Page 45 of A Wedding at The Cornish Garden Café
She would hold on to that.
32
EDITH
The wedding day had finally arrived. Edith stood at the highest point of the café gardens and smiled. It was beautiful. The early morning light cast a gentle glow over the sea and the cliffs beyond. Gulls wheeled overhead, boats bobbed in the harbour, and the air was rich with the tang of salt and the scent of freshly cut grass. All around her, flowers bloomed in a riot of colour and fragrance, creating a breathtaking tapestry of beauty.
Wooden benches had been arranged in two neat rows, with the old garden bench as the focal point. It had been adorned with white roses and greenery, and in front of it stood a flower-covered arch where the exchange of vows would take place.
Further down in the gardens, in front of the café, the tables had been decorated with jars of wildflowers and white and peach bunting. The café had been closed to the general public, and Pearl and Ellie, along with some staff hired for the occasion, were preparing the food.
Edith had spoken to Finn and Titus first thing. They were getting ready now, along with Thora and the twins. Wyatt was the onlyperson from the wedding party she hadn’t been in touch with that morning, but she hoped he’d be organised enough to have the rings safely in his possession.
Gazing out at the sea, Edith breathed in and out slowly. Her hard work had transformed the always stunning gardens into a wedding venue. But it was, she knew, also because Wyatt had helped. With his contacts and efforts, she’d been able to pull this off at short notice, and she couldn’t, wouldn’t, deny how important his help had been.
She turned and wandered along the aisle and allowed her fingertips to brush the soft petals of the roses and cornflowers that were tied to the benches, trying to ignore the tiredness that sat in her bones. This would be a joyous day, and she was excited for it to begin.
The sound of laughter from the café drifted to her, and she paused to listen. It was too early for the guests to arrive yet, so it must be Pearl, Ellie, and the people working with them.
Unless…
She tilted her head, and her stomach jolted. She’d recognise that voice anywhere.
Turning back to the aisle, she hurried along it towards the old bench, but then she paused. What was she doing? There was nowhere to hide, and why would she hide, anyway? Today was about Finn and Titus and not about her running from Wyatt. He was the best man, for goodness' sake, so she’d have to see him, and it might as well be now.
Steeling herself, she marched down to the café and found him sitting at one of the tables with a mug of tea and a notepad in front of him.
‘Morning,’ she said, noting his damp hair and clean-shaven face while wishing these details didn’t make themselves so obvious to her. He was wearing a navy t-shirt and shorts with trainers and looked like he’d fallen out of bed, into the shower and then pulled on some clothes before coming there.
He raised his head and smiled briefly. ‘Hey.’
‘What are… uhm… you doing?’ She peered at the notebook in front of him.
He put his pen down and folded his hands in his lap. ‘I lost my speech.’
‘What?’ Panic gripped her immediately. Nothing could go wrong today, and losing his speech was a prime example of something going wrong.
‘It’s OK. I can remember most of it.’
‘How could you lose it?’ Her voice rose as she wrung her hands together.
He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I saved it on my laptop but somehow saved something over it.’
‘Didn’t you have a copy?’ she asked.
‘Of my notes, yes, but of the speech itself, no. I never do things like this. I’m pretty IT savvy.’
‘Evidently not!’ Her tone was sharp, and she dug her manicured fingernails into her palms. Getting worked up wouldn’t help.
‘I think it was because my head has been a bit… messed up recently and I just wasn’t thinking.’ He half-stood and held out a hand. ‘Are you all right, Edith?’
She wobbled over to the table and placed her palms on it. ‘I… I think… I…’
He was at her side in a shot, and he helped her to sit down. ‘Have you eaten this morning?’
She shook her head.
‘And I bet you haven’t drunk enough either.’ He gently squeezed her shoulders. ‘Stay here and I’ll be right back.’
