‘I didn’t know that.’
‘There are a lot of things you don’t know about me,’ he says jokingly, then puts on a comedy voice. ‘At least we’ve got our whole lives together to find out.’
My dad looks across at us and smiles warmly.
Holy shit! I haven’t told him I’m engaged! I cannotbelieveI forgot to tell my dad – my DAD! – that I’m supposed to be getting married. I’ve been waiting to tell him in person, but then it didn’t even occur to me with everything else that was going on. How can I get out of this without Richard killing me?
I glance at Richard and smile serenely. ‘I haven’t told them yet,’ I murmur.
He looks at me, dumbstruck. ‘You haven’t?’
‘I wanted us to tell them together.’
‘Oh.’ The relief on his face is palpable.
‘Go on,’ I urge, plastering the smile even tighter to my face.
Richard looks momentarily panicked and then gazes across at my dad’s expectant face. ‘Er, I probably should have spoken to you first, sir, so sorry about that, but I’ve asked Lily to marry me.’
Squeal from Lorraine.
‘And she said yes.’
‘Aah, congratulations!’ Dad gets up and comes around to shake Richard’s hand while Lorraine leaps to her feet to give me a kiss and a hug.
‘I can’t believe you kept that quiet all weekend!’
‘Neither can I,’ I cry, aware of the irony that it’s the absolute truth.
Kay, Olivia and Isabel, bless them, stay seated, as children usually do when adults are jumping around with excitement.
I sit down again and try to keep smiling.
‘So when’s the big day?’ Lorraine asks with obvious delight.
‘Probably the year after next,’ I reply.
‘That’s good,’ Dad says. ‘That will give us plenty of time to save up again.’
‘Great. We’re thinking a summer wedding, too, so you’ll be able to come over when it’s nice and hot,’ Richard tells him.
‘That’d be great,’ Kay pipes up.
‘And is your dad going to give you away?’ Lorraine pries happily.
‘Of course,’ I say.
Dad beams, Lorraine rubs him on his arm and underneath the table, Richard squeezes my hand – and I feel like the biggest bitch in the world.
Chapter 24
This is what it must have been like for Ben, feeling like there was no way back once the wedding preparations got underway. The last week has been hell. Lorraine has insisted on taking me wedding-dress shopping. She’s adamant that she and Dad will pay for the meringue, and her biggest desire is to get me fitted out and ready to go before they head back to the UK at the weekend.
I’m dragging my heels, telling her the wedding is so far away that I don’t want to make a decision yet, but she persists with the endless shopping trips. She’s met me for two lunches alone this week so we can exhaust more bridal shops. It’s killing me.
Of course, at work, Nicola thinks it’s marvellous. She’s delighted I’m getting into the ‘swing of things’, as she puts it. And when Lorraine is off the scene, I know I’m in for even more torture.
I haven’t seen Ben since the fishing trip. I texted him a few days ago to say things were manic with my family. When I’m at work the urge to be with him is overwhelming. But somehow, when I’m at home with Richard, I manage to put him out of my mind.
