Chapter Two
June 2025
“You may kiss…the bride,” the vicar said with a smile.
Caz turned to Grace, and like they’d discussed and planned, and even practiced, she took Grace’s face in her hands and planted one on her lips. Nothing too intimate, just a longer-than-usual peck, really, but the oohs and ahhs were perfectly attuned with the sound of cameras clicking and the flashes bursting into light around them, which, of course, made them smile.
“Alright?” Caz asked when Grace opened her eyes.
“Yeah.” She beamed. “Ready to put on a show?”
“I am, Mrs…” Caz laughed and shook her head. “We’ll figure it out.”
The organ began again with the familiar Mendelssohn Wedding March playing them out, walking hand in hand as guests continued to take photos and stop them with words of congratulations, how beautiful they looked, and how they complimented one another.
It was easy to suspend reality and just go with it.
Outside, under the bright warm sunshine, the photographer moved them one way and another as he snapped all the group shots.
Then it was just them and the photographer. Everyone else had gone on ahead to the hotel where the reception would be held.
The venue was a swanky place that Ron, Grace’s father, had insisted on paying for. Caz would have been happy with a few drinks at Blanca’s, but she was, Making Grace happy , she kept reminding herself.
“Okay, so I was thinking a few candid shots of you both under this tree would work.” The photographer looked up at the light dappled through the leaves. “Just there. Now, Caz, if you can get in as close as you can to Grace, and then just rest your forehead—” He waved a finger. “Perfect, and then both turn just a little to look at me—great.” He snapped away.
“I feel a bit of dick,” Caz said.
“Well, no different to usual then.” Grace laughed, and Caz had to admit it was possibly true.
The photographer snapped away.
“Lovely, that’s—yes… Okay, now, shall we do the kiss in front of that wooden arch?” He walked away towards it before either could say anything.
“More kissing.” Caz laughed. “I’ve never kissed you before, and now—”
“You did kiss me once,” Grace interrupted as they walked together, hand in hand, with their free hands lifting dresses from the grass.
“When?” Caz frowned.
“It was about four years ago. You’d had too much to drink after a party and I walked in. You were expecting that idiot…”
Caz wracked her brain for who she was dating four years ago and then grimaced. “Ugh, Valerie.”
“Yeah, well it wasn’t ‘ Ugh, Valerie’ then. But you thought I was her and…it was dark, and I’d had a fair bit to drink, too, and…you kissed me.”
“Like…a kiss—”
“Yeah, the full snog.” Grace laughed when Caz’s face went beet red and her ears looked like they’d steam.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Grace shrugged. “Didn’t seem important. You’d have just been embarrassed, and I wasn’t going to risk our friendship over it. It was no big deal… You didn’t even remember the next day.”
“Bloody hell.”
“Want to take a moment?” the photographer asked. “Only, you both look a bit flushed.” He grinned. “Understandable, it’s hot and—” He thought better of whatever else he’d planned to say when Caz glared at him.
“I’m sorry,” Caz said quietly to Grace.
Grace looked at her, confused. “About what?”
“Kissing you. That was… If you’d told me—” She went to run a hand through her hair and then remembered she was supposed to be looking her best.
Grace poked her. “Don’t be stupid. It was ages ago, and I’d forgotten all about it ’til…well, ‘til you kissed me in the church.”
Caz rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t really a kiss. That was just…a long peck.”
“I know, but for some reason…it reminded me.”
The photographer’s voice interrupted, “Okay, so if we…alright, Grace, you turn around. Caz, scoot in really close, arms around Grace’s waist.”
They moved into position.
“So, was it good?” Caz asked against Grace’s ear, grinning to herself.
“What?” Grace asked through her teeth as she smiled for the camera.
“The kiss. Was it good?” Caz whispered, but this time Grace turned a little to look at her.
“In the church?” she said softly, their eyes holding each other’s gaze.
“No,” Caz laughed, “the proper kiss. Was it at least a good one?”
Grace giggled, shrugging at the same time. “I guess so. It’s never been beaten.”
“Wow, that good,” Caz gloated. “Even better than Christopher Spencer?” He was the boy Grace had had a crush on in her teens, who had kissed her once and she’d never forgotten it.
“Shut up.” Grace laughed, and as they became serious again for the photo, she said, “Yes, better than him.”
They walked into the hall, still hand in hand. It was something neither of them had consciously thought about since they’d left the church. It just felt natural to them both to gravitate towards one another and always be connected. Plus, it didn’t hurt the charade they were playing out.
A round of applause erupted, and whoops of excitement filled the air, along with several wolf whistles from Dani and the car crew.
“Here we go. Incoming,” Caz whispered, spotting Grace’s parents heading straight for them. “I’m gonna go and chat with the girls—let you have some time with them.”
Their hands slid slowly apart as though their fingertips were not ready to detach. Eyes held on one another until Grace was tapped on the shoulder and turned to find a very happy face staring at her.
“Mum,” Grace said, before one last glance over her shoulder at a retreating Caz. A glass of champagne was handed to her and she took a long gulp, still watching for where Caz had gone.
“Oh, Gracie, that was just…beautiful,” her mum said, dabbing at her eyes. “Such a lovely service.”
“It was, wasn’t it? I don’t really remember much.” Grace laughed. Her eyes scanned the room. Caz had completely disappeared from her line of sight, and she felt the loss of her by her side.
“Don’t worry, Sweetpea, it’s all on video.” Her dad leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Your wife already legged it?”
“Yeah, I think she’s…” She looked around for a third time before, finally, she spotted the long dark hair through a window. ”She’s getting some air with her friends.”
“I still can’t believe it, really. Who’d have thought it—you and Caz after all these years.” Ron chuckled.
“I know…took us by surprise, too,” Grace said, still watching Caz. She smiled to herself when something Portia said made Caz laugh and her new wife’s entire face lit up.
“Did it?” her mum asked seriously, and Grace brought her attention back to the room. “I mean, I know you’ve never been gay, but, I dunno, I always thought there was something about Caz that just…fit with you.”
“Really?” She caught sight of Caz through the window again, only this time, Caz was looking back. They shared a smile. “I suppose we have always been thick as thieves.”
“And the rest,” her mum laughed, “I thought she’d moved in with us at one point, she was there so often.”
“Was she? I don’t remember that.”
“Ron, what did we say about Caz that summer? You remember?”
“We said, ‘At this rate, we’ll have to start charging rent.’”
They both laughed and Grace smiled, but her attention was still on Caz, laughing again with her work bestie, Dani. Fooling everyone into thinking they were a real couple was going to be a piece of cake if her own parents bought it.
“I’m just going to…find my wife.”
“Good plan. Dinner will be served in a few minutes.” Her dad glanced at his watch and nodded. “I’m starving. Couldn’t eat a thing this morning—I was that nervous.”
“Oh, Dad, you are sweet.”
“Only gonna happen this once. I couldn’t mess it up for you, Sweetpea.”
“Never.” She kissed his cheek then gave her mum a quick hug. “Go get settled, I’ll find Caz.”
Outside, the fresh air was welcome. She waved to Caz, who spoke quietly to Dani and then walked away from her group of friends towards Grace.
“Everything alright?”
“Yes, darling,” Grace said, as another small group bundled outside for cigarettes, passing them. When they were out of earshot, she said, “Dinner is about to be served and we need to be in place, ready for speeches.”
“God, I forgot about those.” Caz shook visibly. “I’m winging it. I couldn’t write a single thing that made any sense…or didn’t give it all away.”
Grace kissed her cheek. “You’ll be fine. You’re good on your toes.”
“I am—you’re right,” Caz said, filled with confidence in an instant, just from a few words. “See, this is why we’re the perfect match.”
“I know.” Grace laughed. “Come on, let’s go show each other off.”