Lizzie Marshall's Wedding (8 page)

She shook herself mentally. She had got to stop getting so emotional about this. Lily was having a great time and would be home soon. In the meantime, she had to try and salvage Valentine’s Day. There was no chance of the snow miraculously disappearing by tomorrow and none of the elderly residents would want to venture out in this weather. At this rate, the entire evening would be a disaster.

Becky made a few calls – to Trisha, the vicar, Jess and Susie, Doreen and some others and was absolutely astonished to hear that, by hook or by crook, they’d get to the Dance. She called everyone she could think of who owned a four wheel drive and before long, she’d arranged for almost everyone attending, to be picked up. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a total disaster after all, she thought, and by lunchtime, she was beginning to feel rather optimistic.

She peered through the front window and saw that the snow had finally stopped. People were venturing out and she had to admit to herself that if Lily had been at home, they would have thought this was wonderful. Becky had always loved playing in the snow ever since she was a little girl and now she had a daughter to share that innocent pleasure with, she loved it even more. There was something about snow that made the world seem an especially magical place – provided that you didn’t have to actually
go
anywhere.

She saw the Range Rover pull up outside and for a split second, panic seized her; she thought it might be someone from the banks – or worse. She felt oddly relieved when she recognised Max Bedford’s athletic frame, almost sprint up the garden path. She opened the door before he reached it and surprised even herself, by smiling warmly at him.

‘Good morning! What brings you here in this weather?’

Max stopped in his tracks as if she’d caught him by surprise. For a moment, he just stared at her and their eyes held then finally, he smiled. ‘Good morning. You look ... very pretty today.’

Becky felt the colour flood her cheeks as she remembered what she was wearing and suddenly wished she’d made a better choice. Her dad’s old blue cardigan over a faded T-shirt and leggings with a pair of thick wool socks, were fine for lolling about the house in, but not for entertaining visitors and she realised she hadn’t got any make-up on and wasn’t even sure she’d brushed her hair. He was being sarcastic, obviously.

‘I wasn’t expecting visitors,’ she said as coolly as she could.

Max’s brows creased then little gold lights twinkled in his green eyes as the corners of his mouth broke into a grin. ‘I wasn’t being sarcastic! I’m serious; you do look very pretty. May I come in? It’s freezing out here.’

Becky felt flustered but opened the door wider and stepped aside to let him enter. Was he being genuine, she wondered, or was he just using a line?

‘Why is it that you women want us men to pay you compliments but when we do, you never believe us?’

‘Perhaps it’s because we women know when we look like a bag of old clothes – or maybe it’s because we’re just so used to your insincerity.’

She watched his eyes travel the length of her body and her skin began to tingle under his scrutiny. Her breathing quickened and her heart picked up speed. My god, she thought, I’m getting turned on just by his eyes.

‘Believe me Becky, you look nothing like a bag of old clothes,’ he said, stepping closer. ‘In fact, I’m having a really hard time stopping myself from just grabbing you and kissing you right now.’

Becky couldn’t hide her astonishment. She swallowed the lump in her throat and half opened her mouth to speak but she couldn’t think of anything to say – which was just as well – she couldn’t trust her voice at the moment. She tried to look away from him but her eyes wouldn’t let her and they took in every inch of his body, remembering what he had looked like as he had stood, bare-chested in her kitchen only yesterday. It was as if she had x-ray vision and could see straight through his obviously expensive coat, to the tanned, firm body beneath. Her mouth felt suddenly dry and she licked her lips.

She didn’t even realise he’d moved but she felt his arms encircle her and his mouth covered hers in a kiss as passionate as it was, unexpected. Her head swam and the tingling in her body turned to high voltage shockwaves. She felt as if she’d been hit by an avalanche and her arms reached out for him, desperate not to be swept away.

This was madness, utter madness. She didn’t even like him, her brain tried to tell her but her heart told her to shut up and kiss him back. And for the first time, in more years than she could remember, she listened to her heart.

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘OH MY GOD!’ Jess was clearly stunned by Becky’s revelation as they sat at their usual table in The Coffee Cake Café, an hour later.

Susie, on the other hand, wasn’t so much surprised as she was eager to have details. ‘So ... what was it like? Is he a really good kisser? Of course he is; what am I saying? Did he ... did you ... well, you know, did it get further than just kissing?’

‘Susie!’ Becky blushed furiously but she sounded disappointed when she answered. ‘No ...  But I think it could have. Just imagine how awful that would have been! Me, having sex at lunchtime on a Monday and with a complete stranger. And I don’t even like him!’

Jess burst out laughing. ‘Good God yes! The end of the world as we know it. Come on Becky, you having sex again at any time would be pretty bloody amazing!’

‘Don’t be mean!’

‘I’m not! I’m being serious. It’s been five years or more since you even kissed a man – let alone had hot, passionate sex with one. It’s just ... well, so unlike you. And he’s not a complete stranger, you’ve met at least three or four times now and as for not liking him – who are you trying to kid?’ Jess winked.

‘That’s not fair,’ Susie said in Becky’s defence, ‘before she met Jeremy she was always having hot sex with men.’

‘Susie!’ Becky almost dropped her cup of coffee and her eyes darted around the café, although, apart from the three of them, Doreen, and her friend, Violet Wren, the place was deserted. ‘Thank heavens no one heard that. I wasn’t always having hot sex, or any other kind of sex for that matter. I only dated two other men before I met Jeremy.’

Susie shrugged. ‘Yeah well, it always seemed to me like you were. What I mean is, you were never without a boyfriend.’

‘Okay. That’s true but I can assure you, I wasn’t having sex! I didn’t “do it” until my sixteenth birthday and that was only because I wasn’t thinking straight, after mum and dad ...’

‘Oh God! Me and my big mouth.’ Susie squeezed Becky’s shoulder. ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring back painful memories.’

‘I know you didn’t. It’s okay.’ Becky took a deep breath. The accident in which her parents died had happened just before her sixteenth birthday and yet sometimes, it felt like just days ago. ‘They’ve been gone sixteen years now. I’m not saying I don’t still miss them – I do, almost every day but let’s face it, life can be very, bloody cruel – you just have to deal with it.’

‘And it’s certainly been cruel to you, more than once, first your real dad abandoning you then ... sorry! I’ll shut up.’ Susie cast her eyes down to her cup and stirred her coffee.

Becky leant towards her and gave her a playful shove with her shoulder. ‘It’s okay Susie. Honestly.’

‘Let’s get back to Max and that kiss,’ Jess said. ‘It was really good wasn’t it? You just have to look at him to know that it would be.’

Becky blushed again but she nodded in agreement. ‘I hate to admit it, but it was. Oh Hell,
it was
!’

‘O-M-G the girl’s in love! You’ve gone all starry-eyed,’ Jess teased.

‘I haven’t! And I’m not in love, I can assure you. In lust, perhaps, but definitely not in love!’

‘Lust is good. In fact, lust is even better,’ Jess said, clearly considering the options. ‘No messy emotions to complicate things. Just pure unadulterated sex! What could be better?’

‘Winning the Lottery, at this point in my life.’

‘Oh. Yes well that’s true but you’d have to buy a ticket to do that – and we all know you don’t.’

‘I’ve got better things to spend my hard-earned money on. You know as well as I do that you stand more chance of getting run over than you do of winning that – and with my luck, we know I’d get run over ... by a bus ... and a lorry.’ Becky smiled sardonically then her mind drifted back to her long-dead parents.

‘So anyway, back to Max,’ Susie said. ‘Why did it stop at a kiss and what happened after? Are you going to see him again? Did he say anything? Tell me! I have to have details.’

Becky dragged her thoughts back from the past, remembering instead, what it had felt like to be in Max’s arms. ‘His mobile rang. Actually, it was almost erotic. It was in his pocket and set to vibrate!’

Both Jess and Susie sniggered simultaneously.

‘So what happened? Did he answer it?’

‘After a few seconds, yes. He ... he sort of pulled away and gave me a really odd look, like ... like he didn’t know where he was or something. Then he said, “Sorry, I have to get this” and just answered the phone. It was his mum – I think – yes, it must have been because he said something along the lines of “I’m just asking her now. I’ll call you back,” and he hung up.’

‘And?’ Susie said.

‘Um. I’m not really sure. The vicar turned up as Max answered his phone. I opened the door, thinking I could quickly get rid of him but Max said he had to dash; he’d come to ask if I’d go and see his mum later this afternoon – to discuss the wedding. He said he’d come back and pick me up at four. That was it.’

‘What?’ Susie slumped back against the chair. ‘One minute he’s sweeping you off your feet and the next it’s all business! What did you say?’

‘I said okay.’

‘Okay! What do you mean you said okay?’

‘I said okay, I’d be ready at four.’

‘Dear God. You clearly are out of practise with men aren’t you?’ Jess said then glanced at her watch. ‘Right, we’ve got a couple of hours. Come on.’ She got up and headed for the door.

‘Where are we going? A couple of hours for what? Don’t you need to get back to work?’

‘Fiona’s there. We’re hardly rushed off our feet today. We’re going to yours to search through your wardrobe to find the sexiest dress you’ve got.’

‘What do I need a sexy dress for?’ Becky hadn’t moved from her chair.

‘That’s obvious even to me,’ Susie said, grabbing Becky’s hand and pulling her to her feet, ‘to make sure the next time Max sees you, he doesn’t want to stop at just kissing.’

‘I told you on the way here, you’re wasting your time. I don’t have a sexy dress,’ Becky said as Jess and Susie rifled through her wardrobe.

‘I thought you were just saying that,’ Jess said patently disappointed. ‘Everyone has at least one killer dress. You must have had one before you got married. And what about all the posh events you organise? We’ve been to some and you’ve definitely worn good stuff to those. Where are they?’

Becky dropped onto her bed and clasped her hands in her lap. ‘I ... I’ve sold most of them ... on e-bay. I’ve just kept the business outfits. It looks more professional anyway.’

‘You sold them? When?’ Susie’s voice held a note of incredulity.

‘Just before Christmas. I wanted to buy Lily something nice and ... well, apart from that wedding in January and the New Year’s Eve party just before that, business had been a bit slow. I needed to keep up the repayments on the agreement – although, that might all be a waste of time now and, what with everything else, that didn’t leave much.’

‘You haven’t heard back from your solicitor about the letter then?’ Jess said.

Becky shook her head. ‘No. I’m kind of hoping no news is good news. Anyway, I got quite a bit for the stuff I sold and it meant I could give Lily a nice present and have money to tide us over for a few months and some for her birthday in March. I thought things would start to pick up again in the spring. Of course, that was all before the letter arrived last Friday.’

Jess sank onto the bed beside her. ‘I had no idea things were so tight Becky. I knew you didn’t have cash to throw around but I thought you were managing.’

‘I am managing. I ... I just had to sell a few things to do so. That’s why it would be so great if Margaret Bedford gave me some business.’

‘Right! That’s it. You wouldn’t take that money I offered you yesterday but you’re having it and I’m not going to take no for an answer, unless you never want me to speak to you again. I’m serious Becky. This is shit. You shouldn’t be selling your clothes to make ends meet. God, if Jeremy were here I’d wring his bloody neck myself! Sorry – but I would.’

‘Me too! And I’ve got some savings you can have Becky. Don’t argue. You can pay me back when you’re Mrs. Bedford, if you must.’

Becky threw her arms around her friends and promptly dissolved into floods of tears.

‘Hell! I look awful! There’s absolutely no chance of Max wanting to be anywhere near me, looking like this, let alone kiss me! Not that I want him to, of course. Why do I always go red and blotchy when I cry? He’ll be here in less than an hour! And ... what will Mrs. Bedford think, seeing me like this?’ Becky peered at her reflection in the dressing-table mirror, pulling faces and opening and closing her eyes repeatedly.

‘That’s not going to improve things,’ Jess said. ‘Go and have your shower; I’ll make some tea and then I’ll do your hair and make-up. And stop pretending you don’t want the man to kiss you again, we all know you do. There’s nothing wrong with lust Becky and sex is fun – even you must remember that.’

‘Vaguely, although it’s been so long, I’m not sure I’ll remember how. Oh! I’ve just realised something.’ She turned away from the mirror and looked at Jess and Susie. ‘How can I think about getting involved with Max if I’m hoping to work with his mum? She’d be furious. What am I thinking?’

‘I don’t think you are thinking. That’s what lust does to us,’ Susie said, sighing loudly.

‘Thank heavens it didn’t go any further. Could you imagine it?’ Becky jumped to her feet, almost knocking over the stool she’d been perched on. ‘Right! That’s it. Even if he is considering kissing me again – and I’m not sure he is – I’ll have to tell him I can’t mix business with pleasure.’