Page 73 of The Last Saturday In July
‘You’re fine, I’m going.’ Adam glanced at Jess. ‘Catch you later.’
After he left, Jess got up and walked around to sit on the edge of her desk.
‘Hey, I’m glad you dropped by,’ she said. ‘I wanted to say sorry if Simon dragged you into the middle of our ... row.’
Kate raised a hand, cutting her short. ‘He didn’t mean to. I’d phoned him about tonight, and he mentioned it.’
Jess frowned. ‘Tonight?’
‘Simon’s taking Luke to the newStar Warsmovie.’
‘Sorry, right. Thanks for trying to help.’ Jess felt bad for being annoyed with Kate. None of this was her fault.
‘Anyway, don’t forget your final dress fitting next Saturday afternoon.’ Kate pursed her lips. ‘You need to make a decision, Jess.’
‘About what?’
‘Whether or not you’re getting married. Stop messing around and apologise to Simon. I know it sounds harsh, but don’t screw this up.’ Kate opened the door and gave Jess one final look. ‘I’d better get back to work.’
After she left, Jess stayed where she was, trying to analyse her feelings. She knew Kate was right, but it felt like she was judging her. She’d never really thought about it before, but in just three years, Kate had managed to become as close to Simon as she was to Jess. If she and Simon were to break up permanently, Jess knew Kate’s loyalties would be torn.
And now the celebrity wedding looked uncertain too. Jess’s stomach knotted tighter. Maybe she could market Linford as a luxury retreat from the world and advertise the cottages on the grounds to writers and artists for short-term lets. Which might work, except that it wouldn’t fit in with Frank’s vision. Not when they’d spent so much money on its Victorian makeover. The truth was, if Chelsea and Leo’s wedding didn’t go ahead, Linford Castle could bankrupt them.
Chapter 29
THE PHOTO shoot was underway by the time Jess and Adam arrived at Linford on Wednesday.
Adam had been quiet during the drive down, apparently lost in his own thoughts. He was probably worried about the celebrity wedding, Jess reasoned. But she also suspected that Adam had the same restless energy as Zoe. She couldn’t imagine him wanting to stay in the one place for too long. Maybe being head of European operations suited him: it was bound to mean a lot of travel.
‘See you in a minute.’ Adam parked to the west of the hotel and headed inside.
Jess wandered around to the East lawn. Under a white and pink rose-festooned canopy, a number of hotel staff were putting out rows of white, silk-covered chairs either side of a central aisle littered with matching rose petals, while three more staff carried a huge, fake wedding cake to a nearby table. Jess eventually found Zoe in the middle of a shoot in the formal walled rose garden and waited for her to call for a break.
‘Why didn’t I think of a white tuxedo?’ Jess gestured to one of the female models as Zoe changed a lens on the camera.
Zoe raised an eyebrow. ‘Mam would have written you out of the will. And poor Simon strikes me as old school.’
Jess decided to let that go. ‘Have you everything you need?’
‘Yeah, I think so. I didn’t have any time to look around when I got down, but Gemma and her team have their shit together.’ Zoe glanced up at the sky. ‘I’m hoping to get the outside shots done while the light is good and the weather holds.’
‘You’re clear about the evening scenes?’
‘Don’t fuss, Jess, I know what I’m doing.’
‘I know.’ Jess glanced over her shoulder to make sure Adam wasn’t around. ‘Um, I have a favour to ask, but you can’t ask questions.’
Zoe smirked. ‘Not sure if I can promise anything if I can’t ask questions.’
This had been a bad idea. She should have known that having Adam and Zoe work so closely together was crazy. ‘Zoe, please.’
Zoe rolled her eyes. ‘What is it?’
‘If you’re talking to Adam, who’s the guy I came down with, my boss’s nephew …’ Jess stopped, experiencing another stab of panic.
Zoe gave her a curious look. ‘You okay?’
Jess lowered her voice and spoke quickly. ‘You can’t tell him I’m about to get married. Don’t even tell him I’m with someone – he doesn’t know about Simon. Well, he does, but he thinks Simon is marrying Kate.’
