Her hand rose to cover the naked skin. ‘It’s not what you think. Luke…’
Whatever she’d been about to say was cut off by a shout from across the room. ‘Hey, you two! If you want to snog, then take it inside the pantry like everyone else does!’
Blushing, Nee ducked beneath his arm and was swept up into the laughter and conversation around them. He wanted to follow her, but was intercepted by his parents. Brian thrust a cold bottle of beer into his hand, whilst his mother raised a hand to brush a fleck of something from his shoulder.
‘You look like you’re feeling better, darling.’ He’d made it back into Cathy’s good books, apparently, which was something to be grateful for at least. If only she hadn’t picked this particular moment to demonstrate it. The diaphanous sleeve of her white dress slid down her arm, and he reluctantly abandoned his pursuit of Nee to study the floaty, floor-length gown and the wild dark wig she was wearing. Heavy make-up ringed her eyes, and she’d hidden the tan from a late-season holiday beneath a layer of pale, almost-ghostly foundation.
His dad clinked their bottles together, then raised his own in toast to his wife. ‘She makes a smashing Kate Bush, doesn’t she?’ Ah. He might have guessed, because she was his mum’s favourite artist and there was a family story that she’d been named for the heroine from Wuthering Heights.
‘You look fab, Mum,’ he agreed, kissing first her then his dad on the cheek.
Brian circled his free arm about Cathy’s waist, and gave her what Luke could only describe as a leer. ‘Now if only you’d let me talk you into coming as Babooshka.’
‘Jesus, Dad!’ Luke sputtered over his beer, trying desperately not to conjure images of his mum in a chain-mail bikini.
‘Behave yourself, Brian.’ Cathy didn’t look remotely displeased, and Luke suppressed another shudder.
Intellectually, he understood his parents shared a happy, healthy relationship. Faced with the reality, though… His mind scrambled for anything to distract him from what exactly that might entail. Something really boring, something, anything… The square of the length of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. Yes! Good old Pythagoras. What else, what else? The three sides of an equilateral triangle are all the same length. Its angles are also equal at 60° each. He numbed his brain with every mathematical theory he could dredge up until Madeline and Richard joined their little group, thankfully distracting his parents from their flirting.
With an admiring bow at her off-the-shoulder powder-blue gown, he swept up Madeline’s hand in his own and placed a kiss on the back. ‘My lady, you look ravishing.’
‘Hey, I’ve got my eye on you, young man.’ Richard lifted the patch covering his right eye, and they all groaned.
‘You should be made to walk the plank for that terrible joke,’ Luke’s dad said, and he had to agree with him. Their timely arrival assisted him further, for his mum and Madeline were soon in raptures over each other’s costumes, giving him a chance to slip away.
He searched the room again, but there was no sign of Nee. He took a couple of steps towards the door leading into the rest of the house, thinking he might track her down and pick up their conversation about her missing ring. The fates were conspiring against him, though, because his brother and Daniel were blocking the doorway and showed absolutely no signs of moving. ‘Grab us a refill will you, Spud?’ Aaron raised his empty bottle.
‘I was just looking for Nee, actually.’ He tried to peer around his brother.
Daniel clapped him on the shoulder, but held his position by the door. ‘She’s fine. Get us a drink and relax, mate. It’s supposed to be a party and you’ve got a face like a smacked arse.’
It was then Luke realised that Kiki and Mia were also missing from the kitchen. Maybe it wasn’t just the fates conspiring against him. Folding his arms, he gave them both his best glare, which did nothing but make Aaron grin. Big brothers were arseholes. He tried again. ‘What’s going on?’
‘You’ll find out in a bit. Now be a good boy and fetch us those beers.’ Daniel’s grin was, if anything, bigger than Aaron’s. Utterly thwarted, he skulked off towards the fridge.
Yup. Brothers were arseholes. And so were their best mates.
Chapter Twenty-One
Nee froze on the threshold of the sitting room, heart racing a mile a minute. Once she’d confided in Mia about needing to finish the painting, her eldest sister had seized the chance to take control of the arrangements and banished Nee to concentrate on it. They’d wanted to give it the chance to dry as much as possible, so hanging it had been left to the last minute.
A soft hand brushed her arm, and she glanced left towards the woman who’d been mother, sister and friend to her. ‘All right?’
She nodded, pressing a hand to the butterflies dancing in her stomach. ‘Just a bit of last-minute nerves.’ Not about Luke. Those had melted under the intensity of his blue eyes, the fierceness in his tone when he’d told her not to give her credit away to anyone. Ever. She’d never been afraid to show her work to anyone before, but what lay beyond the door was the cornerstone on which she hoped to build her future.
‘What can we do to help?’ Kiki spoke this time, her tone as sweet and caring as her heart. Whatever life had thrown at Nee, it had gifted her with the best sisters anyone could hope to have in their life.
She reached for their hands. ‘You’re already doing everything I need just by standing here with me.’
‘We’re always with you, Nee. Always will be. No matter how far your life might take you from Butterfly Cove, we’ll be no more than a thought away.’ Mia squeezed her hand. ‘Now, come on, show me this bloody picture before we all start blubbing! This hormone cocktail I’m brewing has me all over the place.’ She released Nee’s hand to press her own to her still-flat middle.
Kiki leaned across to cover Mia’s hand. ‘Aaron wants to have one of these too,’ she said, her voice wistful.
Nerves forgotten in the light of this delicious piece of sisterly gossip, Nee could only gape at her. ‘Oh, God, Kiki Dee, what did you say?’
A rosy flush shone beneath the red circles painted on Kiki’s cheeks. ‘I didn’t, not really. We’ve agreed to take it steady, but the subject is definitely on the table.’ She sighed. ‘I had all these plans for what I wanted to do with the teashop, but all I can think about is a sweet-faced baby with blond curls and bright-blue eyes.’ Raising her hands to cover her face, she moaned softly. ‘I blame you, Mimi, for putting the idea in his head in the first place.’
Mia laughed. ‘Don’t blame me, blame Daniel. He’s the one who got me in this condition.’
Holding her hands up, Nee took an exaggerated step backwards. ‘Stay away from me, you two. I’m not ready to catch baby fever.’
They both advanced on her, hands held out if front of them like zombies, and she yanked open the sitting-room door, laughing as she ran from them. Mia got halfway into the room before her hands dropped to her sides. ‘Oh. Oh, Nee. That’s just beautiful.’
Blushing, Nee followed her sister’s gaze to the picture on the easel. The echoes of the image Devin had stolen from her had been unconscious at first, but as the piece progressed it had become vital to her to create the perfect antonym. A couple embraced in the centre of the canvas, their dimensions an exact replica of the difference in height between herself and Luke. Instead of black, she’d used soft, pastel shades to fill their anonymous forms in a delicate rainbow. The colours crossed the figures, carrying each stripe in perfect lines over them, a demonstration of the harmony between the two.
Ribbons of brighter colours wrapped around them, bearing the words family, love, hope, friendship, unity. All the things she’d risked losing in her desperate scrabble for the false rewards of fame and fortune. If the past week had taught her anything, it was that she was already rich beyond measure, that a life filled with love and laughter should be her goal.
Testing the edge of the painting with one finger, she thought ab
out the message she’d received earlier. This was the first moment she’d had the two of them alone, and she needed to tell someone. ‘I had an email this morning, from the Institute.’
Mia’s expression turned immediately fierce. ‘Whatever they said, forget about it. You don’t owe them a damn thing.’
Nee held up her hand. ‘No. You don’t understand. The head of HR wrote to advise me they would be carrying out a full investigation into Devin’s activities. She asked me to keep it under wraps, but the exhibition is being put on hold as well. She wants to talk with me next week with a view to giving a video statement; said there are a number of other past students she’ll be reaching out to.’ Thinking about it turned her stomach a little, but she’d known sending her original email would be opening Pandora’s box.
Kiki rubbed a comforting hand down her arm. ‘I’m so proud of you for stepping up, Nee. I’ll stay in the room with you when you give your statement.’
‘Me too,’ Mia added, placing her hand over Kiki’s. ‘You won’t have to do it alone.’
‘Thank you, for everything.’ Nee blinked hard to dispel the sting in her eyes. ‘Right. No more of that bollocks tonight, we’ve got a wedding to get to.’ With trembling fingers, she lifted the precious canvas down, turning it so she could carry it by the thick cord already attached to the rear.
Her sisters ran point, checking the route to the dining room was clear. She tiptoed past the broad backs of Daniel and Aaron blocking the kitchen door then slipped past Mia, who closed the dining-room door behind her. She’d seen the room earlier whilst it had still been daylight, but the sight of it now drew a gasp of wonder. The furniture had been removed – a painstaking task because the antique table had taken several hours of careful dismantling – leaving a wide-open space in the centre of the room.
The huge Christmas tree still claimed pride of place in the corner, but thick ropes of greenery threaded with glistening white lights now lined the edges of the room, casting a gentle glow along the base of the walls. Shimmering curtains of lights covered the side window and the French windows, which were thrown open to reveal the neatly swept patio outside. With a fire crackling in the grate and upright heaters positioned on the patio either side of the open doors, the room was warm enough, without feeling stuffy.
Beyond the doors, the magical wonderland of the garden provided the perfect backdrop with coloured lights sparkling in the trees. Daniel and Luke had spent the morning up and down ladders to hang them, while Matty placed torches lit with white LEDs in the snow-covered flowerbeds.
Stepping to the edge of the open windows, a brush of fresh air cooled the heat in her cheeks and carried the soft susurration of waves on the beach to her ears. A round table had been set up just inside the doors, laden with unlit candles. The small box bearing her wedding ring sat there too.
‘Do you like it? Is it what you were hoping for?’ Mia’s anxious questions drew her back into the present.
Turning to her sister, she struggled to speak through the tears clogging her throat. ‘It’s beautiful. Just perfect, Mimi. Thank you so much.’
With a watery laugh, Mia drew a tissue from her pocket and pressed it gently beneath Nee’s eyes. ‘No tears! You can’t spoil this gorgeous make-up.’ They both laughed and Nee sucked in a steadying breath. This wasn’t a time for tears, though there would likely be a few later.
‘Right, let’s get this picture hung and then I think we’ll be ready to start.’ Mia tossed her long plaits over one shoulder to keep them clear of the fire and, between them, they got the painting attached to the waiting hook above the fireplace.
Kiki stepped back to assess it. ‘Down your side just a fraction, Nee. Yes, that’s perfect. Gosh, it’s so pretty my heart flutters every time I look at it.’ She turned a slow circle. ‘Everything’s ready. Are you?’
Was she? Nee did her own final check, waiting for a reappearance of the nerves she’d been feeling upstairs. Her tummy quivered, but it was excitement, not doubt. Here she was, on the cusp of a new year and a new life bursting with promise. She couldn’t wait to get started. ‘I’m ready.’
Hand in hand, her sisters left the dining room, and Nee moved to stand beside the table to wait. Hurried footsteps rang on the tiles of the hallway and Luke burst through the door, coming to a sharp stop as the impact of the glowing room hit him. ‘Are you all right? Mia said you wanted to talk…’ He shoved his hat back on his head and whistled. ‘God, look at this place. It’s incredible. What’s the occasion?’
Patience. Patience, Nee. She followed his gaze as it bounced from one thing to another. He glanced at the fire glowing in the grate, over to the sparkling lights at the window, then whipped his head back around so fast, she worried he’d do himself an injury.
‘Nee.’ The rasp from the remains of his cold deepened, sending a thrill of anticipation down her spine. He didn’t see her little shiver, though. His eyes were locked on the picture above the fireplace. He took a step closer. ‘Is… is it…?’ His voice hitched, and she had to swallow hard before she could respond.
‘Yes.’
He said nothing for a few long seconds, just stared up at the image she’d created to symbolise everything she felt for him, everything she wanted from him, for him. For them. He backed up, one pace, a second, and her breath faltered. The nerves roared back to life, threatening to choke the excitement. What if she’d misjudged where things stood between them? No. Not after the way he’d looked at her in the kitchen, like nothing else existed for him in that moment. She had hope. She believed in them. But, she was also ready for him to say something, any time now!
Using the sleeve of his jacket he rubbed his eyes briefly, then turned towards her. ‘That’s truly how you see us?’
She nodded, and he was across the space between them in an instant. He stood so close, the tips of their shoes touched, and she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. ‘I took the necklace off because I want you to give me my ring again. Properly this time.’ Lifting her hand, she pressed a finger to his jaw and turned his head towards the table where the simple band of gold glittered in the open black box.
‘Now?’ A muscle ticced in his jaw hard enough for her to feel through the silk of her glove, and she stretched her fingers to sooth the tension from his face.
‘Yes. Please. I want us to walk into the New Year together, as husband and wife.’
He turned his head to press a kiss to her fingers. ‘I love you, Mrs Spenser.’
‘Mrs Thorpe-Spenser,’ she said, and his eyes widened briefly before he flashed her that beautiful smile, all dimples and hot promises.
A none-too-discreet cough sounded behind them, and she peered around his shoulder to see everyone else had filtered in from the kitchen. ‘So, what’s the verdict?’
Luke turned at the sound of his brother’s voice to find everyone staring at them with expressions of eager expectation. ‘You were in on this?’ He pointed an accusatory finger at Aaron.
His brother grinned. ‘Yep. We all were. The story about playing beach cricket was a cover so Matty and I could help out with the decorating. I felt a bit bad about lying to you, but it was worth it to see the look on your face now.’
Luke could only imagine what his expression must look like, because his brain was still racing to catch up with everything his heart was telling him. Nee was here, his Nee, so bright and sparkling and full of life, telling him he hadn’t screwed it all up between them. That she wanted them to start again; to be again. Placing an arm around her shoulders, he drew her to his side. Now he had her close, he was never letting her slip away from him again. He let his gaze travel over the wonderful, eclectic group he was blessed to call his family and felt his mouth stretch wide in a smile. ‘My wife and I are getting married again,’ he declared. ‘And you’re all invited!’
After a quick flurry of activity, during which he kept a firm grip on Nee, even when her sisters came over to help her remove her long gloves, Luke found himself facing a smiling Harry Potter a
nd Hermione. Alison pushed the little round glasses up her nose and adjusted the black robe she wore over a grey school uniform. ‘As you can see, I’m not just here for the party. Don’t worry, I know you haven’t been given any time to prepare, but I’ll be doing most of the talking. There will be an opportunity for you to say something when you place the ring on Nee’s finger. Will you want to?’
‘Yes.’ He had no idea what, but he’d worry about that when they got there. Alison carried on explaining things while Sue fussed with the candles on the table, but he couldn’t focus on what she was saying over the thunderous beating of his heart. What if this was a dream, some fevered conjuring of his cold-addled brain, and he was still buried under the quilt, not standing beside Nee about to renew their vows? He clutched her hand tighter. She felt real enough and there was even a soft squeeze in return, but who knew what a person’s mind could do when they wanted something badly enough.
The collar buttoned at his throat grew uncomfortably tight, and his breathing sounded loud in his ears. Nee tugged his hand, making him glance down at her. ‘What’s the matter?’ she whispered, brown eyes full of concern.
‘Nothing.’ His shirt began to stick to the clammy skin at the base of his spine. ‘I might be having a bit of a panic attack, that’s all.’
‘Oh, God.’ Pushing past Alison, Nee dragged him out on the patio. ‘Breathe, Luke. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have sprung this on you. I just wanted to show you how much I want to be with you. To tell you in front of everyone that matters, that I want to be your wife for ever.’
The cold air delivered a much-needed slap to the face, and his constricting lungs eased. Her sweet words of worry further soothed his panicked brain, and he sucked in a deep, calming breath. She cupped his face, drawing his head down until their foreheads rested together, the beads of her headband digging into his skin giving him another sensation to further ground him in reality. ‘We can wait until you’re ready. I’ll give you all the space and time you need.’ He could hear the disappointment in her voice as she gave him back his words from the beach, but knew she meant it. That if he wanted her to walk back in there and tell everyone he’d changed his mind, she would do it. Sod that.
Christmas at Butterfly Cove Page 22