Jake stroked her hair in silence for a moment, then stood up with her and set her on her feet. ‘Thank you, darling. It can’t have been easy for you to tell me that. And now I must go. See you in the morning.’
‘You were right, Jake. You are definitely not the average male.’ Sarah smiled crookedly. ‘Any other man would be hammering at me with more questions.’
He kissed her again. ‘I admit I want to know every last thing about you, Sarah, but I promise I’ll be patient until you can trust me with the entire story. So get some sleep, darling. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.’
Jake arrived next morning on the stroke of six, as promised, in jeans and a navy jersey over a thin shirt, which was so similar to Sarah’s choice of clothes she laughed as he gave her a swift kiss.
‘We look like twins,’ she told him.
‘Not quite,’ he said with a grin, giving her a head-to-toe survey.
Jake refused coffee in favour of leaving immediately to avoid the morning rush hour, stowed Sarah’s belongings in the car, then waited while she made sure the house was secure.
‘My grandmother’s on holiday,’ she explained, sliding into the passenger seat. ‘But I’ve plugged in the gadgets that make the lights come on, and cancelled the milk and newspapers, and double-checked all the windows and doors.’
‘Then you were alone in the house last night?’ asked Jake as he drove off.
‘Yes.’
He slanted a look at her. ‘But you didn’t tell me that in case I carried you up to your bed and demanded my evil way, I suppose?’
‘I sleep downstairs, so it doesn’t apply,’ she said, unmoved. ‘And, believe it or not, I just forgot to mention it.’
‘I believe everything you tell me, Sarah.’
‘Good. Anyway, it was Grandma’s trip to Italy which originally gave me doubts about going to the wedding. But the school has my mobile number, and the details of the hotel in Norfolk, and Alison offered to stand in as back-up for Davy if the need arises.’ Sarah shivered. ‘Which I devoutly hope it won’t.’
Jake touched her hand for an instant. ‘Of course it won’t. But even if it does I’ll get you back here at the speed of light.’
‘I hope that’s not your normal approach to motorway driving?’ she asked, laughing.
‘Don’t worry, you’ll arrive in one piece, but I may need a bit of guidance to find the actual spot once we leave the A11.’
‘No problem, I’m a brilliant navigator,’ she assured him. ‘But we’ve got a lot of motorway to get through yet before I start grappling with a map.’
Jake drove not only with speed, but with such skill Sarah relaxed when she found he was capable of paying attention to the road at the same time as giving details of his trip to London, which had included a meal eaten with his brother.
‘Did you tell him about me, Jake?’
‘Yes.’
Sarah gave him a wry glance. ‘Was he surprised? Or didn’t you tell him about Davy?’
‘Of course I did. We’re pretty close, Liam and I. We like to know the other is enjoying life.’
‘And is Liam enjoying his?’
‘The work part, yes, as usual. But his romance has come unstuck.’
‘Poor Liam.’ Sarah changed the subject to talk about the wedding, which had put a strain on the accommodation available in the area. ‘Nick says the bride’s family lives in a vast old rectory, which will be crammed to the rafters with as many relations as possible to leave room in the area for the other guests.’
‘Talking of which, how, exactly, do I introduce myself to your chums?’ asked Jake.
‘As Sarah’s friend, of course.’
‘A bit lukewarm for my taste. You won’t allow lover, I know, and I draw the line at boyfriend. How about partner?’
She shook her head. ‘That implies that we live together.’
‘As we would, if I had my way,’ he said, startling her.
‘But how can you want that when we’ve never even—?’ she began, then stopped, colour flooding her face.
‘Made love?’ He sent her a smouldering look, then returned his attention to the three lanes of motorway crowded as far as the eye could see by this time with London-bound traffic. ‘The fact had not escaped my attention, Sarah. Though the foretaste I’ve been granted makes it obvious we’d be good together. More than good. Sensational.’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘Now for pity’s sake let’s change the subject—it’s bad for me when I’m driving.’
They stopped later at a motorway service restaurant for coffee and toast and a breather for Jake, who declined Sarah’s offer to help with the driving.
‘Not,’ he assured her, ‘because I refuse to let a woman drive me. But I don’t want you to arrive at the hotel too tired to enjoy the wedding.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, her smile so warm Jake reached a hand across the table to take hers.
‘Are you aware of the effect of that smile of yours?’
‘No,’ she said, surprised.
‘I thought so. Be sparing with it today. With other men,’ he added.
Sarah’s eyes flashed. ‘Orders, Jake?’
‘Advice, not orders.’ He wagged an admonishing finger. ‘I’m your escort, Miss Tracy, so save that particular smile for me.’
It had been cool with early-morning mist when they started out, but by this time the sun was so hot they discarded their sweaters before resuming their journey.
“‘Happy the bride the sun shines on,’” said Sarah.
‘It’s going to be a scorcher,’ agreed Jake, and donned dark glasses for the rest of the journey.
Due to Jake’s powerful car, and his skill as a driver, plus the added bonus of Sarah’s navigating skills, they arrived at the Greenacres Hotel shortly after eleven. Sarah spotted the bridegroom in the bar with a trio of friends, and all four of them came rushing to greet her the moment she appeared in the doorway. Grinning broadly, Nick Morrell got there first, and gave her a crushing hug before passing her on to Frances and Grania, then to Paul, completing the circle of friends who had once shared a house with Sarah in student days.
Once the hugging and kissing had abated, Sarah took Jake by the hand and drew him forward. ‘This is Jake Hogan, everyone.’
Jake was immediately pounced on by both women, but Nick interrupted, laughing, so he could introduce Paul Bailey, his best man.
‘Present company came to provide moral support, to make sure I don’t get too nervous to remember my lines. Order more coffee, Paul, would you? The others will be back shortly,’ said Nick, putting an arm round Sarah. ‘Ben—Grania’s husband,’ he told Jake, ‘is out searching the neighbourhood for a bed for the night.’
‘With my Tom as guide, which is worrying, because he’s never been to this neck of the woods before,’ put in Frances. ‘We tried wheedling at the little place we’re in, but no luck. Everything’s booked solid locally for the wedding.’
‘It’s all my fault,’ said Grania penitently. ‘I meant to book the minute I got the invitation, then it went clean out of my mind. By the time I got round to it there was no room at any inn at all.’ She pulled a face. ‘Ben is not pleased with me. I’ve grovelled to the receptionist here for first refusal if a cancellation comes in, but that’s a pretty fond hope. Never mind. We can always sleep in the car.’
‘The men can do that,’ said Frances instantly. ‘You can bunk in with me.’
Grania shook her head. ‘That’s sweet of you, Fran, but I wouldn’t dream of putting Tom out just because I was an idiot. Anyway, Sarah, let’s get on to more important subjects. We want to hear all about your gorgeous Davy—’ She halted, casting an uncertain glance at Jake.
‘Apart from getting stuck up a tree on Sunday,’ he said quickly, ‘Davy’s doing fine.’
There were instant demands to see photographs, and exclamations over the child’s extraordinary likeness to Sarah now she was growing up.
‘We all feel a bit proprietary about Davy, Jake,’ Nick explaine
d. ‘We’ve known her since she was in her buggy.’
‘I envy you that,’ said Jake quietly.
‘She’s a poppet,’ said Grania, and smiled proudly. ‘Talking of which, guess what, folks?’ She paused dramatically. ‘We’re hoping to achieve something similar ourselves by Christmas!’
The stop-press news brought a flood of congratulations and kisses all round, then Nick looked at his watch and blenched, instantly transformed into panicking bridegroom mode.
‘Sorry, must dash. Promised to collect my brother from the station. Coming, Paul? See you all in church.’ Looking harassed, he thrust a hand through his dark curly hair, thanked everyone for the gifts, then hurried off with Paul.
‘Poor dear,’ said Frances, shaking her head. ‘I thought women suffered bridal nerves, not laid-back people like Nick.’
‘Ben was just the same,’ said Grania, and sighed deeply. ‘Oh, dear. I hope he comes back with good news.’
‘So do I,’ said Sarah, then turned to Jake. ‘Perhaps we’d better check in.’
‘Right. I’ll bring the luggage in.’ He smiled warmly at Frances and Grania. ‘Good to meet you. I’ll see you later.’
After he’d gone out to the car Sarah’s one-time housemates pounced on her.
‘Does this mean you’re going to give Davy a daddy at last?’ asked Grania eagerly.
Sarah shook her head, flushing. ‘We’re just friends.’
‘Pull the other one, ducky,’ said Frances, laughing. ‘The man’s obviously nuts about you—and not at all happy to see Nick cuddling you, either.’
‘Stop it, Fran,’ said Grania, who had always been the one to look out for Sarah most in the past. ‘You’re making her blush. But Jake’s definitely a charmer. Have you known him long?’
‘Not very long,’ said Sarah, smiling as she saw Jake beckon from the foyer. ‘I must dash.’
‘I’m famished, as always by this time of day,’ said Grania, patting her middle. ‘So when you’re settled in come back down and have a snack lunch with us, Sarah. Ben and Tom should surely be back by then.’
‘Love to. See you later.’
Sarah hurried from the bar to take her hatbox from Jake. ‘Could we talk somewhere before checking in?’ she muttered in his ear.
‘Yes, of course. There’s a sofa over there.’ He gave her a searching look. ‘Sit down. Tell me what’s wrong, and what I can do to help.’
She smiled gratefully. ‘Jake, what sort of room did you book?’
To her astonishment he looked embarrassed. ‘You’ll laugh.’
‘Of course I won’t. Did they put you in the broom closet, or something?’
‘Quite the reverse. They let me have the spanking new bridal suite. Not required by your friend and his bride, obviously.’ He shrugged. ‘It was that or nothing.’
‘You’re joking! What on earth does it cost?’ she said, giggling.
‘Don’t ask.’ He took her hand. ‘So tell me, what’s your problem, Sarah, and how can I solve it for you?’
She sighed. ‘It’s just that Grania’s pregnant.’
Jake nodded. ‘And you’re worried at the idea of her sleeping in the car.’
‘Exactly. I feel guilty because I booked a double room, and heaven knows what size yours is. It seems so awful not to hand one of them over, but—’
‘There’s obviously more, so spit it out.’
Sarah looked at him in appeal. ‘This sounds stupid, but even if you agree to let me share with you I don’t want the world to know we originally booked separate rooms.’
Jake’s eyes gleamed. ‘Run that past me again. You actually want to share with me?’
‘So Grania can have my room, yes,’ she said impatiently. ‘There must be a sofa I can sleep on?’
‘You’d better hope so,’ he said, after a pause, ‘because any bridal suite worth the name is certain to have a double bed.’
‘I realise that. Would you mind sharing with me?’
Jake let out a deep breath, a wry twist to his lips. ‘No, Sarah. I wouldn’t mind at all. But are you sure about this?’
‘Of course I’m sure. So what do we do?’
‘Tell the receptionist we double-booked by mistake, and to pass your room on to your friend without mentioning you,’ said Jake promptly. ‘What’s Grania’s surname again?’
‘Forrester.’
‘Right. Wait here.’
Jake crossed the hall to the reception desk, and Sarah looked on, impressed, while the Hogan charm went into overdrive as he explained the apparent mistake. The young woman behind the desk listened with rapt attention, then nodded with enthusiasm, smiling warmly at Jake. She sent an envious, dewy-eyed look in Sarah’s direction, and went off towards the bar.
‘What on earth did you say?’ whispered Sarah, when Jake rejoined her.
‘That I’d booked the bridal suite as a special surprise for you, unaware that you’d already made a reservation. And don’t worry, I emphasised that you were not only anxious that Mrs Forrester should have yours, but wanted the arrangement kept secret to avoid any embarrassment.’
‘What embarrassment?’
‘I gave her a mysterious smile and didn’t specify. It seemed to go down well.’
‘It must have. I think she’s already gone to find Grania. Better make ourselves scarce.’
Crammed into the small lift with their luggage, Sarah suddenly broke up with laughter, and Jake sagged against the wall, joining in.
‘I would have been hopeless as a spy!’ he said, when he could get his breath. ‘It was hard to keep a straight face when I was doing my bit with the receptionist.’
‘But doing it so well,’ mocked Sarah, as the doors opened on the top floor.
‘Just for you,’ he reminded her.
‘What’s the room number?’ she asked, as they went out into a corridor.
‘We haven’t arrived yet,’ said Jake, leading the way past closed doors. ‘We foot it the rest of the way, up those stairs at the end.’
Intrigued, Sarah followed him up to a landing, where it was immediately obvious which room was theirs because there was only one door.
‘Former attic bedrooms now converted into bridal suite,’ said Jake. He put down the bags and unlocked the door.
Sarah went ahead of him into a long, light-filled room, her eyes drawn instantly to a tester bed with filmy white drapes. She looked away quickly, concentrating on the décor instead. ‘Well, well,’ she said, as Jake closed the door behind him. ‘You should feel right at home here.’
‘Why?’
‘It’s like your flat. Pale colours, white bed. Almost minimalist. Not everyone’s idea of a bridal suite.’
‘Which it isn’t tonight,’ Jake said with regret.
‘True.’ Sarah laid her hatbox and garment bag on a narrow settle grouped with a pair of chairs and a table under one of the windows. ‘Where do I hang my things?’
Jake went over to a series of brass handles let into one wall and pulled on one to discover a wardrobe. ‘And over there,’ he added, pointing to a door in the other wall, ‘must be the bathroom.’
Because she was the one who’d asked to share Sarah did her best to hide any awkwardness. ‘Right,’ she said briskly. ‘Grania asked us to join them for a snack lunch when we’re ready.’
‘Good, I’m hungry,’ said Jake, unzipping the cover from his morning coat. ‘I’ll just hang this up, then I’ll leave you to sort out your gear. I’ll wait for you in the bar.’
Sarah smiled at him with gratitude. ‘Thank you, Jake. This is very good of you.’
‘A beautiful woman asks to share my room and it’s good of me to agree?’ Jake shook his head, his eyes gleaming. ‘If I were good I’d offer to give the room up to you and sleep in the car, Sarah. But I can’t see that happening, somehow. Don’t be long, and don’t forget to bring the key with you,’ he added, and left her alone.
Afraid that her solution to Grania’s problem was likely to cause quite a few for herself, one way and an
other, Sarah hung her dress away, pleased to see that it had survived without creasing. She unpacked her bag, then opened the door into the bathroom. And laughed out loud. Mirror-tiled walls reflected opulence the exact opposite of the bedroom’s restraint. The interior designer had gone overboard with gold dolphins. They were inlaid in the glass housing the shower, frolicked on the filmy curtains at the window, and accessed water to the sunken circular tub. Several more held up shelves laden with every bathtime luxury a guest could possibly need, and they even bordered fluffy white towels piled on a gilt chair. Everything your average sybarite could possibly want, thought Sarah, amused.
She washed her face, touched it up again, then went back into the bedroom. But no sofa had materialised by magic in the meantime. Not counting the small, decorative settle under the window, and the sunken tub in the bathroom, the only place to sleep was the ineluctably bridal bed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THERE was an air of celebration in the bar when Sarah joined the others. Tom Hill and Ben Forrester made a great fuss of her, while Grania, euphoric with relief, gave the news that there had been a cancellation after all.
‘So Grania won’t have to sleep in the car,’ Jake said, smiling at Sarah as he seated her beside him.
‘Thank God,’ said Ben fervently. ‘I’m pretty damn relieved myself, I can tell you. We went right through the list we were given, plus a few more places we found on the way, but no luck.’ He gave a rueful look at his wife. ‘I don’t mind telling you, I dreaded breaking the news when I got back.’
‘But he didn’t have to because miracles do happen sometimes after all,’ said Grania, elated. ‘I can hardly believe our luck.’
‘Is the room comfortable?’ said Sarah, avoiding Jake’s eye.
‘Small and basic, but compared with the alternative it’s utter luxury!’
‘By the way, Tom, I told Grania you could sleep in the car, and she could share with me if the worst came to the worst,’ Frances told her husband, then laughed with everyone else at the comical dismay on his face.
‘Of course I’d have done that,’ he said loftily, then grinned. ‘But I’m bloody glad I don’t have to.’
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