Page 99 of Booked for Summer

And a new highlight, she thought, a low sizzle beginning in her belly as Liam strode towards her, looking like he’d stepped out of a World’s Hottest Men in a Tux photoshoot.

He drew her purposefully into his arms, lips brushing her ear. ‘Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?’

Emotion clogging her throat, she smoothed her hands down his shirt. ‘Did I tell you how much you rock a flamingo bow-tie?’

He smiled. ‘I was going to say you can say what you like, I’m never wearing it again. But maybe I can give you a private viewing.’

She pictured Liam, wearing nothing but the bow-tie and a sexy smoulder and promptly tripped over her own feet. It earned her a low chuckle. Totally worth it.

It was times like this she forgot she’d be heading home in a week. In fact she’d spent the last few days forgetting a lot of things. Like the fact they’d both expressed feelings for each other, but neither had really showed their full hand. Maybe it was down to her to be the brave one. She was the one who had to decide whether or not to return. Whether to give up life in Twickenham, for life in Nantucket. A life close to her family, or a life with new friends. A publishing assistant or a bookshop manager. A single woman, or a woman dating an extraordinary yet complex man whose hard shell protected the vulnerable boy.

Suddenly, she felt Liam grow rigid. When she glanced up, she saw his expression had turned harsh, his jaw tight. ‘What is it?’

‘I didn’t realise he was invited.’

She followed his gaze and frowned. ‘Oh, you mean Henry. I’m not sure he was, because I don’t think Jeremy likes him very much. Maybe one of the SOB team told him about it. I know his dad owns the Chase Resort, but have you two ever actually met? I can introduce you if you like.’

‘No,’ he replied curtly, all the warmth gone from his face, leaving hard lines and a wintry stare.

She flinched. ‘I wasn’t planning on telling him we were sleeping together, if that’s what’s got your boxers in a twist.’

He looked incredulous. ‘Have I ever given you the impression Idon’twant people knowing?’

He’d introduced her to his grandma, held her hand at every opportunity, danced with her tonight in a way that made it clear they were intimate. ‘Then what’s wrong?’

She didn’t have time to hear his answer, because Henry had spotted them. Holding the hand of a beautiful brunette in an elegant turquoise bias-cut silk dress, he marched towards them, a fixed smile on his face.

‘Jade. Have you met my girlfriend, Sabrina?’

No, it couldn’t be. Yet from the tension radiating off Liam, the way he’d reached for her hand and was gripping it like it was the only thing keeping him upright, she knew the name wasn’t just a coincidence. ‘Hi.’ She smiled awkwardly at the other woman.

Henry turned to Liam. ‘I believe the pair of you are already acquainted.’

Liam stared back, stony-faced and silent.

‘I didn’t know you were coming,’ Jade ventured into the wildly uncomfortable silence. Holy shit, Liam’s ex looked like a frigging supermodel, all long-limbed sophistication and unnerving confidence. One glance at her own dress and it suddenly felt too tight, too short. Too low cut. Tootarty.

‘I heard from Philip that the SOB team were getting together, so I didn’t want to miss out. Especially as we’re celebrating.’ Henry glanced around him, spotting the DJ behind them. ‘In fact, let’s do this properly.’

Jade held her breath, an ominous feeling settling over her. ‘I don’t like this,’ she whispered, but it was like Liam had left and a cold, marble statue taken his place.

‘Excuse me one minute, everyone,’ Henry announced into the microphone. ‘I’d like to add my own personal congratulations to Jeremy and Leroy. I hope they’ll forgive me hijacking their wedding for a moment to also recognise this lady,’ he waved a hand over in Jade’s direction. ‘The blonde in the… charming pink dress.’

Ouch. Not just the words, but the way he said them. Anger burned in her stomach even as her eyes pricked with tears she was absolutely not going to shed.

‘Jade is more than her hair colour.’ Liam’s voice cracked through the air. ‘If you don’t realise that, you’re more ignorant than I thought.’

‘I do realise it.’ Henry smirked over at Liam. ‘Because Jade has managed to do what many of us had feared was impossible.’ He paused, checking he had the attention of the wedding party. ‘She’s forced Liam Haven to change his mind about knocking down our quaint, much loved bookstore.’ A cheer went up around the group. ‘According to my source, he’s also scrapped his plans to expand the hotel onto the waterfront. Of course if he thinks this will change how many feel about him, we should remind him we have long memories. Who can forget how he bought up a beautiful part of our island only to ruin it by turning it into a flash modern resort? Or more recently, how he stopped us from mooring our boats on the wharf next door? But at least this action has shown he will buckle under pressure.’ Henry’s eyes found hers. ‘So here’s to you, Jade. Whatever womanly spell you put on the man, we all thank you for it.’

A murmur went through the group and suddenly she was surrounded by people congratulating her and asking her about the shop. She wanted to escape, to run up to Henry and shove at him for being so frigging rude, so condescending. For making her feel like some cheap strumpet who’d used sex to get Liam to change his mind.

Yet whatever her humiliation, for Liam it was worse.

An arm slid around her waist, and she jerked around, only to find Jeremy. He took one look at her and swore colourfully. ‘Excuse us everyone, I’m taking Jade away. Groom’s prerogative.’

‘I don’t know what Henry’s doing here,’ he muttered as he led her away from the crowd and towards the relative quiet of the beach. ‘I didn’t invite him.’

‘He said something about Philip mentioning the SOB group getting together.’ Jade halted and stared back at the bar. ‘Where’s Liam? I can’t see him.’ Her heart began to race. ‘I need to see him. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t put together that group?—’

---