Thank You, Next (The Kathryn Freeman Romcom Collection #9)

Chapter 35

Molly slipped her dress on in the bathroom and then stepped into her room to give her parents a twirl.

‘Oh my goodness, you look stunning.’ Her mum wiped at her eyes. ‘That dress is perfect for you.’

‘Perfect,’ her dad mumbled in agreement. He was quieter than her mum, but his expression always said it all. And right now, it was doting.

Molly stared at herself in the mirror. She didn’t look like a traditional bride, but then again, this wasn’t a traditional wedding in any sense. Still, she’d decided to be true to herself and go for a dress she would have worn if she’d actually been getting married. So while the others had chosen from a bridal shop, she’d dived into the second-hand shop next door. Using the sewing machine she still had in her room from the fete, she’d combined the red corset from one dress with the long, cream skirt of another, trimming the edges of the asymmetric hem with red lace. It was funky, different. The type of clothes she used to wear, when she’d first met Ben.

The type of clothes she was becoming confident enough to wear again, she thought with a dollop of pride.

Her mum came up behind her. ‘Molly, sweetie, we’ve been watching the show. I know they edit things in a way that builds the excitement, but it does seem that while this Ben loves you, he’s not a fan of marriage.’

‘He’s not.’

Her mum slid an arm around her waist and squeezed. ‘Is that okay with you?’

Anybody else asked, she could lie. But she couldn’t lie to the woman who’d opened her heart to a lost seven-year-old girl. ‘I’m trying to work out my feelings. Ben’s been burnt in the past by marriage and he’s made it clear it’s not going to be on the cards for us.’

‘But you’ve always wanted to get married.’ Her dad, protective as always, watched her carefully.

‘I know, and I still do.’

‘So what is going to happen today?’

The concern on her mum’s face made tears leak down Molly’s cheeks. ‘Don’t worry, Mum. Whatever happens, I’m going to be fine. I promise.’

It didn’t feel like an empty promise, either. For the first time since she could remember, she truly felt in control of her own destiny.

Her mum touched her cheek and smiled. ‘I know you will, my dear girl. You have always been so much stronger than you gave yourself credit for.’

‘And one day I’ll walk you down the aisle to a man who not only loves you for the special woman you are, but who also wants nothing on earth more than to marry you,’ her father said gruffly, wrapping her in his arms from behind.

‘Oh, Mum, Dad. You’re going to have me walking down the aisle with panda eyes.’ She wiped at her eyes, trying desperately not to cry. It didn’t matter that she’d not been wanted by her biological parents. And it wouldn’t break her if Ben didn’t want her, either. She’d lived through both scenarios already, and survived. Besides, she was wanted by this couple; she was loved. ‘I don’t think I tell you guys often enough how much I love you both.’ Her voice cracked but she pushed on, needing them to hear it. ‘I’m so grateful you chose me to be your daughter.’

‘Oh goodness.’ Her mum let out a shaky sounding laugh. ‘Now you’re going to start me crying.’

‘Is this where I tell you both you’ll make beautiful pandas?’ Her father smiled, but the roughness of his voice betrayed his emotion.

Molly laughed, relieved at the dial down in emotion.

‘I meant to ask, what happened to Duncan?’ Her mum asked. ‘Has he had his wedding yet?’

‘Duncan and Jasmine have their ceremony after ours.’

Her mum searched her eyes. ‘So there’s still time to change your mind and marry him?’

Molly smiled. ‘Look at you, acting like a typical fan and hoping for the happy ending.’

A loud tap on the door saved her from any further discussion on the subject. ‘It’s Rachel. Are you ready to go downstairs?’

Her parents looked at her, and Molly nodded, even though inside her belly was a quivering blancmange. ‘I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.’

She opened the door and Rachel took a step back, her gaze skimming up and down before resting on her face with a satisfied smile. ‘You look amazing, Molly. Ben will be swept off his feet.’

She tried to imagine Ben – pragmatic, no nonsense Ben – being swept off his feet by anything. ‘I’ll settle for him not making a comment about me being unable to find a top to match the bottom half.’

Rachel smiled. ‘I’d like to think he has more charm than that, but maybe that’s what they mean by the triumph of hope over experience.’ She turned to her parents. ‘I feel I should introduce myself properly as I’m not just Rachel who works on the show. I’m also Rachel, sister of Ben, and fellow wedding guest.’

They all shook hands, the cameras remaining far enough away that they didn’t feel intrusive.

‘We’re looking forward to meeting him,’ her father remarked, with just enough coolness to make Rachel’s smile falter.

‘How are you feeling?’ she asked Molly, her smile back in place.

‘Honestly, I don’t know. Nervous, definitely.’

‘Well, your friends are waiting downstairs for you.’ Rachel led them down the stairs towards the sitting room. ‘I’m sure they’ll help you relax.’ She winked. ‘And I’ll see you next when you’re walking down the aisle.’

The moment Molly stepped into the room, her three best friends squealed with delight and ran over to her, wrapping her in a four-way hug.

‘Oh my God, Moll,’ Penny exclaimed. ‘You look amazing.’

‘I can’t believe we’re all going to be on The One!’ Ava squealed.

‘You mean you can’t believe we’re going to Molly’s wedding,’ Emma added dryly.

‘And we’re going to be on The One!’ Ava chimed in.

‘And we’re going to meet Ben Knight.’ Penny fanned herself. ‘I hope you realise you’re walking down the aisle to a fan favourite. Viewers have been going mad for him. Not just because he looks like a frigging model, but because of that brooding “I say very little” vibe he’s got going on.’

Molly smiled, but inside, her belly had gone from quivering blancmange to a wriggling bag of eels. It wasn’t just the thought of walking down the aisle to Ben.

It was the uncertainty of what would happen when the wedding was over.

* * *

In his room, Ben gave his collar a firm yank, much to Rachel’s annoyance.

‘Stop it. You’re going to make your tie all squiffy.’

‘I’m not sure about it.’

Rachel gave him an eye roll. ‘I told you, Molly’s gone for a red theme, so this will match.’

‘It looks ridiculous with the jacket.’ A suit, that’s what he should have worn. Charcoal grey, Italian. Not leather. ‘I look like a confused cowboy.’

‘Stop being a baby.’ Rachel gave his red tie another tweak, then ran her hands down the lapels of his jacket before stepping back. ‘You look very handsome. And almost good enough for the bride.’

His heart skipped a beat at the mention of Molly. ‘You promise me she’s okay?’

‘She’s better than okay. She looks stunning.’

‘She’d look gorgeous in a bin bag. I meant, does she look happy?’

Rachel nodded. ‘Maybe a bit nervous, but when I left her she was being made a fuss of by her friends. And her parents are lovely, though I think you’ve got a bit of work to do to win them over.’

‘I’m sure.’ He tugged again at his collar, causing his sister to give him a dark look. ‘I’ll be glad when all this is over.’

‘Getting jittery at the thought of seeing Molly walk down the aisle towards you?’

‘No.’ He heaved in a breath, forced his heart to steady. ‘I hate that I haven’t spoken to her since yesterday, and even then, we didn’t leave on the best terms.’ He thrust a hand through his hair in frustration. ‘I don’t know how she’s feeling, and that’s twisting me up inside. Doesn’t help that next time I see her, it will be in full public glare.’

‘Which is entirely my fault, I know.’

He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. ‘But if you hadn’t strong-armed me onto the show, I wouldn’t have got back with her.’ He gave her a wry smile. ‘Any chance I can sneak off and say hi to her before we meet by the stepladders?’

Rachel elbowed him in the ribs. ‘Not a chance. Your sister might give in to that pleading look, but your associate producer wants the drama of you two meeting at the altar on camera.’ She winked. ‘And those stepladders have been sprinkled with HEA Towers wedding dust. They now look less like they’ve been pinched from a decorator and more like a rustic outdoor wedding arch.’

‘Thank God.’ He heard a tap on the door and the rumble of two male voices outside. ‘Looks like the rest of my wedding party has arrived.’

Nerves jangled as he opened the door.

‘If it isn’t the groom.’ Sam clapped him on the back. ‘How are you feeling now, mate?’

‘Like I want to be somewhere else.’ Somewhere private. With Molly.

Jack laughed and gave him a similar thump before taking a step back and squinting at him. ‘Nice jacket. And I love the way you’ve matched the red tie with the red paint in your hair. Classy.’

Because he knew these guys, he didn’t immediately run to a mirror. Instead he turned to Rachel and raised an eyebrow. Eyes brimming with laughter, she gave a small shake of her head. Enough to reassure him Jack was talking shit. ‘At least I haven’t got red paint on my trousers.’

To his immense satisfaction, Jack immediately looked down.

‘Enough of the schoolboy pranks.’ Rachel hurried them out of the door. ‘We need to be in place before the bridal party start walking down.’

‘Down where?’ Sam asked.

‘We’ve set everything up in the garden,’ Rachel answered. ‘Molly wanted an outside wedding, and Ben decided it should be by the summer house.’

‘Oh yeah?’ Jack gave him a quizzical look. ‘Any particular reason?’

He was thankful he’d given up blushing a long time ago. ‘I thought Molly would find it quaint.’

‘Umm.’ They headed out across the pool area towards the back garden. ‘Wouldn’t be because something happened in there, then?’ Jack prompted. ‘Aside from you discussing company ideas, I mean, which seemed the obvious thing to do in a summer house. With a gorgeous woman. Who looked very flushed when she was interviewed.’

‘You’ve watched the show?’ Ben asked, aghast. He’d assumed the audience were people he didn’t know and would never meet.

‘Of course we have,’ Jack replied. ‘You were in it.’

‘We even put bets on what happened in that summer house,’ Sam added, causing the pair of them to cackle like schoolboys.

‘Fuck off.’ It was all he was capable of, because ahead of him he could already see the upturned crates, the rugs lined with tealights that led to the arch of painted ladders which thankfully looked a lot more elegant than when he’d left them.

He wasn’t getting married, but tell that to his heart which was beating like crazy. Would what he’d done with the setting, what he’d say to her when he finally got her alone, be enough to convince her he was worth sticking with? Or would she go and hunt down Duncan, whose wedding, Rachel had informed him, wasn’t until after theirs.

Or maybe she’d focus on her business and put all the relationship drama on hold until a man who truly deserved her turned up. A man who’d marry her in a heartbeat because what sane man wouldn’t want to put a ring on her finger, make it clear to every other man that she was taken?

‘I spy the cameras and the bridal party.’

At the sound of Rachel’s voice he snapped his head round, making Sam and Jack laugh. ‘Molly’s here?’

‘Not yet. We’re going to film friends and family getting settled first, then Molly will arrive.’ Rachel paused. ‘Her dad’s going to walk her down the aisle, but he wanted to meet you first so he’s escorting her mum over, then going back for Molly.’

‘Sounds like you could be in trouble,’ Sam murmured.

‘Nah,’ Jack cut in. ‘I caught a glimpse of him and I reckon Ben could take him. He’s got height and age on his side.’

‘Thanks.’

As the group neared, Ben walked towards them, his heart pounding. He nodded in the direction of what he assumed where her friends before halting in front of the woman with silver blonde hair and a polite smile, and the man with salt and pepper hair and a stern look.

‘You must be the man who broke our daughter’s heart.’

So her father was a man who didn’t pull his punches. ‘I am. But I won’t make the same mistake twice.’

Ben had no clue what thoughts were going on behind the pale blue eyes that stared back at him, but a beat later, to his intense relief, her father offered his hand. ‘If she decides to keep seeing you, I look forward to getting to know you better.’

If. The word sent a cold shiver through him. ‘And me you.’

They shook hands, and he bent to give Molly’s mum a polite kiss on the cheek.

‘I hear you chose the setting,’ she remarked glancing over to the junk yard/rustically romantic wedding venue, depending on your perspective.

‘Yes.’ He desperately wished Molly was here. She’d ease the awkward tension and smooth out his sharp edges. ‘I tried to capture what I thought was Molly.’

Behind him, Sam and Jack started coughing, loudly. Annoyed, he turned to glare at them, only to find they were giving him wide-eyed stares, nodding jerkily towards the … fuck.

‘I didn’t mean … I wasn’t inferring Molly is in any way not perfect…’ He paused, drew in a breath. ‘I know Molly is a big fan of upcycling,’ he finished lamely.

His stomach plummeted as her father frowned. ‘And?’

His collar felt like it was strangling him. ‘I thought she might … enjoy this.’

Her mother stared over at where her daughter would soon been walking down the aisle. ‘Enjoy having the guests at her wedding sit on crates?’

No response came to mind. All he could think was how badly wrong he’d got everything.

‘Good heavens, are they stepladders?’ Her father was staring at the makeshift altar.

Of course. No wedding should be without a set. As his misery intensified, he was saved a reply when Rachel slid an arm around his waist before addressing Molly’s father. ‘Thomas, we could do with starting on time, so if you wouldn’t mind going to find Molly?’

‘Ah, yes, of course.’ He ambled off and Ben was left with Molly’s mum, and a crushing sense that he’d made the worst first impression on record.

He turned to say something to her – he didn’t have a clue what, just something to break the awful tension – but his heart jumped in surprise when she smiled and patted his arm. ‘Don’t look so terrified. You know our daughter better than you think.’