“I hope you’re a good actor,” he murmured, sliding all the pages back into the folder and retreating to his seat. “Because I might have embroidered the truth a little to get our celebrant over the line.”
“In what way?” I asked, smoothing my dress over my knees. His eyes followed the movement.
“In the sense that we’re a loved-up couple who messed up our timing with your visa.”
“Ooh, so heavy on the PDA? Lots of hand holding and swoony gazes? A wicked grin spread across my face. “Can I squeeze your butt?”
Henry coughed. “I … well, if you think it would help keep up the pretence …”
I leaned closer, placing my hands on his knees, squeezing in the same spot I’d noticed him focusing on. His eyes darted to mine, before dropping to my lips.
“I don’t have topretendthat I’m attracted to you, Henry,” I confided. “I just want to make that abundantly clear.”
His baffled expression sent me into a fit of giggles, which only made his blush deepen.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It’s Tradition
HENRY
“You didn’t tell me that our celebrant was River Riley!” Irina hissed, clutching tighter at my hand as we followed River through the ramshackle remains of Staghorn Cove Resort. I wrinkled my nose at the green sludge in the bottom of what had once been the swimming pool.
“I didn’t realise that was important information,” I muttered before calling out, “This is quite dire, River!”
River turned, a sheepish grin on his face. “You need to see past what’s here. All of this will be removed. All these concrete buildings …” He gestured to what had once been a seven-storey accommodation. “They’ll go. We’ll bring the forest right back down to the beach, and the dwellings and facilities will sit harmoniously within nature rather than imposing themselves on it.”
I chanced a glance down at Irina. She was staring avidly around her. Her fingers, wrapped around mine, were warm and soft, and it didn’t feel all that hard to pretend with her. Maybe that’s what she’d meant, back on the plane.
“I think it sounds brilliant,” she whispered, eyes sparkling.
“We’re almost to the beach.” River turned, walking backwards andgrinning at us. “I thought that might be the best place for the nuptials. Are you two ready to tie the knot?”
Irina’s hand tightened in mine, nudging me with her shoulder. “I’ve been ready to lock this one down from the first time I’d set eyes on him!”
Behind us, Lucian grunted. I chose to ignore him—drawing attention to his scepticism seemed counterintuitive. Instead, I pasted a smile that I hoped didn’t look wooden on my face and released Irina’s hand, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. Her hair, loose in the sea breeze, tickled my arm, sending a shiver of goosebumps along my skin. On a mad whim, I pressed my lips to the top of her head. She sucked in a tiny breath, the sound shooting a spark through my chest.
“You two are adorable!” River crowed, grinning at us. “And here we are.” Behind him the beach spread out, white and pristine, with crystalline water that stretched on right to the horizon, marred only with the shadowy dots of other Whitsunday islands.
“This is … I never dreamed I’d get married somewhere as beautiful as this,” Irina breathed, and when I chanced a glance down, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. As I watched, one escaped, trickling down her cheek.
I reached out, brushing it away with my thumb, wondering about her ability to conjure up such strong emotions.
“This beach has nothing on you.” It was true. Her caramel hair shimmered in the sunshine, and the breeze ruffled her pretty dress, and her eyes, bluer than the ocean, shone up at me. All of her glowed.
Her laugh was small and a little watery as she took both my hands in hers. “Are you sure you want to do this for me?” she whispered. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”
I squeezed her hands reassuringly. “I’m sure.”
“You may now kiss your bride.”
The words reverberated in my ears as I tilted my head down towards Irina. There were more tears shimmering in her eyes, but her smile was wide. My hands found her cheeks, and I leaned closer. Hermouth looked so soft, but at the last second, I tilted her head just slightly, pressing my lips to the corner of her mouth.
Her skin was like silk, and she smelt like summertime—of tropical fruit and vanilla ice-cream. I pulled away, heart thundering, while River cheered, Liv snapped photos on her phone and Lucian no doubt frowned somewhere in the background.
But I found that I couldn’t stop staring at her. At the tiny hint of pink in her cheeks. At the way her hands came up to cover mine where they still held her face.
“We did it,” she breathed.
