Page 15 of The Bad Wedding Date

With an arm still wrapped around my waist, Fraser tugged me to his side, and I fell into him on staggering feet.

“Hey. I’m the date—the boyfriend. Fraser.” He smiled at my mum, holding a hand out to her. “You must be Charlotte’s mother. She’s told me a lot about you.”

The boyfriend! What in the holy hell was happening?

My mother stared at him in as much wonder as I did. If she’d been a cartoon, there would have been stars in her eyes, a heart beating out of her chest, and drool dripping from the corner of her mouth.

“How sweet,” she let slip in a whisper before she slid her dainty hand into Fraser’s gigantic paw. “Theboyfriend?Lottie never said—”

“Ah, you knowCharlotte,” he said, making an obvious point to correct my name. I wasn’t even sure how he knew to do that. “She’s always so full of secrets and mystery,” he said as he dropped Mum’s hand and tugged me into his side again, bouncing me around as though I weighed no more than a feather. “It’s one of the many things I adore about her, the way she keeps herself to herself and expects nothing from anyone in return.”

This was worse than I thought.

Fraser introduced himself to Dad and Emmie, passing on a brief compliment to my sister before he turned back to me.

“Hey, where’s the shoulder scarf thing gone? I loved that on you.” Fraser brought his knuckles up to my cheek and grazed the obvious blush there. “Not that it matters. You could be wearing a car seat cover, and you’d still be the most beautiful woman in the room to me.”

I...

Was going...

To kill him.

Or marry him at dusk.

I wasn’t entirely sure which way my emotions were swinging.

“Fraser.” I smiled tightly. “Let’s leave that kind of talk for when we’re alone, huh?”

“Sorry. Can’t help myself.” He placed another gentle kiss on my forehead, and I hated to admit it, but that simple action made me feel better than I’d felt in years. “You’re right, though. Let’s put our love on hold to make way for someone else’s for the day. Shall we make our way into the ceremony, baby? Hmm?”

4

Charlotte

“You called mebaby,” I hissed at him while smiling at the registrar up ahead as we walked down the aisle together to find our seats.

“Don’t you like that?”

“No, it’s gross. Only creeps call their women babies.”

“That’s not true. Smokey Robinson was a living gent and genius.”

“Who?” I scowled.

“Ooo, Baby, Baby,” he whispered in song, making my heart flutter at the sound of his husky voice singing a tune anyone would recognise.

“That’s not cute, Fraser. I’m trying to stay enraged here.”

“Why?”

“Because… just…” I had no comeback. “No more baby talk, okay. Another requirement for the day.”

“Apologies.” He smirked. “I wasn’t aware it was so frowned upon.” He drew a cross from his head to his chest and across before he looked up at the ceiling. “I love you, Smokey. Ignore her.”

“Not funny.” I pressed my lips together.

“This is going to be a long day.” He sighed, unable to drop his amusement.

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