Page 11 of The Bad Wedding Date

“No, you’re not, so what the hell are you doing here?”

He scowled, his smile never fading. “I’m here on business.”

“What kind of business.”

“The kind that’s none of yours.”

I hitched in a not-so-subtle breath, his words reminding me that I didn’t know this guy. “Sorry. I didn’t mean… I wasn’t being intrusive, I just—”

“Wondered why I always seemed to be on the same path as you are today. Yeah. The feeling’s mutual.”

Worrying my purse between my fingers, I took a glance around the space and tried to temper my nerves. I’d grown up in this city. I’d never known country life or what real silence sounded like because I’d never really felt the need to discover anything other than what I loved: London. The constant company. The hustle and bustle. Being among the living, seeing every kind of human from every walk of life. But today, I didn’t feel that same comfort from it. For the first time in a long time, I wanted to escape.

Fraser—this stranger I’d only just met—felt like a small anchor in a huge ocean, and the waves were pushing me towards him. I’d never really considered fate to be my friend before then, but maybe, just maybe…

“Charlotte!”

Fraser and I turned to see my mother’s best friend walking towards me. Stefanie Patel was beyond beautiful, and her red dress matched her red lips as she glided on heels that would break my ankles if I so much as tried them on. “You made it!” With her arms outstretched, she came towards me to offer a kiss to both my cheeks. “I’m so happy to see you.”

“Stefanie,” I said with a forced smile.

She gave my outfit an inspection, the subtle flaring of her nostrils enough to let me know what she thought.

Disaster. Dear God.

“You look pretty,” she lied and then turned to Fraser, this time her appreciation coming naturally. Her eyes twinkled as though her husband wasn’t standing twenty feet away at the hotel’s concierge desk. “Andyoumust be Charlotte’s date. We’ve all been so intrigued to see who she brought along. Laurie will be beside herself when she sees what a looker you are.”

Fraser’s eyes widened, but he didn’t deny anything. Instead, he looked to me just as Stefanie graced him with a kiss on both cheeks, too.

“It’s nice to meet you, Stefanie,” Fraser said, cutting me off before I could say anything. I scowled at him, and he gave me a subtle shake of his head when Stefanie turned back to me.

“You have gone above and beyond there, Lottie dear.”

I smiled flatly, eyes wide. I had no response. Nothing.

“Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but your mother has given me clear instructions to get everyone inside the Lancaster Ballroom and to do it quickly, which could take me a moment or two considering how everyone seems to be scattered all over the place. If they’re not in the reading room, half of them are already intoxicating themselves in the Beaufort Bar. It seems Laurie doesn’t have much faith in the plump little darling this hotel calls their wedding coordinator.”

And just as soon as she’d appeared, the marvellous Stefanie Patel spun on her heels and began to glide away like the queen of the world.

Once she’d drifted away, I turned back to Fraser with a hand over my forehead.

“I’m so sorry. You didn’t have to cover for me like that.”

“I thought it might save you one less conversation.”

“It did. At least until I have to think of an excuse as to why you’ve bailed on me once everyone in the room realises that I’m alone again.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s quite a pickle I’ve left you in. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be.” I dropped my hand, letting it slap against my thigh. “I’ll figure something out.”

“I hope you do, Charlotte Grant. I hope you do.” He smiled.

Something about the way he said my name and the way he stared at me had me hitching in a breath as I tried to temper down the butterflies raging in my stomach.

Wait…

Was he suggesting what I thought he was suggesting?

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