‘One last snog more like!’ I scream, all of the pent up emotion exploding into one sentence.
‘What?’
‘I saw you, Hugh!’ I accuse. ‘I came back last night, and I saw you kiss.’
‘Right,’ he nods, not seeming to gather why I’m so furious. ‘Then you’d have seen how I pushed her away when she tried to turn it into something it’s not.’
I stare at him, trying to work out if he’s lying. His eyes seem truthful.
‘It was really just a kiss goodbye?’
I watch as his fingers close around mine, the connection restoring between us.
‘Flo, if I didn’t want to marry you, do you really think I would be here right now?’
I suppose he is here, looking pretty bloody dashing in his morning suit. But then I think of Felicity waiting in there.
‘Is she here?’
He shakes his head. ‘No. I told her she wasn’t welcome.’
I breathe a sigh of relief. I hadn’t realised how much I was dreading seeing her smug face.
‘Are we okay now?’
I smile. ‘Better than ever.’
He pulls me in and kisses me sweetly. ‘You look amazing by the way.’
I grin. ‘Quick, go in there so I can walk down the aisle to you.’
‘With pleasure, soon to be Mrs Humphreys. Wait till you see the place. You really won’t recognise it.’ He jumps out and crunches his way back through the snow, a new spring in his step.
Mum leans back into the car, all smiles. ‘You ready, my love?’
‘As I’ll ever be,’ I smile, getting out. My silver shoes, covered in tiny diamantes crunch against the snow. I call them my Cinderella shoes. I’ve never felt so much like a princess.
We walk slowly round to the back of the garden where fairy lights are glistening, guiding us towards the hall of the barn.
A man in a suit opens the door, and I get to see the amazing work my friends have done for the first time. The whole barn has been painted white, fairy lights hanging from the ceiling. Bouquets of red roses, gardenia, stephanotis and anemone sit in nearly every corner of the room. Fold up wooden chairs containing our guests are laid in rows towards the made up alter area. At the end of the rows, snow-dusted pinecones hang from red ribbon. It’s bloody beautiful.
The guitar chords for James Arthur’s ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ start playing. Goosepimples rise on my whole body as everyone stands up and turns to face me. A collective gasp fills the room as they take in my fabulous dress.
Mum smiles at me, taking my arm. We start to walk slowly down the aisle, everyone beaming back at me. I’m glad that I know about 80% of them and I’m guessing the other 20% are on Hugh’s side.
This song gets me every time. Just looking at the details my friends and family have put in, together with the honey voice of James Arthur makes me feel ridiculously emotional. I look at Hugh, at the front with his men. He’s smiling at me like he’s made the best decision of his life. When I was a little girl that right there is how I imagined my groom looking at me.
Before I know it, I’m with him, as if I’ve floated down the aisle. Mum kisses me on the cheek, dabbing her eye with a tissue. She rushes off to sit with Joan who’s wearing a ridiculous huge red hat with a cat on it. I quickly look back to Hugh’s side and smile when I see his Mum looking proudly on, a tissue at her own eye.
The registrar starts talking, but I’m not even listening. I’m just staring into Hugh’s green eyes, at the devotion in them. I know he won’t let go of me. We’re in this together.
I carry on through the ceremony as if in a dream. Before I know what’s happened people are cheering, I have a ring on my finger and Hugh is pulling me in close to him, pressing his lips to mine hungrily. He dramatically dips me back, just like in a Hollywood movie. I giggle—the flashes of the guest’s smartphones snapping away at our perfect moment.
He takes my hand and guides me back down the aisle. Everyone throws confetti over us. Some catch in the cleavage of my dress. I look down to see that it’s tiny silver snowflakes. The barn doors open to reveal the same man that let me in holding out two glasses of Prosecco for us.
‘Wait til you see the inside, wifey.’
God, I’m his wife. It’s going to take a long time to get used to that.
I let him lead me towards the pub entrance. The door itself is wrapped in ivy. He opens it, and I gasp. This can’t surely be the same pub that we saw only a few days ago?
All the old tables are covered with white tablecloths, a professional setting of plates, cutlery and glasses. The chairs are covered in white with big red sashes around them, a sprig of ivy attached to the bow. The centrepieces are the most extraordinary things I’ve ever seen. There’s a round block of wood and on top of it is a long rectangular block of ice. Frozen inside is one single red rose. They are stunning.
‘A little nod to Beauty and the Beast,’ he whispers in my ear.
‘You remembered?’
He winks. ‘Of course I did.’
I’ve actually married the man of my dreams.
The knives and forks are nestled into little red Christmas stockings. They look adorable. The name place cards are held up by a silver snowflake Christmas tree bauble. Underneath them is a white organza bag with a crystal snowflake engraved with our initials and wedding date for them to hang on their tree each year. There are bottles of Prosecco standing in ice mixed with berries and ivy, on each table, ready to be poured. God, that is going to taste amazing.
Mini snow-covered Christmas trees are scattered around the room. The chalkboard has Tis the season to be married drawn on it in Nadine’s handwriting. The cake is spectacular. Four tiers of plain white icing, red, white and silver snowflakes trailing down it.
In another corner, there’s a hot chocolate bar set up, the optional toppings of whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate drops and cinnamon wafers making me want to go over and stuff my face. Next to the cups are little fudge pieces in the shape of hearts. I know from here that they’re Mum’s homemade ones.
‘How did you know about my Mum’s fudge?’ I ask, startled. I definitely didn’t tell him.
‘My Grandma might have mentioned it,’ he says with a wink.
‘I can’t believe you guys did all this.’
‘Anything for you.’ He pecks a kiss on my cheek.
‘God, you guys must have raised the value of this place by loads! What a shame they couldn’t afford to do it themselves.’
He grins like he has a secret.
‘What?’ I ask, a smile spreading on my lips.
He puts his hands into his pockets. ‘Well, I kind of bought the place.’
‘You kind of WHAT?’
‘The owners are struggling, and a construction company had approached them asking to buy it.’
Images of my wedding venue being turned into high-rise flats cross my mind.
‘You’re not knocking it down and building on it, are you?’
He smiles. ‘No. That’s why I bought it. I want to be able to come back here every anniversary for dinner.’
I grin. ‘So you think we’ll make it past a year?’ I ask playfully.
He rolls his eyes. ‘Of course we will! Nadine’s agreed to be the manager, so together, with the help of the old owners, we’re hoping to make this into the must-have wedding venue.’
Wow. I knew Nadine had been unhappy at her job, but I had no idea this was all going on behind the scenes.
‘Got big plans, hmm? Perhaps something you should have discussed with your wife?’
‘You weren’t my wife then,’ he chuckles. ‘But I promise. Nothing but the truth from now on.’
After a delicious meal of roast turkey with all of the trimmings and wedding cake, the same guy that gave us our drinks shouts that the evening barn is ready. I didn’t realise we were going back in there. I guess I just kind of assumed we’d push some of the tables over to have a little dance.
Instead, Hugh takes my hand and leads m
e, the wedding party following, back towards the barn. The doors open to reveal that the folded chairs are now around the edges of the room. A DJ is set up where we said our vows, Bruno Mars’ I think I wanna Marry You pumping out of the speakers. There are lights set up which reflect different shaped snowflakes onto the dance floor. It’s bloody magical.
Hugh takes my hand, leading me to the centre of the dance floor. I wrap my arms around his neck—our bodies melded together.
‘I’m so glad we did this,’ he smiles. ‘Easily the best decision I’ve ever made.’
‘I can’t help but agree, dear husband of mine.’
Epilogue
I can’t wait to celebrate our first anniversary tonight, at the very pub we got married in. I still can’t believe what a total gold mine it’s turned into. With Nadine being the driving force, the wedding business has gone from strength to strength. There’s even talk of them only opening for weddings and no longer the general public.
I wrap up the last minute Christmas present for Hugh. I can’t wait to see his face when he pulls out the positive pregnancy test. He’s going to be over the moon. I only came off the pill two months ago.
We wanted to wait until we were settled in our new place. Soon after we’d married, we bought our dream home in the quiet commuter village of Kings Langley. It has the cutest little high street and is still only twenty minutes from London. Plus, we got so much more for our money. We managed to afford our period four-bedroom detached house. I mean, yeah, it practically had to be gutted, but with Hugh’s company, it was done quickly. He made sure to keep all of the period features that made me fall in love with it.
They say the first year of marriage is the hardest. Well, I call bullshit. It feels like Hugh and I were always destined to be together. Yeah, we’re still finding out lots about each other, but when it comes down to it being in love isn’t about listing someone’s hobbies or having loads in common. It’s about the feeling you get when you look at them, the feeling of coming home. Hugh is my home, and I never plan on moving out.
Marrying Mr Valentine
Nadine Roberts smiles for everyone, but beneath it she hides a heartbreaking past that only a few know about. Throwing herself into her new career; wedding planner at The Duck & Goose, a property recently purchased by newlyweds Florence and Hugh, has helped distract her from her loneliness.
When a teary bride suddenly cancels her upcoming wedding Nadine looks to the two year waiting list. Clara Blumenkrantz and Hartley Valentine. It’ll have to be a quick turnaround, but what’s the worst that can happen, right?
This should be like every other wedding she plans, but the magnetism she feels towards Mr Valentine disrupts the orderly life she’s worked hard to carve out.
Can she ignore her intense desires and be a professional? Or will she open up her heart to the one person that has the power to break it? And in doing so endanger not just her job, but her venue’s reputation?
Pre order now: myBook.to/MarryingMrV
Acknowledgments
First, thanks to you the reader for buying my book. You keep my child in shoes!
To my personal cheerleaders; the hubster, Mumma L and Auntie Mad. Your unfailing faith in me is what keeps me going.
I am also so appreciative for all of the people that constantly take time out of their day to promote me, whether it be bloggers or readers. I'd have no career without you guys.
Yummy by Design - I'm so grateful to have finally found a designer who totally gets me and also works up until midnight! You make my books beautiful.
Leigh Stone - Thank you for being the formatting wizard that you are! Your patience with all of my last minute changes is amazing. You are an absolute star.
To my PA's Kaprii and Lorraine, you girls are so organised and help me get my life together!
Last but not least thank you to my crazy family and friends. Without you guys I wouldn't have the love, confidence or hilarious stories I need to keep going. Love you!
Have you read Laura's young adult book Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts. Click here to read for free - myBook.to/Heathcliffs
Also by Laura Barnard
The Debt & the Doormat Series
The Debt & the Doormat
The Baby & the Bride
Porn Money & Wannabe Mummy
Babes of Brighton
Excess Baggage
Love Uncovered
Standalones
Tequila & Tea Bags
Dopey Women
Sex, Snow & Mistletoe
Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts
Adventurous Proposal
Connect with Me
www.laurabarnardbooks.co.uk
www.facebook.com/laurabarnardbooks
https://twitter.com/BarnardLaura
https://www.instagram.com/laurabarnardauthor/
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