I Do--Or Do I?

by Karen King

  ‘That’s the one,’ Cassie nodded.

  ‘Sammie looks like a princess,’ Sophia squealed, clapping her hands in delight. ‘Can I put my dress on again?’

  ‘Good idea, then I can see how you all look together,’ Cassie agreed.

  So the two little girls went off with their mums to get changed again.

  ‘Now we all look like princesses,’ Estelle said as they stood each side of Sam.

  It was true, they did. And such a contrast too, Estelle with her long, dark hair, and Sam and Sophie with blonde hair.

  ‘The photos are going to be stunning,’ Amanda said. ‘Who’s your photographer?’

  ‘We’re using I.D. Images,’ Cassie told her.

  ‘Wow! They’re amazing. You’re lucky to have got them at such short notice,’ Emma said, clearly impressed. ‘I would have thought they’d be booked up months ahead.’

  ‘Timothy’s mother knows one of the partners and heard they had a cancellation,’ Cassie replied.

  ‘That’s just like Mum.’ Amanda gave Cassie a knowing look. ‘If she gets too much, politely put your foot down. It’s your wedding. She drove me mad when I was planning mine.’

  Cassie was surprised to learn that Amanda found her mother’s irritating ways annoying too. ‘Oh, she’s OK. She means well,’ she mumbled, not wanting to be running Sylvia down to her own daughter.

  ‘She does, but she can be OTT sometimes, so politely rein her in if you have to,’ Amanda said with a grin. ‘I do!’

  She’s your mother, Cassie thought. Easier said than done when she’s your almost mother-in-law. She knew Amanda was right though, she would have to start putting her foot down with Sylvia if she didn’t back off once she and Timothy were married. Still, she’d deal with that when she had to.

  The sales assistant was fussing around, checking the dresses. ‘They all fit fine,’ she said. ‘There’s usually a three-month wait for all our dresses, but I can rush these through in four weeks. You’ll have to leave a deposit, of course,’ she said to Cassie. ‘It’s lucky you didn’t leave it any later or you’d have to make do with buying them off the peg.’ She shuddered as if the thought was too horrible to contemplate.

  ‘That only gives us two weeks before the wedding,’ Amanda said. ‘What if we need anything altered?’

  ‘Unless anyone puts on or loses weight, we won’t need any alterations. I’ve measured them exactly,’ the assistant told her, then turned to Cassie again. ‘If you do need alterations, we can rush them through but it will mean an additional expense, of course.’

  ‘That won’t be a problem,’ Cassie assured her. ‘Do you have a small sample of material that I could use to match accessories? My fiancé wants a tie in the same colour.’

  ‘Yes, we keep a sample book for that very reason.’ The assistant took a folder from under the counter and flipped through the pages. ‘Here you are; I’ll give you two. You might need one to match the flowers or other accessories.’ She pulled two squares of blue silky material out of a clear folder and slipped them into a small paper bag. ‘Our designers always supply us with sample squares. It’s so important to match the colours, isn’t it?’

  ‘Thank you.’ Cassie handed over the card Timothy had given her for the wedding account to pay the deposit and slipped the bag containing the colour samples into her handbag.

  Next stop was the Tiara Palace, a quaint little shop down a narrow side street which specialised in custom-made tiaras. There were some amazing tiaras on display and it took a while to make a decision, but eventually Cassie ordered pretty silver tiara combs for the flower girls with tiny sparkling blue crystals, a matching tiara for Sam, and an exquisite peak diamante tiara for herself.

  ‘Are you wearing a veil?’ The assistant asked.

  This was something Cassie hadn’t made her mind up about yet. Sylvia was keen for her to, telling her it was traditional, but she wasn’t sure.

  ‘I haven’t decided yet,’ she said. ‘Will this tiara be suitable both with and without a veil?’

  ‘Yes, it can be worn either way,’ the assistant assured her. ‘If you can put down a deposit today I’ll order these three for you. They’ll be ready in a couple of weeks. Leave me your number and we’ll phone you when they arrive.’

  ‘You should do a feature on weddings for your newspaper, Cassie,’ Emma said as they left the shop. ‘You must have plenty of material seeing as you’re planning your own wedding. I bet lots of women would be interested in a feature like that.’

  Cassie frantically tried to think of what to reply when Sam cut in. ‘Someone else is already covering that, aren’t they, Cass?’

  ‘Really? I’ll have to read it. There might be some interesting tips in it,’ Amanda said.

  Great, now Amanda would be reading the column too so she had to make sure she didn’t put anything in it that would connect it to her. Otherwise her secret would be up. Trust Sam to open her mouth.

  ‘Sorry,’ Sam mumbled, sidling up to Cassie as they went to tackle the shoe shops. ‘I thought it might give you a bit of cover if she ever reads it. She’ll think it’s someone else.’

  Better go for different coloured bridesmaids’ dresses and alter the day’s events a bit for the column, just to be on the safe side, Cassie decided.

  Twelve

  Timothy turned off his computer, slipped his files in his case, and reached for his mobile. He’d finally finished work for the day. He glanced at his watch. Three thirty. Cassie would still be wedding shopping. She’d said she wanted to get the bridesmaids’ dresses today, so he wasn’t expecting her home until the shops closed.

  The wedding was coming together well now, thanks mainly to his mother. The venue and photographer she’d chosen for them were perfect. The whole day would be perfect, if only he could persuade Cassie to allow his mother to have more input. Cassie liked to please him but she could be stubborn at times. He’d soon smooth that out once they were married.

  He’d thought hard about asking her to marry him. Beautiful, talented, and with a pleasant, calm personality, he was sure that she would be an asset to him. True, her hostess skills needed polishing up a bit – Cassie’s idea of cooking was to grab something out of the freezer and put it in the microwave but his mother would help her with that, just like she was guiding her with the wedding. And yes, Cassie’s dress sense was sometimes a little unusual, but she had such a sunny nature and was a delight to be with. All she needed was a bit of guidance, and his mother would do just that. She’d soon turn Cassie into the sort of wife he needed, someone with elegant dress sense, who could host dinner parties and be the ideal lawyer’s wife. She would need to give up her job, of course, but he was confident that he could persuade her to freelance from home so she had more time to attend to his needs. Especially once they had a family. Two children would be ideal, hopefully a boy and girl.

  His phone buzzed as a text message came through. ‘Time for a coffee? Marco’s? F x’ Felicity. He was just about to text her. He smiled at the promise of spending a couple of hours in her company, knowing it would be at least six thirty before Cassie was home. ‘Be there in twenty minutes’ he texted back, then picked up his jacket and car keys.

  ‘Did you get everything you wanted?’ Timothy asked as Cassie staggered in loaded with bags later that evening. He’d only been home half an hour himself, just enough time to change out of his suit and into casual slacks and a T-shirt. He never wore jeans, he considered them too scruffy. He gave Cassie a peck on the cheek and took the bags off her. ‘Am I allowed to look?’

  ‘If you want to. It’s only the shoes, stockings, and other bits and pieces. We’ve chosen the tiaras and dresses, but they won’t be ready for a few weeks. You’ll love them, they’re gorgeous.’ She followed him into the spare bedroom, which was now nicknamed the wedding room, and put the bags down on the bed. ‘Look, this is the colour.’ She opened her handbag and took out the bag containing the samples of material the assistant had given her. ‘What do you think?’

&n
bsp; ‘Perfect. That’s the exact colour we agreed on. Well done. I’m sure I can get a tie made to match.’

  She put one of the samples back in the bag and handed it to him. ‘Perhaps you should keep it on you so you can sort it out.’

  He out took his wallet and slipped the material inside, then put it back in his trouser pocket. ‘I know it must have been a tiring day for you, but Felicity and Andrew have invited us over for drinks tonight. Of course I said I’d check with you first. Do you mind?’ he asked, kissing her on the forehead.

  Damn, all she wanted was to have a long soak in the bath, change into her pyjamas, and chill for the evening. She suppressed a sigh. Networking was important in Timothy’s line of work and Felicity was a partner in the firm. ‘Of course not. Do I have time for a quick bath to ease my aching bones?’

  Timothy wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She entwined her arms around his neck, returning the kiss. ‘You do. I’ll bring you a glass of wine, shall I?’

  ‘That would be lovely.’

  Timothy brought in the glass of wine just as she’d slipped into the foaming bath water. ‘If we weren’t going out for the evening I’d be tempted to join you,’ he said, bending over to kiss her on the nape of her neck. He placed the glass down on the cabinet besides the bath. ‘As it is, I’d better control myself and leave you in peace.’

  Timothy was so loving and thoughtful, Cassie thought, as he closed the door behind him. She was so lucky to be with him. She loved him so much. Not in the same way she’d loved Jared. The thought slipped into her mind uninvited, and instead of banishing it away she let it linger so she could think about it. It was true, Timothy’s touch didn’t electrify her the same way as Jared’s had. When he kissed her, tingles didn’t run down her spine, she didn’t long to drag him into bed, make wild love to him. She fancied him, of course she did, and enjoyed making love with him, but she didn’t have the same hot desire she’d felt for Jared. Young love, she reminded herself, as she sank into the bubbles. When you were young it was all about hormones and desire. She’d grown up now; she was ready for a steadier, adult relationship with someone who was kind and caring, like Timothy. Jared was her first love, of course she would have fond memories of him, but he was her past. Timothy was her future.

  ‘Cassandra, how lovely to see you again.’ Felicity leant forward and air-kissed Cassie’s cheeks. ‘How are the wedding arrangements coming on? Timothy tells me you were shopping for bridesmaids’ dresses today.’

  ‘Yes, tiaras and shoes too. It’s all sorted,’ Cassie told her.

  ‘Excellent. I must say I was a bit worried you’d have to settle for something less than you’d like at such short notice. Weddings are usually planned at least a year in advance. It’s not like Timothy to be so impulsive. Not that I blame you for wanting to rush him down the aisle. He’s quite a catch.’ There was no mistaking the meaning in her saccharine-dripped words and false red-lipsticked smile. ‘Do let me take your coats.’

  What a nerve, insinuating that she was trying to get a ring on her finger before Timothy changed his mind. Forcing a smile on her face, Cassie slipped out of her jacket and handed it to her. ‘It was Sylvia’s idea to have the wedding this year, actually. She heard there was a cancellation at Hollington Castle and suggested we take it.’ She met Felicity’s gaze. ‘I must admit, we didn’t intend to get married so soon, but as Timothy pointed out it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.’

  ‘Hollington Castle?’ Felicity sounded impressed. ‘How wonderful, it is a charming place. I don’t blame you for snapping it up, my dear. Andrew and I got married at Wilconse Abbey. A traditional service, but very beautiful. The photographs were out of this world.’

  ‘Yes, I remember. We’ve booked I.D. Images and I must say I’m very impressed with them,’ Timothy told her as she helped him out of his jacket.

  ‘I.D.? Oh yes, Imogen and Daniel do a lot of society weddings. You’ve got quite a scoop there. It should be a wonderful day. I’ll have to make sure my outfit is up to the occasion.’

  ‘As if you would wear anything that wasn’t both elegant and fashionable,’ Timothy teased, kissing her on the cheek. Felicity twinkled with delight, then swept off to the cloakroom with their coats.

  Cassie forced herself to take a deep breath. This was going to be a difficult evening. She felt awkward with Felicity, she was always so snidey – although when Cassie mentioned it to Timothy he said she was imagining it. She’d prefer Felicity and Andrew not to come to the wedding, but obviously Timothy felt obliged to invite them as Felicity was his business partner.

  Felicity floated back. ‘Do come and meet the others.’ She led the way into the lounge, where two other couples were sitting around the large glass table, which was covered with a beautiful white lace tablecloth and laid with expensive black tableware. In the middle was a black vase of red roses. It looked stunning.

  ‘Timothy, you know Suzanne and Philip of course. And this is Martina and Adrian. Timothy, Adrian is the chairman of the company, dealing with the new business development.’ She turned around and, with a flourish, announced: ‘Everyone, this is my business partner Timothy and his fiancée, Cassandra. Cassandra works for the local newspaper.’

  The way she said it made Cassie feel like the office junior instead of one of the features writers.

  ‘Oh, a journalist, how interesting,’ Martina said. ‘You must tell me if you’ve interviewed anyone famous.’

  Before Cassie could reply, Andrew walked in with his customary beam on his face, his arms open wide for a hug. ‘Cassie, darling. Delighted to see you again.’ Andrew was a very touchy-feely person. It gave Cassie the creeps a bit but she told herself not to be silly, he was just being friendly. She turned her cheek for his customary kiss and quickly slipped out of the bear hug that was almost a clinch. ‘Hello, Andrew.’

  ‘Timothy, delighted you could come,’ Andrew shook Timothy’s outstretched hand.

  ‘Now, would you like a glass of wine? Red or white?’

  ‘Red, please,’ Timothy replied. He turned to Cassie. ‘Would you like red too, Cassandra?’

  He wanted her to have red, too, then. Timothy thought red wine was superior to white but Cassie found it a bit heavy and preferred rosé, not that she would dream of saying so. If they were at home rosé was permissible, but Timothy considered it cheap so she never asked for it when they were out.

  ‘Yes, please,’ she said with a smile. She didn’t want to embarrass Timothy. She knew how important these social functions were to him, although they always made her feel awkward and gauche. She wondered if she’d ever get used to them. A sudden vision of years of attending dinner parties with the likes of Felicity and Andrew, ignoring the veiled put-downs, forcing herself to drink red wine and making small talk with people she had no connection with, flashed across her mind and a wave of panic engulfed her. Is this what she really wanted?

  As evenings went, it wasn’t too bad. Martina was very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in her work. Not something that Cassie was used to with Timothy’s social network. His friends all tended to be in the legal field like him, or businessmen, and although they showed some interest when she mentioned she was a journalist, that soon waned when they found out that she worked for the small, local paper. Martina, however, had a barrage of questions she wanted to ask: had Cassie ever travelled abroad with her job, who she’d interviewed, the worst job she’d ever been on? Cassie felt herself warming to her, and although she was careful not to monopolise the conversation, they were soon chatting away like old friends.

  ‘You made quite an impression on Martina,’ Timothy told her, as they sat in the back of the taxi on the way home. ‘Thank you for making the effort. We’re hoping to be dealing with all the legal work for their new business, so tonight was very important.’

  ‘I really liked her.’ Cassie reached over for his hand but Timothy gave her a tight smile and moved it away. Stupid of her, she knew how he hated public displays of affection. They di
dn’t go with his professional image. Back at home, he was only too pleased to show her his thanks.

  Jared took a swig of his wine and looked around the room full of important and influential people. He hadn’t wanted to attend Imogen and Daniel’s dinner party, but the way Imogen had asked him made him feel that he couldn’t refuse. He knew they were looking to expand their business, and meeting new clients was important to them. Important to him, too: he needed as much money as he could get. He had applied for a grant from the Wildlife Preservation Foundation to help with the costs, but it took six weeks for them to make a decision, so he couldn’t afford to sit and wait hoping he’d get it. If he did, then he could extend his six weeks’ planned expedition into three months.

  ‘I hear you’re the photographer for Timothy Campbell’s wedding?’

  The words jolted Jared out of his daydream. He gazed at the speaker, an immaculately-dressed woman with a heavily botoxed face that hardly moved as she spoke.

  ‘Er, yes. Do you know him?’

  ‘We dated for a while.’ The woman took a swig from the glass of wine she was holding, her long, mascared eyelashes framing sharp blue eyes that studied him for a while. ‘I hear his wife-to-be is a hack on the local newspaper. She must be very pretty to attract Timothy’s attention. I never thought anyone would ever get him down the aisle. He was always the eternal bachelor.’

  Judging by her bitter tone, Jared gathered that she would have liked to marry Timothy herself.

  ‘Really? I’ve only met him once. He seems very … successful.’ Jared chose his words carefully.

  ‘And what about the woman he’s marrying? Is she beautiful?’

  Cassie’s face flashed across his mind, with her sparkling blue eyes, golden hair, and stunning figure.

  ‘I gather that’s a yes?’ The woman raised her eyebrow.

  ‘Yes, she is,’ Jared acknowledged. ‘They go very well together.’

  ‘Well, she needs to be careful that her wedding isn’t like that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.’