Page 33 of Confetti and Confusion

The two bridesmaids clattered down the steps in Imogen’s wake, giggling as they tried to run through the sand towards the main street without looking like a pair of clowns. Oh, how a few minutes could change a mood, thought Millie joining them in their happiness.

‘Are you mad?’ Lottie laughed when they were out of earshot. ‘Do you know what you’re letting yourself in for?’

Millie beamed at Lottie and Ella. The doldrums she had started the day fighting had disappeared off to plague some other underserving soul. She felt buoyant; a zoom of confidence had erupted in her chest and she was more excited about the future than she had been for months. Organising Imogen and Alex’s wedding reception was exactly the challenge she loved getting stuck into and her fingers itched with the urge to start on the preparations to make the celebrations the best she’d ever organised.

‘When I worked at the restaurant in Oxford with Luke, we regularly did more than a hundred covers every night. I know I’m probably a little rusty, but thirty-six wedding guests should be a doddle compared to that.’

Millie glanced around the Purple Parrot which was experiencing a lull in trade after the lunchtime customers had left for an afternoon’s hiking in the Pitons, or to explore the tiny coves further along the coast, or to simply soak up the sunshine around their hotel pools.

‘And I’m sure you do more than thirty-six meals here at the Purple Parrot every day?’

‘Yes, but it’s not gourmet-standard food,’ smiled Lottie, flicking her hair over her shoulder. ‘It’s freshly prepared Caribbean fayre with lots of local spices and chunky marinades and locally sourced meats and fish – barbequed. Simple, but delicious.’

‘And that’s exactly what I intend to offer Imogen and Alex’s guests. There’s no point in trying to replicate the menu on offer up at the luxury five-star hotel. So, I think we should give our guests a taste of the real Caribbean, showcase the vibrancy of the flavours and colours that St Lucia is famous for.’

‘You keep saying we…’

‘Ella and I, and anyone else I can press-gang into helping us out – even if it’s just for a few hours to help get the courtyard set up with the tables and chairs. I think we’ll be okay with the food side of things if Jerome agrees to loan us a couple of his chefs to assist in the kitchen, but we’ll need a few waiters, and someone to be in charge of the bar, and of course, a Master of Ceremonies.’

‘Well, you have the perfect candidate for that role already on site.’

‘Who…? Oh, no, Lottie, I’m not asking…’

‘You don’t have any choice. Who else do you have on your list that is more qualified?’

‘I was actually thinking of asking Henri.’

Millie shot a pleading glance across to Ella, hoping she would be able to persuade her son to don his best suit and direct the show with his habitual grace and aplomb.

‘Henri would be delighted, dear,’ smiled Ella. ‘And I’m sure he’ll be able to pitch in with arranging the tables tomorrow, but I happen to know that he has a trip to Martinique planned for Sunday to interview a local politician about the recent increase in the drug-running trade on the island for his newspaper. He’s been researching the article for weeks. I think if he cancels his appointment, it will give the guy another excuse to delay, and it’ll be months before Henri gets another chance to grill him.’

Millie’s mood deflated like a pricked balloon and it must have shown on her face because Lottie giggled. ‘That’s sorted then. Shall I ring Zach with the good news?’

‘No need. I’ll do it.’

‘Great. Now that we’ve got that organised, I’ll ask if Anisha will cover for me this weekend and you can count me in for tomorrow. Maybe Travis can have a word with Leon to put in a couple of hours too. I know Dylan will definitely help as soon as he finishes his last boat trip of the day. What are you waiting for? Hadn’t you better start writing a shopping list?’

‘I’ll call Denise,’ announced Ella, rushing off to use the Purple Parrot’s telephone.

‘Millie, whatever’s going on with Zach and Clio you need to talk to him about it. It’s not good to let misunderstandings fester. I know all about that after what happened with me and Dylan. Honesty and openness is the best policy when it comes to lasting relationships.’

‘We’re not in a relationship…’

‘Friendships are relationships. There is no reason why you and Zach can’t still be friends, even if he is back with Clio. I know you don’t want to get hurt again after what happened with Luke, but in order for relationships to work we have to be prepared to let people into our hearts. It’s the price we pay for a chance at happiness.’

‘How did you get so wise all of a sudden?’

‘Experience. Ring Zach, explain what’s happened at the hotel, and ask him to be your Master of Ceremonies. He’ll be amazing – and you know he’ll make sure that everything runs like clockwork! Don’t Imogen and Alex deserve that after what they have been through?’

‘They do.’

‘So, call him now before you overthink it. You don’t have to talk about your feelings if you don’t want to, but make friends. You can’t go on avoiding each other. It’ll just prolong the hurt.’

Millie didn’t want to confess to Lottie that until the devastating news of Imogen and Alex’s wedding cancellation, avoiding Zach was exactly what she had planned to do. Lie low, steer clear of the part of the cocoa plantation where his wooden lodge was situated, and then catch her flight back to London on Monday morning. She would never have to set eyes on Zach Barker ever again.

She knew she would get over what had happened – she had a precedent with Luke to show her which path to follow. What would make it more difficult was that Zach had been instrumental in helping her to escape from dwelling on her past and showing her that by concentrating on living in the present and looking forward to the future were the only way to achieve contentment. She had a lot to be grateful to him for.

‘Okay, I’ll call Zach.’

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