Page 5 of Midnight Wishes

Before they could lapse back into an uncomfortable silence—on her end, at least. For Alex’s part, he seemed utterly relaxed.Maybe he really didn’t remember her?—Abby and Erikreappeared, carrying trays laden with coffee mugs and pudding bowls.

‘Sorry to keep you waiting,’ Abby trilled, setting a steaming mug and a portion of apple pie with whipped cream in front of Sarah. ‘Coffee took a while.’

‘Yeah, that top-of-the-line coffee maker is notoriously slow,’ Alex said, in a smooth drawl.

Save for her cheeks turning pink, Abby pointedly ignored him, a small moan escaping her as she tried the pie.

‘Did Maggie make this?’ she asked Alex.

Was Maggie a neighbour? A loving aunt?Another girlfriend?And more importantly, why did shecare?

Alex nodded.

Abby turned to Erik. ‘Would it absolutely kill our budget to clone Maggie a few times and have the clones cater the wedding? She’s the only person I’ve met who understands the right cinnamon-to-sweetness ratio.’

‘Just how much wine have you had, Sunshine?’ Erik asked quietly, his fingers ghosting over her flushed cheek.

‘Before you resort to experimental science, have you considered nailing down a venue?’ Alex asked. He leaned back in hischair, crossing his arms in a way that made his biceps flex obnoxiously.

Sarah told herself she wasn’t noticing and tried to look away, instead stumbling into Abby and Erik sharing a look filled with so much adoration that witnessing it felt intrusive. The love clearly passing between themhurtto look at.

‘We have, actually. We found this gorgeous old country house just outside London. They’re more of a corporate venue thana wedding one, but with the right decor, it’ll be beautiful. The garden is exquisite. They had some small business’s retreat cancelled because the CEO tripped over his cat and wouldn’t manage the stairs or something. I don’t know. I kind of tuned out after they told us we could get married in eight weeks.’ Abby finished speaking with a brilliant smile, sparkling eyes still fixed on her fiancé.

Well, shit.

‘You’re going to plan a whole wedding in two months?’ Sarah asked, the cogs in her head already running through the to-do list they’d drawn up at their girls’ night the week before. The moratorium on wedding talk had lasted until one of the vampires put his shirt back on after a steamy make-out scene. Sarah was grateful now that they’d already started.

‘You know everyone’s going to think you got knocked up, right?’ Alex said. ‘Unless…’

‘Alex…’ Erik sighed, then turned back to Abby. ‘Wait, you’re not, right?’ His voice was carefully casual, but something in his eyes had lit up at the suggestion.

Sarah knew they’d discussed it. That kids were probably on the table within the next year. But she’d thought they’d be waiting a little longer.

‘Careful, man. Your breeding kink is showing,’ Alex muttered, knocking the last of his drink back.

He wasn’t wrong. If Abby herself hadn’t told her, the flush rising up her friend’s neck would be proof enough.

Sarah’s snicker was rewarded with, not a smirk, but an actual smile from Alex.

Wait.

Rewarded?

Another thought to unpack later, after—

‘Fucking hell.’ Alex dragged a hand over his face. ‘I can’t believe you two sat on that all night while we could have been planning.’ He stood smoothly and sailed from the room, already making a phone call. ‘Hey, Titan? Remember that time…’

Sarah rounded on Abby. ‘Okay, you need to send your dress board to my mum, like, tonight. We can meet her for lunch on Saturday to talk through what you want and go fabric shopping next week. You’—she turned to Erik—‘are on your own. It’s going to be bad enough turning out a wedding gown and two bridesmaids’ dresses in eight weeks. She doesn’t have a hope in hell of making and tailoring a suit in that time too.’

‘I’ve got tuxes covered,’ Alex said as he returned, thumbs flying over his phone screen. ‘I give my tailor enough business—he can squeeze us in.’What kind of person had a tailor on call?Abby’s phone buzzed on the sideboard. Erik’s beeped in his pocket. ‘Photographer’s booked. I’ve sent you both his number. His girlfriend’s a wedding planner. He’ll put you in touch with her too.’

Abby’s mouth tightened. And if Sarah thought their earlier exchanges had been rapid, she wasn’t ready for the sudden volley of words that exploded between them.

‘Alex, we don’t need—’

‘You do, since you’ve made an absolutely insane decision. You’re not going to find anyone else even halfway decent who’s available on such short notice, Abigail.’

‘We don’tneeda wedding planner. And you can’t just book a photographer without even showing us his work! It could be—’

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