‘I’d much rather hear about you,’ he murmured. Chad could be kind without encouraging her the wrong way, it wouldn’t kill him. Tonya launched into a diatribe about her ex-husbands and he itched to tell her to stop. Nothing was less enticing to a man than hearing the rest of his sex trashed. ‘Tell me what I should see while I’m here. I only came a couple of days ago and I’ve got until next Wednesday to explore Cornwall.’ As soon as the words were out he regretted them. If she offered to show him around he’d better come up with an excuse and pronto. He hadn’t been able to think of anything else on the spur of the moment to change the track of the conversation.
‘It’s the dullest place on the planet,’ she sniped, ‘I’m moving back to London as soon as I can sell my house. You’d be better off spending your time in London rather than this dump.’
He exhaled a silent sigh of relief that he wasn’t going to be offered a tour guide. Someone poked his arm and Chad turned towards the elderly lady on his left.
‘Don’t listen to her,’ she commanded. ‘The girl hasn’t a whit of sense. She’s proved that with the brainless idiots she married.’ Tonya started to protest but was silenced with a withering glance. ‘Do you have any interest in Celtic history or gardens or literature?’ Her perceptive gaze swept over him. ‘Or are you another empty-headed Yank with more money than sense?’
Chad was too amused by her blunt manner to be offended. Audrey would give his own sharp-tongued grandmother a run for her money. ‘I’m pretty sure I’ve a fair amount of both, ma’am,’ he drawled. ‘As well as my law degree I also have an art degree. Early twentieth century English design, in particular ceramics, is my specialty. I’ve inherited my mother’s love of gardening, I practise music rights law and run a sub-four hour marathon.’ Touche. A tinge of colour flushed her papery skin and Chad didn’t regret a word. If he’d been humble and modest Audrey would’ve chewed him up and spat him out.
Everyone else around the table joined in the conversation and suggestions flew around until he had enough things to do in Cornwall to keep him busy from now until he turned ninety. As he was finding out more about the Eden Project from Pansy, or maybe it was Pippa, someone banged a gong and called for quiet.
Chad scanned the room for Maggie and smiled as he spotted her, cake knife in hand, by the famous wedding cake. He caught her eye and winked.
‘Don’t you dare mess Maggie around.’ Audrey turned from pleasant to fierce in one second.
‘I didn’t realise you two were related?’ In other words, mind your own business.
‘Watch your tongue, young man. Maggie is my god-daughter and she and Fiona grew up almost like sisters, more so than that whippet of a girl prancing around with the food today.’ Emily’s not your favourite person? ‘She hasn’t had an easy life and doesn’t need you flashing your far-too-white teeth at her in that wolfish smile.’ Wolfish smile?
‘I admire Maggie very much and “messing around” isn’t on my agenda,’ he spoke firmly, holding the old woman’s stare until she blinked first. ‘If you don’t mind I’d prefer to concentrate on the speeches now.’ Chad turned away. Her piqued expression made it clear he’d irritated her but she could hardly condemn him for displaying good manners. One point to him.
* * *
Maggie hated being so aware of Chad. Ever since she came out of the kitchen to help with the cake-cutting she’d tried not to stare in his direction. Seeing his head bent close to Tonya and watching him laugh had annoyed her no end but then he’d got the whole table talking until they were obviously having more fun than everyone else in the room. He even charmed Great Aunt Audrey into smiling more than once. The Chad-named Reject Table was obviously a million miles from the usual pitiful place.
Fiona’s father stood up to make his speech and after a minute or two Maggie was biting back tears. Childhood memories flooded back as Mr Jennings told stories about his only daughter, many of which featured Maggie too. She glanced at Chad and he met her eyes, his sympathetic smile helped her to suck in a calming breath as Mr Jennings finished and sat back down. The groom came next and emotion overwhelmed her again as Peter spoke eloquently about his love for his newwife. Maggie didn’t want to be a jealous cow, but couldn’t help wondering if any man would ever declare her to be the centre of his world. She stared down at her feet, incongruously deciding she really needed a new pair of shoes. While Peter finished and Jack, the best man, started his speech, she continued to focus on the floor.
‘Now Fiona and Peter will cut the cake. Word of warning, mate, be careful of women with sharp knives,’ Jack teased and Maggie snapped to, realising she needed to stop moping.
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?
