Lizzie Marshall's Wedding (11 page)

‘No!’ Susie said, ‘you’ll be drinking at the restaurant. If you have any more on a practically empty stomach, it won’t just be your butterflies who think they’re at a rave.’

‘Okay,’ Jess said. ‘He’ll be here in about fifteen minutes so we’ll head off.’ She hugged Becky and grabbed the remaining wine. ‘And I’m taking this, just to be sure. Have fun. We’ll see you later, at the dance.’

Susie hugged her too. ‘Calm down; you’ll have a great time.’

‘I’ll grab my coat and wait outside,’ Becky said. ‘I could use the air.’

She put on her coat and waved her friends off then she waited by the door, holding her new shoes in her hands. She’d put on a pair of wellingtons as she didn’t want to get them ruined in the snow.

She saw Max’s Range Rover pull up and she considered dashing back inside, in case it made her look too eager but she thought he might have seen her so she started to make her way down the path.

He was clearly surprised to see her walking towards him when he got out.

‘Am I late?’

‘No. I just thought I’d save you the trouble of leading me up the garden path.’

The remark wasn’t lost on him and he smiled. ‘I’m not completely sure who’s leading whom,’ he said, strolling round the car to meet her. ‘I’m glad to see you’re wearing sensible boots. At least I won’t have to carry you.’

She reached the passenger door and he opened it for her. Their faces were just inches apart as she stepped forward to get in.

‘You look lovely,’ he said and then, ‘and you smell pretty good too.’

‘Thanks. It’s called “Seduction”.’ She held his eyes for a split second then lowered herself slowly onto the seat.

He sucked in a deep breath. ‘It’s working.’

They arrived at the Inn in a matter of minutes. Max had booked a table in the A La Carte restaurant and Becky was surprised to find it wasn’t just any table, it was the best table in the house; the secluded one in the corner beside the other inglenook.

Becky excused herself and headed to the Ladies to change her footwear, remove her coat and to check that she still looked okay whilst Max headed towards the table. A few minutes later she was walking towards him.

He was studying the wine list and talking to Trisha, who was laughing with him as though they had known one another for years.

‘We’ll have a bottle of ...’ he stopped mid sentence and his mouth fell open, his eyes full of admiration – and something more. He slowly rose from his seat, in a trancelike state and watched her approach.

Becky felt herself blushing under the intensity of his gaze.

Even Trisha looked stunned.

‘Hi Trisha, how are you?’ Becky avoided Max’s eyes.

‘I ... I’m fine thanks Becky. I hardly recognised you love. You look amazing!’

The flush in her cheeks deepened. ‘Thanks. You look good too.’

Trisha smiled then turned her eyes back to Max, who was still staring at Becky. ‘Sorry Max, what did you say you wanted?’

He didn’t answer.

Becky walked around Trisha and slid onto the padded velvet covered bench-seat. Max had taken the seat with its back to the restaurant leaving her the seat facing outwards.

Trisha coughed. ‘Would you like me to come back in a few minutes?’

Becky smiled at Max, glanced at Trisha then back to Max. ‘Whatever you want is fine with me,’ she said.

She saw a look of what she thought was desire flash across his eyes and then he seemed to pull himself together.

‘A bottle of Bollinger, please Trisha.’ He handed her back the wine list, sat back down and resumed his appreciative appraisal of Becky. ‘Are you sure about that?’

Becky was confused. ‘Am I sure about what?’

‘That whatever I want is fine with you – because, right now, all I want
is
you.’

She didn’t know what to say. She cast her eyes down and fiddled with her fork. He was good at this, but then he should be. If any of the rumours about him were true, he had a lot of experience with women, she, on the other hand, hadn’t been with a man for five years.

‘I meant the wine,’ she said, glancing up at him from under her lashes. ‘How do you do it? You seem to have everyone eating out of your hands and you’ve only been in the village for a few days. This table, for example. How did you manage to get this at such short notice?’

He shrugged. ‘I told Trisha I wanted the best table in the house, why?’

Becky shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Is something wrong?’

‘No. No, everything’s fine.’

She could tell by his eyes that he thought she looked good and yet, he’d said nothing. When Trisha had complimented her, he could have agreed but he hadn’t, he’d simply ordered Trisha’s most expensive champagne as casually as one would order a glass of house wine. He’d said he wanted her – and even she could see that he was serious but he hadn’t said she looked pretty and for some absurd reason, she wanted him to say that more than she had wanted anything for a very long time. She saw the troubled look in his expressive, green eyes.

‘So, I’m going to be arranging your ex-wife’s wedding,’ she said, as coolly as she could.

Trisha returned with the champagne before Max had a chance to answer. She opened the bottle and poured a little into his glass.

He tasted it, nodded and smiled up at Trisha. ‘Thanks Trisha, it’s fine.’

She filled Becky’s glass then topped up Max’s. ‘I’ll give you a few minutes and then I’ll take your order. Enjoy.’ She winked at Becky, put the bottle in a wine cooler and headed back towards the kitchen.

Max raised his glass. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, Becky.’

She raised hers. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day to you.’ She took a sip of champagne, then another and another. A tear began to prick at the corner of her eye. She remembered the last time she’d sat in this very seat with a glass of champagne on a Valentine’s Day many years ago; the day Jeremy had proposed.

She shook her head and cleared her throat. What on earth was wrong with her?

‘Are you sure you’re okay? You seem a little ... distracted.’

‘I’m sorry. I ... I just remembered the last time I sat here, a long time ago. This is where my husband proposed. God knows why I thought of that. It ... it must have been the champagne and ... and Valentine’s.’ She glanced at him briefly then looked away.

‘He proposed here – on Valentine’s Day?’ Max’s brows knit together. ‘I’m sorry. I had no idea.’

‘Why should you? Anyway, as I said, it was a long time ago. Water under the bridge and all ... Oh God! I can’t believe I just said that. What the hell is wrong with me?’

‘Okay.’ Max put his glass on the table and reached out for Becky’s free hand. He squeezed it and gave it a gentle shake. ‘Look at me Becky. I’m getting worried now. Are you feeling okay? Do you want to go? Just say. I don’t mind honestly. Whatever you want is fine with me.’

She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. She could see his concern and she could see he meant every word. She smiled shyly. ‘Is this where I say – all I want is you? Sorry Max, I’m being ridiculous, I know. The truth is; I think I’m a little tipsy already and I’m really nervous. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been on a date and I haven’t eaten hardly a thing all day. I was so looking forward to it and Jess and Susie made me this exquisite dress and I thought, for the first time in years, I actually looked quite good and you ... you haven’t even said I look nice!’

His mouth fell open in surprise. ‘I ... I said you looked lovely when you got in the car!’

‘Yes! When I was wearing an old coat. You haven’t said anything since ... well, about my dress.’

‘Is that what’s bothering you? Good God Becky. Don’t you possess a mirror? I honestly didn’t think you’d need to hear me say it. Wasn’t it obvious? I couldn’t even finish my sentence once I saw you. You look ... sensational, unbelievably beautiful, stunning. There are no words sufficient to describe the way you look. You must know that, surely?’

Becky raised tearful eyes to his but she smiled at him. ‘Now you’re being ridiculous. I just wanted you to say I looked pretty, that’s all. You said it when I looked like a bag of old clothes!’

He smiled and his eyes were full of warmth. ‘Oh Fifi. I’m sorry. To tell you the truth, I really couldn’t think of anything to describe how gorgeous I think you look – how lovely I think you are, so I didn’t say anything. I suppose, in a way, I’m nervous too. Don’t look at me like that. It’s true.’

‘I don’t believe that. From what I’ve heard you’ve got women falling at your feet. You’ve had hundreds of them. I can’t imagine you could ever be nervous.’

His smile faded and he let go of her hand. ‘Well, I don’t know who told you that and it really doesn’t matter. Yes, I’ve been out with a great many women – although not hundreds, I assure you – and yes, I can throw a line as good as the next man but that’s all they are – lines. They don’t mean anything. It’s a different matter when I’m being sincere; when I think my own feelings may be involved – and it’s been a very long time since that’s happened to me, so believe me, I’m nervous too.’ He knocked back the contents of his glass.

‘I’m sorry Max I didn’t mean to offend you.’

He smiled again. ‘I’m not offended. Whether you believe me or not is up to you but I can assure you of one thing; I’ll never lie to you. I haven’t lied to any of the women I’ve dated since my divorce. I lied to someone once and it cost me a very high price. I’ll never do that again, especially not to someone I care about – even a little.’

Becky tried to understand what he was saying. ‘Are ... are you saying you care about me – a little?’

He took her fingers in his, stroking them with his thumb and his eyes held hers. ‘The truth? I don’t know what I feel but I know I feel something. From the moment I first met you, I couldn’t stop thinking about you and I wanted to see you again. I even asked Martin Parkes about you but he wouldn’t give away any secrets, he just said you were a lovely young woman – which I already knew. The morning I drove through that puddle – that was because I didn’t see it, I was preoccupied peering out of the window to see if it was you walking down the street. So yes, I care about you. I’m not making any promises and I’m not looking for a serious relationship so I don’t know where this may lead but I know I want to see you again.’

‘Have you decided what you want?’ Trisha had returned to take their order.

‘Sorry Trisha, will you give us another few minutes, please?’

‘No problem Max,’ Trisha said, smiling then she walked across to another couple to take their order instead.

‘Wow!’ Becky said, slightly taken aback. ‘And I just wanted you to say you thought I look pretty.’

Max winked at her. ‘I hope we’ve established that you do – very much so.’

‘I ... I don’t know what to say.’

‘Just say, you’ll see me again, assuming you enjoy yourself tonight, that is. If you don’t, just say no. I can take it, and one thing I will promise, no matter what happens, it won’t affect your business relationship with mum.’

‘My life is really complicated Max, I – ’

‘Let’s not worry about that. Let’s just see how tonight goes and take it from there, okay? Now, we’d better get some food inside you, or you might get drunk and start dancing on the table.’ He let go of her hand and started reading the menu.

Becky beamed at him. ‘I can assure you, that is one thing I’ll never do.’

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘Have you spoken to Lizzie yet?’ Max asked when they’d ordered.

‘No. I was going to call her today but as it’s Valentine’s, I thought I’d leave it until tomorrow. What’s she like?’

‘She’s lovely. I think you two will get on very well.’

‘That’s what your mum said. She’s very fond of her too isn’t she? How long were you married, if it’s okay to ask?’

Max leant back in his chair and rested his hands on the edge of the table. ‘It’s fine. We dated for about a year, were married for four, sort of separated for just over two and we divorced, amicably, about two years ago. It was my fault we split up. I did the old cliché of having an affair with my secretary. Lizzie found out and she left. I spent the next two years trying to get her to come back but, well, things had changed, for her anyway. Then she met Jack – and that’s an unbelievable story that I’ll tell you some day, she may even tell you herself. Anyway, she met Jack, fell head over heels in love and that, as they say, was that. I knew I’d lost her – for good, so we divorced, and now she’s marrying Jack.’

‘Wow!’ Becky twisted her glass back and forth on the table. ‘So ... it was you ... I mean, so you had an affair?’

He nodded ‘Are you shocked?’

‘A little, yes, to be honest.’

‘I did say I’d tell you the truth.’

‘Yes you did. But ... if you loved her so much why ...? ’ She put her hands in her lap and studied them, avoiding his eyes. ‘Sorry, it’s none of my business.’ She could feel him watching her.

‘Why did I have an affair? I’ve asked myself that question a hundred times.’

She raised her eyes to his. ‘Any answers?’

He shrugged and smirked. ‘Not really. I suppose the truth is, because I could. No, I don’t mean, because I thought I could get away with it. I mean, because I clearly didn’t love my wife enough not to. It sounds trite but, if I’d really loved Lizzie as much as I thought I did, I wouldn’t have done it. I wouldn’t have risked losing her. I really do believe, if you love someone, truly love them, you wouldn’t do anything to hurt them. I knew Lizzie would be hurt but I did it anyway. That’s not real love.’

‘But ... you said you tried to get her back so you must have loved her.’

‘I did. I still do, in a way, but not enough. Never enough.’

‘How ... how do you feel about her getting married – and getting married at your mum’s house too? Are you really okay with it?’

He topped up their glasses as he said, ‘Six months ago, I’d have said I wasn’t, not completely. Now, yes, yes I’m fine with it. The venue did take me a little by surprise but, somehow, it seems right. She deserves to be happy. I want her to be and Jack really is great. They’re a perfect couple.’

‘That’s good.’ She wasn’t sure she totally believed him, in spite of the fact that he’d told her he wouldn’t lie.