Page 29 of Flowers Go Flying in Crumbleton

‘The flowers—’

‘Nope!’ said Murray again.

Milly’s worried expression morphed into a grin, and for a second Murray basked in the fact that he’d put that smile on her beautiful face.

‘Okay then,’ she said. ‘Well… thanks. And I am sorry you got hurt. Bet you’ll be forever traumatised by the sight of hand-tied flowers after that!’

‘Honestly?’ said Murray. ‘I don’t remember much about it.’

‘Huh. Well… brace yourself for a few different versions because most of the town’s talking about it,’ said Milly.

‘They are?’ he said on a groan. It shouldn’t really surprise him, given Brian’s report about the whole thing in the taxi earlier on.

‘Yep. In fact – several of them are hunting for your missing teeth like they’re some kind of weird-ass trophy,’ said Milly. ‘Makes me think of those serial-killer documentaries!’

‘My teeth?’ said Murray in confusion.

‘There’s a rumour going around they got knocked out when you went down!’ she said, scrunching up her nose. ‘Jo – my trainee – asked if she could have a longer lunch break to join the hunt for them.’

‘Gross!’ chuckled Murray. ‘Also pointless. No teeth were harmed in the making of this disaster.’

‘Really?’ said Milly.

‘Yep,’ he said, giving her a wide toothy grin to prove the point.

‘Well… that’s something,’ said Milly. ‘And no blood?’

‘Nope,’ said Murray. ‘Just a slightly disappointing bump on my head and a great big dollop of embarrassment.’

‘Don’t be embarrassed,’ said Milly. ‘It’s not like it was your fault!’

‘Erm… well… it is a little bit,’ he said.

‘How?’ demanded Milly.

‘I was distracted,’ he muttered.

‘Right… well, it was very busy,’ said Milly.

Murray nodded and sighed. He should stop talking. He’d already made a big enough prat out of himself in front of her. He didn’t need to confirm the levels he was prepared to stoop to when she was around, did he?!

But then… she was sitting right there in front of him.

He might as well own up to the full, excruciating truth of the situation while he had her undivided attention. After all, he had to face facts – he’d probably never get the chance to talk to her again after this. Why would someone like her want anything to do with him?!

‘I wasn’t paying attention because I was looking for you,’ he said bluntly.

‘Me?’ said Milly, clearly surprised.

‘Yes… in the crowd.’

Why? Why couldn’t he have just let this go?

‘Oh,’ said Milly.

‘In fact,’ he said, preparing himself for abject humiliation, ‘you were pretty much the only reason I agreed to have anything to do with the wedding.’

‘Me?’ she said again, shaking her head slightly.

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