Page 69 of The Wedding Cake Wish
‘I presume Rob had no idea that one of them was Marjery?’
‘No. Rory himself didn’t find out until Stephanie told himon the Tommy Treehouse balcony that day, and he hopped straight in his car tohead to Brambleberry Manor. He wouldn’t have had a chance to tell Rob.’
‘That was some drive,’ murmurs Hudson.
‘It was quite exciting, although pretty stressful for you,being behind the wheel.’
He grins at me. ‘You were there with me, Rubes. So that madeit okay.’
We smile at each other and my heart goes skipping around afield with lambs in it.
‘Well, hi!’ We swing round and there’s Amelia, framed in thedoorway. She flicks back her hair and saunters in with a big confident smile.‘I said I’d catch up with you in here, Hudson, and here I am. So this is thefamous Little Duck Pond Café?’ She looks around her.
‘Amelia. Hi!’ Hudson wanders back to his table. ‘Coffee?’ heoffers, and she joins him at the table in a flash, sitting as close asphysically possible without actually sitting on his knee.
‘My friend’s getting her hair cut so I said I’d wait for herin here.’ She half-turns, talking back to me at the counter without actuallymaking eye contact. ‘I rang Huddie on the off-chance that he was free for a coffee.And here we are!’
‘Right. Lovely.’
So Hudson only came in because Amelia phoned him tosuggest they meet up. What a fool I am for thinking he was in here just to seeme!
‘Oh, Rubes,’ calls Amelia, again without turning around.‘Get me a latte and a shortbread biscuit, there’s a love. Oh, and a glass ofwater as well.’
‘Coming right up.’
When I deliver the coffee and shortbread, she turns andlooks at it, then goes right back to chatting to Hudson, without even a thankyou.
I grit my teeth and go back behind the counter, wishingthey’d speak up a bit so I could hear what they’re talking about.
‘Oh, here’s Kat now. Lovely hair.’ Amelia waves out of thewindow at her friend and gives her hair a thumbs-up, then she gets up to greether at the door. The blonde-haired girl says something I can’t quite catch andthey both laugh, presumably at some private joke, and then Amelia is usheringKat in and showing her around the café as if she actually owns the place. Katlooks vaguely familiar but I can’t place her. I’ve probably just seen heraround Sunnybrook.
‘Actually, I just popped in to say I’m getting my nails doneas well,’ says Kat. ‘They had a cancellation so I’m on in ten minutes.’ Sheglances at her watch. ‘But I guess you’ll be fine here for a while. In verygood company by the looks of things.’ She flashes her big blue eyes at Hudsonand he smiles back politely.
‘I’m sure I’ll be just fine,’ purrs Amelia. ‘With thislovely man to chat to.’ She sits back down and leans close to Hudson, squeezinghis arm in a very familiar gesture.
I feel quite sick.
Honestly, she’s so...forward andembarrassing. Mind you, Hudson looks as if he’s lapping up all the attention,so it’s probably just me and my stupid jealousy again. My opinion of Amelia ishardly unbiased...
‘Myles was going to treat me to a weekend at a spa for mybirthday,’ murmurs Amelia, looking suddenly downcast. ‘You having your nailsdone reminded me, Kat.’
‘Was he big on birthdays, then?’ Kat looks sorrowful.
‘He was. I asked him what he wanted forhisbirthdayand you know what he said?’
Kat gives her head a little shake.
‘He said, “I just want you, Melia. That’s what he called me.I don’t need anything else.”’
Kat presses her hands to her heart. ‘Oh, my God. That’s sosweet. Was his birthday just before...you lost him?’
‘His birthday?’ Amelia looks suddenly confused. ‘Yes, Ithink it was back in March.’
‘An Aries?’
‘Erm...yes. Yes, an Aries.’
‘His birthday was in January. And so was mine,’ smilesHudson. ‘Capricorn.’
