“Lexi?” asked Bobby. “You are honoured, but you’re one of the horsey crowd aren’t you?” He smiled at Tasha before returning his attention to his daughter. “What news is this then, pumpkin?”
Bobby picked Lexi up as Abby joined them.
“Tasha says I can be a bridesmaid at her wedding. A real flower girl,” she shouted at her dad excitedly.
“Wow, I guess that means we will have to go to it then,” said Bobby teasing her.
“Yes and I will have to have a new dress and flowers I think,” she rambled.
“Wow! That is so exciting.”
As Lexi was put back down she turned to Tasha. “What colour will my dress be?”
“Good question,” said Tasha. “I have to speak to a lady called Kayla this week so I will ask her about trying on some dresses when I get back from London. We need to find a dress for you and Lizzie, for my sister, Pippa and my friend Lucy. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” cried the little girl before running off to tell her grandparents.
“Thank you. As you can see she is very excited.” Bobby leaned in and kissed Tasha again.
Martin took charge of the fireworks and Tasha stood to watch them. She smiled when Jim’s arms wrapped around her waist and his chin came to land on her shoulder as he gently rocked her.
“If you want fireworks at the wedding, you should let Kayla know,” he told her.
“Fireworks? Really?”
“Only if you want them, but lots of people do.”
“Do you normally have them?” she asked out of curiosity but felt his agitation as he sighed.
“I don’t have a formula, Natasha. It’s about what we want, specifically what you want, not what I’ve had in the past.”
He hated this. Every time there was a decision to be made about their wedding Tasha somehow felt the need to consider what he had done previously. In turn that meant she questioned whether his marriages, presumably including the one to her was part of a formula rather than being unique and he was in no doubt that his marriage to her would be like no other he’d ever had. More than that, he was certain this would be his final marriage, his real til death relationship.
“Sorry.” She looked guilty, but wary too as she considered what to say next. “I just wondered, but I’ll think about it. I’ll call Kayla tomorrow and see her on Thursday and I promise I will make decisions based on what I want,” she said as he adjusted his position to kiss her shoulders gently.
“Good. Have you thought about the honeymoon?” asked Jim, delivering a single nip to her shoulder in the exact spot he’d kissed.
She turned slightly, looking at him, almost batting her eyelashes. “I am struggling to think of very little else.”
He laughed gently against her ear, becoming turned on by the desire behind her eyes. “Oh, baby, you will not be disappointed. I promise.”
The truth was that was never a concern for her because she had yet to be disappointed by anything Jim said or did for, with or to her.
Chapter 17
Tasha was sitting chatting with a stunned looking Sandra, giving her the lowdown on her first Independence Day celebrations and had just got to Philip’s retelling of the concert when her phone rang. She smiled to see that it was Abby calling.
She answered with a cheery hello.
“Hey Tash, I was wondering if you fancied meeting up for lunch before you go to London?”
“Yeah, that would be great, what about tomorrow and then if you want come with me to meet Kayla,” she suggested.
“I would love to.” Abby sounded almost as excited as her daughter had the night before.
“Great. I have a meeting at the studio in the morning and then we can meet at The Summer Garden at twelve then we’ll go and meet Kayla.”
“Perfect. Alexis is going to spend the day with Maisie and Jack so I’m free all day.”
