Page 53 of Wedding Games
‘Shona?’
‘Yes,’ she grinned, kissing him on the end of his nose. ‘Your not-yet-born daughter.’
Rory’s mouth fell open.
‘You’re pregnant?’ Sam hissed.
‘No!’
‘What’s that? Fiona asked. ‘You’re up the duff?’
Rory’s face was paler than before he made his speech.
‘Chica! Congratulations!’ said Valentina, raising her glass.
‘Shush!’ Zoe whispered. ‘I’m not pregnant!’
‘Are you sure?’ croaked Rory.
She took a large glug of champagne. ‘Yes!’
Rory slumped a little lower in his chair and rubbed his forehead. He looked utterly wrung out.
Charlie returned to the table with his winnings and sat down with a satisfied smile on his face.
‘Bloody love this wedding,’ he said, before glancing around the table. ‘What have I missed?’
9
Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Brad interrupted.
‘Picture the scene!’ he cried. ‘The first time I ever met Zoe…’ He’d managed to clamber back onto his chair and had one arm outstretched as he gazed off into the middle distance. ‘It’s a dark and stormy Scottish night. The wind rattles the roof tiles and wolves howl in the glen. The time is just past midnight, and the date, 1352. I am the first Earl of Kinloch, and a stranger is knocking on my castle door. “Who goes there!” I cry. “’Tis I,” a female voice—’
The microphone was once again snatched from his hand by Barbara who glided over to Zoe.
‘Babe!’ Brad called out to his wife. ‘I was gonna go through our nine past lives!’
Barbara shot him a look that indicated his tenth one was currently hanging by a thread.
‘The bride,’ she enunciated into the mic before handing it to Zoe.
As she stood, Sam and Fiona wheeled a large screen closer to her, and Charlie stood next to the timer.
‘Thank you, everyone, for coming today,’ she began. Nerves jumped and jostled for space in her stomach, but she ignored them. She reached for Rory’s hand. ‘To reiterate what my husband has said—’
Sam, Fiona, and Valentina started cheering, and the sounds carried around the room in a Mexican wave of whoops, shouts, and stamping of feet.
Zoe looked at Rory. His smile was so big it filled her heart to overflowing.
She gave him a wink then turned back to the room. ‘I want to thank Barbara and Brad for enabling us to have such a spectacular wedding, and my incredible parents for showing me what love is every day of my life.’
She risked a glance at her mother and instantly regretted it. Mary was already crying and fanning her face with her hands as if that would stop the outpouring of emotion. Her father wasn’t much better, his expression contorting as if attempting to hold back a tide of tears. Morag was looking equally emotional as she threw tissues at them and patted Arnold’s shoulder.
‘I also want to thank my second mother, Morag,’ Zoe continued. ‘For always having room in her heart and her home for me.’
‘Waaaaaaah!’ wailed Morag as her own emotional dam gave way. ‘Och, Zoe, I love you!’
Big Jim appeared flustered and grabbed the edge of the tablecloth, passing it to Morag.
