Page 122 of Worth Every Moment
He holds up a hand. “I have to stop you because I won’t take credit where it’s not due. I didn’t choose you.”
Oh, shit.My stomach falls. “You didn’t?”
“No.” Silence pricks the air as the three of us stand in an awkward horseshoe on the sand.
“So who did—”
“Seb.”
Shock ricochets through me like shrapnel, and I have to stop my hand from slapping against my wounded chest. My thoughts scatter in a million different directions, and it’s all I can do to gather them enough to say, “Seb? As in… Sebastian Hawkston?”
Arthur smiles at my repetition of the name. “Yes. He barged into my office one day, many years ago now, and threw a high street catalogue across my desk.”
His words scoop the air from my lungs, leaving me dizzy and breathless, and struggling to make sense of anything. “Wait, so it wasn’t my mother? She didn’t bring you my portfolio?”
He frowns. “Your mother? No. I’ve never met your mother. It was Seb. He told me he’d found the next big thing. I laughed at how sure he was about it. He said he’d never seen a face like yours. Something about your eyes. He thought he could see a sadness in them, and he made me swear to put you in my next project.”
“That’s so lovely,” says Diana, giving me a melancholy smile, but her expression makes no sense to me, so I make no comment.
“That she has sad eyes?” Arthur asks her, his tone teasing.
“No, it’s lovely that he noticed, and that he cared enough to do something like that,” Diana corrects him and focuses back on me. “How long ago was that?”
“Seven years,” I say, but it’s barely a whisper.
“It is rather romantic, isn’t it?” Arthur says with a glance at Diana. “He also said he’d found the woman he was going to marry. Knew it in his bones. I remember laughing because I couldn’t understand why anyone would choose a woman who looked like she had sad eyes. But he was adamant that therewas something special about you. I’ve never seen someone so awestruck by a photograph. He was possessed by it. Turns out, he was right. You were—you are—something special.”
I'm not sure how I'm still standing, because my world is spinning. “Thank you.”
“It’s not me you have to thank. It’s Seb. He’s been your biggest fan from before you were famous. It’s lovely to see the two of you together after all this time.”
“Oh,” I say, but it’s hollow, and I sound distracted. I don’t know what else to say, because all of this has come as such a shock. All this time, I’ve felt indebted to this man, who’s standing here telling me I was wrong. It was Seb, and he never said a thing about it.
“Thank you,” I say to Arthur. I glance at Diana, whose sad smile has transformed to a perplexed frown. I have no idea what she's thinking. “I’m sorry I interrupted your conversation. I just really wanted to say thank you, and now… I’m a bit confused… I didn’t know…”
“You didn’t know he was responsible for your big break? That all this time he had your back in such a huge, momentous way?” Diana fills in, her frown fading away as she clasps my hand in both hers. “That's pretty amazing. You're very lucky, but I'm not surprised you're a bit confused, especially if he never told you.” The full warmth of her personality filters into my blood with her touch and her words, and the gratitude that washes through me is nearly overwhelming. To be understood by a complete stranger is a delight I hadn’t expected to experience. “I really hope you and Seb get your happy ending.”
Before I can wonder exactly what she means, the MC’s microphone-loud voice crashes through our conversation, calling us all to take our seats, which we obediently do after checking out the elaborate seating plan.
Seb is sitting up on the top table as part of the bridal party. With him are Nico and Kate as well as Matt and their parents. Kate’s mother, who has what looks like an extremely phoney smile on her face, is chatting to Nico’s mum. Jack, as Nico’s best man, is also up there with Elly, the maid of honour.
I’m sitting at a circular table with Marie and Aries, and Matt’s eldest son, Charlie, as well as a few other guests I haven’t met before. Lucie, Matt’s daughter, was running around dressed like an angel in her flower girl outfit, but she’s disappeared now. Perhaps the nanny took her off for a nap.
Everyone around me seems happy after the reception drinks, their smiles and conversation well lubricated with champagne.I feel so sober. I wish Amy was here, but she’s arriving at the last minute, in true Amy fashion. Straight off the boat and onto the stage. Hopefully, I’ll see her after her performance.
I glance over at Seb. He’s only a few seats down from his father. I have no idea how he can sit up there with such a monster.This family is fucked. Maybe more than mine. Seb catches my eye and winks, his little dimple gracing his cheek for a second.
I smile back, but I don’t think he sees because his father passes him a note and Seb glances at the tiny piece of paper, unfolding it slowly. As he reads, the amusement on his face vanishes; the colour drains from his cheeks, and a cold sweat breaks out on the back of my neck. Beside him, Matt, who sits between his father and Seb, looks between the two of them, his brow pinched.
Seb raises his head again, looking as though someone has died. I want to jump up and go to him, but I can’t move because old Mr Hawkston stands up, and one of the staff passes him the microphone.
He clears his throat and begins welcoming people, but I’m hardly listening because I am looking at Seb, who’s sitting still, brows drawn together, head tilted towards the table. This is hisbrother’s wedding, but he looks like he’s just been given a death sentence.
“We’re all here to celebrate Nico and Kate. But before we focus on them, I have some other news to share, which we as a family are all overjoyed about.” A chill runs over my skin, and Nico and Matt share a subtle glance, but it’s obvious they have no idea what he’s about to say. Kate looks confused too. Seb’s jaw flexes, and he refuses to look at any of them. “My youngest son, Sebastian, is engaged to be married.”
The room spins, sickness rising in my stomach. I can’t breathe.Seb, engaged?My mind races, searching for some key memory, some piece of information that would make this make sense.
Aries smiles, leaning across to rub the back of my hand. “Congratulations.”
