The ceremony wasn’t until after lunch, which gave them plenty of time to get themselves ready. Clara had her hair wrapped in a towel as she dotted about in a lightweight dressing gown with make-up bags.
Sam stood at the mirror, buttoning his shirt and adjusting his tie until it sat just right. Clara had taken over the living room for her hair – apparently the light was better there and there was more space for all her gadgets. He smiled to himself at the faint sound of her humming drifting through the door.
He lifted his jacket and slung it over his arm. Would he get too hot in this today? Dominic and Astrid had been blessed with a beautiful day for their wedding, but the air outside looked heavy, a little muggy
A soft knock came at the door.
‘Hello.’ Clara’s voice was chirpy, almost like she was still singing. ‘Can I come in? Are you decent?’
‘I don’t know about that, but I’m certainly dressed.’
She slipped inside – and for a second, he forgot how to breathe. Clara beamed, her hair swept up in an elegant twist that made her cheekbones stand out. Her dress was a deep rose-pink, bordering on plum, simple yet graceful, and it brought out a warmth in her skin that made her look radiant.
Sam cleared his throat. ‘You… you look incredible.’
She grinned, giving him a playful twirl. ‘Why, thank you, kind sir. And you…’ Her gaze trailed slowly over him, and he fought the urge to fidget under her inspection. ‘You look rather delicious yourself.’
His cheeks heated. ‘Delicious?’
She giggled. ‘Totes. Everyone will gobble you up, especially your fake date.’
He laughed, shaking his head. ‘You’re so crazy. But it’s good crazy. I like it.’
‘Thank you.’ Clara’s smile softened as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. He held her for a moment, aware of how naturally she fit against him – how real it felt, and if he dared admit it, how right.
‘Shall we go?’ he murmured, giving her a light pat on the back to steady himself.‘Yeah,’ she said brightly, pulling away with a sparkle in her eyes. ‘Let’s go party.’
Sam drove them along the winding country lanes towards the church in the nearby village of Upper Mayscombe. Clara had the window cracked open, letting in the scent of spring blossom and freshly cut grass as fields rolled past in a blur of green and gold. They passed some thatched cottages, and Clara ‘oohed’ at them, proclaiming them the cutest things she’d ever seen. When they reached the church nestled at the far end of the village, the bell tower stood proud against the pale sky, the air alive with birdsong and the distant chatter of arriving guests. Sam parked beneath a flowering chestnut tree, turned off the engine, and glanced across at Clara.
‘It’s so cute.’ Clara smiled at the ancient stone walls covered in climbing ivy. Groups of people were milling about in suits, dresses, hats and fascinators. Sam vaguely recognised some of them, but the majority were complete strangers.
He parked, and they got out, making their way up the path. He glanced at Clara, then put out his arm. With a broad smile, she hooked her wrist through it.
‘Thank you, Mr Darcy.’
‘Any time, Miss Bennett.’ He chuckled.
‘Sam!’ a man called out, waving as he jogged over. Sam smiled, recognising a friend he’d been at school with. ‘Look at you. Hardly aged a bit. And—’ his eyes flicked to Clara, and he gave a warm smile. ‘You must be Sam’s wife.’
Sam shook his head. ‘No. We’re not… married. Just, um… well, this is Clara.’
‘Delighted.’ The man shook her hand. ‘So many people are here. More, I think, than he had at his first wedding.’
Sam looked around the churchyard, nodding at a few people, but unable to stop his mind from straying to the beauty on hisarm. She was just so perfect, but introducing her as his girlfriend made him feel like a fraud. If he could get through the day without saying it, that would be a bonus.
The light made her hair shimmer, her face glowed, and her smile sparkled. It didn’t matter that she was small. Her physical size was nothing next to her aura.
‘How did you meet Sam?’ a friend asked her as they mingled.
‘Oh, we’re colleagues,’ she answered.
‘Nice.’ The man nodded. ‘Have you been together long?’
‘Not too long, no.’
The man nodded.
‘Let’s go inside,’ Sam said, as they headed through the crowd. ‘This fake dating thing is weird, isn’t it?’ he whispered.
