Page 104 of Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
“Sounds like she started it,” said Ameerah.
“I shouldn’t have implied that her job was less important than a hairstylist’s.”
“Well, you’re the bride, so you’re allowed to behaveoutrageously on your big day,” Nory soothed. “Have another sausage.”
The bridesmaids, flower girls, and page boys, along with their parents and siblings, all arrived at eight o’clock sharp, as though their arrival had been coordinated with military precision, which of course, with Pippa in charge, it had. The upstairs became a beauty parlor with multiple hairstylists hovering possessively next to plug sockets, which were in surprisingly scant supply in the castle bedrooms.
The building was suddenly loud with the drone of hair dryers and people shouting over them, and the thunderous sound of children running from room to room. Katie emerged from her room, looking radiant in a maxi-dress that skimmed her baby bump.
“Hello, how are you feeling? You look much better,” said Nory, who had almost run into her in her haste to get a flat white to Jenna.
“I think I’ve beaten the jet lag.” Katie smiled. “Now I’m just back to the pregnancy lag.”
“Oh, that’s good, I think?”
“Yes.” Katie laughed. “I feel human for the first time in days. I’m sorry I haven’t been around very much. I was really looking forward to catching up with you. I hadn’t anticipated how much the traveling would take out of me.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. There’ll be other times we can catch up. Especially now you’re going to be back in the country for a while.”
“Yes, I’m hanging my traveling hat up for the foreseeable.”
“Jeremy must be pleased about that. I know he’s missed you terribly.”
Katie gave a little laugh. “Yes, Jeremy is ecstatic. It’s been hard for him; he so wanted to be a part of the pregnancy, but our schedules wouldn’t allow it. It’s time we put us first for a while. You’ll have to come and stay with us one weekend. I’d love it and I know Jeremy would.”
“I’d like that very much.” Nory smiled.
Jenna’s voice cut through the cacophony like an angle grinder. “Is it too much to ask to get a pissing coffee round here?”
Katie winced.
“I’d better deliver this,” said Nory.
It was midday before Jenna’s parents arrived and took over bridal duties from Nory so that she could get herself ready. She had briefly seen her mum and Shelley making last-minute adjustments to the garlands on the banisters before they disappeared off to the orangery to add the final touches to the aisle flowers. TheOK!magazine photographer had an uncanny gift of being everywhere, and Nory did her level best to avoid being caught in any shots. This became easier once the cast ofDays and Nightsbegan to arrive and he had more famous faces to play with.
For the first time since waking, Nory had a few spare minutes to get excited about spending the day with Isaac. This was essentially their first date. In truth, she was surprised he had agreed. She wondered how he’d feel being surrounded by soap opera glitterati. She herself was a bit freaked out at the idea of so many famous people in one room. And then she remembered that Isaac hadn’t known whatDays and Nightswas anyway. And he probably didn’t read gossip magazines—her own guilty pleasure—so he was unlikely to care.
It came time for any guests who weren’t actually in thewedding to take their places in the orangery. Jenna had stopped swearing the moment her parents arrived, to the relief of all the parents and the disappointment of the children—they had most enjoyed listening to the potty-mouth bride and no doubt learned some excellent swears to take back to school in the new year. Dev had come to escort Ameerah to the rest of the wedding party.
“Do you want to come with us?” Ameerah asked.
“No, you go on, I’ve forgotten my phone. My mum will kill me if I don’t send her pictures of the wedding.”
“Isn’t there an embargo on sharing photos before the magazine releases them, in case they end up on social media?” asked Dev.
“I dare you to tell my mum I can’t show her any photos of the wedding,” Nory replied wryly.
“We’ll save you both a seat,” called Ameerah as she and Dev clip-clopped across the entrance hall in Christian Louboutin stilettos and Savile Row derby shoes, respectively.
Nory headed back into her bedroom and found her phone beneath a damp hair towel. She noted four missed calls from her mum already and quickly switched her phone to silent just in case. She threw a fur-lined wrap around her shoulders and checked herself in the mirror. Her dress was 1950s-style: red velvet, with a sweetheart neckline, fitted to the waist and flaring into a full skirt. She never could stand up in high heels, so she teamed the outfit with a pair of black patent Mary Jane shoes. It suddenly occurred to her that with the cream furry wrap, she looked a bit like Mrs. Claus. She applied another layer of red lipstick and hoped nobody else would think the same thing.
After the constant noise all morning, the castle now felteerily quiet. As she made her way down the staircase the front door opened, and Isaac walked in. Nory gave a little gasp as she took him in. She was used to rugged, working Isaac. This was polished, sexy suit Isaac, and he wore it well.
“Hello. You look delicious.” Isaac grinned up at her.
Oh, be still my beating heart!
“You look rather edible yourself. Are you here on Her Majesty’s secret service?”
