Page 63 of The Wedding Game

‘Why would you think that? I’ve never fallen for someone as quickly as I’ve fallen for you.’

My breath catches in my throat. ‘Really?’

‘Really. It was immediate. When I was standing at that bar with you at the wedding, I could have talked to you all night. It crushed me when you left me after that first dance. And then, not long after, there you were again, and you ended upkissingme. Who gets a second chance like that? That kind of thingneverhappens to me. It was incredible. It scares me too.’

I move towards him and kiss him hard. Josh kisses me back.

‘Come with me,’ he says, in a voice that should do things to me, but instead I hear another man in my head uttering the very same phrase months ago in another place.

‘What?’ I ask quickly, in surprise.Did I dream him saying that? Did I hear Chris? I need Chris out of my head. Why is he in there?

Josh gathers our drinks and the champagne bucket. I shake myself back into the present. ‘Come with me,’ he repeats.

‘Where are we going?’

‘Outside.’

‘Outside?’ I question.

‘To the barn, to be precise.’

‘Why?’

He gives me a sexy look. ‘Do you still want to have a roll around in the hay with a farmer?’

‘Yes,’ I reply, pulling my shoes back on quickly. ‘Yes, I do.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

New Year’s Day 2023

I hold Josh’s hand as we walk through Longleat’s Festival of Light. I’ve never been to see Christmas lights at a country house. It’s a festive cultural phenomenon that’s passed me by, and I was quite surprised when Josh suggested it. I donned my wellies and we’ve been holding gloved hands the whole way round the trail.

Scarlet went to a party in London to see in the New Year last night and gave me permission to spend the occasion with Josh. I didn’t want to ditch her, but I think she might have had a bit more fun than I did. I like a party and, in truth, it wasn’t exactly wild in Somerset. We had a lock-in at Mark’s pub, with Tamara and a few locals. But everything was over by half twelve. I wonder if this will be my life, if Josh and I carry on like this? As I get older, and less able to handle hangovers, perhaps this is a good way to spend the remainder of the festive season.

The trail theme is Roald Dahl and I can’t help thinking, as we walk through the huge light-sculptures of all thecharacters from Dahl’s books, that if we had children, they’d love this.

I’m only familiar with the characters from a few of the books that have been made into films, so Josh has to point out who Danny, the Champion of the World is, and The Twits. It’s only when I get to Bruce Bogtrotter eating a giant lit-up cake that I know what I’m looking at. And Willy Wonka is always unforgettable. His life-sized trailing coat looks as if it’s blowing in the wind.

A tunnel of open books is illuminated and we walk through hand-in-hand. It’s cold, but at least it’s not raining. It still feels so festive that my New Year’s resolution to go easy on the alcohol is ruined when I spy a mulled-wine stall.

‘How do you not know who Danny, the Champion of the World is?’ Josh asks in mock-disgust as we exit the lights and make our way back to the car.

‘I knew James fromJames and the Giant Peach,’ I point out.

‘Only because of the massive lit-up peach,’ Josh observes, laughing, while opening the car door for me. ‘We’ll have to rectify this. We can’t have kids whose mum has no idea who Fantastic Mr Fox is,’ he jokes.

I turn and look at him.Kids. Mum.I smile. I know he’s joking, but … we’re discussing these things.New Year, new dreams?

Josh nods, but doesn’t sense that I want to delve deeper into this. And what else can I say? Not a lot, if I want to remain cool and sane. Though I’m excited.

He plants a quick kiss on my lips and makes signs that hewants me to get in the car, so we can join the queue of traffic leaving Longleat. ‘Don’t worry,’ he says. ‘I’ll fix your lack of knowledge aboutGeorge’s Marvellous Medicinein time for our kids.’

I sit in the car and stare straight ahead, mouth slightly open in total surprise.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

February

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