Page 50 of Before You Say I Do
Jordan would love to answer those questions in a clear, honest manner. She couldn’t.
She told me she has feelings for me. It’s a mess. We were alone in a hot tub. But we didn’t kiss. I have to put things right today. Wish me luck.
A few seconds went by before she got a reply.
Good luck. Just remember, she’s not who you should be with. Go to a bar, snog a random. Get it out of your system. Just don’t snog her.
Jordan’s cheeks flushed as she thought about how close she’d come to doing exactly that. How far the barriers came down in the heat of the night, with nobody around.
Millimetres is how close they’d come. She could still feel the touch of Abby’s breath on her lips.
I won’t. Gotta go.Jordan flung her phone on the bed, then swung her legs onto the parquet floor. Thank god for air conditioning. Between the Cannes heat and her own issues, she’d have been toast by now.
Operation Damage Limitation would start in half an hour. She glanced out at the pool. There was nobody there. Being an early riser had its plus points.
She grabbed her red bikini from the drying rack in her bathroom, and pulled it on. Half an hour in the pool and then she’d be ready to face the day.
As ready as she’d ever be.
* * *
Jordan’s musclesached as she strolled into the kitchen and got the fruit platter George the chef had left before leaving yesterday. The large ticking clock on the spotless kitchen wall told her it was an hour until their big breakfast was going to turn up, enough time to let the fruit come to room temperature, and for her to have a shower, and put the coffee on. She set ten white mugs out on the counter by the coffee machine, placed the cutlery and hen party napkins in neat lines, then stacked the bone china white plates beside that. Satisfied she’d done as much as she could, Jordan gave a nod and walked out of the kitchen.
And straight into an oncoming Abby. She was wearing cut-off denim shorts and a white T-shirt that left little to the imagination. Was she even wearing a bra?
Jordan needed to stop staring. She brought her gaze up to Abby’s face.
Being so early, she had no make-up on yet. Jordan liked it.
“Hey.” Jordan had been practising her first line to Abby the whole time she was swimming. But now she was in front of her, all her preparation had flown out the window. Abby had that effect on her.
“Hey.” But Abby’s words weren’t what Jordan was following. Instead, she focused on Abby’s eyes, which were scanning her body.
Shit. Jordan had thought she’d make it to her room before anyone got up. This hen party liked to sleep late. She was wearing her red bikini again. She might as well have been naked.
Abby seemed to have temporarily lost the gift of speech.
Jordan angled her head towards the door. “I was just going to get changed. Before breakfast turns up.”
She curled her toes as time dragged.
Abby stood up taller.
“So I should just…” Jordan edged past Abby. She kept walking before Abby could stop her. Down the corridor. Up the grand, polished stairs. Footsteps followed her. When she turned, Abby was right behind her.
“Keep going.” Abby bundled Jordan into her room, then closed the door. Abby pressed her back and palms into its solid wood. She took a deep breath, looking like this was the last place in the world she wanted to be. “I just wanted to chat about last night. We went to bed with everything left a little unsaid and I didn’t want it to be awkward today.”
Jordan’s heart thumped in her chest. Standing in this bikini with Abby wasn’t a good start. She walked around the other side of the bed to put some distance between them. “It’s good it’s out in the open. But like you said, we got carried away. Nothing’s changed. We can still work together just like we have been.”
Abby nodded. Like this was a solid plan. Not just some words to paper over the cracks. Like they were both master plasterers, and this plan was foolproof. Abby rubbed her hands together in front of her stomach, sucking on the inside of her cheek. “So we’re good? Back to being friends?”
Jordan nodded, gritting her teeth. “Of course. Friends and colleagues. I’m your professional bridesmaid.”
Abby looked like Jordan had just punched her in the gut.
Jordan hadn’t meant to upset her. But perhaps it was the best thing to say. Present Abby with the bare facts, so they stayed in their lanes.
Outside, a door slammed, making them both start.
