The function room was already filling up with wedding guests, and when Carole checked the time, she realised it was less than half an hour until the ceremony would begin. The room was bright and lovely, with banks of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sunlit gardens outside. Rows of silver-lacquered chairs filled the room, decorated with lavender ribbons on the backs, and beautiful floral arrangements in a palette of pink, lavender and white framed the front of the room where the ceremony would be conducted. Soft romantic pop music played from the house system as guests mingled before taking their seats.
“This room is beautiful,” Carole commented. “So lovely and bright with all this sunlight coming in. It’s the perfect place for a wedding.”
“Lucy deserves to have a great day,” Tom said. “I know she and Martin have put a tonne of work into the arrangements. I hope it all goes to plan.”
“I’m sure it will.”
They found seats in a row near the middle of the bride’s side of the room. Once they were seated, Carole pulled out her phoneand showed Tom the photo she’d snapped a few moments ago in the lobby.
“That’s a great shot, Carole,” he said, laughing in surprise as he studied the image. “Look at the expression on Evie’s face. Pure bliss!”
“She’s a lucky little girl to have two wonderful men in her life.”
“No, I’m the lucky one.” Tom’s expression turned wistful before he added. “Will you send this to me?”
“Of course. I’m sure I’ll take a few more throughout the day, so I’ll send them through in a batch later.”
“Thanks.”
Tucking her phone away, Carole leaned closer and lower her voice. “Any sign of what’s-her-name, the woman I’m here to shield you against?”
Tom laughed softly. “Not yet. I’ll keep you posted.”
Carole was about to say something more, but a couple of wedding guests appeared at the end of the row where they were sitting and caught Tom’s attention to say hello and thus began a new round of greetings and introductions. The genuine warmth with which Tom was welcomed by just about everyone he met continued to strike Carole as utterly remarkable.
She had to remind herself that this was Tom’s ex-girlfriend’s wedding they were at. Lucy hadn’t just been a casual girlfriend, either—they’d been in a relationship for years. And yet, despite that relationship ending, they’d remained friends and Tom continued to be an obviously much-loved part of Evie’s life.
Even the groom, Martin, had welcomed Tom with open arms.
As she watched Tom chat with the wedding guests who’d stopped to say hello, and then another set who arrived and pulled Tom into warm hugs the moment they saw him, Carole realised just how special the man was.
And how easy it would be to fall for him… and keep falling.
