‘It did sound funny coming from you.’
‘It felt funny saying it. I promise I won’t do it again. But if I do, it will only be in self-defence.’
She laughed. ‘In that case, let’s go in search of the table plan so we can make sure you’re not sitting anywhere too hazardous.’
‘I’ve already done that, we’re together on your—’
She groaned. ‘Please don’t say we’re on Hilary and Keith’s table.’
He nodded. ‘I’m afraid so. That’s if my name for the day is Plus One. We could try rearranging the names while nobody is looking.’
‘As tempting as that is,’ she said, ‘the whole purpose of coming here today was to make a point. A point I intend to make. That’s if you can bear to be caught in the crossfire.’
‘I didn’t realise it was a war you were fighting?’
‘You saw how Hilary treated me, and you.’
‘True. So, do we have a game plan in mind for our mission? What is my role? Friend or something more?’
Realising that she should have thought of this well before now, she said, ‘I think we should be enigmatic and let people speculate.’ She thought of Lindsay asking if it was serious between her and Jakob, and how she hadn’t actually given an answer. She hadn’t needed to, because Lindsay had reached her own conclusion. It was what everyone would do.
Lunch was a whole lot better than Nina had feared it would be and for one reason: someone – presumably Hilary herself – had changed the place cards on the table and had opted to sit elsewhere with Keith. She was still within eye range though and occasionally, if Nina turned to her left, she would catch Hilary two tables away looking daggers in her direction.
The meal and speeches over, there was a lull in proceedings while yet more photographs were taken of Tigs and Fabian, then the DJ – hot from Ibiza if he was to be believed – announced that it was time for the bride and groom to perform their first dance. The announcement was met with rowdy cheers and tables were pounded enthusiastically.
‘Things are hotting up, I think,’ said Jakob to Nina.
‘Are weddings like this in Norway?’ she asked.
‘In some ways, yes. The last one I went to was quite traditional, a church service with the bride and groom led down the aisle by violin players and a lot of the guests wore their bunad, the traditional national costume.’
‘Did you wear it?’
‘Sure.’
‘Do you hire the outfit?’
‘No, I have my own. It’s what we like to wear for special occasions.’
‘Do you have any photos of you wearing it?’
He smiled. ‘I’ll show you another time,’ he said just as another cheer went up and everyone stood to watch Tigs and Fabian take to the dancefloor. With diamond-bright lights bouncing like stars off the glitter ball above them, they swayed in perfect unison to ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift.
Nina was thinking how radiantly beautiful Tigs looked, and that she was hardly showing her pregnancy, when Jakob said, ‘They look very happy together, don’t they?’
‘They do,’ she said. ‘More than that, they look right together.’
‘Does it make you sad, being here when it must bring back so many memories for you of your own wedding day?’
Touched by his thoughtfulness, she said, ‘A little.’
There was a lengthy pause between them, until Jakob said, ‘How would you feel about dancing with me? It seems that everyone is now allowed to join the bride and groom.’
He was right, guests were now flooding onto the dancefloor, but Nina faltered. She hadn’t danced with another man since Hugh. Not that he had been much of a dancer. If he could get away with it, he had preferred to stand with his mates at the bar leaving her to dance with her girlfriends.
Was this her cue to say that maybe they should go? But why leave when the party was only just getting going? Why be so boring? She remembered Cassie telling her to have some fun today and thought it was high time she did. To hell with worrying what anyone might think, and for playing his part so well, didn’t Jakob deserve a dance at the very least? And if she were honest, she’d had just enough to drink to make her think she might actually enjoy it.
‘Yes,’ she said decisively, ‘let’s dance.’
