Page 32 of Wedding Crasher

Marla couldn’t bear the fact that she’d lost her moral high ground. The village would turn against her pretty quickly if they believed that she would resort to mob tactics.

‘He definitely didn’t believe you?’

Marla shook her head. ‘Can you blame him?Iwouldn’t believe me.’

Emily squeezed her friend’s hand.

‘It’ll be okay – honestly, it will. People around here know you a lot better than he does.’

Marla nodded and clung to Emily’s pragmatic common sense. ‘God, I hope so, Em. I really hope so.’

‘What time is the gorgeous Rupert coming?’

Marla glanced at the big brass clock behind the bar.

‘Anytime now.’

The sooner the better as far as Marla was concerned. She was badly in need of a little TLC after the bashing she’d received from Gabe this afternoon.

They both looked up as the door swung open on cue, but it was Tom, not Rupert, who came in. He ruffled Marla’s hair as he squeezed behind her seat, beer in his hand.

‘Bad day at the office I hear, sweetheart.’

‘Yeah. Just a bit.’

His easy affection brought a lump to Marla’s throat. Tom was just about the nicest man in the world, and Emily was a lucky girl to have him. He obviously adored her, given the way he leaned in to kiss her lingeringly on the mouth as he pulled his chair in close.

Such a fleeting gesture, yet so laden with love that Marla had to look away.

The door swung again, and this time she wasn’t disappointed. Rupert shot her a cheeky grin as he sauntered over to their table and pulled up a chair.

‘Marla Jacobs, I didn’t know you had it in you. I am seriously impressed.’

He laughed and held his hand in the air to high-five her. He dropped it again quick smart at Marla’s stony glare and Emily’s exaggerated headshake.

‘Hey, I was only kidding. You know that, right?’ He slid an arm around Marla’s shoulders and pulled her against his side, any trace of humour wiped from his face.

She forgave him instantly, leaning into his hug, grateful for his warmth and affection after the afternoon from hell. His smell was becoming familiar and she breathed deeply, looking for comfort.

‘Yeah, I know. Sorry. It’s just a bit raw, that’s all.’

‘Well, let me tell you something that might cheer you up again then.’

He released her from the hug to pick up the pint Bill put down in front of him and savoured the creamy top on his beer slowly, keeping them in suspense.

Emily cracked first.

‘Come on then. Spill.’

‘Okay,’ he grinned. ‘I’ve arranged for a big wedding pull-out next week in the paper, and guess what’s going to be our star feature?’

Marla smiled, easily able to see where this was headed. At least Rupert was trying to help in a conventional way, unlike Jonny. All she wanted was a good clean fight.

‘The chapel?’ Emily supplied.

‘The chapel,’ Rupert repeated with a flourish. ‘We’ll photograph whichever wedding you’ve got on this weekend and do a nice big double-page splash.’

Marla mentally rolodexed through the bookings to the wedding they had that Saturday. If her memory served her well it was a gothic affair, which should make for eye-catching pictures, if nothing else.

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