The Wedding Reject Table (Choc Lit) (Nashville Connections Book 2)

by Angela Britnell

  With the cake cut she loaded up trays with the famous cake jars ready for Emily and her crew to pass around.

  ‘Go and sit down. Take ten minutes,’ Emily whispered in her ear and Maggie tried to protest but her sister shooed her away. ‘Drool over your American while you have the chance.’

  Suddenly shy, Maggie put her hands up to her hot shiny cheeks. Her hair must be even more of a mess now and if she took off her apron it’d reveal her tight, creased dress. Compared to the glossy, well-groomed girls at Chad’s table she was a wreck.

  ‘You’re beautiful.’ Chad’s honeyed drawl in her ear startled her and only his hand on her elbow stopped her from tripping over her own feet as she turned around.

  ‘And you’re an inveterate liar.’

  His tawny eyes darkened. ‘Don’t say that,’ Chad teased. ‘I was only speaking the truth as I see it.’

  Maggie swallowed hard. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘You’re safe. I won’t hurt you because if I do Audrey will skin me alive.’ His quirky smile made her laugh out loud.

  ‘She’s a tough old lady.’

  Chad pushed a strand of her loose hair back out of the way. ‘You might call her old. I value my life too much. She reminds me of my own grandmother.’

  ‘The one who forced you to come to the wedding?’

  His searing gaze bored into her and Maggie couldn’t make herself look away. ‘I’ll be forever grateful for the fact she’s a determined woman.’ He ran his thumb down over her cheek, lingering on her jaw and sending delightful shivers running through her blood. ‘My favourite kind.’

  ‘I’ve only got ten minutes, how about we sit down and taste the fruits of our hard work?’

  Chad glanced over his shoulder and turned back to her with a shrug. ‘I suppose we’d better go and join the others at the table although I’d rather have you to myself.’

  Was he always this frank?

  ‘Yeah, I pretty much tell it like it is, sweetheart.’ His eyes sparkled, drawing her in as he’d done from the moment they met. ‘Many of my clients hire me for that very reason, although occasionally I have to restrain myself.’

  ‘I bet that’s a challenge,’ Maggie teased and an appealing flush highlighted his sharp cheekbones.

  ‘No comment.’

  ‘A very lawyerly answer.’

  ‘Sure is.’ He held out his hand. ‘Come on, we’re wasting cake eating time.’

  ‘A sacrilege if ever I heard one.’ Recklessly she placed her hand in his, not caring who saw.

  Chad led her across the room and Maggie felt more than a few pairs of eyes following their progress.

  ‘Here’s our other reject come to join the fun,’ he announced with a wide grin around at the disparate group who’d all stopped eating to stare at them.

  Chapter Seven

  ‘Sit by me,’ Audrey ordered, gesturing at the seat next to her. ‘You look worn out, Margaret. I want an explanation for why we’re eating cake out of jam jars. Last week Fiona described every detail of the cake she’d ordered and this isn’t it.’ She prodded the mixture as if it contained arsenic.

  Creative culinary experiments were plainly out of the old lady’s realm. Chad caught Maggie’s eye and she gave a resigned shrug. They both knew Audrey would demand the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

  ‘Do something useful, young man, and fetch this poor girl a drink.’ Audrey swivelled around to face him.

  ‘Yes, ma’am.’ Chad swiftly agreed and hurried off to collar one of the waitresses, persuading her to fetch him a bottle of champagne. He returned to the table brandishing the bottle and caught snippets of Maggie’s muttered conversation with the older lady. By the sharp glances Audrey kept throwing his way Chad guessed his part in the kitchen proceedings wasn’t a secret any more. He poured a fresh glass out for Maggie and topped up everyone else’s. ‘There you go.’ Chad raised his glass. ‘I think we should all drink a toast to our wonderful cake magician.’

  Tonya’s cool stare was distinctly less friendly now. He hadn’t missed her watching when he and Maggie walked to the table together. Holding her hand might not have been wise but he didn’t regret giving in to his impulse.

  ‘Sit there.’ Audrey gestured to the chair on her other side and Chad did as he was told. ‘Is your sister behaving herself?’

  ‘Emily’s fine, thank you.’ Maggie glanced at her watch. ‘I must get back to the kitchen soon. There’s lots to do.’

  Audrey’s shrewd dark eyes narrowed. ‘Very convenient, my dear. I expect you to come and have tea with me one day next week so we can have a proper conversation.’ She gave a sharp nod in Chad’s direction. ‘Bring him along. He’ll enjoy seeing my house and we might teach him how to drink tea the proper way.’

  The helpless glance he received said Maggie didn’t have a clue how to reply.

  ‘We’d be delighted.’ Chad oozed Southern charm as if he’d been born on a Mississippi plantation and spent his days drinking mint juleps on the front porch. ‘It sure is kind of you to invite me to your home. All I ask is that you let down the drawbridge and order the guards to hold back on the boiling oil.’ Maggie stifled a giggle and he squeezed her hand under the table.

  ‘You are a very cheeky man, Mr Robertson.’ Her haughty manner was completely at odds with the smile tugging at the edges of her narrow lips. ‘Monday at three. And don’t be late. I abhor unpunctuality even more than being answered back to.’

  ‘Monday it is. Should we synchronise our watches now?’ Chad teased.

  Maggie jumped up to standing. ‘Some of us have work to do. I’ll leave you two to trade insults to your heart’s content.’ She leaned down and kissed the old lady’s cheek. ‘I’ll see you on Monday.’ Straightening up she nodded at him. ‘Behave yourself.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am.’ Judging by Maggie’s mischievous smile she’d love to say more but didn’t dare. ‘Off you go. I’ll catch up with you later.’

  ‘I’m sure you will,’ she muttered, hurrying away before Chad could say anymore. She’d noticed him stifle a smile when Audrey called her Margaret. No one else called her that these days although her parents had always insisted on doing so. She blinked back tears. How they’d love to be here today and see she and Emily working together. It’s not by choice. Admit it.

  When Emily first broached the idea Maggie’s heart had sunk. She’d been making wedding cakes for several years in addition to her regular job with a local estate agent and on the verge of saving enough to start her own business. Emily had flitted her way through more jobs than anyone could remember without settling to anything and when she turned on the guilt screw Maggie had succumbed.

  Please, Maggie. You know I’m not smart like you with money. I can cook but you’re good at bossing people around and organising things. Mum and Dad would be so pleased. They always wanted us to be closer.

  Their father had never appeared to see past Emily’s helpless princess act, but a couple of times Maggie suspected that her mother did. From the time she was old enough to understand it’d been made clear to Maggie that she was responsible for Emily, not the other way around. Dad had explained it very gently.

  Some people are born tough and others aren’t, Margaret. She can’t help being sensitive and emotional. You’ll have to help her navigate the world because other people won’t always understand.

  Maggie hadn’t really understood either, but even at eight-years-old knew not to say so out loud. Life wasn’t ever easy. She sighed to herself and slipped back into the kitchen – walking straight into another nightmare.

  ‘You want to steer clear of Maggie,’ Tonya whispered in Chad’s ear. ‘The family’s unstable. Her sister’s a bit of a loony.’

  Chad sipped his champagne and set the glass back down on the table. Tonya Egerton plainly still fancied her chances with him and wasn’t about to prise her claws out in a hurry.

  ‘You sure have a wild imagination.’ He gave no hint of the anger bubbling under his surface smile. ‘What do you plan to
do in London when you move back there?’ Chad tried to change the subject.

  Tonya smirked. ‘Oh, dear, you do have it bad.’

  He hated being seen through by this unpleasant woman and glanced in Audrey’s direction only to catch her giving him an equally knowing look.

  ‘Maggie will probably be very grateful later.’ Tonya wouldn’t let it go and Chad’s hands tensed around his champagne glass.

  ‘I suggest you keep your uncharitable thoughts to yourself, young lady.’ Audrey’s imperious tones rang out and everyone around them stared. ‘Your parents would be ashamed to hear you talking that way.’

  An angry flush coloured Tonya’s neck and crept up to flood her face. Chad almost wished the old lady had kept her mouth shut. Experience told him this woman wasn’t someone you wanted as an enemy. He had a suspicion she could cause trouble for Maggie if she chose to.

  ‘Let’s not spoil a good wedding,’ Chad chirped, inwardly wincing at his fake good humour. ‘Maybe we haven’t had enough champagne yet.’ He picked up the bottle and refilled Tonya’s glass and his own.

  Audrey held a hand over the top of her glass and fixed the other woman with a stony glare. ‘Some people have had too much already, and that’s part of the problem.’

  Chad set the bottle back down and wondered how much longer the reception would last. He was only grateful there was no evening party to get through because avoiding Tonya’s clutches on the dance floor might’ve been beyond even his expertise. He didn’t go much on his chances of seeing Maggie again later because he could hardly hang around while she cleared up after Emily’s earlier scathing remarks. He suddenly realised they were the only three left on the Reject Table. The two younger girls had gravitated towards a couple of the ushers and were attempting to work their magic on the luckless men. The organist was nowhere to be seen and Chad guessed he’d slipped away to feed his cat or practise the hymns for tomorrow’s service.

  Chandler, I’m disappointed in you. The poor man did nothing to deserve your unkindness.

  His mother’s quiet reprimand filled his head and Chad wordlessly murmured an apology, to his parent and the absent organist. One thing his parents were always strict with him and Josh about was the need to treat everyone the same. It didn’t matter if they were a garbage collector or the President of the United States.

  Out of the blue a piercing scream rang out from the kitchen and Chad leapt to his feet, shoved the chair back out of the way and wended his way through the staggered rows of tables, pushing one man out of the way Chad threw open the kitchen door and froze.

  Maggie, wide-eyed and frighteningly pale, was bent down over her sister’s lifeless figure sprawled on the floor.

  ‘Has someone called for an ambulance?’ He shouted and one of the waitresses shook her head. ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because I told her not to.’ Maggie’s voice was barely audible but a note of steel ran through every word. ‘I need to get Emily home.’

  The attorney in him wanted to ask more questions, and press her until he got the truth but he didn’t dare. ‘Do you need any help?’

  She glanced up and her deep blue eyes shone with tears. ‘No, thank you. I can manage.’ I’ve had to plenty of other times. Her unspoken words rang out so clearly he flinched.

  ‘How about with clearing away after the reception finishes?’ Anything. Tell me and I’ll do it.

  ‘Susan will see to everything.’ Maggie nodded towards an older red-haired waitress hovering nearby.

  What else could he do? Chad nodded. ‘I’ll call later and check y’all are okay.’

  ‘Please don’t bother. I’ll be busy.’

  He fished out a silver business card case from his pocket and opened it to pass one over to her. ‘Use this number if you need anything. I mean it.’ Chad met her challenging stare before he turned and walked away. Back to the Reject Table.

  Chapter Eight

  ‘What am I going to do?’ Emily wailed. ‘He’s got cross at me a few times recently and we did have a bit of an argument yesterday but I never thought he’d actually leave me.’ Maggie wrapped her arms around her sister and rocked her until the heaving sobs quietened down. ‘He dumped me by text. By text. What sort of man does that?’

  One who knows how emotional you are and can’t cope. He knew this was how you’d react and was too much of a coward to face it himself. Instead he’d left Maggie to pick up the pieces.

  ‘A weak one, Ems. And not good enough for you.’ Maggie stroked Emily’s silky golden hair. No matter how annoying her sister could be she didn’t deserve to be treated this way – no one did. ‘Let’s get you home.’

  Emily gazed wide-eyed around the room at the rest of the staff who were watching them with unconcealed interest.

  ‘Can you stand up?’ Maggie asked, getting a brief nod in return. She let go of her sister and scrambled to her feet, holding out her hand to help Emily. ‘Okay?’ She caught Susan’s eye. ‘Are you sure you can cope?’

  ‘It’s not a problem. The bride and groom are due to leave in ten minutes. The reception will break up then.’ Susan reassured her. ‘Don’t worry. You see to Emily and I’ll ring you tomorrow.’

  ‘Thanks.’ She turned back to see her sister, pale as a ghost and shaking. Even Emily couldn’t fake this level of distress and for once she genuinely felt sorry for her. ‘I’ll get my handbag and we’ll be off.’ Maggie led her sister towards the back door of the kitchen. They’d have to walk around to the front of the hotel where her car was parked but it was better than going out through the reception crowd and attracting too much attention. You can’t stand to see Chad again, can you? He’d been nothing but kind and she’d thrown his sympathy right back in his face. ‘Come on, Ems,’ she encouraged and her sister trailed along behind her. They made it to the car and briefly Maggie considered and quickly rejected the idea of going back in to say goodbye to Fiona and Peter. She fastened Emily’s seatbelt and hurried around to get in the driver’s seat. For a second she clung onto the wheel and took a couple of slow, deep breaths.

  ‘Are you alright?’

  Somehow she managed to nod at hearing her sister’s unexpected concern and started up the car. Maggie headed off down the long gravel driveway and drove the ten miles to their house without either of them saying another word.

  ‘Spill the beans.’ Tonya’s eyes gleamed at Chad. ‘Let me guess. Loopy Emily broke a fingernail?’

  Maggie’s sister was obviously renowned for being a drama queen, but Chad was pretty sure there was more to it this time.

  ‘That’s quite enough.’ Audrey interrupted, ‘There’s a Jewish proverb that goes “What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t witness with your mouth”.’ Her sharp gaze focused on Chad, clearly telling him not to indulge Tonya’s curiosity.

  ‘I have no idea, but everything seems to be fine now,’ he replied, although it wasn’t anywhere near the truth. Chad wasn’t stupid, despite the older woman’s concern and had no intention of saying anything that could be repeated or misconstrued. The loud boom of the gong silenced the room and saved him from being interrogated any more. Fiona’s father encouraged everyone to head outside to see off the newly married couple.

  Chad jumped to his feet. ‘Ladies, may I escort you?’ He flashed one of his brightest smiles. Tonya instantly sprung to her feet and wriggled her hand through his arm so he couldn’t shake her off without being rude. Chad offered his other arm to Audrey and her face creased in a half smile. Graciously she allowed him to tuck her hand into his elbow and he steered the three of them out through the crowd.

  ‘You’re a very good liar, Mr Robertson,’ Audrey whispered. ‘I don’t wish to know what happened, but I am worried about those girls.’

  ‘I honestly don’t know the full story, but Maggie seemed to be handling it okay,’ he murmured, turning his head so Tonya couldn’t catch their conversation.

  ‘She’s always had to.’ Audrey shook her head. ‘It’s wicked that their parents made Maggie responsible for her sister
when there’s nothing wrong with Emily a good spanking as a child wouldn’t have cured.’

  This wasn’t the time or place to discuss Maggie’s upbringing despite his overwhelming urge to know more. He turned back to Tonya. ‘Any idea where the happy couple are honeymooning?’

  ‘I did hear they were going to Hawaii, but have no idea if that’s right.’ She leaned forward to give Audrey a snide nod. ‘I probably shouldn’t have told you because it’s only the gossip going around.’

  ‘Don’t try to be clever, my dear, it doesn’t suit you.’ Audrey’s sharp tone made Chad wince. Why did he get stuck trying to negotiate peace between two of the most difficult women in the room while the one he really wanted to be with had soundly rejected him?

  They joined the crowd gathered around the front door of the hotel and Chad’s fervent hope was that Fiona and Peter would hurry up and leave. As soon as the confetti throwing was over he intended to politely get rid of his two companions. He’d escape to the local pub where he was staying, dump the fancy suit and drown his sorrows at the bar. Chad had managed to weasel out of Peter’s mother’s invitation to join them for a family meal later by pleading jet-lag. Lying wasn’t honourable, especially to his family, but he’d had more than enough for one day.

  Maggie watched Emily’s peaceful breathing. As soon as they’d had a cup of tea her sister had fallen asleep on the sofa. At least it meant she didn’t have to keep listening to heartbroken, unanswerable questions about Jonathan’s reasons for breaking off their engagement. Maggie’s educated guess was that he’d got tired of babying Emily but what did she know? Her own experience with men could fit on the head of the proverbial pin. In between keeping an eye on Emily, earning a living and trying to get a business started the amount of time she’d had for a social life was close to nil. To say that the majority of the dates she had been on were less than stellar successes was putting it mildly.