Yes. Go and dance for crying out loud!
Peyton smiled despite the gnawing, ever-present worry. She could almost hear her mum saying the words. But she’d never had a night away from her daughter. Frankly she didn’t know what to do with herself.
Don’t think I’ll stay the night. If I leave after cake, can be home by midnight.
Peyton tapped the green arrow and checked her watch, doing a quick calculation in her head. Yep. She could definitely make it home by then.
‘Everything okay?’
Peyton glanced up into the bride’s face. Nat had fresh bluebells threaded into her blonde locks, which brought out the colour of her eyes and matched the crystal beading decorating the neckline of her ivory gown. Alessandro’s hand rested possessively on her shoulder and Peyton felt a sudden yearning she couldn’t explain.
Why? She’d been where they were. Had the divorce to prove it. She certainly had no desire to do it again.
She smiled at her friend. ‘Just telling Mum I might not stay the night.’
‘Peyton? No.’ Nat grabbed her hand. ‘Your parents have booked and paid for it. Including breakfast. Your mother wouldskin me alive if I let you leave.’ Nat squeezed Peyton’s hand. ‘It’s just one night. Don’t you think it’s time you enjoyed a well-deserved break?’
Peyton shied away from the earnestness of her friend’s expression. Everyone said that to her –You need a break, Peyton. But she was a mother first and foremost and McKenzie’s needs would always be more important. That’s just the way it was.
Nat would understand one day too.
The phone vibrated and Peyton grabbed it, relieved to break eye contact with the bride. She opened the message and read it three times, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. She held it up to Nat.
Don’t. You. Dare.
Nat grinned. ‘Have I mentioned how much I like your mother?’
Peyton rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, okay. I’ll stay.’
‘Good.’ Nat squeezed her hand. ‘The speeches are about to start.’
Another deep laugh floated towards them and they all looked across at Valentino, who was chatting with some nurses from their work. ‘You should take a page out of Val’s book,’ Nat said. ‘He’s certainly having a good time.’
Peyton eyed the man in question. ‘Isn’t he just,’ she said dryly.
‘I tell you.’ Nat sighed. ‘If I wasn’t utterly besotted with Alessandro’ – she smiled at her beloved, who was currently talking to a distant relative – ‘and was up for a fling, I’d be over there too.’
‘Mmm,’ Peyton murmured noncommittally. Like she had time for a fling.
‘Do you know he used to date Adrianna de Luca?’
Peyton gave her friend a mystified look. ‘Who?’
Nat rolled her eyes. ‘One of Italy’s top catwalk models.’
Of coursehe did. ‘Fancy that.’
‘They were in all the magazines last year.’
Peyton hadn’t read a magazine in forever. Or a book. A paragraph or two here and there of whatever self-help book she’d downloaded on her e-reader were about her limit. ‘Of course they were.’ Her voice dripped with derision.
Nat regarded her friend seriously. ‘Not all men are like Arnie, Peyton.’ Valentino laughed again and Nat poked her elbow into Peyton’s ribs. ‘Come on, you have to admit, he’s a bit of a spunk.’
‘I hope you’re talking about me,il mio tesoro,’ Alessandro interrupted, nuzzling his new wife’s neck.
‘But of course.’ Nat smiled, turning to Alessandro, her lips poised to meet his as he lowered his head.
Peyton felt a tug at her dress and was grateful for any reason to avoid the blissful clinch going on beside her chair. She looked down to see Juliano, Alessandro’s four-year-old son. ‘Where’s McKenzie?’
