Page 6 of Wilder at Heart
My point: appropriate iswayover-rated.
Miles’ jaw tightens at the mention of his ex-wife. She’s back in the UK now—she came scurrying back last Christmas—but he sent her packing.
‘We’re not saying you should go for someone who doesn’t make you happy. Just try to find a girlfriend who’s not a total PR liability. Someone… I don’t know. Someone you can forge a proper partnership with, who’ll understand the responsibilities you’ll have if you step up within the business. Someone sensible.’
A nice,sensiblegirlfriend.
Kill me now.
‘Where the hell am I supposed to find someone like that?’
‘Try our engagement party.’ Miles picks up his phone, signalling the end of the meeting. ‘There’ll be plenty ofintelligent, accomplished, suitable women there. Just stay away from our business associates. And employees, obviously.’
I stare at him, my mouth hanging open. Is this guy for real?
‘You literally shagged yournanny, who you plucked from the hotel’screche, for fuck’s sake. Are you seriously going to tell me to stay away from the employees?’
I’ve had high hopes for Saoirse’s friends at the engagement party. And the wedding. And the pre-wedding weekend in Cap Ferrat. She’s told me before that her bunch of fun-loving Irish, Aussie and Kiwi mates (mainly nannies at The Montague’s creche) will go crazy for me.
I’m holding her to it.
Miles is not amused. He narrows his eyes at me. ‘I kept everything above board with Saoirse. You know that. Why don’t you take it as a personal challenge? Find the most sensible woman at the party and charm the pants off her. That’s one skill you can’t deny you have.’
I suppose that’s challenge accepted, then.
CHAPTER 2
Nora
Nora Wilder Weddings.Even as I appreciate the pleasing cursive of the font on my business cards, the curls of the N and Ws beautifully balanced, the familiar frustration builds.
Frustration that it couldn’t have just beenWilder Weddings.The alliteration would have been perfection.
Unfortunately,Wilder Weddingsgives off a whole host of connotations that are both unintentional and firmly at odds with my proposition. It’s a given that I’d attract couples who are looking for a wilder type of ceremony. Namely saying their vows while bungee-jumping off Victoria Falls.
Or gyrating naked together on a sex swing.
No, thank you.
Nora Wilder Weddingsit is.
My bloody, cursed surname. If only it was something classier, like Nora Winter. AlthoughWinter Weddingswould create a whole host of other misunderstandings…
Drat.
In any case, I’ve made the most of it. The business cards I slide into my clutch are beautiful, crafted from double-thickness paper stock with my company name embossed in midnight bluewith a spot varnish and the same shade running around the edge of the cards. It was characteristically thoughtful of Saoirse to insist I brought them along to her and Miles’ engagement party tonight. She’s a sweetie.
That said, I’m dreading it. In a stroke of the worst luck of all time, my long-time ex, Jonathan, joined The Montague Group last month as part of the Finance Director’s team, and I’m fairly sure that means he’ll be there tonight.
By fairly, I mean very, because I drew Saoirse aside and asked her if she could check whether he was attending.
He is.
With his plus-one, his new girlfriend.Lucy. A posh blonde who apparently has boobs so big, she must store her brains in there. Because there’s no other explanation for how vacuous she is (or so I’ve heard through the grapevine of our mutual friends).
I am so fucked.
I’m going along tonight because Miles and Saoirse thought it would be a good idea for me to ‘get a feel for the crowd’, as the majority of them are invited to the wedding. If I can size up the guests effectively, it’ll help no end when we’re planning the look, feel and scope of the wedding weekend.
