Page 67 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually
“What friend?” David asked, looking puzzled for a moment. “Wait, you mean the one who you accompanied to a wedding and a dinner partyandthe opera?”
I nodded.
“But he’s a man?”
“Yeah, and what of it? Are you saying that men and women can’t be friends?”
Ooh, ooh,WhenHarryMetSally, I thought excitedly—storing that one up to add to my ever-growing list of proof. But I kept the thought to myself—I didn’t think now was really the time to be sharing my latest finding with David.
“No, but I mean…I just thought he was a girl, that’s all.”
“Nope, Sean’s definitely not a girl,” I said, as a vision of him emerging from the shower last night floated into my head.
“Don’t be facetious with me, Scarlett, I can see that.” David looked over to where Sean stood at the bar. “I saw him wink at you in the castle earlier.”
“I know,” I said, trying hard to focus on David again.
“And?”
“And what, David? Are you telling me that because a man winks at me it means I’m having an affair with him?”
“No, but…”
Sean walked back across the floor with two drinks in his hand. He winked at me as he passed.
I half smiled back, but then I noticed David frowning at me.
“Look, David, Sean is just a friend, I promise you, nothing more. Anyway, if I was having an affair with him do you think he’d be over there chatting up Danielle?”
David looked to where Danielle and Sean were now sitting next to each other, their heads close together as they laughed at a private joke.
I felt a twinge in my stomach. This time one of the Olympicathletes—who had been performing their workouts with my stomach—felt like they had torn a muscle, ripped a tendon, or sustained some other career-threatening injury.
I looked away. “Well, do you?” I asked him again.
“I’m sorry,” David said, taking my hands in his. “You know how jealous I get when I see you with other men.”
“It’s fine,” I said, deliberately not looking Sean’s way again. “At least I know you care.”
And at this precise moment, David, for once I understandexactlyhow you’re feeling…
Twenty
I tried not to watch Sean too much during the rest of the evening—but I couldn’t help myself, because every time I glanced in his direction, I’d see Danielle somewhere near.
“Hey, how’s it going? Are you enjoying yourself?” Maddie asked, arriving at our table just as I was staring forlornly in Sean’s direction once again. “Where’s David?”
I jumped. “Oh, hi, Maddie…er…he’s at the bar just now. But yes, we’re both having a lovely time. How about you? Is it everything you hoped it would be?”
“Yes it is, and so much more,” she said joyfully. “I’m so glad all my friends are here to share this with me. I’ve never been happier.”
I stood up and gave her a hug. “I’m so pleased for you, really I am. When you first told me you were going to get married in Disneyland, I thought you were mad. But it’s been fantastic, honestly it has.”
Maddie glanced over to the dance floor. The band had now been replaced by a DJ, and some of the guests, including Sean and Danielle, were dancing to a medley of Take That songs.
“I just wanted you to know I didn’t encourage her,” Maddiesaid, staring in their direction. “After what I said last night, I thought you might think…I mean I would never have…after what you said and everything. Oh, am I making sense? I really have had a few drinks tonight.”
“Yes, you are. And I know you didn’t. Anyway,” I said, turning away from the dance floor and looking at Maddie, “it doesn’t matter to me what Sean does. Why should it? I’ve got David.”
