Page 23 of The Life We Almost Had

‘Nah, I was ready for a change of scene and you might be a twat but…’ He took a swig of his lager. ‘Someone has to look out for you. I am the best man.’ He adjusted his cravat.

‘That doesn’t mean you get to cop off with the chief bridesmaid.’ Despite his best efforts, Nell had, so far, continued to resist his charms.

‘One kiss. If she’d kiss me just once, I’d die a happy man.’

‘She’d eat you alive.’

‘Probably. How about you? Any regrets?’

‘I don’t…’ I trailed off.

‘What’s that supposed to mean? Anna’s happy?’

‘She’s been weird the past few days. Really weird. She was so excited about the wedding but now she keeps crying when she thinks I’m not around.Every time I’ve tried to talk to her about today, she’s clammed up.’

‘You think she’s realized you’re a twat and she’s going to do a runner?’

‘Don’t even joke about it.’

‘Mate, it’ll just be nerves. Anna loves you, God knows why, but—’

The ringing of my mobile cut him off. I answered it. Listened. My stomach churning as I took in the news.

Bad news.

The worst.

Chapter Thirteen

Anna

It didn’t matter that my dress was creasing, my eye make-up running. I curled on my bed, listening to Adam’s heartbreak at the other end of the phone.

‘Sorry,’ I said again. It didn’t seem enough. It wasn’t enough.

At last we said goodbye and I stood, slowly smoothing down the crinkled fabric of my gown. Catching sight of my reflection, my sad eyes staring back at me, and I turned away from them, heading downstairs to break the news to Nell and Mum.

‘Hey!’ Nell glanced up from her laptop screen. She and Mum were trying to recreate the wedding crown made of flowers that had looked so easy on YouTube. I’d wanted the complete boho-beach-babe look. A nod to where we’d fallen in love. My dress was cream, the colour of ocean spray, loose and floaty. Instead of heels I wore sandals, my toenails painted as golden as sand.

‘Christ, Anna. This is impossible,’ Nell said. ‘There’s only two hours until we have to be at the church. Are you sure you don’t want me to nip to Claire’s Accessories and pick you up a tiara?’

I didn’t answer.

‘Anna? Are you okay?’ Mum asked.

‘It… it’s Adam. His parents didn’t make their flight yesterday – they won’t be at the wedding.’

‘That’s such a shame.’ Mum slipped her arm around me. ‘They must be so upset.’

‘Adam thinks they never intended to come. He’s in bits. He hasn’t seen them in years and they promised they’d be here.Their sonis getting married! How could they miss it?’

It was hard to understand why they were choosing not to come. My dad would have given anything to be here today. All week I’d been feeling progressively worse that Dad wouldn’t – couldn’t – be the one to give me away. I’d shed many tears when Adam wasn’t around; I hadn’t wanted to take the shine off the big day build-up, but nowthis. It felt we were cursed. Only one parent out of four.

‘We can’t know they never intended on coming and I’m sure they have their reasons,’ Mum said.

‘But Mum, Adam is so upset. I don’t know how to make it better for him.’ I felt bereft. My inadequate sorrys and, ‘I’m your family now,’ just hadn’t seemed enough.

‘You can’t always make it better for him. Nell, are you okay if I take Anna upstairs and show her something?’

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