Page 73 of Italy and Forever

‘I didn’t want to sleep at my parents’ place when she’s here!’ he grouched in return.

Sophie peered after them. ‘That’s not the explanation he gave me,’ she mumbled. ‘I don’t know what to do with him. We’re going to need a therapist on speed dial. How am I supposed to know what he feels unless he tells me?’

Ginny threaded her arm through Sophie’s. ‘A therapist and lots of good friends,’ she said. ‘I hope you don’t mind we woke you.’

Sophie hesitated over her answer, making Ginny’s stomach dip, but she gave a wan smile. ‘I can’t complain about traditions when I’ve just taken Andreas to task for not observing them, can I?’

Kira sauntered back to them, her hands in her pockets. ‘She’s awake. What do we do now? It’s 6.34.’

‘I hope you continue that timekeeping for the reception. That’ll be super helpful,’ Ginny joked.

‘I’ll be right on it for the speeches,’ Kira said with a chuckle, sending a stab of nerves through Ginny. She’d never had to deliver a bridesmaid speech and the words she’d written several weeks ago felt more uncomfortable the longer she thought about them, now she was faced with the reality of saying them aloud.

‘There is only one answer to your question though,’ she said to Kira. ‘Coffee.’

Downstairs they met Gabri and Cillian, putting away breakfast plates. ‘Ah, the bride! Good morning, Sophie,’ Gabri said with a smile and a kiss on each cheek. ‘I will be back with your bouquet later. But now, Cilli and I are going to decorate the church, while you ladies make yourselves beautiful – more beautiful than you already are.’

‘You two are totally in the honeymoon phase,’ Kira said to Toni out of the corner of her mouth.

‘Actually I think Gabri is just like that,’ Ginny contradicted her.

‘Thanks, Gabri,’ Sophie said warmly. ‘I can’t wait to see your work, as always.’

He stepped close to Toni and pressed a kiss to her lips. ‘See you later.’

‘You two get to smooch, but Mattia’s still getting his beauty sleep for his performance at the ceremony,’ Kira grumbled. ‘Whoops, sorry, Ginny,’ she said with a wince. ‘I forgot about your dating ban and…’

Ginny tried to muster a convincing scowl so Kira would have no idea she’d received her share of kisses already this morning. Her friend seemed to swallow it.

When they were sitting around a table by the radiator – the fire wasn’t lit, since none of the staff was on duty yet – with coffees from the machine, Sophie leaned heavily on the table and asked, ‘Was I too hard on him? I did say he could come in last night.’

‘It’s your wedding,’ Kira said with a shrug, sipping her steaming coffee. ‘You can do what you want.’

Ginny laid a hand on Kira’s arm. ‘Aw, you’re getting the idea of the work of a wedding planner.’

She scowled at Ginny. ‘You’re treating this wedding like an expedition, following all the guidelines and keeping the team in line.’

‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’

‘At least I know there are enough hands to run the ship while I’m on maternity leave,’ Sophie said with a sigh.

‘Oh, sweetie,’ Toni exclaimed, wrapping an arm around her. ‘You’ll be with us in spirit.’

‘I don’t know what I’m going to do, honestly,’ Sophie said glumly. ‘Everything’s changed so fast.’

That was autumn for you, Ginny thought wearily.

‘But that’s not a topic for my wedding day.’

Ginny was beginning to understand how many topics had to be avoided at a wedding. For too long, she’d believed her own propaganda. Love conquered all. A grand wedding day would provide good memories to last a lifetime. Marriage was a celebration and expression of love.

She thought she might have planned to say one or two of those sentences in her speech. But for this wedding, hastily planned and imperfectly executed by this motley, endearing crew of unlikely colleagues, where the couple already joked about needing therapy – those clichés didn’t capture the bewildering marvel of their stubborn commitment.

‘No, today I don’t want to focus on the difficulties. I want to hear gossip,’ Sophie declared, jarring Ginny out of her introspection. ‘That’s normally your job, Ginny, but today, you have to tell me everything.’

Toni’s slurp of surprise interrupted what would have been a pin-dropping moment. ‘What’s this?’

Ginny swallowed her mortification with some difficulty. It was extra dense when peppered with remorse. ‘Uh, I don’t really think⁠—’