Chapter 30
By the time Gary and Wendy’s wedding came around, Amy was a lot more mobile, but she was still wearing a boot-style cast to support the bones in her ankle. It was hidden under a flowy summer dress and Lijah looked amazing in a royal blue linen suit, as her plus one.
The wedding service had been beautiful, and Gary hadn’t been able to hold back the tears when he saw Wendy walking down the aisle towards him. His speech had referenced the fact that he and Wendy had first dated at school, and Lijah had squeezed Amy’s hand, whispering close to her ear.
‘This could be us next.’
She’d raised her eyebrows, answering him in a whisper. ‘It could if you get really lucky.’
‘I already am.’
‘So cheesy.’ She’d grinned then, the familiar warmth that came from being near Lijah spreading right through her. Amy knew what he’d said wasn’t just a cheesy line, and that he’d meant it when he said he felt lucky, because she did too.
The reception was proving to be every bit as special as the service, and Amy and Lijah were sitting side by side, watching her friends from St Piran’s having fun on the dance floor. He’d met them all now, and every single one of them treated him like a normal person. He was Amy’s boyfriend first and foremost, and Gwen had summed it up: It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, all that matters is that you treat Amy well.
It was great to see Gwen looking and acting so much more like her old self, and her treatment for Addison’s disease was managing the condition effectively. Gwen was in front of them now, twirling around the dance floor with Barry, giving Isla and Reuben a run for their money. Aidan and Jase were dancing too, with baby Ellis held in a papoose between them, and Danni and Charlie’s baby boy was safe in the arms of his Uncle Joe, who was cooing over the baby with his wife, Esther, while his parents made the most of the chance to slow dance alone. Amy had seen Eden and Meg at the bar earlier toasting the happy couple, and she loved the fact that Gary and Wendy had included the newest staff members too, like they were already old friends. That’s how life was in St Piran’s, and it was why she couldn’t ever imagine herself leaving it behind completely.
‘Do you want to try and dance?’ Lijah stroked the back of Amy’s hand, but she shook her head.
‘I’m happy sitting here just watching everyone.’
‘Me too. It’s been brilliant today, hasn’t it? Like being part of a big family. I’ve never had that before.’ Lijah gave her a slow smile. ‘Although we’ve got plenty of time to work on creating one of our own.’
‘I’d love that, but even if it doesn’t happen, the family I’ve got will still be enough, as long as you’re a part of it.’
‘You’re stuck with me now. You had two chances to get away and you blew them both.’ He was still smiling, the look in his eyes making her desperate to kiss him.
‘Well thank God for that.’ Amy leaned forward in her seat, pressing her lips against his. She and Lijah were together again, and she didn’t care any more if there was someone at the wedding waiting to snap a photo and send it to the press. Let the media do their worst, and the commenters say whatever they wanted to say. None of it mattered, because she had something wonderful, something that no one could spoil unless she let them. Amy was never making that mistake again, or changing the way she lived her life to suit anyone else. This was her time, and she was finally learning to shine.
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