Chapter 21
Twenty-One
Yeah. Maddy should have definitely gone with the booze.
She’d barely finished her tea when Hannah went into full game-show host mode. ‘Right!’ she said brightly. ‘Icebreaker time!’
Maddy felt herself wither. God, no. Anything but an icebreaker. She stared down at her teacup as though she might find an escape hatch in the bottom.
‘Nothing embarrassing!’ Hannah added quickly.
Maddy didn’t believe that for a nanosecond.
Across the table, Eva set her teacup down with the controlled calm of someone who had accepted their fate. Mary paused mid-truffle. Aria leaned forward with enormous interest. Kelly looked delighted.
‘It’s just a little game,’ Hannah continued, producing a small stack of cards from her handbag. ‘I thought it would be fun if we all answered a few questions about Maddy and the wedding.’
Ah, good, Maddy thought. It’s even worse than I expected.
Her brain immediately began cataloguing possible disasters. Did she even know the answers to questions about herself? What if they were wrong? What if everyone else knew something about her that she didn’t? What if—
‘Relax,’ Eva murmured beside her.
Maddy stopped just shy of jumping. She turned subtly to look at Eva. ‘You know I won’t,’ she said quietly.
Eva laughed.
Before Maddy had a chance to feel good about that, Hannah clapped a quick one-two.
‘Okay! First question!’
Mary swallowed her truffle and reached for another.
‘What,’ Hannah said, holding up the first card, ‘is Maddy most excited about for the wedding?’
Maddy stared at her. Was she excited about something? She tried to think quickly. The answer that came to mind immediately was when it’s over.
Hannah pointed dramatically at Aria.
‘You go first!’
Aria sat up straighter, adjusting her red glasses with great ceremony. ‘Hmm,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘I’m going to say… the library-themed table names.’
Everyone looked at her.
Aria shrugged cheerfully. ‘I suggested it.’
Maddy smiled, thinking, What the fuck is she talking about? She had absolutely no memory of this suggestion, but it sounded plausible, so she didn’t challenge it.
‘Very intellectual,’ Hannah said, scribbling something down on the card as though scoring a competition. ‘Mary?’
Mary wiped chocolate from her fingers. ‘I think… the vows,’ she said quietly.
Maddy was grateful to Mary for giving her the one to beat.
That would sound exactly right. Maddy could say that was the answer.
She was unconcerned that anyone would remember that she famously feared and hated public speaking.
Once, when an author came to speak at the library, Maddy had been pushed into doing the introduction.
She’d spoken at such a low volume that later, people asked why they’d gotten a mime in before the Q and A.
Maddy had been so stressed afterwards that she’d eaten a plate of biscuits meant for the children’s story time hour.
But no one would remember that. They’d go along with the version of events where Maddy was excited to talk about her deepest feelings in front of everyone she knew and the perfect strangers they’d brought along.
‘Okay, Mum of the Bride, your turn,’ Hannah decreed.
Kelly sat up proudly. ‘Well, obviously she’s most excited about marrying Adam,’ she said.
Hmm, that also sounded so correct that no one could argue with it. Yep. Maddy was going to get out of this cleanly.
‘Eva?’ Hannah said.
Eva had been watching the room with quiet attentiveness the entire time. Maddy thought she might opt out. But she didn’t hesitate. ‘The light.’
Everyone turned to her.
Hannah blinked. ‘The… light?’
Eva nodded calmly. ‘Maddy likes natural light. The venue’s west windows mean the best light will be just before sunset.’
She said it so matter-of-factly that it took Maddy a moment to realise what had happened. Eva had somehow gotten the right answer. It was true. It was practically the only thing Maddy had expressed enthusiasm for, if you didn’t count the greenhouse, which she couldn’t now anyway.
Maddy felt heat rush unexpectedly to her face.
Hannah scribbled again. ‘Okay! Bride! What’s the actual answer?’
‘Eva had it,’ Maddy said.
Eva’s mouth twitched slightly.
Hannah clapped. ‘Eva gets a point!’
‘Are there points?’ Aria asked.
‘There are now,’ Hannah said.
Mary snorted softly into her champagne.
Maddy risked a glance at Eva. She looked entirely composed, but there was something slightly amused in her expression. She wasn’t miserable.
It was ridiculous how much relief that gave Maddy.
‘Next question!’ Hannah said brightly. ‘What is Maddy’s biggest wedding fear?’
Maddy nearly laughed. Talk about a gimme. Take your pick, ladies and ladies.
She watched Hannah scan the group for the next victim.
‘Mary!’ Hannah said.
Mary had just taken a large sip of champagne. She lowered the glass slowly.
‘Dress catching fire,’ she said.
The table went quiet.
‘At the wedding,’ Mary clarified calmly.
Aria nodded solemnly. ‘It’s valid. All that fabric, candles…’
‘…Okay. Good,’ Hannah said quickly. ‘Kelly?’
Kelly smiled warmly.
‘Food poisoning all her guests?’ she said.
Maddy’s eyebrows flew together. ‘What?’
Kelly looked confused. ‘Well, it happens! I was at a wedding once where everyone was throwing up on the dance floor at 5 pm.’
New fear unlocked. Thanks, Mum.
‘Eva?’ Hannah said.
Eva looked directly at Maddy. ‘Being the centre of attention.’
‘Wow,’ Hannah said in pure astonishment. ‘Who doesn’t want to be the centre of attention?’
‘In my professional opinion?’ Eva said. ‘Plenty of people.’
Maddy didn’t understand how Eva kept doing this. It was like there was some little window into Maddy’s brain that only Eva could see. Maddy didn’t know whether to be terrified or happy about it.
‘Bride?’ Hannah demanded.
‘Eva got it again,’ Maddy admitted, trying not to look at the winner this time.
Mary, meanwhile, had quietly finished her champagne and was reaching for Hannah’s glass.
Hannah didn’t notice, waving her cards again. ‘Next question!’ she said cheerfully.
Maddy leaned slightly closer to Eva.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
Eva didn’t look at her. ‘For what?’
‘You know,’ Maddy told her.
Eva finally glanced sideways. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were warm in a way that made Maddy’s stomach flip unexpectedly.
‘It’s my job,’ Eva said.
Maddy hoped in her heart that it wasn’t only that. She didn’t understand the hope at all.
But before she could think about it too much, Hannah raised the next card. And Mary quietly summoned a waiter and asked for another glass of champagne.