Page 39 of Her Fake Island Wedding

“I just want this to be over,” Lucy confessed.

Shae’s smile was sympathetic. “Just relax and let yourself enjoy the day,” she advised. “Look at the sky; not a cloud in sight, it’s the most perfect shade of blue. Listen to the birds, smell the sea air and the tropical flowers. Just take it all one minute at a time. Close your eyes for a moment and take deep breaths. I’ll count for you. Breathein, two, three, four,hold, two, three, four, breatheout, two, three, four,hold, two, three, four…”

Breathing deeply in time with Shae’s quiet chanting, Lucy felt the tightness in her chest easing. She felt the cool breeze against her cheeks as the cart coasted along the track, heard parrots squawking in the trees as they passed, smelled the heady hibiscus mixed with salt in the air.

“Better?” Shae asked quietly.

“Yeah.” Lucy kept her eyes closed, though, maintaining the steady rhythm of her breathing.

“That’s good, because we’re here and Terry’s about to stop the cart. Keep up that breathing, sweetie.”

Lucy opened her eyes. They were just slowing down, Terry bringing the cart into line with the others waiting behind the pavilion. Her four ‘bridesmaids’ were waiting for her, smiling broadly, and behind them she could see quite a little crowd seated in front of the pavilion.

At the front of the crowd, Bryce was standing between Luke and Cory, his eyes fixed on her as Terry helped her out of the cart. Seeing him there, standing tall and straight, his fair hair cut neatly short, his face clean-shaven, wearing a silver-grey waistcoat over an open-collared white shirt and light grey formal pants, he looked so handsome the unreality of the situation struck Lucy forcibly.

Of course this wedding wasn’t real. No way would she be walking up the aisle to marry a man who looked like that. She was just ordinary, by her own choice, and guys like Bryce didn’t marryordinary.

Lucy didn’t even see her mother in the front row pretending to cry, as she walked through the crowd to Bryce. He was gazing at her, lips slightly parted as though about to speak, an expression she couldn’t really define on his handsome face. She had to remind herself to walk slow, not to just run to him and cling on tight. It seemed to take an eternity to traverse the short distance which separated them, reminding herself to keep her smile in place with every step.

* * *

Bryce stared in awe as Lucy walked towards him. She looked like a princess in that dress, a single white lily clasped in her hands the perfect finishing touch to complete the illusion of classic perfection. A soft smile illuminated her face as she approached, and he reached out to take her hand instinctively.

“You lookincredible,” he said sincerely, causing a little ripple of laughter among their audience and Lucy’s smile to widen.

“I was thinking the same,” she said saucily, letting her eyes drop and come back up again in a blatant once-over.

I love you, he almost blurted, but managed to close his lips over the words, squeezing Lucy’s hand lightly instead before turning to face Luke, who was grinning broadly at both of them.

“Welcome,” Luke began, “to the wedding of Bryce Seabrook and Lucinda Grace Manning…”

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