Page 64 of Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay
“Thanks.”
The three women settled themselves at a table out on the terrace in the sunshine. Lisa lifted baby Kyra out of her buggy onto her lap, where she lay gurgling and kicking her chubby little legs.
“So, less than two weeks to go.” Lisa smiled across the table.
“Eleven days.” Excitement bubbled in Vicky’s voice. “I think I’m going crazy!”
“It’s a nice crazy,” Lisa assured her. “The planning’s all part of the fun.”
“Debbie’s wedding was lovely. She really deserved to have a good day.”
“Have you picked up your dress?” Lisa asked.
“I picked it up yesterday. My sister’s chosen hers herself. It’s actually very pretty, and she went with the colour we agreed.” She rolled her eyes at Cassie. “She can be a bit of a nightmare at times.”
“I know how it is.” Cassie sighed heavily, shaking her head. “Sisters!”
“Hey!” Lisa protested, laughing.
Penny brought their coffees with a plate of chocolate biscuits. “Lovely — thanks.” Lisa reached for a biscuit. “Right, to business.” She pulled a notebook out of her bag. “Let’s start with flowers. Roses, lilies and baby’s breath, right?”
“That’s right. Lots and lots of them.”
“We’ve got them on order from the florists. We’ll need to bring up more vases from the storeroom.” She noted that down. “We’ll put them all round the ballroom — various pedestal heights. In Reception too.”
“That sounds great.”
Kyra had started to grizzle. “Here.” Cassie reached for her. “I’ll take her for a stroll round the garden.”
“Thanks.”
Lisa passed the baby over and Cassie settled her into the buggy, then wheeled her across the terrace to the garden. It was a very popular feature of the hotel — a lush sub-tropical paradise wrapped around three sides of the building and overlooking the bay.
Gravel paths and shallow steps wound around beds planted with tree ferns and Chinese fan palms, fiery red ginger, fragrant gold and white frangipani.
She recognised the vibrant spiky leaves of New Zealand cordyline, the scarlet puffs of pohutukawa, the tall stems of pretty agapanthus. Butterflies flashed their bright wings over the flowers, and bumblebees hummed lazily as they searched for nectar.
Kyra liked being wheeled. She had stopped grizzling and was waving her small fists in the air, gurgling happily as she found her own toes. “What a clever girl you are,” Cassie purred to her. “Lots of lovely pink toesies.”
She turned a corner and stopped dead. Liam’s girlfriend.
“Hello.” The woman’s smile was warm and friendly, her eyes the sapphire blue of the sea on a sunny day. Her hair gleamedlike burnished copper, caught up in a stylish messy bun on top of her head, skinny designer jeans flattered endless legs. Her cheekbones could slice through steel.
“Oh, hi.” Cassie instantly felt as if she’d been hit with the ugly stick.
“Oh, what a gorgeous baby. What’s her name?”
“Kyra.”
“Ah, that’s a pretty name. You’re a little cutie, aren’t you?” She leaned over gracefully to tickle the tot’s foot. “She’s your daughter?”
“My niece.”
“Ah. I saw you in the pub last night, didn’t I? You were playing pool. Liam said you’ve beaten all the boys.” She laughed, a low musical laugh. “Good for you.”
Cassie managed a smile. “Thank you.”
“I’m Annabel, by the way.”
