Her eyebrows have gone into overdrive as she reaches for the handle on the huge front door. ‘So we might have a contender here?’
He did say he’d know it as soon as he saw it, and my heart’s already lifted.
He pauses for so long I’m making silent bets if he’ll say,abso-bloody-lutely, orsure thing. He doesn’t even need to be that fancy – a simple yes would do fine.
He clears his throat. ‘What I was actually going to say was, lovely as it is, I don’t think there’s much point going in, because it won’t be in the running.’
I’m picking my jaw up off the floor. ‘Excuse me, Nic, but I don’t get it. You made it clear you can afford the manor – and not many people can. Jess has made what’s usually completely unattainable these days very available, especially for you. It’s out-of-this-world amazing. And you’re NOT EVEN GOING INSIDE?’ I know Poppy’s giving me throat cutting signals, but I can’t help my frustration from spilling over.
She’s got her best bride-soothing voice on. ‘So maybe you could share exactly what it is that didn’t wow you?’
I’m trying to pull this back, asking myself where the hell we went wrong.
Nic pulls down the corners of his mouth. ‘I know I asked for somewhere with better circulation spaces than the farm, but Pixie just isn’t an ostentatious person. That sweeping drive, the whole country estate, stately home feel – she wouldn’t be comfortable here at all.’
‘Great.’ I say. ‘Good for Elfinor!’ And bummer for us. ‘The more of a picture we get of her likes and dislikes, the easier it’ll be.’
Which probably isn’t true either. As I know to my cost with Ben, choosing a wedding venue isn’t an exact science. Sometimes nothing suits. And back then we didn’t have time constraints either.
Nic’s jaw clenches again. ‘I’m really not meaning to be awkward.’
‘And if we’re making you feel like you are, we’re really not doing our job.’ I’m starting to think he was right to doubt me. Here I was thinking I knew it all, and he’s just proving I haven’t got the first clue.
Then he lets out a long sigh. ‘If anyone deserves to have the perfect wedding day, it’s Pixie. More than anyone else I know. That’s why I have to get this right.’
There’s a note of desperation in his voice. But beneath it, the tremor and the depth of love is so deep, my heart’s actually aching for him. And suddenly I understand. I swallow hard and without even thinking, the next thing I know I’m smiling and patting his hand. ‘I really promise, we’ll do our best to give her that.’ And then I come to my professional senses and whip my hand away.
I’m not sure I ever heard a tenth of that amount of love in Ben’s voice. Not that I’m comparing. Just thinking anyone bringing out that much love from a man is one lucky woman.
Poppy gives his arm a squeeze. ‘You bet we will!’
‘That means you’ll show me more venues? Let me into the secrets of the wedding cheat sheet?’
From how it’s gone so far, he’d be mad to want more. ‘I’ve totally failed to show you anything remotely close to what you’re looking for. I’ve also managed to drive into a bog and cover you from head to toe in mud.’
He’s biting his lip. ‘I already told you, that was down to me.’
If he hadn’t just wrung our hearts out, I wouldn’t be saying this. ‘Leave it with me.’ Everything today was me at the top of my game. Another day might be even more disastrous.
He just smiles the kind of smile that makes your heart melt. ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’
‘And you might want to work on a guest list.’ I haven’t mentioned it before, but we can’t take this forward without a better idea of numbers.
Nic gives a cheeky salute. ‘Aye, aye, cap’n, I’ll get straight onto it.’
‘I’m booked in to visit some wedding fair venues later this week too.’ That came out before I’d thought it through. Probably on the same sympathy wave that had me signing up for more of this hell. But do I really want to complicate those appointments? ‘I doubt you’ll be free at such short notice.’
Nic shrugs. ‘Any time this week is good for me.’
My heart drops. So many miles to keep my eyes on the road rather than on those legs. And that’s before we get to how distracting his conversations are. And how much he loves this Elfinor person.
Poppy’s beaming at me. ‘Great plan. It’ll save you having to make two trips, Mills.’ I don’t have to tell you what her eyebrows are doing. ‘At least this way you can rule a whole lot more places in – or out.’
And my week ahead just went downhill very fast! All I’m banking on is that the more I see Mr Trendell, the more his ridiculously attractive exterior will fade. With any luck, by the end of next week he’ll be so familiar, I won’t even be noticing he’s there at all.
Chapter 10
The next Monday.
