Fly with Me (22 page)

Taking a deep
breath, she straightened her shoulders. “I think I better clean up
a bit.” Turning to Simon who was leaning his forearm on the helmet
resting on one strong thigh, she added, “Thanks so much for
breakfast.”

“My pleasure,
Lis.” He said it a little oddly, studying her so closely she felt
like a beetle on its back being poked by a curious cat.

Huh, maybe
he’d changed his mind? Maybe it had all been in her imagination?
Maybe he wasn’t as keen on spending time with her as she’d thought?
Maybe - oh cripes - was she pushing herself onto him? But then,
he’d asked her, right?

Damn it,
he’d
asked her.

A flicker of
annoyance went through her, making her eyes narrow.

Simon’s head
angled a little to the side, his attention so focussed on her
suddenly that it was unnerving. She couldn’t tell what he was
thinking, what he was seeing when he looked at her, but whatever it
was - well, she had no bloody clue, and that irritated her.

Lifting her
chin, she turned and walked back to stand by Ash’s side, keeping
her gaze on anything but the man watching her so silently. Okay,
she felt a little like a bitch, but confusion didn’t sit well with
her. And she needed quiet to think it over, see what happened, find
out where it suddenly went a little weird.

Because the
truth was, she didn’t know Simon. Had an inkling, sure, but that
was surface only.

Ash gave Scott
a kiss on the cheek. “You boys be careful on the road.”

“Isn’t Ryder
here yet?” Kirk queried.

“We’re
swinging by his place, Ben is dropping him off.” Scott gave Ash a
kiss right back, only a whole lot hotter and a whole lot
deeper.

It left her
blushing and laughing as she stepped back. “Have fun on the
ride.”

Really wanting
to go inside, change her clothes and tidy her hair, Elissa forced
herself to stay beside her, watching as the men mounted their
bikes. The rev of high-powered engines filled the air as they took
off, leaving Ash and Elissa looking after them.

“Well, now.”
Ash turned to grin widely at Elissa. “You had breaky with Simon,
huh?”

Recognising
the teasing in her friend’s eyes, Elissa started for the veranda.
“It was just breakfast.”

“He took you
on his bike.”

“I’m going to
change.” She fastened her pace.

“He took you
on his
bike
and bought you
breakfast
.” Ash was right
on her heels.

Half laughing,
half scolding, Elissa almost ran up the veranda. “I’m not doing
this with you!” She kicked off her slightly muddy sneakers.

“Oh, come on.
Confession is good for the soul.”

“Nothing to
confess.” Jerking open the security screen, Elissa ran inside.

Tilly took one
look at the women running down the passage and bolted into Elissa’s
bedroom.

Elissa was
right behind her. “If you follow me, Ashley Smythe, you’ll see me
half naked!”

“Like I
haven’t done already.” Ash dropped down onto the bed.

Tilly, who’d
taken refuge on the bed, bounced a little on the mattress and
looked totally put out, her whiskers bristling indignantly.

Ash cooed to
her, smoothing her hand over Tilly’s head. “Come on, I’m your best
friend. Tell me what happened.”

Yanking down
her slacks, Elissa took a clean pair from the hanger in the
wardrobe and pulled them on. “He saw me by the gate this morning,
invited me to go for a ride. We fed Arthur. We had breakfast.”
He looked at me hotly
.

“And?” Ash
tickled Tilly under the chin, making her close her eyes in
ecstasy.

“He brought me
back here. End of story.”
And I looked at him hotly. And then it
went a little weird
. Elissa pulled the jumper off, smoothing
down the blouse and eyeing it critically in the mirror. Clean. She
slid her arms into the sleeves of a pale pink cardigan. “Now, what
isn’t the end of the story, is you and Scott.”

“Me and
Scott?” Ash was surprised. “What about me and Scott?”

Turning to
face her friend, Elissa placed her hands on her hips. “The wedding?
Me, your matron of honour? The details? Isn’t it time now? I’ve
been here for a couple of days and zilch so far. Time’s up.”

“Oh.”
Enlightenment dawned on Ash’s face. “Oh!”

“Yeah, oh. Now
come on, girl, let me in on these plans of which I know sweet
bugger all.”

Ash paused,
looked down at Tilly.

Seeing the
change in her friend, Elissa crossed to her, dropping to one knee
in front of her. “Is everything all right? Are you and Scott, you
know, okay?”

“Okay?” Ash
laughed. “Scott and I are fine. I’m the happiest I’ve ever
been.”

“Well, that’s
a relief. So what’s with the face?”

Ash
immediately raised a hand to her cheek. “What’s wrong with my
face?”

“Nothing. I
meant you were all happy until I mentioned the plans, then you went
all weird.”

“Oh.” Ash
rubbed Tilly’s ears, making the cat’s eyes almost cross in
pleasure, her purring sounding through the room.

“Come on, Ash,
what’s wrong? Is it the dress? Is it crappy? Won’t Scott wear a
suit? Is there some custom that says you have to shag half the men
in the town? What?”

“Cripes,
Elissa! Half the men in the town?”

“You have to
do all the men?”

Ash gave her
an affectionate shove on the shoulder. “No, you nong.”

“So what’s
up?” Elissa’s breath caught, a sudden thought occurring. “Is it me?
Do you want someone else to be your matron of honour?” Ow, that
hurt, because Ash was her best friend. “It’s fine, it’s okay, I
understand. I do.”
Lie lie lie
. “You’ve made some great
friends here and-” Ash’s hand coming across her mouth stopped
further words.

Her friend did
not look happy. In fact, there was a scowl on that normally sweet
face. “If you don’t want me to kick your arse, Elissa Baylon, you
will stop right there.”

Okay, so she’d
got that wrong. “Mmph.”

“Now, I’m
going to remove my hand, I expect you to stop sprouting crap. All
right?”

“Mmph.”

“Nod.”

Elissa nodded.
Ash removed her hand.

“I think I
have cat hair in my mouth.”

“Serves you
right.”

“Geez, Ash,
maybe you’ve been around these Gully’s Fall girls too long.”

“And maybe
you’ve forgotten that you’re my best friend.” Ash shoved her finger
within an inch of Elissa’s nose. “Always have been, always will
be.”

“Okay.” Elissa
eyed the finger. But she couldn’t stop the rush of relief from
filling her.

“Now listen.”
Ash shook that finger. “You are my matron of honour. Only you. No
one else. Got it?”

“Yeah.” Elissa
couldn’t help grinning, happiness sweeping through her. “I mean,
Yes Ma’am.”

Ash leaned
forward, concern filling her eyes. “Seriously, did you really think
I’d replaced you?”

“Well, I…kind
of…I didn’t know. You were so solemn all of a sudden, like you
didn’t know how to tell me something.”

Ash glanced
away, bit her lip, then looked back down at her. “I guess I’m
wondering how you’ll take it.”

“Take it?” Now
curiosity filled Elissa. “Take what? Do I have to play twenty
questions or something? Spill it, Ash.”

“Fine.” Ash
sat upright. “Look, this wedding, it’s not really traditional.”

“Oh? You’re
getting married naked or something?”

“Not
that
untraditional.”

“You’ve
decided to elope like Kirk and Molly did?”

“That’s kind
of traditional somewhere in history. Gretna Green, wasn’t it?”

Elissa didn’t
know whether to be horrified or delighted. “You are! You’re
eloping!”

“Keep your
knickers on, I’m not eloping.”

“Then what
is
it?”

“Not the big
church wedding, huge reception, mountains of tulle and lace, and
big, fancy honeymoon that you’re used to.”

Elissa looked
blankly at her. “I’ve never been married. How can I be used to
that?”

“You really
are a clueless nong,” Ash said affectionately.

“Thanks. I
think.” Elissa sat back on her heels. “Now are you going to tell me
or keep me in suspense?”

“Maybe I’ve
spun it out too far if you think this is suspenseful.”

“
Ash!”

Laughing, her
friend relaxed.

Relieved to
see the tension fade from her, Elissa waited, wondering just what
the heck was so important that Ash was worried about telling
her.

Tilly flopped
onto her side, then rolled onto her back, tilted her head and eyed
Ash hopefully. Without hesitation Ash started rubbing her belly,
Tilly closing her eyes and paddling the air in ecstasy.

“Look, it’s
probably no big deal, really,” Ash said. “It’s a small church
wedding, nothing fancy. No bridesmaids, no groomsmen. Just you for
my matron of honour, Ryder’s Scott’s best man. We’re just having a
small reception at the hall, Mrs Preston and some of the other
ladies are providing the food, so it’s all home cooked. We’re just
having a good time, relaxed, casual. Then Scott and I are leaving
the next morning for two weeks to Tasmania. That’s it.”

“That’s it,”
Elissa echoed.

Ash watched
her a touch anxiously.

Elissa
digested what she’d said in silence. Personally, she thought it
sounded great. “And?”

“And?” Ash
echoed.

“And what’s
the problem?”

“I didn’t know
what you’d think.”

“Think?”
Elissa flung out her hands. “I think it sounds great. Cripes, Ash,
no crowds of people, half of whom don’t even like each other, no
false fronts, no awkwardness. No family fights. Simple, sweet and
full of friendship. I think it’s bloody awesome.”

“You do?” Ash
was openly relieved. “Oh, great.”

“I can’t
believe you’d think I’d mind. I ought to kick your arse.”

“Scott
wouldn’t like that.”

“Scott can
kiss my - yeah, maybe not.”

“Definitely
not,” Ash agreed. “However, Simon might.”

Whoa, there it
was, that wicked glint in her friend’s eyes.

“And we are so
not going there.” Before Ash could protest, Elissa held up a hand,
palm outwards. “One more word, sister, and I won’t show you the
dress I bought for the happy occasion.”

“Aw,” Ash
whined. “And aw! Let’s see it!”

“Promise not
to mention a certain firie?”

“Do I have
to?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, okay.
Now show me!”

Elissa climbed
to her feet and crossed to the wardrobe, opening the door and
reaching inside, only to stop and look at Ash over her shoulder.
“Do I get to see your dress?”

“Yep.”

“Okay then.”
Elissa pulled the coat hanger from the wardrobe, turning and
pulling the dust cover off the dress. “Ta-dah! What do you
think?”

Ash looked at
the dress in growing delight. “It’s beautiful! Put it on.”

“As you’re the
bride-to-be, your wish is my command.”

“So we can
talk about Si-”

“Not that much
command.”

“Come on.” Ash
clapped her hands. “Let’s see it. Oh wait, what shoes are going
with it?”

“I’m so
cliché, I even have them in the matching colour.”

“Love it.
Let’s go. Strip.”

Within minutes
Elissa stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down the satin while
watching Ash’s face in the mirror. “Still okay?”

Ash’s face was
soft. “You look beautiful. Every man there will be drooling.”

“You do know
I’m not supposed to be more beautiful than the bride, right?”

“Technicality.”

“Well, on that
note, go to your room and I’ll follow in a minute. I want to be
stunned when I walk in.” When Ash hesitated, Elissa scowled.
“Now.”

Throwing up
her hands, Ash left the room.

About to slip
the dress off, Elissa paused and looked at her reflection. The
dress really was pretty, and she’d been careful not to overdo
things. Whereas before she’d worried that she’d not done enough, or
had been too simple, now she was glad she’d been reserved.

Her generously
curved figure looked like it had been poured into the capped
sleeved, pale lilac dress that cupped her buxom upper half while
falling free from her waist to drape down to just above the floor,
revealing peeks of pale lilac satin pumps. All she had to do was
pull her hair up, add a plain gold chain, a touch of makeup and it
would do the trick nicely.

With a last
nod, she carefully removed the dress, returning it to the wardrobe
and the pumps to the little box beneath the dress. Now to see the
bridal dress.

Walking into
Ash’s bedroom, she stopped, her mouth falling open in delight. “Oh,
Ash, you look stunning.”

Hands behind
her back, a tremulous smile on her sweet face, Ash looked back at
her. “Think I’ll do?”

“Do?” Crossing
the floor, Elissa took her hands and held them away from her body.
“You’ll make Scott’s tongue fall out of his head.” She paused,
frowned. “He hasn’t seen it yet, has he?”

“Nope. I keep
it in the little cupboard in the spare room and he’s sworn not to
peek.”

“Can he be
trusted?”

“On this?
Yep.”

Her friend
looked stunning, all right. The sweetheart neckline, the white
satin that clung to her breasts and waist, the white skirt that
fell so elegantly to just above the floor. Three quarter sleeves in
lace. When Ash moved, Elissa saw that there was a lot of extra
material in the skirt so that it swirled out.

“Veil?” Elissa
queried.

Ash shook her
head. “I went with a garland of flowers.”

“Where is
it?’

“Fresh
flowers. Mrs Preston is getting them for me.”

“Ash, Scott
will have eyes only for you.” Elissa shook her head admiringly.

“And Simon
will have eyes only for-”