“All right. I’ll see you tonight. We’ll have dinner together. We can either eat out or Blanche will cook us something. I’ll leave it to you to decide.” He leans down and presses his lips to my cheek.
I stop chewing my food, letting it sit on my tongue for a moment as I try to remember how to breathe.
It’s like he’s forgotten too, as he pauses inches from my face, like he’s just realising what he’s done. This living together is too nostalgic. Is it the t-shirt I was wearing this morning that’s put him in a spin?
He clears his throat, then straightens his spine as he fiddles with his tie. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I swallow the food on my tongue before I choke on it. “Okay.”
He turns on his heel and strides out of the kitchen, but the scent of his aftershave lingers in the room, making me dizzy. It’s as if I’m drugged on it. I haven’t forgotten what it was like to be married to this man. His work always came first. But so did mine. Looking back, we were both as bad as each other.
After eating, I open the dishwasher and lift my plate from the breakfast bar.
“No, no, ma’am.” Blanche scuttles across the room, dropping a laundry basket onto the floor. “Let me do that for you.” She takes the plate from my hand and loads it into the dishwasher.
“It’s okay, I can help you.” I lift an empty glass and place it in the top rack.
“Mr. Fitzpatrick wouldn’t like it, ma’am. Please let me do this for you.” She shoos me away from the dishwasher.
“Well, Mr. Grumpy isn’t here.” A giggle leaves my mouth as I lift Alex’s plate from the breakfast bar and hand it to her.
“Thank you, ma’am, but I can do this.”
“I know, but I want to help you.” I hand her Alex’s empty coffee mug. “So what’s Alex like to work for? Is he a scrooge?”
“Oh no, ma’am. He’s very generous. When Alex told me yesterday that you were staying here, I wanted to make your first day here as comfortable as possible. I wouldn’t trust Alex in the kitchen, ma’am.”
I giggle again. “He’s still bad, then? He’s the only man I know who can set fire to grilled cheese.”
She shakes her head with a smile. “This kitchen has been redecorated three times because he got distracted with a phone call and left something cooking. He works too hard.”
The doorbell rings. “That’ll be the flower delivery.” She rushes to the front of the house, wiping her hands on her apron.
I stand with a gaping mouth as three delivery men carry flower arrangements through the house.
Blanche directs them around and sends one of them across the pool into the guest house with a huge red and green bouquet that resembles Christmas.
“Does Alex always have the house full of fresh flowers?”
“Oh, no ma’am. He ordered these yesterday, wanting to brighten the place up for you.”
Madison brings a tray of prosecco into the luxurious fitting room at Happily Ever Afters.
Celeste and I take one and clink our glasses together in cheers, while Shelly steps behind the curtain with Daphne to try on her dress.
I look around at the white and gold room with large ornate mirrors and plush seating for guests. “What a beautiful space you have here, Madison.”
“Thank you. I love planning weddings. Each one is so unique.”
Celeste points her glass in Shelly’s direction behind the curtain. “Our Shelly’s will certainly be different with a marquee on the beach.”
“It’s going to be a beautiful day,” Madison says while opening a box of tablecloths in a sea-green colour. “Finn’s spared no expense, which makes my job a lot easier when I don’t have to keep to a budget.”
Celeste places her hand on mine. “You’ve raised a wonderful man. Our Shelly would have been happy to marry on the beach in her shorts and t-shirt and toast s’mores afterwards, but Finn said he’s only getting married once and he wanted to do this properly. Ain’t that right, Shell?” she shouts through the curtain.
“Yes, though I think shorts and a t-shirt would be easier than getting into this dress.”
My face beams with pride at hearing her talk about my son. “How did you and Marley meet?” I ask Celeste.
