Page 48 of The Last Saturday In July
Simon’s eyebrows disappeared beneath his fringe. ‘Superstitious nonsense.’
‘Well, in a way.’ Jess laughed awkwardly. ‘The point is, too many weddings went badly wrong, and eventually people stopped booking them. This is our first one since we bought it.’
‘Aren’t you getting us that golf weekend there?’ Simon said.
‘Absolutely, once this celebrity wedding is over.’
Simon’s eyebrows disappeared beneath his fringe. ‘I’m not sure why that would make any difference.’
Jess pretended not to notice Zoe and Finn exchange a look. Simon was never deliberately rude, but he was definitely in a weird mood. Although he probably had no idea that the wedding was the same day as theirs. Instinctively, it felt better not to tell him.
Kate pulled on Simon’s arm.
‘David’s been telling me that you’ve known each other since your first day of school.’ She giggled. ‘I’ll bet you were a very cute five-year-old.’
Jess tried not to laugh. Clearly Kate had had a lot more to drink than usual. Simon’s face was bright red.
David grinned as he caught Jess’s eye. ‘Kate tells me you two have been taking dance classes. I don’t have to guess whose idea that was.’ He reached behind Kate to clap Simon on the back. ‘You know the rest of us will be throwing ourselves drunkenly around the floor, mate?’
Jess laughed. ‘I’m pretty sure we’ll be the same.’ She glanced at Simon, who was wiping his glasses, and immediately felt bad for laughing. ‘But the classes are great fun.’
‘Kate, why don’t you and David take a few classes?’ Zoe said.
It was the perfect excuse for getting them together again, Jess thought, making a mental note to thank Zoe.
Kate looked over at David. ‘Would you want to?’
‘Hey, I can’t be any worse than Simon.’ David winked and raised his glass to Kate’s. ‘I’m on if you are.’
Jess noticed Simon was staring at Kate, as if it was the first time, he’d ever seen her.
If Kate noticed, she didn’t react. Instead, she simply smiled and clinked her glass. ‘Looks like the bride and groom have some competition.’
Simon yawned and made a show of checking his watch shortly after ten thirty. ‘Jess, have you seen the time?’
David raised an eyebrow. ‘What are you doing to him, Jess? You’d better not crash out this early at your stag, Simon.’
‘That strip club doesn’t even open until eleven,’ Finn deadpanned.
Simon ignored Finn and turned to Kate. ‘Can we drop you home?’
Kate shot David an almost imperceptible glance. ‘No, thanks, Simon, I’ll be fine. But, before I forget, Luke wanted me to ask if you’d take him to the newStar Warsmovie.’
Jess stared at Kate, but she seemed oblivious.
Simon brightened. ‘Tell him he’s on.’
‘Excellent.’ Kate turned to David, who seemed bemused as he followed their conversation. ‘Simon pitched in at Luke’s birthday party last week, and Luke’s friends said Simon was sound, which is as good as it gets.’
Simon and Kate exchanged a warm look, as Jess quickly swallowed the remainder of her drink, and reminded herself how lucky she was that Simon and Kate got on so well.
And now Kate and David had hit it off. She’d overheard David asking Kate out for dinner, when Simon had gone to the bathroom. It was a relief to get something right, after all the mistakes she’d made recently.
‘I should head off too,’ Zoe said. ‘I’m up for an early shoot in the morning.’
The others were quick to take their cue.
‘Talk to you soon, mate,’ David said, standing and pulling Simon into a quick hug. He caught Jess’s eye as he pulled away. ‘Great to see you again, Jess.’
