‘Or any of it?’
‘… No.’
Warren swipes away yet another call from Not So Posh John.
‘Can I say something maybe a little harsh?’
‘Of course.’
‘No matter what happens, you need someone to talk to about this who isn’t me. No hurt feelings, obviously, but you know.’
My stomach aches. ‘I get it. It’s complicated. Thank you for being honest about your needs while you’re driving me to… you know.’
He smiles. ‘Perfect husband material, remember.’
‘Oh, trust me, I know.’
Whit answers almost immediately, her black silk bonnet still covering her hair. ‘What happened?’
‘Why do you think something happened?’
‘You’re in a car and look stressed. Look, Malachi, doesn’t Dolly have that stressed look she gets?’
Malachi squishes into the screen. ‘She does, babe.’
‘Thanks, guys,’ I groan. ‘Warren’s here.’
I turn the camera to him. ‘Affirmative.’
‘Are you guys eloping?’ Whit asks, her eyebrows meeting.
‘Erm. No.’
It takes quite a long time to explain everything to her, andto their credit, Whit and Malachi stay silent. For a second I wonder if the signal has been lost.
‘Wow. That’s a lot,’ Whit says eventually.
‘I’m sorry I lied to you,’ I say, feeling a lump catch in my throat.
Whit shakes her head hurriedly. ‘Nope. I get it. It’ll take a minute for me to adjust, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you. I am a bit gutted I won’t get to drop-kick Bridget until the reunion.’
‘I think there might be a queue for that.’
‘I did think you were really pressed by her for no reason. But I guess that’s kind of a big reason. Did anyone else know?’
‘Not officially, but this annoying thing keeps happening where it turns out I’m not actually mysterious and covert and people cottoned on.’
‘I still think you’re mysterious,’ Whit reassures me.
‘So you’re in a wedding dress going to break up another wedding and if that doesn’t work you’ll go back to your own wedding and get married?’ Malachi recounts.
‘Yeah, pretty much. We’ve got the Conservatory booked for the whole day and night so there’s time.’
My phone buzzes with another call from Posh Louise that I ignore. ‘Production are looking for us.’
‘What do you want us to say, just in case they call?’ Whit asks.
‘Just pretend you haven’t heard from us and are busy with your own shtick.’
