Page 28 of Before You Say I Do
Karen tapped her nose with her index finger. “But isn’t that how all the best romances start off? You hate each other, but then grow to love each other over time. I see promise in this one. She could be your French Fancy.” Karen chuckled at her own joke.
“Do you lie in bed thinking of these jokes?” But Jordan was smiling. She couldn’t help it.
“Focus on the maid of honour, not the bride. Got it?”
Jordan stood up, stretching out her arms as she did. “This weekend is business. Abby is getting married in less than two weeks.Pas de problème, as the French say. This is Abby’s last hurrah, and I’m going to be there to make sure it’s one she never forgets.”
Karen stood, walked up to Jordan, and pressed the lingerie bag to her chest. “That, my gorgeous friend, is my worry.”
Chapter 13
Abby climbedthe steps up to the plane door. A private, smaller plane than she was used to travelling on, the door was located at the back. They were greeted by the steward, Gavin, and their pilot, Michelle. Both were around her age, impeccably suited and booted. Michelle even had a peaked cap. Gavin, meanwhile, had perfectly styled eyebrows.
“I hope you enjoy the flight,” Michelle told her with a wide smile as she shook her hand.
Abby was pretty sure she wouldn’t. Her stomach was already tight as she boarded, nausea a constant friend. She was feeling woozy, too. She hadn’t let her hatred of flying stop her from getting on a plane, but it was never a happy occasion. Her ideal holiday would be somewhere in the UK. Or somewhere she could get to by boat or train. She loved the Eurostar. She’d tried to persuade Marcus to honeymoon in Paris. To no avail. He wanted to go to the Maldives. He thought everyone wanted to do that for their honeymoon.
On the handful of flights they’d been on together, Marcus was far too full-on when they boarded. He smothered Abby, asking if she was okay every two seconds. He didn’t understand she just needed space, along with gentle reassurance.
He didn’t understand how to make take-off and landing as easy as it could be, just by holding her hand and being there.
He didn’t understand Abby.
She pushed that thought down the back of her mental sofa, then turned her focus to Michelle. Long, dark hair, matched with long, dark lashes. Abby’s stomach rolled again as she shook Michelle’s hand.
“Thanks, Michelle,” she said. “And it seems fitting we’ve got a female pilot for a hen weekend.” She’d never seen one before and it was kind of a thrill. But whatever the gender, Abby’s rules still stood: please get us there in one piece and don’t let us die.
However, when she glanced back to Delta, it was all Abby could do not to burst out laughing. Delta’s mouth might as well have been hanging open. From the look on her face, she was trying so hard not to punch the air and whoop out loud.
Abby didn’t blame her. Who didn’t find pilots sexy?
As they walked up the aisle of the plane with its two neat rows of seats, Abby spotted what was on them. A Tunnock’s Tea Cake and a can of Irn Bru. Happiness burst inside her. She glanced back at Jordan, who was busy checking her phone. Abby was picking up a weird vibe from her. She was cooler than normal. Aloof. She shouldn’t read anything into it. Jordan might have slept badly. Or she might just be concerned about the weekend.
That was probably it.
Putting the thought out of her mind, Abby looked to Delta, who gave her a massive grin.
“Is this your doing?” Abby held up a Tea Cake in one hand, a can of Irn Bru in the other.
Delta shook her head. “It’s not. This is all down to your other bridesmaid. The one who’s known you the longest.” She inclined her head towards Jordan, raising an eyebrow.
Jordan walked around Abby, and put her hand luggage in the overhead locker as they were in the front row, before turning.
Abby was still holding up the Scottish items from her childhood.
For the first time that day, Jordan gave her a smile.
Damn, she had impressively straight, white teeth.
“This was you?” Abby couldn’t quite believe her fake bridesmaid had gone to such trouble. Scrap that, had even known this about her.
Jordan shrugged. “Of course. Wasn’t this what we lived on in school in Glasgow? I thought it might take you back to the playground, sitting in the summer sunshine, making daisychains.”
Abby stopped short, staring at her. How did she know that?
“I miss Tunnock’s Teacakes,” Mum said. “Good call, Jordan!”
“What the hell are these?” asked Marcus’s cousin, Arielle.
