by Hannah Ellis
Chuckling, Lexie rolled onto her back. If they’d have gone for a more traditional wedding she probably wouldn’t have seen Nick the evening before the wedding. Maybe she’d have spent the evening with her mum. If they’d got married on Skye she’d have spent the night before the wedding at her parents’ place. She could have invited Leana and Elspeth over. Probably Isla too, and maybe Christine. It would have been good to have Christine and her mum passing on their wisdom and giving her marriage advice.
A lump formed in her throat and she thought about what Nick had said about her still being able to change her mind. It felt too late to back out now, though. No matter what Nick said, she was sure he’d take it personally.
“Nick,” she whispered, feeling around until she found his arm.
“You’re such a temptress,” he said lazily. “Can you really not stay on your side for one night?”
“Can you just give me your hand?”
“Depends what you’re planning to do with it!”
She couldn’t help but laugh, but the amusement was short-lived. “Please give me your hand,” she said pleadingly.
For a moment their fingers intertwined on the pillow between them, then Nick moved the pillow aside and shuffled over to her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, as she rested her cheek on his chest.
“Yes,” she said, soothed by the familiar thudding of his heart. “I am now.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nick sounded like a hyperactive child when he woke Lexie the next morning by saying her name repeatedly.
“What?” she groaned.
“Can we go to the museum now?”
She blinked until his face came into focus. He was already dressed and crouching at her side of the bed. “I thought you were excited about getting married for a minute.”
“That too,” he said. “But we’ve got loads of time and there’s a museum full of historical facts. Let’s do that this morning.” He pulled the covers off her. “Come on. Let’s go.”
She squinted at her phone to check the time. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?” she asked when she realised it was already mid-morning.
“You looked too peaceful. I don’t want to miss out on the museum, though. And we need to have breakfast. I’m presuming you’ll also want to schedule some time to make yourself look pretty later?”
“It’s my wedding,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I think I might need a bit of time to get ready.”
“Hurry up!” he said, giving her a playful tap on the bum as she headed for the shower. His excitement was infectious, and Lexie felt ecstatically happy as they enjoyed a late breakfast in the hotel’s bright and airy conservatory.
Rain fell in a light drizzle as they made the short walk over to the cluster of whitewashed buildings which comprised the museum and the gift shop as well as a café – not forgetting the Famous Blacksmith Shop, which would be their wedding venue in a few hours’ time. She clutched Nick’s hand as they walked across the courtyard, towards the museum.
“Ooh,” Nick said, veering suddenly. “The courtship maze. Let’s go in there.”
“It’s raining,” she complained.
“Hardly.”
“Well if it starts pouring and we’re lost in a maze, I’m not going to be very impressed.”
“It’ll feel symbolic for our married life. Lost and battling the elements but always together.”
“I didn’t realise that was what being married was all about,” she said, giving him a playful nudge. “You’re not doing a great job of selling it to me.”
“It might be a good laugh too!”
“The maze or being married?”
“Hopefully both.” He quickened his pace, pulling her along with him.
In front of the maze was a fence adorned with love locks that spelled out the word “love”. They spent a few minutes reading some of the names on the assorted padlocks before wandering into the maze.
“It doesn’t seem very challenging,” Lexie said as they strolled through the hedges.
“Exactly how married life will be,” Nick said. “Easy!”
“Some might say boring,” she said, jokily.
“We can always liven things up,” he said, dropping her hand and giving her a mischievous smile.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he took a few steps away from her.
“Catch me if you can,” he said, then slipped around the corner.
“Nick!” she called after him, but when she moved around the hedge he’d disappeared from sight. She shouted his name again and turned in a circle, sure he was about to jump out at her.
It seemed as though the rain had put other people off and they appeared to have the maze to themselves. She hoped so anyway; it would be embarrassing if she encountered someone else while she was wandering around calling out to Nick. Thankfully, it was only a few minutes later when he reappeared, creeping up behind her. His hands at her waist startled her even though she was expecting him to try to scare her.
“You’re such a numpty,” she said, turning to face him.
“Were you worried?”
“Not really, no.”
“Good. I’ll always find you.”
“You realise there’s a fine line between romantic and creepy?”
“That sounded creepy, didn’t it?”
“A little bit!”
“The sun’s coming out anyway,” he said, looking overhead. “Blue skies have to be a good omen.”
Lexie squinted. “There’s a tiny patch of blue sky amid a lot of grey clouds. Are we still doing marriage analogies?”
“No. That doesn’t seem to be working out well for me.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. “I think we’re going to have an amazing life together and I’m so excited about it.”
She rested her forehead against his. “Me too.”
“Are you dying to tell me off for being cheesy?”
“I thought I’d let you off since we’re getting married today.”
“Thanks!”
“Do you want to go to the museum now?”
He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please!”
While Nick read every single piece of information in the museum, Lexie cast her eyes over the wedding dresses from different periods and the different varieties of horse and cart. It was a pleasant enough way to pass the time, but her mind wandered too much to really take it in. Eventually, she left Nick and wandered out into the courtyard for some fresh air. The rain had stopped but it was still overcast.
Finding a free bench, Lexie sat and watched the tourists mill around. A piper stood outside the gift shop, happily playing away while a dainty toddler with blond locks danced around in front of him. In the summer it was probably a hive of activity, but it wasn’t overly busy in the middle of a rainy week in October.
“Hi!” Lexie called when she saw Tara.
She changed course and made a beeline for Lexie. “Not long to go!” she said, joining her on the bench. “I’m not sure what to do with myself now. It’s too early to get ready, but I’m too restless to sit still.”
“I know what you mean. Nick’s in the museum, but I couldn’t concentrate on any of it. Where’s James?”
“In the hotel room I think. I just got my nails done and I felt like some fresh air and time to myself.” She held out her hand to inspect her nails.
“Not having second thoughts, are you?” Lexie asked lightly.
“No way.” She stared into the distance as a smile played at her lips. “I wish I’d married him years ago. I tortured the poor guy. And myself while I was at it. It’s taken a long time but everything feels perfect.”
To Lexie, it sounded a lot like her relationship with Nick. She’d spent so long denying her feelings for him. With hindsight it had been a huge waste of time.
“I’m glad things worked out for you in the end,” she said. “And your nails look great. I should have made an appointment too. I thought I’d just do them myself, bu
t it would have been a good way to kill some time.”
“I could do them for you,” Tara said quickly. “It’s always nice to have someone else do your nails.”
Lexie opened and closed her mouth, not sure what to say. Tara was a virtual stranger and the offer to paint her nails was slightly odd, but Lexie wanted to take her up on it. She felt a strange connection with this woman who was getting married on the same day as her.
“Sorry,” Tara said with a grimace. “That was a bit forward of me. Just ignore me.”
“That would actually be really good,” Lexie said. “If you don’t mind?”
“I’d love to! I don’t know what to do with all this nervous energy. Something to focus on would be great. In fact …” She trailed off, shaking her head and laughing to herself.
“What?” Lexie asked.
“You’ll think I’m crazy, but I was going to suggest we help each other get ready. I’ve been debating whether to get dressed with James in the room or let him get ready and then kick him out to wait in the bar.”
“I’d thought the same,” Lexie said. “I can’t zip the dress up myself so I was thinking of asking one of the hotel staff to help me. But it would be fun to get ready together.”
“Really?” Tara said. “I didn’t know if I was going to come across as an oddball. Somehow, I feel like I’ve known you for ages.”
Lexie had the same feeling.
“I’ll message James and tell him the plan,” Tara said, pulling her phone out. “I’m really excited now.”
Lexie raised a hand to wave when she saw Nick coming out of the museum, then filled him in on the plan when he sat between them. Bumping into Tara had given her a boost, and as the three of them walked back to the hotel together, she could feel her excitement building.
Getting ready together would be much more fun than being alone.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tara and James’s room was on the same floor as theirs, and James stepped into the hallway when they arrived.
“Wow!” The word slipped out of Lexie’s mouth as though she had no control of it. The warm smile James gave her made it clear she’d said it loudly. He’d looked good in casual clothes, but in his navy-blue suit he was even more striking.
“How do I look?” he asked Tara.
“Not too shabby,” she replied as she adjusted his tie.
“I thought I’d clear out and leave you ladies to it.” He looked to Nick. “I’ll be hanging around the bar if you feel like joining me.”
“Thanks,” Nick said. “I’ll get dressed and see you down there.”
“I’ll get my dress and things,” Lexie said to Tara.
As she walked down the hall with Nick, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. “I hope you’re as wowed at the sight of me all dressed up as you were by James.”
“I couldn’t help it,” she said, smirking. “The sunlight hit his shiny hair and almost blinded me. That was the only reason I said wow.”
Nick opened the door to the hotel room, flashing her a boyish smile. “I’m just glad it was you who said it and not me!”
Lexie moved quickly around the room, collecting her make-up and throwing anything she needed into a tote bag, then taking her dress from the wardrobe.
“I’ve probably forgotten something,” she said, scanning the room and feeling suddenly emotional.
Nick stepped in front of her and kissed her forehead. “Everything okay?”
Nodding, she slung her bag on the bed and lay the dress beside it. Then she wrapped her arms around Nick and held him tightly.
“I love you,” she whispered, her words muffled by his neck.
“I love you too,” he said softly.
It was a few minutes before they broke apart.
“Lexie?” Nick said as she picked up her things.
“Don’t ask me if I definitely want to do this,” she said, then glanced up at him. Clearly, it was exactly what he’d been about to say.
“I’ll see you downstairs later,” he said with a smile, then gave her a chaste kiss before she left him.
Tara opened the door almost as soon as Lexie knocked. “I can’t decide if I’m nervous or excited,” she said. “I think it’s a mix of both. Shall I do your nails first? I’m also pretty good with hair if you need any help with it. I’m just going to leave mine down.”
“I was thinking of putting mine up,” Lexie said, glancing around the room, which was almost exactly the same as hers. “I can’t decide.”
“My mum’s a hairdresser,” Tara said. “I’ve picked up a few tips over the years. I can help you put it up if you want?”
“Thanks.” Lexie laid her dress over one of the couches, then rooted in her bag for her nail polish.
“I love that colour,” Tara said, taking the bottle from her. Lexie sat beside her on the couch. A large make-up bag was open on the table and Tara pulled a nail file from it. She took Lexie’s hand. “Your nails are gorgeous anyway,” she said as she began to gently file them. “You could wear them natural and still look amazing.”
“Thanks,” Lexie said. The whole situation felt oddly intimate for someone she barely knew. “Did you tell people you were getting married today or is it a secret?”
“We didn’t tell anyone.” Tara paused and let out a long breath. “Now I feel terrible that I didn’t even tell my best friend. But a few of my friends live in a village. My mum lives there too. It’s all a bit gossipy, and I was sure that if I told one person, everyone would find out.”
“Can’t your friend keep a secret?”
“Amber can.” Tara smiled widely. “Her husband is another matter!” She continued filing Lexie’s nails and pushing back her cuticles. “Did you tell people?”
“Just our parents and my grandad. We weren’t going to tell anyone else until afterwards, but I ended up telling my best friend the day before we left. I’m glad I did. She was so excited that it made me even more excited.”
Tara put the nail file aside and shook the nail polish before unscrewing the lid. “Now I feel even worse for not telling Amber. She’d be thrilled. I’m not even sure now why we kept it a secret, except it was sort of exciting to keep it to ourselves. It’s all been such a whirlwind of us getting back together and getting engaged. I was sure some people would comment about how fast it was, and I didn’t want to have to deal with anyone else’s opinions. Do you know what I mean? I wanted to keep it about us.”
“I know what you mean,” Lexie said. “But for us we decided to elope because my family are a bit of a nightmare. Plus some friends of ours are organising a big, traditional wedding and it almost felt as though we’d end up competing to see who had the best wedding. Since I was sure I was never going to get the wedding I wanted anyway, eloping seemed like an easy option.”
Tara looked up at her and frowned. “That’s sad.”
“Oh, no. It’s fine.”
“But you should get your dream wedding.”
Lexie hesitated, her mind wandering. “Last night Nick asked me if I definitely wanted to go through with it. Like he knows it’s not really what I wanted.”
“It’s a little late in the day,” Tara said. “But still not too late to change your mind.”
Lexie shook her head. There’s no way she’d do that to Nick. “I have the feeling that what I think I want doesn’t matter so much anyway. I’d rather focus on enjoying things however they turn out. For example, I had no idea I’d end up getting ready for my wedding in a stranger’s hotel room. But it’s fun.”
Tara had slicked nail polish onto all of Lexie’s nails and she’d barely registered her doing it. “I’m glad we met,” she said, releasing her hand. “And I want to ask you a question. But you can absolutely say no and I won’t be offended …”
“Okay. Ask away.”
“I wondered if you and Nick might be witnesses for our wedding. I know we only met yesterday, but I’d really love it if you would. But I realise you’ll just have got married and might not want to.�
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“I’d love to.” Lexie beamed. “Would you be ours?”
“Yes! Of course. But don’t feel you have to ask just because I asked you.”
“I’d really like you to be,” Lexie said. “Do you think it’s okay to change at the last minute?”
Tara pulled out her phone and began tapping away. “I’ll get James to ask about it, but I can’t imagine it will be a problem.” She lingered with the phone in her hand. “I keep thinking I should call Amber. She’s been my best friend since I was seven years old and it feels weird that she doesn’t know I’m getting married.”
“Call her,” Lexie said. “You’ve got plenty of time. Honestly, I felt so much better after I told my best friend. It was killing me to keep it from her.”
“Maybe.” She reached for Lexie’s hand. “But I’m putting another coat on your nails first.”
Once Lexie’s second coat of nail polish was applied, Tara picked up her phone again, excited about calling her friend.
“Maybe I should go and leave you to chat in peace,” Lexie said, feeling suddenly awkward.
“No, stay!” Tara said immediately. “I won’t be long. Make yourself at home. As long as you don’t mind listening to me witter away for five minutes?”
“I might just use the bathroom to put my make-up on.”
Tara told her to help herself, and Lexie was rummaging through her tote bag for her make-up when Tara got her friend on a video call.
Since Tara didn’t seem concerned about privacy, and Lexie was curious as to how her friend would react, she purposely moved slowly, listening in to the conversation. It seemed Amber wasn’t alone, and Tara excitedly greeted the pregnant woman who moved into shot before blurting out that she and James were at Gretna Green and about to get married. There was a short silence, followed by a rush of questions and excited laughter.
Lexie slinked away to the bathroom, leaving Tara to chat with her friends. Make-up wasn’t really her thing and it didn’t take her long to apply a light dusting of eye shadow and a couple of swipes of mascara. She added a coat of lip gloss and was happy with the minimal effect. Her phone rang in her pocket and she answered the video call from Leana.