Chapter 7
Kat and her friends had claimed a prime spot beneath one of the patio heaters and were making good inroads into another bottle.
She knew she should probably slow down, but she’d only been half joking earlier when she’d told Ed she planned to drink enough to forget.
She glanced at the remaining champagne in her glass and promised herself she’d finish that and then go and find something to eat.
‘So how’s things going with the hotel refurbishment?
’ she asked Chloe. ‘Are you ready to get cracking next week?’
‘It would go a lot smoother if Adam bloody Mountjoy would stop constantly interfering.’ She cast a scowling look across the patio to where the man in question was chatting with Harry and his brothers.
Anya gave the kind of long-suffering sigh that told Kat this wasn’t the first time Chloe had complained about him. ‘Oh, come on, Chloe, you know he’s only trying to help. And he was right about moving the bar from where we’d planned it.’
If Anya had intended to mollify Chloe, her comment had the opposite effect. ‘The fact he was right only makes it worse! I’d like to slap that smug smile right off his face.’ Chloe shot another venomous glance across the patio.
‘I know.’ Anya patted her leg sympathetically. ‘But can you at least wait until the end of our contract before you do?’
Chloe burst out laughing, her mood going from foul to fair in an instant. ‘Okay, I promise.’
‘If things are difficult with Adam, I can speak to Liam about it if you want,’ Issy offered, a small frown creasing her brow.
‘Oh, God, no, that’s the last thing I want! Don’t worry about Adam, I’ll deal with him in my own good time.’ She extended her glass to Issy. ‘What I do want is a top-up. Stop hogging that champagne!’
Laughing, Issy bent to pick up the bottle sitting next to her chair and refilled Chloe’s glass. She turned to Kat. ‘What about you?’
With a shake of her head, Kat covered the top of her glass with her hand. ‘It’s going down a bit too easily so I’m going to pace myself.’ A gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine and she shifted her chair a bit closer to the heater.
‘You’re probably right about pacing ourselves, but tonight I’m celebrating,’ Issy said as she filled her own glass and passed the bottle to Chloe.
Any thoughts of the cold or eating vanished from Kat’s head as she edged forward on her seat. ‘Ooh, celebrating what?’
Issy waited until the other two had also leaned closer then lowered her voice. ‘Look, you must promise not to say anything because we’ve decided to keep things quiet for now but I can’t not tell you three.’
‘Tell us what?’ Chloe whisper-demanded. ‘Did something happen in New York?’
With a secretive smile, Issy reached into the neckline of her top and pulled out a necklace with a garish plastic flower ring dangling from it.
It was nothing more than a junk toy out of one of those machines that kids loved and parents despaired about, but they all understood the significance of it.
Liam had given Issy an identical one years before and told her he’d marry her one day. ‘Oh my God!’ Chloe exclaimed.
‘Shh!’ Issy quickly shoved the necklace back inside her top then flapped her hand at them. ‘I told you we’re keeping it quiet for now.’
‘Sorry, sorry!’ Chloe whispered, her eyes shining with excitement. ‘Oh my God!’ she repeated. ‘That’s brilliant news!’
Kat did her best to hold a smile, but inside her brain was shrieking, Too soon!
Too soon! Issy and Liam might have been childhood sweethearts but they’d been separated for years and had only reunited a few months ago.
She took a quick swig of her champagne and counted to ten in her head to try and calm the fluttering panic inside her.
Not every marriage was destined to be a disaster.
She could look around this garden now and count a dozen couples or more who were the epitome of happiness.
And she didn’t know two people more suited to each other than Issy and Liam.
She looked over at her friend, who was practically vibrating with happiness. Whatever her personal doubts, Kat would not steal a single ounce of that joy from her. Reaching out, she grasped Issy’s hand and squeezed it. ‘That’s brilliant,’ she echoed. ‘I couldn’t be happier for you.’
‘It’s probably too early to make plans,’ Anya said, her own face wreathed in smiles. ‘But if you want some help with ideas for your dress then you know I’d love to be involved.’
Issy grinned. ‘I was actually going to ask you to make it. I don’t want some big fancy mountain of lace and satin, just something really simple.
Oh, and I’d have Freya as a flower girl, of course.
’ She laughed. ‘But I’m getting way ahead of myself!
We’re not in any rush as we want to focus on getting the hotel sorted first.’
‘I’d be honoured! Whatever you want, and of course Freya would love to be involved. Oh, gosh, Issy, this is simply wonderful news!’ Anya leaned forward and hugged Issy tight for a moment. ‘I promise I won’t say anything to anyone.’ Her brows tugged down. ‘I can talk to Rick about it though?’
Issy cast a quick frown over her shoulder. ‘I’m not sure if Liam’s going to tell them tonight or not, so can you keep it on the down-low until he’s had a chance?’
Anya smiled. ‘Of course. And he’ll want to tell Ma and Pa himself as well, I’m sure.’ She held her fingers to her lips and twisted them as though locking them. ‘Not a word, I promise.’
Issy grasped her hand. ‘Thank you. I probably shouldn’t have said anything to you guys, but I couldn’t keep it to myself. I haven’t even told Nan yet.’
‘Your secret’s safe with us,’ Kat promised her.
‘Absolutely,’ Chloe added straight after.
Anya dug a hand in her pocket and pulled out her phone. ‘I don’t want to break up the party but I’m going to have to go in a minute. I want to make sure everything’s okay at Ma and Pa’s.’
‘Have they sent you a message?’ Chloe asked, craning forward in her chair as if to look at Anya’s phone screen.
Anya shook her head as she tucked her phone away once more. ‘Not since Ma texted to say Freya went to bed as good as gold. Probably because Rick and I promised her we’ll wake her up to watch the fireworks, but I don’t want them to think we’re taking advantage.’
‘They’d never think that,’ Issy assured her. ‘You know they love looking after Freya.’
‘I know, it’s just…’ Anya’s smile softened. ‘I’ve got news of my own, but I don’t want to steal your thunder.’
‘Steal away!’ Issy insisted.
The past few years had been awful for Anya.
Losing her husband in an accident would be more than anyone their age should have to endure, but then Anya had discovered Drew was a liar and a fraud who’d left her facing a mountain of debts.
Chloe’s mum and dad had taken her and Freya in when they had nowhere else to go and not a penny to their name.
Another disastrous marriage.
Kat shoved the voice of doubt to the back of her head. After what Drew had put Anya through, she deserved every bit of happiness she could grab on to. Rick was the most dependable person Kat knew and he’d die before letting Anya down. ‘Yes, tell us, please,’ she urged Anya.
Eyes shining, Anya looked between them. ‘We sat down with Ma and Pa over the holidays and had a long talk. They’re brilliant for their age but at some point they’re the ones who are going to need support.
They don’t want to move into Blue Horizons, so they asked if we’d like to move in with them.
’ She took a deep breath. ‘Rick and I have spent the past few days discussing it and we’ve decided to accept! ’
‘Oh, that’s fantastic news!’ Chloe leaned forward and grabbed Anya in a tight hug. ‘And not just because it means I get my summer house back,’ she added with a laugh as she sat back.
‘That was the first thing I thought of when we agreed to do it!’ Anya said, with a grin. ‘I know I’ve long outstayed my welcome, but I’m not exaggerating when I say I feel like you and your parents saved my life when you came to my rescue.’
‘Oh, stop it or you’ll have me crying.’ Chloe gave a sniff and a laugh as she pressed a finger into the corner of her eye.
‘Besides, we didn’t do anything other than give you a safe space to sort things out.
’ Reaching out, she gripped Anya’s hand tight.
‘You’ve done a damn good job of rescuing yourself; don’t give that away. ’
‘She’s right,’ Kat agreed, placing a hand on Anya’s shoulder. ‘The way you’ve turned things around this past year has been incredible to witness. Inspiring.’
‘Everything okay?’ The four of them looked up to find Rick standing over them, a concerned frown on his face.
Kat supposed their body language – the way they were all huddled around Anya – might look worrying from a distance. ‘Anya was just telling us your good news,’ she reassured him.
Rick’s shoulders immediately relaxed and a huge smile lit his face. ‘It’s brilliant, isn’t it?’ He held out a hand to Anya. ‘I was wondering if we ought to make a move, give Ma and Pa the chance to go to bed if they want.’
Anya rose with a nod. ‘I’d just been thinking the same thing.’
Rick put an arm around her waist and kissed her temple. ‘Great minds, eh?’
Kat and the others stood and they all shared a quick hug before Anya and Rick departed hand in hand.
‘I’m so happy for them,’ she said as she sank back on to the garden chair with a happy sigh.
She turned to Issy, who’d sat down beside her.
‘And I’m absolutely delighted for you and Liam too.
I’ll stay on at Mum and Dad’s for a bit, give you two some space.
’ Though spending another hour at her parents’ was the last thing she wanted, Issy and Liam deserved more time together to celebrate their happy news.
‘No, you bloody won’t!’ Issy exclaimed at once. ‘The flat is your home too. I expect to see you first thing in the morning.’ She glanced across the garden towards where Liam was chatting to his father and the twins. ‘Well, maybe not first thing,’ she amended with a knowing grin.
As though feeling her eyes upon him, Liam glanced up and a smile as wide as the ocean lit his face as he spotted Issy. Without hesitation, he crossed the patio and held out a hand to her. ‘You owe me a dance.’
He led Issy to the centre of the patio and closed his arms around her. Kat and Chloe sat back in their chairs and released a pair of matching sighs. ‘They’re so happy it’s enough to make you sick,’ Chloe said.
Kat laughed. ‘It is a bit,’ she admitted.
Chloe drained her glass then stood up again. ‘I need another drink. You want anything?’
‘No, I’m fine,’ Kat said. ‘But if you could grab my coat from the utility room on your way back? It’s my big black jacket.’
‘You’ve got it!’ Chloe gave her a little salute then began to weave her way a little unsteadily through the crowd.