Page 89 of Doc Defence

“We won’t be late. The wedding will wait for us.” Gloria wafted her arm through the air and strolled along, not one to be rushed.

Clara laughed at the two older women as her mum nearly dragged Gloria out the door.

“Dad’s outside waiting,” Julia called before the door shut.

“Thanks, Mum. I’ll be out in a minute, Dad,” Clara yelled.

Clara took a deep breath and then another. Sadie put her hand on her arm, concern clouding her face.

“Are you okay? Don’t cry. Your makeup is spectacular. Do not ruin it before the photos,” Sadie chided.

Which had the desired effect, as instead of crying, Clara giggled and squealed. “Oh my! This is it! I am going to be Doctor Clara Anderson.”

“You’re changing your name?” Hel asked in surprise. She was sure Clara had said she wasn’t going to.

“Nope! It’s just fun to say. I’m keeping Doctor Upford. I earned it, and it’s mine.”

Hel wondered for a moment what she would do if she got married, would she keep her name or change it, and her heart sank at the thought. She was single, as a pringle, and couldn’t imagine meeting anyone she would like enough to marry.

A very inconvenient part of her brain chose that moment to remind her of a certain hockey player it liked. In fact, it really liked. So much that it chose to think about him roughly every five minutes when she was awake and dreamt about him most nights.

That part of her brain wished she could push the sensible bit of her that stopped her from saying yes to dating him, even though he was leaving, out of the window. Why couldn’t she be the person who said, so what if he was going? So what if she got her heart broken? She should go for it. But she wasn’t that person, and even if she wanted to say them, the words would never come out.

“Tick-tock, ladies,” the wedding planner yelled through the door.

“Terrifying,” Clara whispered before the three of them dutifully filed out of the room.

Hel stood shoulder to shoulder with Sadie, ready to proceed Clara down the aisle, which was set up outside Clara and Taylor’s house. The chairs were in the shade of the gum trees, and a gentle breeze blew the guests’ hair as they sat waiting for Clara on the beautiful spring afternoon.

Taylor had his back to them, having been instructed by the—definitely terrifying—wedding planner that he wasn’t allowed to turn around to face the bridal party until the music started.

The night before, when they rehearsed, every time he turned around, he had something stuck to his face. The first time, it was Bruce the beard, then he had a clown nose, and then stupid glasses. Every time Hel, Clara and Sadie fell about laughing, and the wedding coordinator made them start again until she finally got sick of them and said they could skip rehearsing that bit.

Hel stiffened when her eyes caught on the back of a man’s head. He had broad shoulders and sandy hair. For a moment, she thought it was Frost, which was ridiculous wishful thinking on her part.

The music started, and all the guests turned to face the bridal party, where they stood at the back of the aisle. Hel took one step forward, then froze when a pair of emerald eyes caught her gaze, and Frost gave her a lop-sided smile.

He was here? How was he here?

Sadie must have realised Hel wasn’t next to her and stopped, stepping back so she was level with the other bridesmaid.

“Are you okay?” Sadie whispered.

“Frost’s here,” Hel murmured back.

“Oh, yeah. That was her. She told me not to tell you.” Sadie pointed her thumb over her shoulder at Clara.

Hel turned to look at Clara, who smiled. “This is your one perfect date.”

Could she? Did she want this to be real? Glancing back at Frost, she saw his eyebrows lift in question, and she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more. One perfect date with him.

She smiled at him and gave him a small nod. His face lit up with a grin in return, and Hel turned back to Clara, blinking back the tears that had sprung into her eyes.

“Thank you,” she murmured to her friend.

“You’re welcome.” Clara grinned broadly. “Now, if you could get walking. I’m pretty keen to marry the man standing looking incredible in a suit at the front.” She made a shooing gesture.

Hel turned back around, took a deep breath and made her feet move. Somehow, as she walked down the aisle, she managed not to look over at Frost as she passed him, but she knew his gaze didn’t leave her the whole time.

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