Page 28 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

As everyone took a sip of champagne Sahir sat down. Unlike every other mortal, he didn’t ask her if that had been okay, or if he’d said too much.

Violet turned to him. ‘I think I’m going to cry.’

‘Not yet...’ He turned and gave her a slightly bemused smile. ‘It’s your turn to speak.’

‘No!’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t do speeches.’

‘Violet...’ Grace whispered loudly, urging her to stand.

‘I can’t,’ Violet protested. ‘I’ve never...’

‘You’ll be wonderful.’ Beneath the table, Sahir gave her thigh a tiny squeeze. ‘It’s all very low-key...just keep it short.’

Violet stood on shaky legs and wished she could be as effortless and polished as Sahir.

She had never given a speech—well, just once, for Mrs Hunt at the library, when she turned sixty.

And she’d stuffed that up.

Then she saw her beaming friend, thought of her gorgeous dress, and knew she was the most polished she was ever likely to be. As well as that, she could feel the little aftermath of that touch on her thigh and it was a nice distraction.

‘This is all so unexpected,’ she began. ‘The wedding...giving a speech...’

Violet smiled brightly at the select invitees, and then looked at the glaze on Grace’s eyes. Even if she wasn’t certain about this marriage, perhaps being happy for a little while was enough...

‘I was hoping Grace would bring me back a nice surprise from her trip to Borneo,’ she told the audience. ‘A toy orangutan, or even a tea set...’ She heard laughter. ‘And I did get a surprise—just not quite what I had in mind. I suspect she and Carter have been a little too busy to shop.’ Violet smiled at her friend. ‘So I’ll have to wait for something gorgeous after the honeymoon.’

She picked up her glass and toasted the seemingly happy couple.

‘To Grace and Carter—you owe me a present.’

She sat down to happy applause, and of course worried that she’d got it all wrong.

‘Well done,’ Sahir said.

But suddenly there was no time to discuss speeches, or anything. She saw Sahir glance down at his jacket and heard the buzz of his phone.

‘I’m just heading out for a moment,’ he told her.

‘Sure.’

Sob!

She politely shook her head at Mr Blond when he approached, and said her feet were killing her, and then for a moment she sat alone.

She looked at Grace, her eyes closed as she danced with her husband, and then she looked at the groom and how tenderly he held his bride.

Was it love?

After all, who was she to judge when love was something she’d never really known?

Could it be that Grace and Carter were for real?

‘You’ve got a nerve.’

Violet turned to see a derisive look from Tanya. She hadn’t seen her since‘the incident’.

‘You might have managed to convince Grace,’ she went on. ‘But we all know you took advantage of Aunty Jo.’

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