I walk down the spiral staircase, stroking the silky smooth wooden bannister. Not because I need to, but because I want to drink up every last drop of today. I want to remember every sight, every smell, every touch. I’ve hired two photographers, both with different areas of expertise, to ensure that every shot is accounted for, that I have a memento of every moment. I’m only doing this once, so I’m going to make it count.
It’s July, so the delphiniums in the garden are blooming, in various shades of pinks and purples. I considered including them in my bridal bouquet, but I remembered reading that they were toxic to humans and while I had no intention of eating them, something about carrying something so poisonous down the aisle on the happiest day of my life just put me off.
Sure enough, by the large, stone fountain, I spot Ruby’s flower crown, lying on the floor. I pick it up and examine it and, thankfully, it’s absolutely fine. I say thankfully, not because I care, but because Ruby does. I’ve done everything I can to make sure today is as close to perfect as possible, so I’m pretty confident nothing important can go wrong. Any small thing that goes wrong, I’m not going to worry about. I'm not going to let it ruin my day.
It’s such a lovely day today. Warm, but with a slight breeze. Of course, that’s why I picked today, but you can never be sure with weather forecasts, can you?
I take a moment to admire the gardens. They always smell so much better in the summer, don’t they? And the colours are amazing. The flowers, the fountain – I love the noise of the fountain, the gentle rushing of water. I’m about to take a quick photo with my phone when my ears pick up on another noise, a raised voice, coming from inside the hedge maze. I’m right by the entrance, so I edge closer towards it.
As I walk closer, the voice sounds more familiar. It’s Daniel, my fiancé…
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About the Author
Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of 15 novels, including My Great Ex-Scape and Honeymoon For One. Previously a music journalist, Portia writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real life experiences.
Visit Portia’s website: https://portiamacintosh.com/
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First published in Great Britain in 2020 by Boldwood Books Ltd.
Copyright © Portia MacIntosh, 2020
Cover Design by Debbie Clement Design
Cover Photography: Shutterstock
The moral right of Portia MacIntosh to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologise for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Paperback ISBN 978-1-83889-086-5
Ebook ISBN 978-1-83889-087-2
Kindle ISBN 978-1-83889-088-9
Audio CD ISBN 978-1-83889-084-1
MP3 CD ISBN 978-1-83889-745-1
Digital audio download ISBN 978-1-83889-085-8
Large Print ISBN 978-1-83889-748-2
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