As he began, Alex reached for Zoe’s hand and gave it a squeeze, and when she glanced up, she saw he wasn’t watching the altar at all but was smiling at her. She smiled back, warmed by the affection in his eyes, and for a startling moment wondered how it might feel if they were standing at the front making their own vows. She shook off the crazy thought – they were in love but in reality they hardly knew one another. They had a long way to go until they made that sort of promise, didn’t they? And yet, she’d already moved in, and that had been almost as big a deal.
‘She looks gorgeous, doesn’t she?’ Zoe whispered in a bid to take her mind off it.
Alex nodded. ‘Your dad looks like he’s won the lottery.’
‘They both seem really happy.’
Zoe had been torn between her loyalty to her mum and her dad’s new love, but seeing them both at the altar, there was no way she could deny that this was what they both wanted andthat they adored one another. No matter how anyone else felt about it, surely that was the only thing that really mattered in the end? She decided she’d support her dad’s decision whatever that meant, and it was time to stop indulging her mum’s bitterness. There had to be a way to help Cherie move on and perhaps find happiness of her own.
The service flew by, and as they left the church, their guests, as few as they were, still managed to shower the newly-weds with an impressive cloud of confetti. Chantal’s laughter and the way she clung to Nigel was warming to see, and it only strengthened Zoe’s resolve to support her dad’s new marriage. There followed some brief greetings and congratulations to the couple, and then the official photographer began to gather people together.
‘I’ll understand if you want me to sit the photos out,’ Alex said to Zoe as they walked out of the church into the sunshine. ‘You can say so.’
‘Why would I want that?’
‘Well, I’m new to the family and…’ He shrugged. ‘Your dad hardly knows me, and he doesn’t know…I just mean, if he doesn’t consider me family yet, I totally get it, and I won’t be offended if he doesn’t think I should be in the photos.’
‘That’s lovely, but stop it. Dad and Chantal will be happy to have you in the photos. And I want you in them too. We’re together. It’ll be the first proper ones we’ve ever had. Taken by an actual photographer, I mean.’
The photographer started with the couple, which took a while, and then added in the best man and bridesmaids before pulling in various family and friend permutations, then did the last few as an entire group with every guest. Everyone was in good spirits at this point, looking forward to being able to startdrinking at the reception or else being able to escape if they weren’t going.
Zoe kissed her dad and Chantal in turn as the crowd finally dispersed. ‘It was lovely,’ she said. ‘Congratulations.’
Alex was chatting to the vicar, and her brother was stuck with a great aunt.
Lennon swaggered over with his thumbs hooked into his belt. ‘Don’t I get a kiss? I mean, we’re family now, aren’t we?’
Zoe offered a neutral smile, but she didn’t know what to say.
Chantal saved her by jumping in.
‘I’m married, Len! Can you believe it? That’s it! Me, Mrs Padbury!’
‘You sound like someone who makes chocolate,’ Lennon said.
‘I’m a Padbury too,’ Zoe said.
Lennon turned to her. Muscled to the point the fabric of his suit was struggling to contain him, with sharply trimmed beard and hair and the edges of richly coloured tattoos visible below the hems of his sleeves, he was every inch the attractive bad boy stereotype. ‘I thought you were married.’
‘And that means I have to take my husband’s name? I’m actually almost divorced, and I kept my own name anyway.’
‘Oh, right…’ Lennon sniffed. ‘One ofthemthen.’
‘What?’
Zoe noticed Alex coming back over. She couldn’t say why, but she’d never been so pleased to see him. Something about Lennon put her on edge.
If he was your type, Zoe mused,he might be considered handsome. But she’d never been attracted to men who looked as if they wanted to dominate every room they walked into.
‘You must be Alex,’ Lennon said.
Alex held out a hand for him to shake. ‘Chantal’s brother?’
‘Lennon,’ he said.
‘I can see the resemblance. I’d probably have guessed you were related even if you hadn’t told me.’
‘It’s been said.’
