by Hannah Ellis
“Sorry, what?” Lexie asked, refocusing on Nick and Lily.
“Have you got any questions?” Nick asked.
She shook her head, then snapped her gaze to Lily. “Where’s good for dinner? I’m starving.”
“There are plenty of places to eat,” Lily said warmly. “The hotel restaurant is very good and it’s not busy this evening so you don’t need a reservation. Otherwise there’s information in your room about the local area. You’ll find more suggestions there. Do you want to go up and get settled?”
They followed Lily across the foyer. Again, Lexie’s attention was drawn to the woman with the glossy hair. It fell in dark waves to her shoulders and seemed to bounce gently with every movement. She caught Lexie’s eye, then whipped her gaze away, not quite able to hide the smirk that played at her lips.
When Nick took her hand, Lexie tuned into what Lily was telling them about room service and breakfast. They nodded along as they followed her to the lifts, where she gave them their key and directions to their room.
“She was nice,” Nick said as the lift took them to the third floor.
“They make it all very easy,” Lexie mused.
“I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise. They should be experts at weddings with the amount that take place here.”
Lexie nodded, not really paying attention. “Did you see that woman in the foyer?”
His brow creased. “What woman?”
“The one with great hair.”
“Is this some sort of test to see if I’ve been checking out other women? Because usually I only do that when you’re not around. And if I’m completely honest, their hair wouldn’t be where I was looking.”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “It’s not a test. There was a woman who looked like she’d just stepped out of a shampoo advert. So did the guy she was with. Anyway, she was blatantly listening to our conversation and laughed when I said we didn’t have witnesses.”
“I think you’re probably being paranoid.” Nick checked the room number as they stepped out of the lift, then looked at the sign on the wall. “This way,” he said, setting off down the hall.
“She was definitely laughing at me,” Lexie insisted. “She wasn’t even discreet about it.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he said, checking room numbers as he walked.
“Do you think it’s strange, though, not having our own witnesses?”
“No.” He stopped at their door. “I think that’s the point of eloping. That you don’t invite anyone. And tomorrow you’ll be far too busy gazing into my eyes to notice anything else.”
“Hopefully your eyes will be less bloodshot tomorrow.”
“Leave me alone,” he said with a pout. “That’s all Alasdair’s fault.”
“Are you still feeling rough?”
He touched the key card to the reader, then pushed the door handle when the light turned green. “I feel all right now. I’m getting hungry.”
“Wow,” Lexie whispered as she stepped into the hotel suite ahead of Nick. The four-poster bed dominated the room, but there was also a cosy lounge area with matching two-seater sofas and a low table between them. “I vote we stay here and order room service.”
“I thought we could go down to the restaurant,” Nick said.
“Don’t you want to stay here and take advantage of the room?” Draping her arms around his shoulders, she gave him her most smouldering look. “And that bed,” she added, tipping her head in that direction.
He clamped his arms around her back. “We’re not married yet.”
“We’ve not been married for the last year but that didn’t stop you!”
“I think you can wait one night.”
“Are you serious?” she asked, amused.
“Yep. The next time we sleep together you’ll be my wife.”
“Hmm.” She eyed the bed, then Nick. “Where exactly are you planning on sleeping?”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. The next time we’re intimate we’ll be married. It should be possible for you to sleep next to me and keep your hands to yourself for one night.”
“I’m not sure that is possible,” she said, closing the gap between them.
“It’s only one night.”
She made her voice low and seductive as she pressed her hips against his. “I suppose I can try and control myself.” Her lips met his and she kissed him with an intensity that made her stomach flip. There was no way he’d be able to resist.
He responded predictably, his arms tightening around her as he lifted her off the floor and walked her to the bed. The kisses intensified as he lowered her onto her back, then he trailed his lips down her neck and over her collar bone. Closing her eyes she let her head sink into the bed.
“Don’t stop,” she murmured, then flicked her eyes open to see Nick backing away from her.
“Do you really think I have so little self-control?” he asked.
Lexie propped herself up on her elbows. “I was hoping so. Come here,” she said, reaching out to him.
“You’re wicked!” he told her as he moved towards the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To get the bags from the car. Then I’m having a shower and we’ll go to the restaurant for dinner. I suggest you take some time to think about your behaviour!”
She pressed her lips together and cast her eyes down. “It’s not my fault you’re so irresistible,” she said defensively.
“That’s very true,” he agreed, straight-faced. “I promise as soon as we’re married you can do whatever you want with me. Until then just think about something else.”
“Fine!” She flopped back onto the bed, frustrated but thoroughly amused.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“She’s there again,” Lexie whispered to Nick as they followed the waiter through the restaurant.
“Who?”
“The woman with the hair.” She had a sinking feeling as the waiter moved in the direction of the dark-haired beauty and the blonde-haired guy. When the waiter seated Nick and Lexie at the table beside them, Lexie almost groaned out loud.
“All the women in here have hair,” Nick said as he took a seat.
Hushing him, Lexie tilted her head to the next table and glared at Nick. He got the point and shut up, taking the menu and opening it immediately. As he scanned the menu, Lexie couldn’t help but tune into the conversation on the next table. The woman was speaking loudly so it was hard not to.
“I thought she would have called,” she said, tapping her fingers on the table beside her phone, which lay face up on the bright white tablecloth.
“We only left this morning,” the man replied. “And if you call she’ll think you don’t trust her.”
“I’m worried it’s too much for her.”
“It’s a bookshop,” he said. “And it’s midweek. She probably only had a few customers. Amber said she’d check on her, and Josie was going to call in too. Your mum’s probably not been so social in years.”
“More like decades,” the woman said, the pitch of her voice rising slightly. “And I’m not sure it’s a good thing. What if she can’t cope with it?”
“She’ll be fine.” He reached across the table and laid a hand over hers. The concern in the woman’s features made Lexie feel guilty for eavesdropping.
“What are you having?” Nick asked.
“I’m not sure,” she replied, whipping her gaze to the menu. “What about you?”
“Can’t decide between the lemon chicken and a steak.”
“Shall we order both and share?”
He nodded eagerly. “That’s a good plan.”
They relaxed into an easy silence while they waited for the waiter to take their order. Lexie’s gaze roamed the restaurant. A couple nearby had clearly just got married; they were formally dressed and gazed at each other intensely as they sipped champagne. Tomorrow, that would be her and Nick. In twenty-four hours sh
e’d be married. It felt very surreal.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the waiter taking their order, then Nick got carried away with telling her more about the history of Gretna Green.
While they ate, Lexie kept getting snatches of the conversation from the next table. When the woman spoke about feeling guilty for not telling her friends they were getting married, she felt a stab of empathy and thought of Elspeth. At least she’d confided in Leana before they left. She felt lighter knowing that she hadn’t kept her best friend in the dark and was buoyed by the fact that Leana had been so happy for her.
“You were in the lobby when we arrived today,” the dark-haired woman was saying.
Pulled from her trance, Lexie found the woman looking straight at her. Was she speaking to her?
“Are you getting married tomorrow too?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” Lexie replied.
“I heard the wedding planner asking about witnesses and I panicked. I’d spent the entire drive worrying that I’d forgotten something vital. I thought maybe they were going to tell us we couldn’t get married tomorrow after all because we didn’t have witnesses.”
Nick’s leg pressed against Lexie’s under the table, and she knew he was giving her a look that said he was right and she’d been paranoid about the woman in the foyer.
“I thought you were laughing at me,” she blurted out without much thought. In reply she got a puzzled look. “In the lobby. I said I’d forgotten about witnesses and you laughed. I thought you were laughing at me.”
“No!” Her eyes widened. “I was laughing at myself. And how absurd it would be if we couldn’t get married after all when I’d spent the last month stressing about it. I get a bit manic when I’m nervous.”
“She really does,” the man said, gazing lovingly across the table.
The woman grinned at him, then looked to Lexie. “I’m sorry. I definitely wasn’t laughing at you.”
“I kept thinking I’d forgotten something all day too,” Lexie told her.
“It’s a nightmare, isn’t it? The hotel’s lovely, though, and the staff put my mind at ease.”
“It might be the champagne that put your mind at ease,” the guy teased.
“That’s a good point,” she said, twirling the stem of the glass in front of her.
Lexie had returned her attention to Nick, smiling as he raised an eyebrow at her.
“Do you want some?” the woman asked.
“Sorry?” Lexie said, looking at her in confusion.
“Champagne?” She nodded at the bottle in an ice bucket beside the table. “I got carried away and ordered a bottle, but James isn’t overly fond of the stuff and I definitely shouldn’t be drinking a bottle by myself. Not when I’m getting married tomorrow.”
When Lexie didn’t reply, the woman looked to Nick instead.
“Not for me, thanks,” he said. “I had an impromptu stag party last night and I’m still in the mindset that I’m never drinking again.”
“I know that feeling,” she said, then looked questioningly at Lexie. “Have a glass with me? It’ll make me feel better for you thinking I was laughing at you.”
“Okay,” Lexie agreed. “Thanks.”
She flagged down a waiter and asked for another glass. “I’m Tara,” she told Lexie. “This is my fiancé, James.”
After introducing herself and Nick, Lexie was slightly concerned that they were now in an awkward situation of having to make small talk with the random couple. Tara definitely seemed slightly manic.
“What time is your ceremony tomorrow?” Tara asked, turning towards Lexie.
“Three o’clock.”
Tara beamed. “We’re at four. It’s like a wedding conveyor belt, isn’t it? I feel as though that takes the pressure off a bit. Do you know what I mean?”
“Yes,” Lexie said, then thanked the waiter when he put a glass in front of her and filled it with champagne. He refilled Tara’s glass too and they clinked them together before drinking.
Nick leaned back in his chair. “Where are you from?” he asked.
“Newton Abbot,” Tara replied. “It’s in Devon.”
“I hear that’s a beautiful part of the world,” Nick said.
“We like it,” James replied, a gentle smile on his lips. “Where are you from?”
“Skye,” Lexie replied.
Tara put a hand to her heart. “I’ve always wanted to go to Skye. It’s supposed to be stunning.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Nick replied. “I just moved there a few years ago and fell in love with the place. And with Lexie,” he added, his piercing gaze making her blush.
“That’s so lovely,” Tara replied.
“How long have you two been together?” Lexie asked.
They exchanged amused looks. “Not very long really,” Tara said. “We’ve known each other ages. I was working for James and we were together for a while, then we broke up. We just got back together about six months ago.”
“That’s quick,” Lexie said. “I thought we were taking things fast, so you’ve made me feel better.”
Tara smiled. “There’s a boring, unromantic story about James wanting to give me half of his bookshop and the paperwork being easier if we’re married, but we were already engaged so it didn’t seem like a big issue to move things forward.”
Lexie had just taken a sip of champagne and almost choked. She put a hand over her mouth to avoid spraying Nick.
“Now you’re laughing at me,” Tara said. “I think that makes us even!”
“Sorry,” Lexie said, trying to catch her breath. “But that’s funny.”
“What is?” Tara asked.
“It’s funny that you think a guy giving you a bookshop isn’t a romantic story. I’m wondering what the rest of your life is like that someone giving you a bookshop is boring and unromantic!”
Tara’s eyes sparkled. “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant the legalities of it are unromantic. The paperwork is dull.”
“You gave her a bookshop?” Nick asked, frowning at James. “So you’re one of those guys who likes to make the rest of us look bad?”
“If it helps,” Tara said, “he’s only giving me half the bookshop.”
“Oh, that’s fine then,” Nick said mockingly. “You’re right, that’s not romantic at all. Pretty mean really. Are you sure you want to marry him?”
James turned his chair towards them. “The bookshop’s already half Tara’s, we’re just making it official. I wouldn’t even have a bookshop if it weren’t for her.”
Tara stared at him. “You say that as though you really believe it.”
“Because it’s true.” The look he gave her was filled with such adoration that Lexie felt intrusive witnessing it. “I inherited the place,” he went on. “It was completely rundown and I was all set to sell. Then Tara turned up, claiming to know all about running a bookshop and offering to help me make the place a success.”
“It was a lie,” Tara said. “I knew nothing about bookshops. I just needed a job and I liked the idea of working in a bookshop.”
“Plus she fancied me,” James said.
Tara hooted with laughter. “Maybe a bit.”
Lexie was enthralled by the story and desperate to hear more. “Can you start at the beginning and tell the story properly? It sounds fascinating.”
“That might take a while.” James reached for the champagne bottle and refilled their glasses, smiling playfully. “I hope you’re not in a rush.”
“Are you glad I insisted on going down to the restaurant now?” Nick asked as he dropped onto the couch in their hotel room.
“I like to think my idea of staying up here would have been fun too,” Lexie said. “But, yes, I’m glad we went with your plan. That was a great night.”
“And you’ll admit that you were being a little paranoid when you thought Tara was laughing at you in the foyer.”
“Maybe just a little bit.” She sat beside him. “There’s no need to be smug about it
.”
“I’m not smug,” he said, drawing her close with an arm around her shoulders.
“What’s that look for?” she asked, turning to face him.
“What look?”
“The serious look. Like something’s troubling you. I don’t ever like that look on you, but especially not the night before we get married.”
She expected his features to relax, but his forehead only wrinkled more. “Are you sure you want to?” he asked.
“Sure I want to what?” Her stomach lurched and she felt panic spread like a wave through her whole body.
“Are you sure you want to marry me tomorrow?”
“Yes,” she said, gently interweaving her fingers with his. “Why are you even asking that?”
“I’m not questioning whether you want to marry me in general,” he said. “Just whether you want to do it tomorrow? Like this?”
“It’s what we decided,” she said, puzzled by the conversation.
“I know it’s what we decided. But is it what you want?”
“Don’t you want to?” she asked, her voice betraying the fear that he was about to back out.
His fingers squeezed hers. “Of course I want to. I’d marry you anywhere, at any time. But if you’re pickier about the where and when it’s completely fine.”
“I just want to marry you,” she said, placing a hand on his chest.
“Really? Because if you want to rearrange things––”
“Nick! Stop. Please. The more you question me, the more I wonder whether it’s you who’s changed your mind.”
“I haven’t.”
“Good. Let’s go to bed. We’re getting married tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep.”
“I’d argue you don’t, but sleep sounds good anyway.”
“You slept most of the day,” she pointed out as she walked to the bathroom.
When they were settled in the huge bed, Lexie inched over and curled into Nick, kissing his cheek.
“Don’t start trying to seduce me again,” he said, then placed a pillow between them. “Stay on your own side.”
