Page 8 of The Island of Hopes and Dreams

‘It’s to be expected though, isn’t it? A big wedding in another country; there are so many of us out here to entertain before the big day. It’s a lot. I was feeling nervous on the journey over, so I can only imagine how you’re feeling.’

‘What are you nervous about?’ Mirabel squeezed her hand. ‘It’s not like you.’

‘It’s just me being silly. Everything feels more of an effort since Jarek.’ His name was bitter on her tongue. She hated talking about him, loathed even thinking about him, but his influence still wove through her life. He’d dented her confidence so much that she found herself getting wound up about things that never used to bother her. ‘But my worry is nothing. Yours is understandable, but I’m sure it won’t last. Hopefully, things will settle down after today. With everyone arriving and the welcome party tonight, there’s a lot going on. Hold on to the thought that in eight days you’ll be marrying Fabs and becoming Mrs Mirabel Serra in a dream wedding on Sardinia! It’s pretty special.’

‘Yes, it is.’ Mirabel sighed. ‘My thinking was why on earth would we get married in the UK when Sardinia was an option. It’s where Fabs’s family’s from, it’s where we’re going to settle and hopefully start a family.’ She shrugged.

‘I feel there’s a but coming.’

Mirabel shot her a resigned look that was matched by another tired sigh. ‘My mum’s not happy not being in control and, admittedly, I’m not either. I thought it was a gift to begin with. It took the pressure off my parents having to spend money on a wedding they absolutely can’t afford, but everything’s run away from me. Being busy in London with work while planning a wedding in another country has been exhausting and I’ve found myself allowing Giada more and more leeway. You already know this – I’ve been gassing on to you endlessly about all the things we’ve been juggling. We set a budget and were firm about it, but I’ve discovered from Fabs that his mamma’s gone way above it, insisting that she’s paying for anything that went beyond our limit, but of course it now feels as if I have to do things her way because she and Lorenzo are forking out for so much. Knowing my mum and dad are feeling shit about it is stressing me out. And of course we’re all staying at theirs. With so many days to go until the wedding, it doesn’t bode well that tempers won’t ignite.’

‘Wowsers.’ Lola leaned back and looked at her friend.

Mirabel gave an empty laugh. ‘Do you think I’m mad for feeling like this? When I should be insanely grateful to have such generous parents-in-law-to-be? And, to be fair, they’ve taken a lot of the work out of my hands.’

‘No, I don’t think you’re mad. And isn’t it a known thing that moving house, getting married and having children are the three most stressful things anyone can do? You’re doing two of them – getting married, plus winding up your life in the UK to move to Italy. That’s huge. Even if these are actually good things, I don’t think it would be normal tonotfeel overwhelmed.’

‘I do wonder if we’re making a mistake having a big showy wedding; perhaps we should have eloped, just the two of us.’

Lola fixed her with a no-nonsense look. ‘I’ve seen the photos of where you’re getting married; yes, it might be a big wedding, but it’s in a beautiful and understated place. Whatever you think about your mother-in-law taking over, it was yours and Fabs’s choice to strip things back to what’s important somewhere that’s not actually glitzy at all. I promise, your personality and influence is all over this wedding.’

Il Giardino, the location for the nuptials, was a destination in itself and had solely been chosen by Fabs and Mirabel. A spacious creative retreat and hotel with a myriad of bars, restaurants and outdoor dining, it was a far cry from the seductive white-sand beaches and secret coves along the coast. Instead, it was nestled in the forested foothills of the majestic Supramonte mountain range. Lola had spent many an evening after work poring over photos and working out the details with Mirabel.

‘You’re right of course.’ Mirabel knocked her shoulder against Lola’s. ‘And I know getting married here is the stuff of dreams.’

‘And Fabs is your dream man too.’

‘A few of his friends are rather eligible bachelors, you know. You can forget about arsehole ex-boyfriends when there are a whole host of gorgeous Italians.’

Lola shot her a look.

Mirabel held up her hands. ‘I know, I know! You don’t have to remind me about what happened at the last wedding. That’s still not going to stop the girls from eyeing up potential matches for you.’

‘Gives them something to do, I suppose.’ Lola laughed it off, but inwardly she groaned. The last thing she wanted was her friends meddling again and trying to set her up with someone, particularly when one of Fabs’s friends had already tried chatting her up.

‘You have to be open to trusting someone again.’ Mirabel tugged Lola close. ‘Not every bloke is a controlling, narcissistic bastard.’

Lola gulped down a wave of sadness as she gazed across the bay to the hill opposite, where the terracotta and white of the buildings broke up the green. ‘What if I’m never ready? What if I continue to go for men who are unsuitable and at worst awful people? What the hell does that say about me for falling for someone like that? For not seeing the truth.’

‘It says way more about them than it does about you.’

‘Yeah maybe, but it still suggests that I’m too trusting, which is why I don’t feel I’ll ever wholly be able to give my heart to someone again.’

‘But you did see through his behaviour and you got out, that’s what you should focus on.’ She drifted her hand towards the view in front of them, the sizeable diamond on her engagement ring glinting in the sunshine. ‘Moving on, even if it’s just physically with someone, can only be a good thing.’

‘Which is what I attempted to do with Dax at the wedding in May, but you know what a disaster that was.’

‘Well, perhaps you’ll have more luck here.’ She grinned and tucked a tendril of chestnut hair behind her ear. ‘Just don’t let him or those experiences stop you from having fun.’

‘You mean the girls having fun at my expense.’

‘I really don’t mean that.’ She squeezed Lola’s arm tighter. ‘I know what you’ve been through, they don’t fully understand and unless you open up to them, they never will. But we’re here on Sardinia, one of the most beautiful places in the world in my opinion, so try to forget about the past. Use the time to heal and have some fun – no strings attached. Enjoy the here and now.’ She gestured in front of them. ‘I mean, just look at this place.’

Lola smiled as she gazed out at the calm water, a glistening blue merging to turquoise further out where a line of white speedboats were tethered in pairs to red buoys. The sun’s warmth caressed her shoulders and as she wiggled her toes beneath the water, she felt refreshed and hopeful.

‘I guess you’re right.’

‘Of course I’m right!’

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