Page 52 of The London Girls
Leo put his arm around her and she leaned into him, already thinking about how little time they had together before he had to leave. Her heart felt full to bursting just knowing they were finally husband and wife.
‘Will you join us for dinner?’ Leo asked. ‘It’d be an honour to have you with us.’
‘I need to get back, unfortunately,’ George said. ‘I’m pleased I had the chance to congratulate you both in person, though.’
Leo nodded. ‘Well, if you change your mind, the invitation is open.’
Leo squeezed her hand and turned back to their parents, but Olivia didn’t move. She could sense that George wanted to speak to her. ‘He’s right, we’d love you to stay, and I really do appreciate you coming today, it does mean a lot,’ she said. ‘You’re certain you have to leave so soon?’
‘Unfortunately, I do,’ he said. ‘I’d hoped to come along and tell you not to come back for a couple of days, but I’m afraid we’re going to need you first thing tomorrow morning instead of the afternoon.’
‘Oh, right, of course.’ She hoped she didn’t sound too disappointed. She’d been so looking forward to her night with Leo and a leisurely morning before reporting for work in the afternoon.
‘You heard about what happened?’ he asked. ‘To Jenny?’
She nodded. ‘Yes. I’m so sorry.’
‘We’re desperately understaffed, and with Ava needing time off too ...’ He cleared his throat.
‘It’s fine, I understand,’ she said, braving a smile as she digested what he’d come to tell her. It wasn’t George’s fault he was the bearer of bad news. ‘War isn’t going to wait for me to have a honeymoon, is it now?’
Ava and Florence joined them then, and she couldn’t miss the change in George as Ava approached. He straightened his shouldersand his gaze turned from friendly to ... She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
‘Ava, good to see you,’ George said, looking decidedly uncomfortable, the complete opposite to the man who’d been standing talking to Olivia. ‘You all look lovely.’
‘If you ignore the bandages, you mean?’ Ava rolled her eyes. ‘I lookridiculous.’
‘You most certainly do not look ridiculous,’ George spluttered.
Olivia felt like she should give them a moment, but before she could step away George was clearing his throat and making an apology about having to go, and she ended up standing there as he said an awkward goodbye before turning on his heel and leaving.
‘Well, wasn’t that nice of him to come,’ Ava said brightly. ‘Perhaps he isn’t such an arse after all.’
‘Somehow I don’t think he came to see the bride,’ Florence said.
‘What does that mean?’ Ava asked, looking between them.
Olivia laughed. ‘Oh, sweetheart, didn’t you see the way he looked at you? He definitely wasn’t here to see me, and I certainly don’t think he’s anarse. The man is lovely!’
Ava looked perplexed, which made the entire situation even more entertaining.
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Ava scoffed. ‘That man can’t stand the sight of me! He’s always on my case about going too fast or not listening to him. He was probably thinking how ridiculous I looked with my bandaged shoulder, all trussed up in a dress.’ She huffed. ‘And I take it back. Heisstill an arse. In fact,allmen are arses, with the exception of your lovely Leo.’
‘Silly us, ofcoursethat’s what he was thinking! I’m sure he couldn’t stand the sight of you!’ Olivia teased as Florence laughed so hard she had to clap her hand over her mouth.
‘You two have rocks in your head,’ Ava muttered. ‘Honestly, I don’t know what you’re going on about. George is not interested in me, and I’m most definitelynotinterested in him, or any other man for that matter!’
Olivia laughed along with Florence, giving both girls a quick, impromptu hug, even though Ava was stiff as a board and clearly not happy to be the butt of their joke. ‘All teasing aside, thank you both for being here today. It means so much to me.’
‘We wouldn’t have missed it for the world, would we, Ava?’
Ava shook her head. ‘She’s right. After everything, being part of something so happy is exactly what we all needed. Even if you are both deluded over this George business. Anyway, I’m sworn off men for good.’
As much as she would have loved to stand and talk to her friends all day, Olivia left them to find Leo, leaning into him, her arm wrapped around his waist as he dropped a kiss into her hair. It certainly wasn’t the wedding she’d imagined, but when she looked around she knew she was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about their happiness, and that meant the world to her.
She looked up at Leo and into his blue eyes. They had dinner with their family, then a night just the two of them, but in only twenty-four hours he was going to be gone.
‘I don’t want you to leave,’ she whispered, unable to help herself. ‘Another day isn’t long enough.’
