Page 83 of An Italian Wedding Adventure

‘There are plenty of handholds,’ her ex, Tom, pointed out.

Andreas smiled at Lucia sympathetically. ‘A healthy respect for the difficulty of the route is a good thing, but you’ll make it.’

‘You promise?’ she asked, flirting only half-heartedly.

He stilled, glancing from Lily to Roman to where Sophie stood near the back of the group. That word again.

‘I promise it’s not as difficult as it looks,’ he assured Lucia. ‘Now, hopp hopp,’ he said, clapping his hands for emphasis, ‘or Lily and Roman will never get married.’

‘Don’t you dare even suggest it!’ Adelaide piped up, making Andreas smile.

The photographer headed up first, followed by Roman and a couple of the groomsmen. Andreas positioned himself just in front of Lily, with her two bridesmaids next and Sophie bringing up the rear, a grim crease between her brows.

The first cries of delight from above informed him that the group was over the treeline, clambering up the dramatic spur over the lake. They made slow progress. Twice, the photographer stopped in her resting sling to snap a few shots.

Below him, Sophie’s expression grew tighter as she clung to the rock, peering up as the rest of the group seemed to take forever.

‘Okay?’ he called down to her.

‘Fine!’ she insisted – of course she did.

When they reached the top of the spur, he unclipped and came to help her up the last few steps. ‘This really wasn’t in my job description,’ she said through gritted teeth.

‘You’re doing great. Just a little further and we’ll be at the cabin where we had lunch. Remember that spot?’

‘I remember.’ She paused for a few deep breaths. ‘Let’s keep going. I’m okay.’

Memories assailed him when they reached the rock face where Sophie had stalled last time. Roman whooped with excitement at the prospect of the traverse, but Andreas only saw Sophie’s laboured swallow.

He came up beside her, brushing the backs of his fingers against hers, and she surprised him with a laugh. ‘You always wanted me to be tough, Andreas. I’m being tough today. Don’t worry. I’ll be there to see you cry at the top.’

She proved it five minutes later when she stepped gingerly onto the rock, clinging to the cable. Her head held high, she made careful progress at the back of the group and he wanted to kiss her again – this time not because of adrenaline.

God damn it, he loved this woman. Sophie, who’d had the audacity to listen to her heart and ask him to marry her, who’d believed in him long before she’d had reason to. Sophie, who imbued her weddings with significance and meaning and purpose. And weren’t those things exactly what he’d always searched for?

He’d imagined the invisible marks he left on the gullies and ridges of the mountains he’d climbed, but letting Sophie leave her marks on him – that thought made him even prouder.

As they headed for the bottom of the last via ferrata that would take them to the summit, all he could think about was holding her and letting everything he was feeling bubble out of him, but the rest of the wedding party was there, cooing and gasping at the view.

How quickly could they get Lily and Roman married?

When he took his own look out at the lake and saw the same clouds as before, only billowing rapidly, the answer to that question presented itself: as quickly as possible.

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The photos were going to be spectacular.

Sophie watched as the photographer, a young woman called Rachele who seemed entirely comfortable in her harness and via ferrata kit, unpacked her drone from her backpack and positioned Lily and Roman in a dramatic position on a ledge.

The background of the lake, the rocks ranging up into thin air, the world in 360 degrees and three full dimensions was stunning enough, but Lily and Roman, so small against the landscape, still filled the pictures with such joy.

To say that Reshma would be pleased was an understatement.

But Sophie was still unsettled – she had been since the strange conversation last night about Rory and the murky motivations behind the beginning of her relationship with him. Why was Andreas suddenly so keen to dig into her heart? He’d been watching her all day with a spark in his gaze that she couldn’t interpret.

After the adrenaline and emotion of the occasion, she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to calmly wave goodbye to him tomorrow, not knowing when she’d see him again. Possibly never, if the worst were to happen on Manaslu.

As they prepared to set off again, he drifted casually to her side. When he leaned close to say something quietly into her ear, her skin prickled. But his words weren’t a gruff confession of his own feelings – she’d be dreaming, if she ever expected that from Andreas Hinterdorfer – or even another of his brusque compliments that sank straight under her skin.

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