Paige nodded, pleased she’d made the effort to go out for the first time in weeks.
‘I think this is going to be fun.’ Olly grabbed her hand and quickened his pace as they reached the entrance. ‘Hi Jake,’ he said waving to attract his friend’s attention.
‘Come along you two, stop dawdling.’ Jake linked arms with Paige and laughed. ‘Let’s get some drinks.’
‘Crikey,’ Paige gasped, as she entered the marquee. ‘I wonder what her favourite colour can be?’ She gazed around the garishly pink interior.
Jake raised his bushy eyebrows. ‘You’re not kidding. Bit overkill, but whatever floats your boat, I guess. Where’s the bar?’
The three barmen filled, shook, and juggled silver cocktail shakers as they prepared a continuous array of pink cocktails.
‘I wonder what they’re having?’ Paige asked, noticing two girls watching as one of the barmen poured them a drink each.
‘This one is a French Knickers,’ the barman said, giving her a cheeky wink. ‘And this is a Raspberry Cosmopolitan. Fancy one?’
Jake picked a flute of pink champagne from a passing waitress and handed it to Paige. ‘Thought this might be more your tipple.’ He took a pint of lager from the bar for himself. ‘I think I’d leave those fancy drinks for later on,’ he grimaced.
Paige took a sip of the cool liquid; unable to shake off the feeling she was being watched. As she looked around at the other guests, she stopped abruptly, coming eye to eye with Sebastian. Her heart lurched instantly, only for her to realise almost immediately that Sara was right next to him. She had her back to Paige and hadn’t yet noticed her.
Paige felt her breath disappear like it had been sucked away by a powerful vortex. She looked away, willing the banging in her chest to calm down. Then unable to resist glancing up from under her lashes to peek at him, she caught him watching her. Sebastian nodded his acknowledgement that he had seen her. Paige attempted a smile in return, desperate to hide her embarrassment to have been caught out.
‘Excuse me,’ someone said, interrupting her thoughts.
Paige turned her focus to the woman standing next to her. She thought she recognized her as a customer from the shop. ‘Hello. How are you?’
‘Oh, you do remember me. I’m so glad. I’m Maddy Jackson. I hope you don’t mind me asking you something?’
‘Not at all,’ Paige answered, glad to have something to take her mind off Sebastian’s presence.
‘I’m getting married in a few months, and I was wondering if you’d consider designing my wedding shoes?’
Paige tried to contain her excitement. ‘I’d be delighted to, Maddy. Do you have any ideas you want to go through with me?’
‘A few, yes.’
‘OK, why don’t I take your number and then we can arrange for me to come to your house and talk through some designs.’
‘That would be brilliant,’ Maddy said. ‘I want a contemporary theme with a hint of Edwardian in it, so I’m not sure how difficult they’re going to be put together.’
‘It won’t be a problem at all,’ Paige said, excited by the prospect of having to fit in with someone else’s vision.
‘I wasn’t sure you’d agree to do this.’
‘You try and stop me.’ Paige noted Maddy’s number in her Blackberry and immediately began picturing patterns for the design in her head. She was finding it hard to think inside the noisy marquee, and decided to get some fresh air, away from the chatter and music.
Chapter Twenty-two
Sebastian watched Paige leave the marquee. Sara was deep in conversation with a friend and he needed a break from all the pink. He walked past the groups of noisy people out to the cool pine scented air outside. It was a magnificent garden and even in the duskiness he could see the shapes of the towering trees as they stood majestically along the edge of the garden.
He looked around trying to decide which way Paige must have gone. He walked towards the rose garden, remembering fondly the times he’d been sat there with his father and sister during family barbeques in summers as he was growing up. Seb spotted Paige standing silently, staring out towards the sea and watched as she gazed at the magnificent silvery reflection of the moon across the bay, as the tide rolled back and forth.
‘I hope you don’t mind me invading your thoughts?’ he asked, not sure if she was aware of his presence.
She shivered.
‘You’re cold?’ he said starting to take off his linen jacket.
Paige shook her head and turned to face him. ‘No, I’m fine. I was remembering something, that’s all.’
He wondered if she’d been thinking about being with Jeremy, they must have spent many evenings enjoying scenes like this one on this pretty island.
‘I didn’t expect to see you here tonight,’ she said looking up at him, her green eyes appearing black in the darkness. I thought you were away somewhere.’
‘I’m here for a few days this time.’ He took her hand in his. ‘Paige, I wanted to say something to you.’
She pulled away from him, surprising him with her force, and making him feel like she’d just slapped him. ‘No, please don’t.’
‘Don’t what? You don’t even know what I was going to say.’ Why does everything have to be so difficult between us, he wondered miserably.
‘OK, say it then,’ she said, looking as if she was trying to take control of her emotions, but failing.
He knew it would be selfish to ask. ‘I just wanted to make sure you were all right,’ he lied, unable to make things even harder for her than they already seemed to be. It was clear to him now that she was moving on, if she hadn’t already done so. Hadn’t he already been the cause of enough upset to this enticing woman?
She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. ‘You could have said that when we were both in the marquee. You didn’t have to follow me down to the end of the garden.’
‘You’re not the only one who needed a little peace, you know,’ he joked, unable to tell her that he couldn’t have kissed her in the marquee. It was foolish of him to hope he could do so here, he now realised. It wasn’t just that she was beautiful, he mused, there was something else that he found irresistible and made him yearn to be with her. He stared down at Paige in silence.
‘I was sorry to hear about Sir Edmund’s death, especially when I found out who he was to you,’ she said. ‘It must have been a dreadful shock.’
Sebastian was used to being the strong one and found it hard to take when people pitied him. ‘Not really, the family were aware of his heart condition,’ he said, aware his voice was clipped and unemotional. ‘Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time. Those of us who loved him tried hard to take the pressure away from him, but he was incapable of slowing down, never even attempting to take things easy.’ He stood silently for a moment, not sure whether to go on with what he was saying. Then, knowing he had to open up to her a little more, added. ‘It was the reason I ended up working with him. I needed to make sure someone took the brunt of everything, to keep him from overdoing it.’ He looked away from her for the first time since beginning their conversation and sighed. ‘I didn’t succeed, obviously.’
‘You did help me find my new shop and, I have to admit, I am happy there.’
Sebastian was stunned into silence at her unexpected admission. He soon recovered and grabbing her, pulled her into his arms. As his lips touched hers, he watched her close her eyes, then closing his own forgot everything as the sensation of their bodies finally being close again took over. He kissed her with such force he hoped he hadn’t bruised her lips. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he breathed, his voice muffled as he kissed her neck, then her mouth once more. ‘I’d love to take you out again sometime, Paige,’ he said, hoping that her kiss had meant something. He felt her tense. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘I can’t go out with you, Sebastian,’ she said, stepping back from him.
‘Why not?’
‘Because unlike you, I’m not used to having my priva
te life splashed across the national papers. I couldn’t bear to have to be on my guard whenever I went out.’
She had a point. ‘I can understand that, but couldn’t we at least try to spend some time together?’
She shook her head, without even considering his suggestion, he noted miserably. She’d obviously made up her mind and wasn’t going to change it any time soon. ‘Fine, I understand. I’m sorry though, I wish I could change your mind,’ he admitted.
‘I know,’ she said reaching up to touch his cheek.
The action, strangely intimate, made him want her even more than he already did. ‘Paige, I …’
‘There you are.’ Sara’s voice came from the shadows, before Sebastian could say anything further. She peered at Paige through the darkness trying to make her out. ‘Oh, hi, Paige,’ she said, seeing who Sebastian was with. ‘I’m sorry, have I interrupted something?’
Sebastian assumed that Sara must have seen them embracing only seconds before.
‘No, nothing,’ Paige said, before he had a chance to reply.
Sebastian held back a retort. He knew how she liked to be in control and let her walk away.
‘I’ll leave you both to it,’ she said. ‘I’ve enjoyed catching up with you, Sebastian.’
‘Paige,’ Sebastian went to follow her.
‘Must go, and find Olly and Jake,’ she shouted over her shoulder. ‘They’ll be wondering where I’ve gone.’
‘Is everything OK?’ Sara asked. He didn’t reply. Seconds later, she added. ‘Go and stop her, before she goes back inside.’
‘She’s already gone,’ he murmured, walking along the lawn towards the marquee.
Chapter Twenty-three
Paige hurried towards the light of the marquee, arriving breathless, mostly due to the mixed feelings she was trying to suppress. She found Olly entertaining a group of giggling females surrounding him. He noticed her straight away and held his hand out to her, drawing her next to him. ‘Lovely ladies, this is Paige,’ he said, a naughty twinkle in his eye. ‘Say hello, Paige.’
‘Hello,’ she said obediently, enjoying his easy way as she forced any thoughts of Sebastian to the back of her mind, determined to deal with them later.
‘Come on, drink time,’ he said, taking Paige’s hand and leading her towards the bar.
‘You’re such a tease,’ she said, seeing the disappointment in his admirers’ faces as Olly turned his attention away from them. ‘You love all this, don’t you?’
He smiled his cheeky grin. ‘What man wouldn’t?’ He leaned in closer to her and lowered his voice. ‘Also, a little PR never hurts the coffers, so I take my chances where I see them. I’m going to have to make the most of these parties if I want to build up a following for your new website.’
He’s not as switched off as he likes people to believe, Paige realised, grinning at him, and just managing not to laugh out loud at his blatant admission.
‘Come on,’ he said, taking her glass from her hand and placing it along with his own on a nearby table. ‘Boogie time.’
‘Oh, please no, I don’t want to,’ she protested, as he led her past dancing guests into the middle of the temporary wooden floor.
‘I love this,’ he said, in between singing along to The Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’.
Paige giggled, unable to stop her mood lifting with his infectious high spirits.
‘Sing along, then,’ he said, taking her hands and waving them in the air.
I must look like a complete fool, she thought, not minding at all and enjoying the feeling of liberation she had from his devil-may-care attitude. ‘I don’t know all the words.’
‘Who cares,’ he laughed. ‘Make some up.’
Olly spun Paige round, catching her and lowering her backwards when she tripped over her own feet. He pulled her up to stand once more and then spun her around the other way.
‘No more,’ she giggled. ‘Enough. Stop.’
‘Hey, watch out,’ a woman shouted. ‘You almost stood on my toe.’
‘Have to make sure we don’t miss next time,’ shouted Jake, coming up to dance next to them, causing her to bite her lower lip to stop laughing.
‘Sorry’, she mouthed to the woman, who looked down her nose and turned her back to them.
‘Hooligans.’
Jake mimicked her from behind, until Paige motioned him to stop. ‘Let’s get a drink,’ she suggested, her hand at her throat. ‘I’m parched.’
‘You just want an excuse to stop dancing with me,’ he said, leading the way.
Paige giggled. He was right. She tried to catch her breath as she followed him in the general direction of the bar, passing a striking woman about her own age with long platinum blonde hair like a cascade of gold down her tanned back. She was in deep conversation with a friend, neither of them bothering to try and hide the fact they were watching and discussing Paige. In fact, realised Paige, they wanted her to notice. She wondered why the woman seemed so interested in her, and feigning an air of confidence, followed Jake and Olly to the bar.
‘Who’s she?’ she asked Olly, discretely pointing out the two women to him, as Jake ordered their drinks.
Olly raised his eyebrows. ‘Don’t know, but she’s gorgeous,’ he said breathlessly. ‘Hang on a sec, I do recognize her from somewhere.’ He rubbed his chin as he concentrated. ‘I think she could be Sebastian Fielding’s ex-fiancé. Don’t think they were ever actually married though.’
‘Are you sure?’ Paige asked, her whole body tingling with shock.
‘About which bit?’ Olly peered surreptitiously over Paige’s head.
‘Any of it,’ she said desperate to know more.
‘Didn’t you read about it?’
She shook her head, wishing she had done.
‘I’m trying to think. I remember her picture from a couple of those articles in the papers recently. I can’t remember what they were saying about her though.’
‘Who were?’ she asked, taking a pink cocktail from Jake.
‘Who, what?’ Jake asked.
‘Paige was wondering who that beauty is over there.’ Olly motioned in the woman’s direction.
Jake looked over. ‘No idea, but she’s pretty incredible.’
‘OK, you two.’ Paige wished she had never started the conversation in the first place. ‘Stop gawping like a couple of teenage boys, I was trying to be discreet.’
‘I never said she was as lovely as you, though did I?’ Jake said, winking suggestively.
‘It goes without saying,’ Paige teased, wondering how Sebastian could ever waste time with her when he was used to a woman who was so much more impressive in every conceivable way. I’ll bet she could cope with the paparazzi, she mused.
‘Of course, it does.’ Jake squeezed her to him and tickled her side.
Paige squealed, wriggling out of his grasp, instantly forgetting her insecurities. ‘Stop it. I’m going to spill my drink.’
‘She will,’ Olly said. ‘She’s incredibly clumsy.’
‘Come on,’ Jake shouted, putting their glasses on the bar. ‘I want to dance some more.’
‘Let’s not,’ Paige tried to argue, but he took no notice and continued waving his arms in the air as he meandered towards the dance floor. ‘Oh my God, you look like a regular from the club they made that documentary about, from the seventies,’ she said. ‘Where was that place again? I remember now, it was Studio 54.’
The Jersey Scene series box set Page 50