Chapter 34
34
‘You’re going to have to explain it to me again,’ Ethan says. ‘I don’t think I’m getting it.’
We’re currently standing in the back garden – the beautifully sculpted, pristine gardens that lead down to the beach. We’re next to the pool, watching the scene outside the pool house. Dad, Chester’s dad, Chester and Beau are currently un-packaging something.
‘It’s a bench,’ I tell him again. ‘We have a family tradition that the eldest child gets married on this bench, like it’s the thing the happy couple sit on during the seated parts of the ceremony, and then they have custody of it until their eldest gets married. My grandad’s grandad – maybe even a step more than that – handmade it, right down to the intricate little carvings in the wood.’
‘But… aren’t you the eldest child?’ he checks.
‘I am indeed,’ I say with a sigh. ‘Apparently we’re changing the rule, to the child who gets married first.’
‘That’s rough,’ he says.
‘Oh, no, honestly, I really don’t care about a bench,’ I assure him. ‘Much less getting married on one.’
‘I can’t believe you’ve had this shipped over from England,’ Chester’s dad says. ‘It must have cost a fortune.’
‘It did,’ Dad confirms. ‘We had to pay extra, for special care, because it’s so fragile.’
I know how it feels.
‘It means the world to Seph,’ Chester tells Dad, slapping him on the back.
‘Anything for my little princess,’ Dad says with pride.
Beau looks over at us, giving us a wave.
‘Why don’t I like that guy?’ Ethan says.
‘Jealousy?’ I suggest.
‘I’m about as jealous of him as you are of Seph getting that bench,’ he tells me.
‘Will it be safe in here?’ Dad checks.
‘Completely,’ Chester’s dad replies. ‘Not only do we have multiple locks on all of the doors, but see that?’ He points above the door. ‘CCTV. Anyone who goes through that door is going to get picked up.’
‘Good, good,’ Dad replies. ‘It means such a lot to us.’
I don’t know what it is but I just can’t stand to watch any more.
‘I need to pop in, Seph is showing the girls her wedding dress, and that includes me,’ I tell Ethan, not sounding at all enthusiastic.
‘Have fun,’ he replies. ‘I’m just going to watch from a distance here, then join in when they start drinking.’
‘It’s for the best,’ I joke. ‘The two of us standing this close to anything to do with the wedding feels like an accident waiting to happen.’
I’m joking, kind of, but it’s true. As platonic friends, the fireworks that come from the two of us just aren’t going off. Together we generate too much heat but if we keep things cool then it’s all good.
We just need to make sure we keep it that way.