Page 83 of The Wedding Cake Wish
‘Sorting out a problem?’ Madison hoots with laughter,clearly having had one too many gin and limes. ‘I’ve never heard it calledthatbefore! I recommend you get a room at the Swan and go andsort out yourproblemin private!’
A smiling Jack drags Madison away and I look at Hudson witha sheepish grin. ‘Are you okay? That...um...took me by surprise but it seemed to do the trick. Amelia seems to have gone.’
‘Has she?’ he murmurs, gazing into my eyes. ‘I didn’tnotice.’
I glance behind me uncertainly, wondering if Amelia’s stillthere somewhere, and that’s why Hudson is keeping up the pretence. But I can’tsee her and everyone’s gone back to what they were doing before...
I clear my throat. ‘So I was right all along about Amelia.She was a total cow. Not that I want to rub it in, of course.’ I smile, hopingto shake him out of his seriousness, but the far-away look on his face doesn’tbudge. And that’s when I realise. The revelation about Amelia must have trulyshaken him to the core.
‘I’m so sorry,’ I begin. ‘I shouldn’t be making light ofthis. You really believed in Amelia. It must have been such a shock to realiseit was all a game.’ I frown. ‘A game she was playing at your brother’sexpense.’
This seems to snap him out of his trance. Rubbing his handsover his face, he subsides into his seat with a sigh.
‘She’s a piece of work, all right. Amelia.’ He shakes hishead. ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t take you seriously, Rubes, when you had yourdoubts. I guess my grief over Myles blinded me to what she was really up to. Iwas all too eager to believe her because I thought she was suffering the sameas me. But it was all a big act.’
‘It was,’ I say sadly.
‘Just like that kiss.’
I swallow hard. ‘Er...yes.’
‘It was like you said, Rubes.’ He looks directly at me. ‘Itwas just a means to an end, right?’
I stare at him in confusion. What’s he trying to say? Is heworried I thought it meant more than that?’
‘I...well, I don’t know. Was it?’
He shrugs and looks away. ‘I guess so.’
My head is reeling. Is he confused over the passion thatsparked between us when we kissed?
But he only kissed me to get rid of Amelia. He was justplaying along with my charade.
Wasn’t he?
There’s a certain look in his eyes that’s telling mesomething different, though...something that’s making theblood leap wildly in my veins.
Could it be...that Hudson returns myaffection? Is it possible the attraction is mutual?
‘Hey, you two. You should be dancing,’ says Fen behind us.‘Come on. We’re all up. Come and join us.’
I look at Hudson and he looks back at me. And those stunningeyes seem to be burning right into me.
He smiles and stands up. ‘I can’t think of anyone I’d ratherdance with,’ he says softly.
‘Me, neither.’ I take his hand and we bump shouldersaffectionately and smile at each other a little shyly.
‘We’ve got a lot of making up to do, Rubes,’ he says, a glintof the old mischief in his eyes.
I smile up at him, boldly flirtatious for once. ‘I’m likingthe sound of that.’
He squeezes my hand and we walk over to join the happythrong on the dance floor...
Fen
EPILOGUE
It’s a cloudy, chilly afternoon in November. A day forgetting the boots and winter coat out of mothballs. But a feeling of warmth andoptimism is wrapping itself around this opening ceremony like a giant hug.
