Chapter 36 #2
He knew he could have called out to her, but he quietly approached her instead. The eyes of the workers alerted her to his presence, and as she turned, she came into direct contact with his chest. He placed his hands on her waist to steady her.
“Edward,” she said, in almost a whisper.
He hadn’t been this close to her in weeks, and the feeling of silk against her skin made it hard for him to focus.
“Hi,” he finally managed.
She was searching his eyes for some understanding, but her frown told him she found none.
Fuck’s sake. Why is this so bloody hard!
“Is everything okay?” she asked him. He didn’t want to let go of her, and she wasn’t moving away either.
“Excuse me,” someone called from the side of the stage. “Would you mind staying there for a moment so I can adjust the lighting for the first dance?”
“Sure,” Edward responded, taking hold of Scarlett’s left hand and pulling her closer to him.
“So now we’re dancing?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Aye.” Edward nodded. “We’re dancing.”
Scarlett appeared to be doing her best to stay serious, but she couldn’t stop the smile from forming and placed her forehead on his chest in an attempt to hide it. Dancing certainly hadn’t been part of his plan, but it was doing a better job than his words could at that point.
She finally looked up at him as they were slowly moving to the music. “What is happening right now?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He shrugged.
God, she feels so fucking good.
“No?” She narrowed her eyes at him, and he had to fight off the urge to kiss her. To block out the last few weeks and especially block out her arse of an ex waiting for her at the house.
Still, he couldn’t bring himself to speak the words to break the magic of the moment. “I don’t actually know what we’re dancing to. Who is this?”
“Lusaint,” Scarlett offered.
Tell her. You need to tell her that her ex-husband and his wretched mother are basically wedding crashers, with the latter currently fawning all over the father of the bride.
Instead, he said, “I recognise the lyrics.”
“It’s a cover,” she told him, blissfully unaware that her world was going to be disrupted on a day she’d been militantly working towards for weeks.
“Of what?” he asked.
For fuck’s sake, man. Tell her!
“En Vogue,” Scarlett replied, now eyeing him suspiciously, knowing damn well this wasn’t his kind of music. “‘More Than Friends.’”
Damn her and her uncanny ability to see straight through me.
Still, he didn’t tell her. Instead, he said, “I see. Think I prefer this one.”
She nodded. “Me too.”
They continued to dance, both now listening to the lyrics, which seemed to be written personally for them.
He held her closer and breathed in the scent of her hair, making his insides ache.
He needed to make this work; the idea of her leaving Haddon was not something he could accept.
She needed to stay. She belonged here, with him, and he’d do whatever he could to convince her of that fact.
There was no alternative as far as he was concerned.
The song finished sooner than he wanted, and they slowed to a stop, looking at each other.
Now .
He had to tell her now.
“Scarlett, I—” he began before he was cut off.
“You found her then?” Jason’s voice went through Edward like nails on a chalkboard, and he felt Scarlett stiffen in his arms. “Glad to see there was some urgency.”
Edward noticed Scarlett’s breathing becoming uneven as she looked searchingly up at him, confused and hurt.
“I was going to tell you he was here, and then—”
“The music must’ve made you forget, clearly,” Jason interjected, approaching them.
Scarlett still didn’t speak, but she moved out of Edward’s hold.
“Scarlett—” Edward began.
“What are you doing here?” She was looking at Jason, the little vein at her temple becoming dark and angry.
“I told you I was coming to see you.” Jason made to move closer but thought better of it.
She was trembling. “Not today, you didn’t. I told you not for another week or so after Christmas!”
“You told him to come here?” Edward snapped.
“Yes, to bring my things and so we could sort the divorce. I asked him to send everything, but he refused, and he wants that stupid ring.” Scarlett’s cheeks flushed with anger.
“What ring?” Edward knew exactly what ring.
“My mother’s ring. It’s a family heirloom.” Jason straightened his shoulders and raised his chin in the air. “It’s very expensive.”
“We could have sent it by courier.” Edward moved closer to Scarlett, who moved even further away from him.
Jason raised his eyebrow. “We?”
“Shut up, Jason.” Scarlett closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples.
“There’s no need to speak to me like that, Scarlett. I’ve come to talk,” Jason told her, matter-of-fact.
“About the ring?” Edward asked.
Jason scowled at Edward before focusing his attention back on Scarlett. “Look, I want to talk to you before my mother comes looking for me and without him .”
“You brought your fucking mother?” Scarlett spat at him.
“She was quite persistent, actually.” Jason’s voice was small.
“Holy mother of fuck, Jason, I think you’ve just reached an epic level of… I don’t even know!” Scarlett’s voice crept up an octave.
Edward’s stomach clenched when he heard a shrill voice. “Jason, darling! There you are! Oh, there she is as well… Scarlett.”
“Is she drunk?” Scarlett’s eyes widened at the sight of her mother-in-law approaching them, still accompanied by Thomas.
Edward no longer knew what to do, but despite Scarlett already being visibly pissed at him, he wasn’t leaving her alone with this lot.
“Have you told her yet?” Tara called across the room.
“Told me what?” Scarlett snapped her head towards Jason.
Jason groaned. “I didn’t want this to go this way.”
“What were you expecting, a fucking welcome party?” Edward asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.
“Angelica, the baby…” Jason looked like he was about to cry. “He’s not mine.”
The room was suddenly silent. Thomas was looking around at the stunned faces surrounding him with absolutely no idea what was going on.
Edward almost felt sorry for him. Finally, the silence broke with Scarlett’s laughter, which continued uncontrollably to the point Edward worried she was verging on hysteria.
“There she goes.” Tara rolled her eyes. “Can’t manage a shred of decorum, even in the most inappropriate moments.”
Scarlett was still laughing, but tears were now falling down her cheeks.
“Scarlett, are you okay?” Edward tried to touch her arm.
“No!” She suddenly stopped laughing and snatched her arm away. “So, what, you thought you’d come here and try to get me to come home with you… and your mother?”
Jason cast his eyes down and shrugged. “That was the plan, yes.”
Scarlett raised her hands to her head. “You are all absolutely fucking crazy!”
Tara gasped at Scarlett’s outburst, to which Thomas patted her hand in a show of comfort.
“Scarlett, mouth, really.” Jason gave her a reprimanding look, which Edward wanted to punch from his face.
“Ohhhhh, wonderful, and here comes the mother. Honestly, it’s turning into an episode of Eastenders at this point.” Tara rolled her eyes again.
“What on earth is going on?” June walked into the marquee, with Andrzej following close behind her.
Edward noted how remarkably well they both cleaned up, but quickly returned his focus to Scarlett, who he was convinced was about to blow up, and he wasn’t sure everyone was leaving the tent unscathed.
Even the workers had stopped what they were doing as the drama continued to amplify and more people entered the ring.
“A wedding! That is what’s going on.” Scarlett’s voice was even and controlled.
“There is a wedding taking place in about an hour, actually. Currently, about fifty guests are milling around in the drawing room and hall for drinks before they make their way to their seats in the orangery. The bride is expecting me, so that’s where I am now going.
You should leave.” She looked at Jason. “With your mother.”
“Now, let’s not be rash. I’m sure this can all be settled amicably.” Thomas was still comforting Tara. “You’re my guests, please, come with me. Let the young ones settle their differences. Shall we?”
Tara looked at Scarlett with disdain. “Very well, Thomas, thank you. You’ve been so kind, and it was such a long drive. I mean, we stopped over, but still.”
“I can only imagine,” Thomas said, leading her away.
“As you wish,” Scarlett replied, shaking her head, and then shrugged. “I’ve got places to be.”
“Scarlett?” Edward tried again to reach out for her, but she evaded him.
“Not now, Edward.” Scarlett shook her head again, not looking at him, and in an instant, she was gone. June and Andrzej quickly followed her, leaving him standing alone with Jason.
Fuck .