Page 35 of A Cornish Wedding Retreat
‘You can be as brave as you want to be. Think about it while we’re away tonight.’
She gave him a long, piercing stare before turning around and walking back upstairs.
Chad wasn’t sure if he’d opened his big, fat mouth, stuck his size twelve feet in there and stomped around. Any second now Maggie could fly through the door furious at him for upsetting her sister. He went back to making his coffee and kept his fingers crossed.
Chapter Twenty
‘You sure you’re okay with the fish thing?’ Maggie breezed into the kitchen.
‘Yeah, of course I am.’
She caught a touch of relief in Chad’s voice but didn’t make any comment. ‘Hopefully we won’t be too long, but who knows?’
‘Take as long as you need.’ Chad reassured her. ‘Is your sister ready to go?’
‘I certainly am.’ Emily appeared in the doorway. Her brisk reply appeared to startle Chad judging by the sudden flash of heat colouring his face and neck.
‘What’s up with you two?’ Maggie demanded. ‘If it’s a nice secret you can keep it, otherwise I want to know.’
‘I’d say it’s good, wouldn’t you, Emily?’ Chad’s tight smile didn’t reach his eyes.
’Hopefully.’ Emily grabbed Maggie’s arm. ‘Come on or we’ll be late.’
‘But . . .’
‘Later, honey.’ Chad fixed his gaze on her. She got the hint that he needed her to let it go for now, but it didn’t mean she had to like it. Maggie went over and bent down to kiss him.
‘I’ll hold you to that,’ she whispered before swinging back around to give Emily a broad smile. ‘Let’s go.’
* * *
On the drive home Emily laid back in the seat and closed her eyes but Maggie wasn’t convinced her sister was sleeping. They’d had a good time at the bridal shop and hadn’t spoken about anything more serious than what flowers Emily wanted in her hair on the wedding day, replacing the original tiara and lace veil she’d planned. Her sister’s fears about the new dress had beenunfounded and Maggie had fought back tears at seeing Emily looking so radiant.
She noticed dark shadows under her sister’s eyes and decided not to spoil the day with difficult questions.
‘I’m sorry, Maggie.’
‘What for?’ A multitude of things raced through her mind, none of them good. Slow tears trickled down Emily’s cheeks and Maggie couldn’t keep on driving. She quickly pulled off the road to stop outside the hairdresser’s shop. Maggie remembered the guilty look lurking in Chad’s eyes earlier and she clutched the steering wheel. ‘Did Chad say something to you?’ The words barely made their way past her lips.
‘In a way,’ Emily admitted.
‘I suppose he told you everything I confessed to him about Mum’s death?’ How could he? She’d trusted Chad with her deepest feelings and now he’d made a mockery of them. It was up to her when and where she tackled Emily, not him.
Emily frowned. ‘What on earth are you talking about?’ She quietly explained everything that went on in the kitchen and the challenge he’d given her to put things right with Maggie.
Relief coursed through her blood and Maggie could’ve wept with happiness. ‘I’m sorry. I was stupid, I . . .’
‘It’s okay,’ Emily reassured. ‘It makes a change for you to be the impulsive one. It’s usually me flying off the handle and zooming off into drama queen land.’
‘So, whatareyou sorry for?’
‘How about the way I’ve behaved towards you since the day you were born? Will that do for a start? I resented your arrival because it took Mum and Dad’s attention away from me. I’m especially sorry for the way I’ve been such a cow since Mum died. What happened to her was an accident and it wasn’t ever your fault.’
Maggie’s head spun. Her emotions veered from being cross at Chad for interfering and wanting to kiss him senseless for being so flagrantly on her side.
‘Your man was absolutely right. Of course I didn’t want to see it at first but when he explained how he’d made things right with his own brother at your insistence I completely understood where he was coming from.’
Maggie had no idea what Emily was talking about. Putting the pieces together she guessed Chad’s talk with Josh must’ve happened last week. They’d had so little time alone he obviously hadn’t found the right moment to tell her yet.
