for me. You have no idea how bad this looks.’
He shook his head. ‘That’d be right. It was always about you, wasn’t it? What you wanted.’
‘I’m going.’ Chloe took a few steps towards the group but was stopped by Jason’s hand on her arm.
‘You can’t go.’ He was shouting now. ‘Stay here. Stay here, Chloe. Do not walk away.’
‘Jason! What are you doing? Why are you touching her?’ Amy’s wobbling voice echoed around the room as she marched towards them. There was no sign of a pregnancy, no telltale little bump or waddle, but she did look very angry.
Chloe’s heart plummeted. This was worse than a dreadful daytime soap opera. She walked towards her ex-best friend, palms up and open in surrender and made her voice as soothing as possible, ‘Amy, it’s fine. Really. There’s nothing happening here.’
Amy glared at her. ‘You’re just jealous, that’s all. It doesn’t suit you, you know. Poor Jason feels sorry for you, and he’s a bit vulnerable right now. So just leave him alone.’
Vulnerable? There was that internet profile again running through her head like a TV news report. But what could she say? They’d only accuse her of making things up, or stalking him or some other rubbish. This was all such a bad idea.
‘Okay, both of you, that is enough. Stop it. Stop it right now. I am fine with everything—you both made your choices, and that’s okay. We’ve all moved on, and we all have to get along. Now, there’s a wedding going on here, let’s enjoy it, right?’
She managed to extricate herself and did a walk of shame through the silent crowd and the clients and the gaping guests to the magnificent five-tiered wedding cake resplendent with the whitest of white icing and a deep red carpet running from bottom to top. Hollywood glamour in fondant icing. On the very top was a clapperboard with the words Mr and Mrs Wright. Wedding. Act One. It had taken her days to find the most accomplished cake maker for this. It was a flipping masterpiece and all to Chloe’s own design. ‘Okay, let’s get this show on the road, eh? Who’s for cake?’
And yes, her voice was wobbling almost as much as her legs, but she thought she just might have got away with it.
‘About time, too. We’ve been standing here like idiots while you sort out your disastrous love life,’ Jane hissed through clenched teeth as the caterer carved the bottom tier into pieces. In the far corner of the room, Chloe could see Vaughn and Jason having a heated discussion. Jason was shrugging weak shoulders as Vaughn towered over him, face black as thunder. Everywhere she turned there was an argument. Jane was still hissing. ‘What the hell did you think you were doing there? How dare you try to ruin my wedding? We’re supposed to be in the limelight, not you.’
‘I am so, so sorry, Jane. He gets a little boisterous when he’s been drinking.’ So maybe things hadn’t gone quite as unnoticed as Chloe had hoped. It was her job to ensure the bride and groom’s day went off without a hitch, that the bride had the happiest day of her life. She was supposed to be giving her the fairy tale, not the nightmare incorporating a stand-up row in the middle of the dance floor at cake cutting time.
‘I know what he did was hurtful, Chloe, but you can’t take it out on him here, at my wedding.’ Frosty was an understatement; Jane would have frozen a blowtorch in a heat wave.
‘But, I… wasn’t taking it out—’ Was there any use in arguing?
‘And poor Amy. She’s pregnant, you know. It hasn’t been easy for her. Morning sickness is horrible.’
‘Poor Amy?’ The one who got the man and the baby? ‘I mean… yes, poor Amy. Morning sickness is terrible.’
The bride’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Chloe. ‘She’s been a good friend to me while you’ve been hibernating and refusing to come out. I couldn’t have done all this without her support.’
‘What? I arranged the whole thing…’
‘You did some phoning around, yes, but she was there for me when I needed to talk ideas through. She was so concerned about you being here today. She was in pieces over it, I mean real ugly tears, and I had to deal with all that. People told me to get another planner after what happened at your own wedding and the police and the newspaper article and everything, and that you can be… emotional about things, but I stuck by you. And now you show us up in front of everyone by arguing with him? Here? At my wedding?’
The hot sting of anger welled up from Chloe’s chest. ‘But… I didn’t… he… I… Wait a minute… which people told you to get another wedding planner?’
Jane looked nervously towards her friends. Their friends. The ones who’d chosen Jason. ‘Honestly, Chloe, do you think I’m going to tell you that?’
‘No. It doesn’t matter, really, it doesn’t.’ Tears stung the back of her eyes. But damn it if she was going to show them she was upset by it all. Clearly, they’d already made up their minds about who’s side they were on, and it wasn’t hers. She made a play of looking at her watch. ‘Oh, I think the DJ’s going to start up again in a minute. Eight thirty? That’s right?’
‘I don’t know, you’re the planner, aren’t you? I’m just the bride, remember?’
How could I forget?
Chloe started to say more, but Jane turned away and started talking to another guest, all smiles and serenity as if Chloe and her problems didn’t exist.
In fact, as Chloe did a three-sixty degree turn, she realised everyone had grouped off into little huddles. One of which was around Amy. Old friends—of Chloe’s too—were stroking her back and making cooing noises. Jason was nowhere to be seen. And as for Vaughn, he’d disappeared too.
So she was on her own. Entirely on her own, and yet surrounded by hundreds of guests. Which had been her plan, after all, once the dating thing hadn’t worked out. She’d been absolutely fine about being here purely for business, with no one to support her or to take her side or to help. She was still fine about it. She was a strong professional woman, after all, and she had absolutely nothing to prove to any of them.
She just hadn’t realised how lonely it would feel.
‘So, you didn’t tell me you were going to be the main act tonight. Quite a show.’ Vaughn. There was that little flip in her stomach. He’d app
eared from nowhere again, handing her a glass of wine and wrapping an arm around her shoulder, which felt strangely wonderful and comforting, as he steered her towards an open door. ‘But that’s quite enough for now, Chloe. Let’s get you out of the spotlight. Take this and drink.’
The museum was housed in an old wharf building overlooking the River Thames. Out front, there was a wooden deck, usually closed off to the public, but open for private functions, with views across to Tower Bridge. They stepped outside and breathed in the cool spring air. The sun was dipping behind the buildings, casting red streaks over the city. It could have been beautiful. It was, but Chloe didn’t feel it. She just felt righteously annoyed, and strangely beyond glad that Vaughn was here.
He had a cool edge to him that was cross and angry, but she didn’t think it was with her as he pressed the glass to her mouth and tipped. ‘Now, drink some more. A big gulp. That’s it, and another one. That’ll make you feel better.’
The wine slipped down very easily, fresh and cooling. And hell, she needed it. ‘That bad, eh?’
He grinned, his hand still resting loosely on her neck as she drank. ‘No, not at all. No one really noticed World War Three starting in the middle of the dance floor between you and my feckless cousin and his sappy girlfriend.’
‘Now you’re just outright lying.’ She couldn’t help but smile. He had a way of making things feel better. No, actually, of making her feel better. ‘It was hardly a world war, just a little… er… disagreement.’
‘Okay, if you say so. But let’s just say the wedding-that-never-was is the main topic of conversation at the wedding-that-currently-is.’ His smile was gentle, but he removed his arm and leant against the railings. His smile fell as he looked at her. ‘It’ll blow over, Chloe. Don’t worry.’
There was a cool breeze where his arm had been, and she missed his heat already. Craved it. There was something strange going on here inside her, something that longed to feel his touch on her skin. And more. There was a heat inside her, too, that only ever flickered into life when she was with him. But, right now, there were more pressing matters. ‘Don’t worry? My client hates me. Amy hates me. My ex hates me—’
‘That’s not what he was saying to me.’ Vaughn looked at her and she couldn’t read what he was thinking.
‘Which was…? Come on? What did you say to Jason? Rather, what did he say to you? No. Don’t answer that. He’s your cousin; you probably have a secret Bro code or something.’
‘Why do you want to know?’ Vaughn took a noticeable step back. ‘Do you still love him? After everything he did to you?’
‘Of course not.’
‘Amy said you were jealous.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Seriously? What does she know? She hasn’t ever asked me how I feel. But for the record, I’m not. Jealous, that is.’ Not about Jason, but maybe about the baby. Yes, about the baby. Chloe’s ears went pink and her cheeks blazed—talking about this personal stuff with Vaughn was plain embarrassing. He’d been there, after all, at her most humiliating moment. And again now, at her second most humiliating moment. Maybe it was him? Maybe he was the humiliation catalyst? ‘I just want to make sure that Jason has left the building.’
‘I can confirm that he has.’
‘Good. Good riddance.’ She had to get the words out somehow because if she didn’t, they would sit in her gut and rot. ‘You know she’s pregnant? Amy?’
Vaughn nodded, looking grim. ‘I do. And I’m sorry.’
Chloe raised her chin. ‘It’s fine.’
‘It isn’t.’
Her heart squeezed; there was no point in lying to him when he could clearly read her mind. ‘No, it isn’t. But it will be. I’m just a bit shocked. It was supposed to me, you know. That baby—it was supposed to be ours. One day, anyway. We had plans, at least, I did. He had plans too, just not the same ones as me, obviously. I do want a baby, at some point, and now Amy’s got that too.’
‘Oh, Chloe. Come here.’ Vaughn wrapped her into a hug and held her there for a few minutes. Just held her. No words, no soothing noises or empty phrases. Just his warmth around her. As she breathed in his scent, she felt the strength in his arms and matched her breathing to his. It felt amazing just to have someone hold her after such a long time. To feel as if someone cared.
She’d read somewhere that a hug of more than twenty seconds had actual real medically proven healing properties, so she made sure to hang on to him for a few seconds longer, just to test out the hypothesis.
And, for the record, she certainly felt a whole lot better being wrapped up in Vaughn Bloody Brooks than she had before.
She looked up at him, and noticed the little lines around his dark eyes as he smiled, the hair that was supposed to be neat and now wasn’t, and the smart dark suit that did not make him look like every male movie star ever. It made him look much more unapproachable and sexier and just more beautiful.
And it all made her feel a little off balance. Because Jason was his cousin, but Vaughn had been the one defending her. And that made her feel a little sad because she didn’t want to get in between two cousins. Cousins were family, and the one thing she knew more than anything else was that family should always stick together.
Then she felt a little bump in her heart at the thought of her mum in bed, feeling sick because she’d lied. And the anger still deep in Chloe’s gut about the lie. And the fact she’d lied to her mum and to Jenna about money. And it was all out of love and a desire to protect family from hurt.
All in all, families were very confusing.
He’s Jason’s family.
‘Thanks for that.’ Feeling much better and a little guilty, she wriggled out of his arms and dredged up a smile. ‘I’m fine. Really.’
‘I know you are. You are more than fine, Chloe Cassidy.’ Vaughn tapped her gently on the nose, then settled against the rail again. ‘And he isn’t. I told him he was an idiot to make a scene, and that he was making a fool of himself and you. Then I hailed a cab and sent them both packing. He shouldn’t have even come tonight.’
‘He was drunk.’
‘He’s got a very poor track record of making decent decisions.’
‘Too right.’ Exhibit A, m’lord: Searching4U. ‘Well, he’s ruined it for me tonight. No one’s going to book Something Borrowed for a wedding after that, and I doubt Jane’s going to recommend me to anyone anytime soon.’
Vaughn’s eyes softened, and on such a big, masculine man, it looked… well, it looked adorable. Who’d have thought the bouquet-battered best man could look like this? ‘Forget it. Screw them all, Chloe. There are other people who will book you.’
‘Please explain that to the bank when they come knocking at my door.’
‘It won’t get to that. You have plenty of things you can fall back on. Haven’t you?’
The Inland Revenue job she hated? But there it was, she had people relying on her, so she had to do what she had to do if it came to winding up the business. ‘I just wish I didn’t have to. Bloody Jason. Again. I should have just ignored him, or told him to piss off. Why is it only afterwards that you think of things you should have said and done?’
‘Trust me on this. You can’t change the past. You can only move forward.’ Vaughn tipped his drink at her in a kind of salute, nudging her gently forwards. ‘Think of ways to do that and don’t focus on Jason.’
‘Believe me, it’s not like I want to, but he was so entwined in my life for so long. Ten years, over a third of my life. And he keeps turning up and reminding me all over again.’ But she had been focusing too much on her past, and Vaughn was right; it was definitely time to strategise a future rather than looking behind her all the time at the bad bits and the things that went wrong. Like her mum and dad, and the Jilting.
Then she thought about the bad Collini review and Vaughn’s lost loved one and wondered how far forward he could move, too, when things kept getting sticky and too hard to push past. ‘I can certainly go into damage limitation mode. But it
sounds as if Jane was only tolerating me because we’d already arranged so much before my wedding and I was in too deep for her to extricate herself. I’m not sure she’ll be overly keen to let me use her photos now.’
‘So? You have your own. And here… I’ve taken a few too, so we can pool resources. There’s bound to be something you can use out of this lot.’ He reached for his phone and showed her some very arty-looking close-ups of the flowers and the costumes and the venue, with a filter that made them look retro and vintage and chic and exactly the kind of look she was aiming for.
‘Wow, you’re really good at this.’
One side of his mouth tipped up in a smile, and she got the feeling people didn’t pay him compliments very often. Which was a crime! The world needed to see that smile more often. ‘It’s just something I picked up. My… er…’ He looked out across the water. ‘Someone I used to know was a photographer.’
‘Well, you learnt well. And thank you.’ She was intrigued by the sad smile, but he had a sort of hands-off look about him that told her this topic was clearly not up for discussion.
For a few moments, they stood in silence staring out over the river, the evening breeze fluttering around them. Tugboats sloped by, bars emptied and filled, people carried on their busy Saturday night lives. Inside the museum, the DJ had started to play some 80s tunes and the dance floor creaked with jumping bodies. Out here on the balcony, it was quiet and peaceful and for once Chloe didn’t feel the need to speak to fill the silence.
Eventually, Vaughn turned to her, edging a little closer. Once again his scent washed over her, tugging at her heart and her gut and the deeper parts of her. He glanced at the door. ‘You want to dance?’
She didn’t want to break this precious moment of solidarity. Or to call it anything other than that, even though she suspected there were things happening inside her that were so much more than solidarity with Vaughn. ‘Dance? In there? With that lot? No thanks. Is it wrong of me to want to grasp some peace out here just a little while longer?’
Something Borrowed Page 14
