Page 8 of The Secret Mistletoe Promise
Hope you’re OK. Get in touch when you can. All of this will work out, all right? I promise. xx
Imogen breathed a sigh of relief and, knowing she couldn’t be long, that she needed to send messages to her mum and Edmund, she found her friend’s number in favourites.
‘Imogen?’ It didn’t even ring before Nikki picked up. ‘Where are you? Are you OK?’
‘I’m fine,’ Imogen said. ‘Ish, anyway.’Ish is good, Dexter had said.
‘Where are you?’
‘With a friend.’ She wouldn’t put it past her family to wheedle the truth out of Nikki.
‘Aguyfriend?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘There’s nobody else, then?’ Nikki asked in her slightly gravelly voice. ‘You didn’t leave because you’re desperately in love with another man and couldn’t live a lie any more?’
‘No way. I wouldn’t do that to Edmund.’
Nikki made a noncommittal noise. Imogen knew her friend wasn’t convinced that Edmund had always been loyal to her, but she thought that was simply her dislike for him showing. Imogen didn’t think Edmund was a cheater, although it turned out he was a lot of other things. ‘So what happened?’
Imogen rubbed her forehead. ‘I was standing in thedoorway of the church, and everyone was looking at me. And it wasn’t – it wasn’t how I imagined it. Edmund seemed … self-satisfied.’
‘Finally!’ Nikki said.
‘And I always imagined my husband-to-be would be overwhelmed, you know? Not necessarily crying, but—’
‘Damn right they should be crying. Edmund isn’t right for you; I’ve been saying this all along.’
‘I know, but—’
‘And I’m glad you realized it in time. I mean, you cut it pretty fine, and sent Edmund’s whole family into apoplexy. I’m proud of you.’
‘Proud of the apoplexy?’ Imogen murmured.
Proud was the last thing she felt, but then she hadn’t told Nikki about the conversation she’d overheard. She hadn’t told anyone, because she was still rolling it around in her mind, wondering whether it had really happened, or if she’d misinterpreted it.
‘Have you spoken to him?’ Nikki asked.
‘I’m about to text him saying I’m safe, but I can’t do anything else right now. I’m still reeling from my own behaviour.’
‘You’ve woken up. This is agoodthing. You’ll see that soon enough.’
‘Where are you?’ Imogen walked to the skylight. It was dark now, the windows of the house opposite glowing softly, but it was also cloudy, so she would have to wait to see the stars in a Mistingham sky.
‘At home. I suggested to your mum that we should still have the party, make use of all the food and drink because it would be a waste otherwise.’
This made Imogen snort. ‘What did she say?’
‘Nothing. I was felled by her withering glare, though.’
‘I’m sure the hotel will work something out. They won’t want to waste anything either.’
‘Don’t think about that right now. Just take a few days, with whateverfriendyou’ve gone to see, and stay in touch, OK? I don’t want to have to keep worrying about you.’
‘I’m sorry.’ Imogen was reminded that if her actions had worried Nikki, they would have worried Edmund and her parents even more. ‘I’d better go.’
‘I’ll call you, chick. Stay strong.’ Nikki rang off, leaving Imogen listening to dead air.
