‘I didn’t mean to criticise you just because—’I freaked out when I saw you looking like a bride. ‘Because you enjoy your job. And I didn’t mind coming along.’
‘It’s all right, Andreas,’ she said with a glance heavenward. ‘You don’t have to pretend you like weddings any more than I’m going to pretend to enjoy the via ferrata.’
He wanted to insist that shewouldenjoy the via ferrata, but he knew she was afraid and telling her what she felt would only be counterproductive. So he restricted himself to an inarticulate grumble and then said, ‘I don’t understand why you have to loot the garden centre to get married, but the past two days with you—’have been amazing.Ohhhhh, porca di merda, halt’s Maul, du Lopp.Cursing, calling himself a fool and telling himself to shut up helped calm him down enough to finish the thought more sensibly. ‘—have been fine. And we got cake. Are we allowed to eat the cake?’
She regarded him as though he had a screw loose, which was fair. ‘I’m not going to take it back to the UK in ten days’ time. Yes, we can eat the cake.’
He rubbed his hands together. ‘Good. Do you want the millefoglie or can I have it? Wait, you should have it, since it’s the classic Italian wedding cake.’ Brushing past her to unlock the door, he kept his face averted, not wanting to know what sort of look she was giving him.
When they set the crates on the kitchen table, he couldn’t avoid her gaze any more.
‘How do you know that?’ she asked, a hand on her hip.
‘Hmm?’
‘How do you know about the classic Italian wedding cake? You haven’t been to any weddings.’
‘TV?’ he tried. ‘Movies?’ His voice trailed off. ‘You’ve been to a lot more Italian weddings than I have, haven’t you?’
She nodded, obviously trying not to smile, which was unfortunately a very sweet expression on her. ‘I’ve been to a few,’ she said lightly.
He took a deep breath and straightened. ‘Does that mean I can have the millefoglie?’
‘No way!’
‘Half?’
‘You could just go to more weddings and then you’d get some. You must have had friends or family get married.’
He gave an eloquent shrug.
‘You always make sure you’re in the Himalayas on the big day?’
‘Something like that,’ he mumbled.
With a long huff, she rummaged in the crate until she found the little gold boxes with the cakes inside. She peered into one and he caught a glimpse of the honey-brown pastry of the millefoglie, dusted with sugar and bursting with cream and berries. ‘Andreas Hinterdorfer would rather climb Everest than go to a wedding,’ she muttered. ‘I think you’re just afraid you’ll cry.’
‘I would not.’ He snatched the box from her and fetched a knife from a drawer.
‘You don’t know what to do with your emotions,’ she accused him, softening her words with a smile. ‘I bet you, our mountaintop wedding will make you cry.’
His response was a snort. Why would he cry at some strangers’ not-legal promise ceremony, where they vowed to do all the things they probably already did without the vowing? ‘This isn’t convincing me to commit to September, but what would you bet? What’s your prized possession?’
‘You sound a little bit sensitive about this, Andreas,’ she teased. ‘But okay. I bet my signed Foo Fighters T-shirt.’
His eyes widened. ‘Fini, I’d forgotten you had good taste. I hope it’s my size,’ he said with a wink.
Crossing her arms, she pinned him with a look. ‘What do you bet? What willIwin when you bawl like a baby at, “You may kiss the bride”?’
‘Do people actually say that?’ he asked with a scoff. ‘But my prized possession is easy.’ As the words tumbled out, Andreas knew that under no circumstances should he continue, but he was feeling a little reckless. ‘It’s a Pakistani emerald, three-quarters of a carat, round cut.’ Currently sitting in a plastic box in his sock drawer.
Her smile vanished. ‘You’re not serious,’ she said eventually.
‘I’m pretty sure I won’t cry.’
She paused for a wary intake of breath. ‘Fine,’ she said, her voice tight. ‘You’re on, but if you escape to the Himalayas instead of coming to this wedding, I’ll know you chickened out. Now give me my half of the cake!’
It was his turn to regard her in silence.Well played, Sophie-Leigh. Well played.