Chapter 18
Eighteen
Eva knew the moment her car turned into the gravel drive that this was a terrible idea.
She did not attend clients’ hen weekends.
This was a rule so obvious she had never needed to articulate it before.
Her work depended on boundaries. Couples hired her because she was organised and reliable.
Not because she socialised with them. Especially not the bride. Especially not when the bride was…
Eva cut that thought off before it could complete itself.
She’d gotten the call from the maid of honour a week ago. ‘At the moment, it’s a small group,’ Hannah had said frankly. ‘We need to bump up the numbers a bit.’
Eva had tried to refuse. ‘I don’t usually attend private events.’
Hannah either didn’t take the hint or pretended not to. ‘You won’t intrude. It’ll be fun. And I know Maddy likes you. But she’s shy. She would never ask.’
Eva had not been convinced, but Hannah was relentless. ‘Look, you’d be doing me a favour. And if you scratch my back…’
Eva sighed. ‘Yes?’
‘I’m a nurse. I work with a lot of women. They get married constantly. I’d be happy to recommend you. I know two women planning weddings right now that would snatch your number out of my hand…’
Eva thought it over. ‘Alright then,’ she agreed. ‘I’ll come.’ After all, it never hurt to line up more business.
She did not let herself think there was any other reason to say yes.
She climbed out of her car and retrieved her suitcase from the boot. A hen weekend. Two full days.
What the hell are you doing?
Inside, the lobby was exactly what she expected: low lighting, polished stone floors, cucumber water.
Eva paused just inside the doorway, adjusting her grip on the suitcase handle and scanning the space.
Five women stood near the reception desk, Maddy standing slightly apart from the others, in a soft jumper. She looked a little overwhelmed by the group around her.
Then she turned, freezing at the sight of Eva. It was very clear in that moment that Hannah hadn’t told her that Eva was coming.
A slightly orange woman spotted her. ‘Oh, good,’ she said cheerfully. ‘You found us.’
The other women turned. They were an eclectic bunch.
Eva straightened automatically. ‘Hello,’ she said.
Hannah beamed. ‘Everyone, this is Eva. The wedding planner. She came!’
Eva’s eyes drifted back to Maddy. Maddy was still staring like someone who had bitten into a sandwich and found it full of bees.
‘We’re a party now!’ Hannah continued happily and started listing the itinerary.
Eva nodded where appropriate, only half listening. Because Maddy had unfrozen. She stepped forward slightly, as though pulled by something she didn’t entirely control.
‘You came,’ Maddy said.
Eva felt the urge to explain her reasoning, to yammer out some kind of excuse. She resisted it. She didn’t yammer. ‘It appears so.’
For a moment, neither of them said anything else.
Then Hannah clapped her hands, and Eva and Maddy snapped to attention. ‘Right! Check-in time. Rooms first, champagne later.’
Eva fiddled with a loose thread on her sweater. ‘Was this… unexpected?’ she asked carefully.
Maddy gave a small, breathless laugh. ‘A bit.’
‘I wasn’t entirely sure it was appropriate,’ Eva admitted.
‘You came anyway.’
Eva could only say, ‘I suppose I did,’ to that.
‘Well,’ Maddy said after a moment, ‘I’m glad you did.’
Eva did not immediately trust herself to answer. Because the same question lingered.
What the HELL are you doing?