‘OK then.’
‘But will you be warm enough? We don’t want you catching a chill. I’ll give you my coat.’ He stripped off his leather jacket and put it round her. It felt wonderfully warm and it smelt, beautifully, of him. ‘All right?’
‘Perfect,’ she said.
‘I’m so grateful – lucky – that you came with me just now. You could have slapped my face, the way I’ve treated you.’
Beth hooked her arm in his and they set off in the darkness towards the flickering lights. Watching them get nearer she felt they symbolised hope. They weren’t steady, but they were there. Maybe she and Finn could find happiness together. ‘Well, thinking about it, I did turn up unannounced when you didn’t want to be interrupted. It wasn’t really your fault.’
‘It was. I was a complete eejit. An eejit with no manners.’
‘I’m prepared to put it all down to artistic temperament,’ said Beth.
With a shout of laughter, Finn picked her up and swung her round. ‘Never heard such a load of old cobblers, although’ – he put her down again – ‘maybe it is a good excuse and I’ll accept it.’
‘To be honest, I think I’ll forgive anything. You wrote me a song.’
‘I did. And a very good song it is too, if I say so myself.’
They reached the tree house. ‘This is the house that Ned fell out of and broke his arm,’ said Beth.
‘Raff told me. But I’ll make sure you don’t fall out of it. I’ll stand here until you’re safely up. And maybe give you a shove from behind if it looks like you need it.’ He laughed gently. ‘I’m kind of hoping you do need a shove.’
She clambered up the ladder as carefully as she could, not wanting to damage her dress. She
didn’t
want a shove. It might spoil what was turning out to be a magical moment.
The tree house was a little cramped for two but they snuggled in next to each other. Someone – Beth suspected Rachel – had hung wired jam jars with tea lights in them to the branches, so they didn’t take up precious space. It was so incredibly romantic.
‘Your dress is taking up rather a lot of room,’ Finn complained, putting his arm round her.
‘I’m not taking it off. I’ve only got a leotard on underneath.’
‘A leotard? Good Lord.’ Then he turned her face towards his and his lips came down and he kissed her for a very long time.
They forgot the cramped conditions and Beth forgot everything as they concentrated on each other and just how they liked to kiss.
They were disturbed by an urgent voice. ‘Finn! Man! You have to come back! The crowd is baying for your blood!’
‘Really?’ said Finn, pulling away from Beth with reluctance.
‘Well, not your blood exactly, but they want you to sing. I think you should come back.’
Beth sensed he was torn. He wanted to stay with her but also felt he owed the band. ‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Let’s go.’
She would have to give his jacket back but she really wanted to keep it, for ever, as a lovely reminder of this night.
‘Give us two minutes, Liam!’ Finn called down. ‘We just want a private word.’
‘Have a private dictionary if you need one!’ said Liam. ‘I’ll see you there.’
‘Beth,’ said Finn urgently. ‘Before we go back in there, I just want to say – I don’t know what I want to say really. It’s such early days – we hardly know each other but I want you to know …’ He paused. ‘You are really special to me and …’ He was obviously finding this difficult. ‘It looks like the band might be going places and we might have to be apart quite a bit. But it would really make me happy … God, this is so difficult!’ He exhaled. ‘I don’t really know what I’m trying to say but I would be so thrilled if you’d come back to Ireland with me, to meet my family.’
Beth was fighting tears. Although he was finding it difficult to express what he wanted to say, she had no difficulty in understanding. Of course he couldn’t make promises but just the fact that he was trying to say something and – importantly – wanted her to meet his family was enough for her. ‘I’d love to go to Ireland. Will I see a leprechaun?’
‘I guarantee it.’
Their exit had caused something of a stir. When they came back into the marquee people were waiting for them. Someone even threw some confetti (dried delphinium petals, sourced by Rachel). The band had stopped playing – obviously having given up waiting for Finn – and Beth’s selections were back on the iPod. The bride and groom had disappeared. Beth realised she’d missed Helena throwing her bouquet and that she didn’t mind a bit.
‘Darling!’ said Beth’s mother, obviously full of champagne and wedding spirit, parting the crowds like the Red Sea. ‘You got carried away by this gorgeous man! It was like something out of a film!’
‘It was,’ said Lindy, following the path created by Vivien’s progress through the crowd. ‘Just heaven!’ She kissed Beth’s cheek. ‘Are you OK?’
Beth’s shining eyes should have reassured her. ‘We went to the tree house.’ At that moment Rachel came up to join them, her arm in Raff’s. ‘Did you put the tea lights in the trees?’
‘Might have done,’ said Rachel. ‘It was the Vintage Weddings thing to do.’
‘Oh, Vintage Weddings!’ said Lindy. ‘They are so great.’ Angus came up from behind and put his arms round her. ‘They’ve turned our lives around.’
‘Are you thinking of adding a dating service to what you can offer?’ said Angus.
‘Certainly not!’ said Rachel. ‘Why would we?’
Raff gave her an affectionate squeeze. ‘It seems to have got you three fixed up.’
‘Only by chance!’ protested Rachel, turning round to Raff, but he kissed her so thoroughly she forgot what she was protesting about.
‘Well, however we met them,’ said Lindy, ‘we’re all very lucky. And even without our blokes, Vintage Weddings is still amazing!’
‘It is!’ said Beth.
‘Absolutely!’ said Rachel.
‘Do you girls want me to get some drinks so you can have a toast?’ said Angus.
‘No, let’s dance!’ said Lindy. ‘Look what’s going on on the dance floor!’
The band members, freed from their instruments, had all joined in the dancing with abandon. Liam was dancing with Vivien and they were twirling each other round like professionals.
‘Hey!’ said someone. ‘That bride’s mother is a diva on the dance floor!’
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Epub ISBN 9781448136971
Published by Century in 2015
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Copyright © Katie Fforde Ltd 2015
Katie Fforde has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work
This novel is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental
First published in Great Britain in 2015 by
Century
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ISBN 9781780890838