For once, Gary was telling the truth. Given the circumstances, he was pretty sure that however the ring had “suddenly” gone astray, it was through no fault of Rachel’s.
Chapter 50
“I’m really glad Gary was okay about it,” Terri said into the mouthpiece. “See, I told you he’d understand… Yes, he really is one in a million.” She rolled her eyes across the kitchen at Justin. “But no need to come in today anyway. I insist. At least now that it’s all out in the open, you should relax and take a breather.”
Having convinced Rachel that a busy Saturday at the bistro was the last thing she needed after the stress she’d been under recently, Terri hung up the phone. “Seems he was fine about it,” she told Justin sardonically. “There’s a surprise.”
He shook his head. “Wasn’t she the tiniest bit suspicious about that even? She loses a rock that cost a small fortune, and tightwad Gary doesn’t even raise an eyebrow?”
“I guess not. Anyway, she’s taking the day off. I told her to use it as a good excuse to spend some time making it up to him.” The words had tasted bitter in her mouth, but Terri knew she had to try and keep Rachel away, today of all days.
Because today the newly engaged Ethan Greene and his fiancée were due to make an appearance for lunch.
When Justin had initially told her about the fiancée’s catering inquiry, she’d thought about getting in touch with Ethan to ask him what the hell he was playing at.
But then she realized that it was unlikely he would have been party to such a thing, and in any case, she didn’t have a contact number for him.
Rachel would of course, but what reasonable excuse would Terri have for asking for it without arousing suspicion?
As far as her friend was concerned, Terri had only met Ethan briefly, that day he first appeared looking for her and Gary, and while she considered concocting some random story about how he’d left something behind, she knew it wouldn’t ring true.
So when she returned Vanessa Fox’s call and subsequently arranged a reservation, her next priority was making sure that Rachel was nowhere near the vicinity.
Notwithstanding the fact that it would be coincidental for Ethan to choose Gillini as his wedding caterers, his fiancée wearing an identical ring to the one Rachel had lost around the time of his last visit was a bridge too far.
And not for the first time, Terri wondered if that blasted ring truly did have a mind of its own.
***
Ethan could have counted on one hand the number of times he’d been to Dublin in his lifetime, yet here he was in the place for the second time in the space of two months.
He was still reeling a little.
Much to his surprise, Vanessa was powering ahead with the wedding plans and had even gone so far as setting a date.
He wasn’t sure why, but for some reason, this made him feel uncomfortable. “What’s the rush?” he’d asked, although he didn’t know why he’d expected anything less of his supremely organized fiancée. In life as in work, she didn’t wait around.
“I’ve never believed in long engagements. Either we’re getting married or we aren’t. Don’t worry,” she added with a playful laugh. “I’ll take care of everything. You just need to turn up on the day.”
And it seemed the day in question would be this coming summer, August apparently. It all felt like a bit of a whirlwind, but then again, he’d barely had time to pause for breath since Christmas.
Now, having visited her parents the night before, he was just about ready to climb the walls of the country estate Vanessa was considering as a venue.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Daisy asked, taking his hand as they walked among the landscaped grounds, and he quickly rearranged his expression into what he hoped was less anxious.
As always, his daughter was just too perceptive for her own good.
“Nothing, darling. Just lots to think about for the wedding. What do you think of this place?” he asked, indicating the estate’s perfectly manicured gardens.
She shrugged. “It’s okay, I suppose.”
“Just okay?”
Daisy seemed to hesitate. “I don’t know, it’s sort of…posh, isn’t it?” she whispered, and Ethan couldn’t help but smile. Once again, she had hit the nail on the head.
“Are you looking forward to the big day?” he asked. He still hadn’t been able to tease out her feelings about the wedding taking place so soon. “I know it might seem fast but—”
“That’s okay, Dad. I think I know why,” she replied ominously, but Ethan didn’t have the opportunity to query this any further before Vanessa, who’d been chatting to the estate’s event manager, came rushing over.
