Wedding Season

by Katie Fforde

  A few minutes later, when they'd ordered more wine, water and food, Elsa said, 'So what kept you?’

  Sarah sighed. 'My darling sister. I love her, I really do, but she's chosen to get married the exact same day as my major new client – who I'm going to tell you about in just a mo.' She took the glass that Bron handed her. 'Actually, Lily picked the date first, to be fair, but I can hardly ask my client to move her date.'

  ‘So? Who's the client? You've been so mysterious about it we know it must be someone amazing,' said Elsa.

  Sarah looked quickly around, leant in and whispered, 'Carrie Condy.'

  ‘Oh. My. God!' said Bron slowly. 'That's amazing! I was reading about her being engaged in a magazine only today.'

  ‘No wonder your boss is on your case if you read magazines all day,' said Elsa.

  Bron stuck her tongue out. 'That truly is amazing! Well done, Sarah!'

  ‘It is amazing, but sadly, she wants it now. And she wants exactly what Ashlyn had: ancient church, summer day, same dressmaker – everything.'

  ‘What do you mean, now?' said Bron and Elsa together.

  ‘Virtually now. In two months. Any chance you can make a wedding dress like Ashlyn's in two months, Elsa?’

  Elsa gulped. 'Just about, but it'll be tight. Ashlyn's dress took two years to do!’

  Sarah flapped her hand dismissively. 'But only because she had two years,' she said. 'How long did it take from when you knew what you were doing?’

  Elsa sighed. 'About six weeks, with fittings, and with doing the bridesmaids' dresses as well. Is, um, "Carrie" having bridesmaids?'

  ‘She hasn't mentioned them, or at least, she hasn't told her PA about them. Carrie's out of the country at the moment and will be a lot. Which'll make fittings difficult.'

  ‘I made that wretched Fulvia's dress without any fittings at all!'

  ‘But she was the same size as you,' Bron reminded her. 'It probably made it easier.’

  Elsa shook her head. 'Not really. It meant I knew her measurements, but you can't really try on clothes you're making.'

  ‘Oh, I don't know,' said Sarah. 'I've been known to iron a skirt without taking it oft but maybe I'm an extreme case.’

  The other two looked at her.

  ‘OK! It was ages ago. But going back to this wedding: Elsa, you'll be able to charge top whack for this. I know you gave Mrs Lennox-Featherstone a bit of a discount for quantity, but Carrie can pay the full price.'

  ‘Fab!' said Elsa.

  ‘And she's going to want almost the same as Ashlyn's -which I know had lots of hand-beading and stuff, but at least you'll have been there before.’

  Elsa nodded. 'I can get someone in if necessary. I know a really nice woman who's happy to help with that sort of thing if I need it.'

  ‘And, Bron, I'll suggest Carrie uses you but she might want her own hairdresser and stylist.’

  Bron nodded understandingly. 'Of course. I wouldn't expect to deal with a celebrity like Carrie. It's lovely just to be part of things now.’

  Sarah went on, 'But if she really wants everything just like Ashlyn had, she'll need you. And I definitely want you in on all the planning. After Ashlyn's wedding, which was the biggest thing we ever did together, I think we're a team. We bounce ideas off each other.'

  ‘Talking of teams,' said Elsa, 'what about Hugo?' Sarah froze for a moment. 'What about Hugo?'

  ‘Well,' Elsa went on. 'He's part of the team too, isn't he?’

  ‘Oh well, not really. She's bound to have her favourite photographer. Some really swanky people use fashion photographers to do their wedding shots.’

  Bron and Elsa exchanged glances. 'I can't imagine a fashion photographer dealing with all those people,' said Elsa. 'Not to mention the dog. Anyway, Hugo was – is -really swanky. He does very grand events.'

  ‘How do you know that?' asked Sarah abruptly, causing Elsa and Bron to look at her questioningly.

  ‘I overheard someone saying so at the wedding,' explained Elsa, 'and while we're on the subject of the wedding – Ashlyn's wedding,' Elsa went on, 'did I see you and Hugo slow dancing as I left?’

  Sarah felt herself blush scarlet. She gulped down some water. 'Blimey, it's hot in here!'

  ‘Well?' demanded Bron, when Sarah had finished fanning herself, pouring more water, and generally trying to cause a diversion.

  ‘Yes,' Sarah whispered. She sipped again, wine this time. 'But that was all.' This was a lie, but a white and very necessary one, she felt. 'I was very tired and it seemed less effort to hang my arms round his neck than to hold myself up.'

  ‘Oh,' said Elsa.

  There was a small silence. Sarah was forcing memories of their kissing out of her mind so she could concentrate fully. Was she destined to be constantly reminded of that evening?

  ‘So,' said Bron, sensing Sarah's discomfort and moving swiftly on in a tactful way. 'What was the hotel like? Elsa told me you had a room. I bet it was lovely. I love hotels! All the freebies, the lovely sheets.' She sighed. 'Roger and I had a lovely weekend away when we were first together. Maybe I should suggest another one.'

  ‘That's sounds like a good idea,' said Sarah. 'But my room was very small, really. Heavenly bathroom though, with all the extras. Loads of towels, a robe, face flannel, sewing kit.' If a couple of kisses can threaten to make me lose focus, what would a full-blown date do? she asked herself. Luckily she'd nipped that one in the bud. She must not have any more contact with Hugo than she absolutely had to. Then she wouldn't get remotely distracted. If she couldn't actually see his dimples she would be able to focus completely on the job at hand. Otherwise it could make her seriously drop the ball and she couldn't afford to do that.

  Elsa sighed. 'It sounds heaven. And was the bed comfortable?’

  It took Sarah a few seconds to remember Elsa was talking about the hotel room and not anything to do with Hugo. For a moment she wondered if Elsa suspected something and was prodding her for details, but then she dismissed the idea. Elsa was too nice and innocent for that. 'Oh yes. Mind you, the floor would have been comfortable, I was so tired.’

  There was a moment's sympathetic silence, then Bron said, 'I still don't see why you won't ask Hugo to do this wedding, if Carrie wants everything to be the same as Ashlyn's.' Bron hoped so much that Carrie's desire for a clone of Ashlyn's wedding would include her. If she could say she'd had a top celebrity as a client it would help her if she ever did manage to go freelance full-time. Even Roger might be impressed.

  ‘Yes, why not?' agreed Elsa. 'He's so good. He made everyone at their ease – even me.'

  ‘Any half-decent photographer will do that,' said Sarah. 'It's their stock-in-trade to be charming. Now I must go to the loo. When will our food get here, I wonder? I'm starving.’

  While she was out of the way Elsa said, 'Do you think it's funny she's not asking Hugo?'

  ‘Definitely. And I think there must be some reason. She's usually so ready to recommend him.'

  ‘Maybe she's embarrassed that she danced with him because she shouldn't have while she was on duty,' Elsa suggested.

  ‘Oh that's so silly,' said Bron, waving her glass about in a precarious manner. She felt wonderfully relaxed now. 'She's a workaholic. Anyway, I think we should ask Hugo. After all, Carrie's wedding is going to be really important for us all – well, I hope me – it's mad not to have the best photographer for it.'

  ‘How would we get in touch with him?' asked Elsa. 'There's her phone. He's bound to be in there,' said Bron. 'Do you dare?' Elsa giggled.

  Bron took a breath and, emboldened by the wine, she said, 'Of course. This is for the team. It's not like we're setting Sarah up or anything.’

  `Go on then,' Elsa urged before they lost their nerve. Bron picked up Sarah's mobile and negotiated the phone book, squinting at the numbers. They were both giggling now, like a couple of naughty schoolgirls. 'He's there.’

  ‘Ring him then. Before she comes back.' Elsa glanced nervously at the door to the Ladies.

  A mom
ent later, in as composed a way as she could, considering the two large glasses of wine she'd drunk already, Bron said, 'Hi Hugo, we're at the Number Nine Wine Bar in the High Street, having a summit meeting about a big celeb. wedding. We definitely need you. Can you come?'

  ‘You got voicemail?' said Elsa.

  Bron nodded. 'I never know what to say to answering machines. He won't come. I left out all sorts of details.'

  ‘Yes, like which town we're in. I dare say he could work it out. But never mind, we did our best. Oh, here's Sarah.’

  *

  They were on to their third bottle of wine and halfway through large plates of pasta when Bron suddenly kicked Elsa under the table. Her mouth was full at the time so she could only nod and gesture.

  Elsa turned and saw Hugo through the window of the restaurant. She took a breath. 'Sarah, we didn't say anything before because we thought he wouldn't come, but here's Hugo!’

  Chapter Eleven

  ‘Oh God!' muttered Sarah, sounding anguished. 'What's he doing here!'

  ‘We asked him to come!' said Elsa out of the corner of her mouth, wondering, too late, if they'd done the wrong thing by ringing him. What if there was a perfectly understandable reason for Sarah not to ask Hugo and they'd only made things worse? 'We thought he should be here. What's the matter?’

  Hugo had reached the door of the wine bar, seen the women and pushed open the door.

  ‘It's just that I never wanted to see Hugo again if I could avoid it,' said Sarah softly, but just loud enough to be heard.

  ‘Why?'

  ‘Oh God,' she breathed. 'Too late, he's coming over.'

  ‘Good evening!' Hugo said, arriving at the table. 'How nice to see you all.' He looked pointedly at Sarah. 'What's all this about a summit meeting?’

  Feeling guilty for getting Hugo to come to the wine bar without clearing it with Sarah first, Elsa said, 'A really important client wants to get married in about five minutes flat and, er, we thought…'

  ‘I know,' said Hugo.

  ‘How do you know? I thought it was all highly confidential!' said Bron.

  ‘Didn't Sarah say?' He looked at Sarah again, enquiringly this time. She could only stare at her hand, clutching her wine glass.

  Feeling chastised, she turned to Bron and said, 'It was through Hugo I got the contact.'

  ‘Why didn't you say!' said Elsa. She glanced at Bron. Had they made things completely impossible for Sarah now, or what? Catching the glance, Bron made an I haven't-a-clue face.

  ‘I would have told you,' said Sarah, feeling defensive, 'if I'd had a chance. We've hardly begun to discuss it.'

  ‘So why didn't you invite me to the meeting?' he asked. She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not. This was going to be harder than she thought.

  ‘I would have done,' she said. 'This was just a preliminary chat. For girls.’

  He raised his eyes. 'Oh, for girls! I'd better get another bottle then, and be an honorary one.'

  ‘I'm not sure you'd make a very convincing girl, Hugo,' said Sarah quietly, glad that they were on safer ground once more, but uncertain as to whether he was still suffering from wounded pride or not.

  ‘No? You wait and see.' Now his look was frankly challenging.

  And as she watched him get up and go to the bar, she realised he was a bit offended with her. Surely he hadn't really minded her turning him down? It was a shame if he had, but it couldn't be helped. Sarah took herself to the Ladies again. Once there she splashed her face with water before daring to look. Not good! Although she hadn't had much, it was obvious she'd been drinking, and what makeup she'd put on that morning had long since disappeared. Her hair had started to turn feral. She exhaled deeply, gave herself a quick lecture involving 'getting a grip' and 'don't be such a wuss' and then searched her handbag for some emergency kit. If only Hugo weren't so attractive, she'd be fine. She delivered the lecture again. She'd be fine, she kept repeating to herself. She was a professional. She'd been taken by surprise, that was all. She was calmer now and back to her professional self. He was a good photographer, they were colleagues, and he need never know what effect he had on her.

  Hoping she hadn't spent a noticeably long time doing repairs, Sarah went back to the others, holding her head up. Be dignified, she told herself. Be cool!

  ‘It's all right,' said Elsa, seeing Sarah's anxious and slightly disapproving face as she surveyed the number of bottles on the table, 'Hugo's going to drive you and Bron home.'

  ‘And you,' said Hugo. 'However near you live, you're not walking back at this time of night. Sit down, Sarah, you're not going yet.’

  Sarah squeezed herself in next to Hugo, thinking at least she had a chance of getting to the door before he did, should she need to make a run for it. She could pick up a taxi easily enough.

  ‘So.' Sarah decided to take control. 'Have you met Carrie Condy herself?'

  ‘Yes,' said Hugo modestly. 'Once or twice, through friends of friends. I thought you'd be perfect when Mandy mentioned Carrie was looking for a wedding planner.' He smiled at her.

  Oh God – the curl at the corner of his mouth, the crinkle of his eyes… but she must stay in control. 'And I do appreciate it, but you know she wants everything exactly the same as Ashlyn's wedding, including the bloody lych-gate! And it's your fault!' That's it, you can do this, she told herself. Keep it professional and lighthearted. He's a colleague. Just because they'd crossed the line once, it didn't have to affect their working relationship.

  Hugo chuckled unrepentantly. 'I know, but I thought if anyone could do it, you could. Anyway, you could always get one mocked up.’

  Sarah nodded. 'I've thought of that already, it's the church that's going to knock the whole thing on the head. Carrie just doesn't seem to realise that pretty churches are booked up even if you set aside the whole inconvenient thing about having to have some connection with it, like living in the parish, or it being the groom's parish, or whatever.’

  She put her elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. She suddenly felt overwhelmed by it all.

  ‘I might just be able to help you there,' said Hugo.

  She straightened up again. 'How? Tell me. I've been going mad.' She wanted to remind him again that he'd got her into this mess, it was up to him to get her out, but she knew that wasn't true or fair. It was an amazing favour he'd done her, giving Mandy her name.

  Hugo seemed reluctant. 'It might not work, though. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it.'

  ‘Well, nothing much else is likely to work,' said Sarah.

  ‘Is getting a venue really so difficult?' asked Elsa.

  ‘Picturesque ones at very short notice are. And not only do you have to have the right sort of church, you have to have an accommodating vicar. There are rules about who can get married where.' Sarah sighed. 'It's not that I'm not grateful for the contact, Hugo, because I really am. But it's going to be jolly hard to do. Especially as Carrie happens to have chosen the same date as my sister. She only told me she was getting married last weekend.' Sarah closed her eyes. That's the real reason why I'm so stressed, she told herself, it's nothing to do with Hugo.

  ‘Poor girl,' said Hugo, filling Sarah's glass, and sounding almost tender. 'And you can't persuade your sister to change the date?'

  ‘Not really. The church is booked and she's pregnant.' Her hand flew to her mouth. 'I shouldn't have said that. I've probably had too much to drink.' She took another sip of wine anyway.

  ‘We won't tell anyone,' said Bron. 'Are you excited at becoming an aunt?’

  Sarah bit her lip. 'Well, yes, I will be nearer the time, but I think I've had a bit too much excitement recently.' Too late she wished she hadn't said that and really hoped that Hugo, sitting next to her, wouldn't think that he was part of the 'too much excitement'. He definitely was.

  He didn't put his hand reassuringly on her arm as he might once have done, before the 'kiss', and Sarah suddenly yearned for him to. Why was it that those little gestures, which are so disgust
ing when done by the wrong person, are so lovely when done by the right person. Things like that should be neutral; you should either like the pressure or not. She glanced round the table quickly, hoping no one could discern her weird thought processes.

  ‘So, Elsa,' said Hugo smoothly, as if he were not sitting next to a madwoman. 'How did you enjoy being a bridesmaid at the last minute? I must say, you looked lovely.’

  Elsa blushed at the compliment and it occurred to Sarah once again what a very pretty girl she was. Why was she single? she wondered. After all, she wasn't a hardened spinster like Sarah.

  ‘I got into it eventually,' said Elsa.

  ‘That hairstyle is perfect. It really suits you,' said Hugo. Sarah realised how charming he could be and part of her regretted that she'd been so adamant, but then she remembered how charming Bruce had been. Better safe than sorry.

  ‘And you're up for making a wedding dress just like Ashlyn's?' asked Hugo.

  Elsa shrugged. 'I did think it would be a good idea if we could persuade Carrie to actually wear Ashlyn's dress.'

  ‘I'd rather ask Ashlyn if Carrie could wear her dress than ask Carrie if she'd contemplate having her big celebrity wedding in a "pre-loved" one,' said Bron.

  Everyone laughed. Sarah said, 'Even my sister, who's on a really tight budget, although she won't admit it, won't wear a second-hand one. I thought I might get her to wear our mother's wedding dress, but I don't think she will. It's bound to be really dated by now anyway.'

  ‘I could probably adapt it for her, if she'd like me to,' said Elsa. 'That's how I started out, making things over for people.'

  ‘Really? That's interesting,' said Hugo. By the way he looked at Elsa Sarah could tell he really was interested. He was very good at all this and Sarah wondered if it was because of his sister; from what he'd said they seemed quite close.

  ‘Yes. I had a Saturday job in a dry-cleaner's. I did the mending. Then I went to college.'

  ‘What about you, Bron?'

  ‘I went to college too.' She seemed to Sarah to sound a little defensive. 'I see hairdressing and beauty therapy as a bit of a vocation.'