10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
‘You know we don’t need so much cloak and dagger.’ Nick placed three pints on a table in the snug behind the main bar of the Ship. ‘This is Saffron Bay, out of season. No one cares who you are or why you’re here.’
‘Trust me,’ said Cillian, reaching for a glass. ‘It’s best to play it safe. The last thing I want is tons of screaming fans turning up here and ruining the wedding.’
‘The wedding’s not for another six weeks.’ Luke shook his head. ‘Honestly, mate, you really don’t need to be so paranoid.’
Cillian winced. They had no idea. How could they?
Unless you’d lived the life he had, no one could understand the constant pressure of not being able to do anything in a normal way.
Understand what it’s like being chased down the street.
Or not being able to go on a date or for a pint in your local without being besieged with demands for selfies and autographs.
He understood he shouldn’t complain. But he longed to be able to leave the house without running through a list of logistics and worst-case scenarios.
‘Anyway,’ said Luke, taking a sip of his beer, ‘it was a good idea to meet up. I hear you’re involved in the wedding planning.’
‘Yes.’ Cillian grimaced. ‘You’ve left it a bit late, haven’t you? I didn’t like to say anything to Kitty and Alice, but six weeks to plan a wedding …’
‘Yeah.’ Nick grinned. ‘We weren’t planning on getting married till next year, but then we all had dinner together one night, got a bit worse for wear and decided, why not just get on with it? We couldn’t see any reason to wait.’
Luke leaned his elbows on the table. ‘I know it puts the whole thing under pressure. Nick and I offered to help with the planning, but the girls were adamant. They wanted you and May to be involved. They thought it would be fun, you know, keeping most of it a surprise.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘I suppose it takes away the chance of anyone falling out. We can blame you and May for anything that goes wrong.’
Nick laughed. He and Luke clinked glasses. Cillian’s stomach turned over.
‘The thing is …’ He drew a breath and started again. ‘I’m not saying this to involve you or get anyone into any trouble … I can’t speak to Kitty about it …’
Nick and Luke stared at him.
‘What is it?’ asked Luke. ‘What’s wrong?’
Cillian took a long sip of his pint. ‘It’s May. She’s an absolute nightmare. I really can’t see how we’re going to be able to work together.’
‘Why?’ asked Nick. ‘What’s happened with May?’
‘She doesn’t listen,’ said Cillian. ‘She’s stubborn, strong-willed. She won’t even hear my suggestions before jumping on them and taking offence.’ He was getting into his stride now, indignation rising. ‘I dare to suggest getting married on a beach in the UK might not be the most sensible idea—’
‘I don’t know,’ said Luke. ‘Getting married on a beach sounds cool to me.’
Cillian paused with the pint halfway to his lips. ‘What about rain?’
‘I reckon you could take precautions,’ said Nick. ‘Put a gazebo up, or worst-case scenario, have a Plan B.’ He nodded. ‘That’s what we do for the summer extravaganza on the beach. We book the community centre as a backup.’
‘You don’t want to get married in a community centre.’ Cillian was horrified. ‘How awful.’
Nick and Luke both laughed.
‘Honestly, mate,’ said Luke, ‘we’re both marrying the loves of our lives.
We couldn’t care less where the wedding takes place so long as it happens.
Have fun with it, that’d be my advice.’ He gazed at Cillian with serious eyes.
‘Both Alice and Kitty are easy-going about these kinds of things. What they’ll be wanting is a bit of romance and a lot of fun.
If you and May pull that off, you’ll be heroes. ’
‘Great.’ Cillian leaned back, cradling his pint. ‘You make it sound so easy.’
‘We never said that,’ Nick protested. ‘I was very glad when Kitty suggested asking you and May to take the wedding plans on.’
‘If only May weren’t so difficult,’ muttered Cillian.
‘You know,’ said Luke, ‘don’t take this the wrong way, mate, but I think you’ve misjudged May.’
‘Yes,’ said Nick. ‘She’s a really chilled girl. Super kind, super generous, warm, friendly. I can’t really see what there is not to like.’
‘She hasn’t been warm and friendly to me.’ Cillian couldn’t help sounding like a sulking brat.
‘Ah,’ said Luke, with a knowing tone that caused Cillian to frown in annoyance.
He felt like he was about to be told off by his dad.
‘That’s what this is about. You’ve grown soft.
You’re used to girls throwing themselves at you, giving you exactly what you want, when you want.
And now you’ve come up against May Tyler, who is very much not that sort of girl. ’
‘No,’ said Cillian. ‘I don’t want someone who fawns over me, that’s not it at all. I’m not like that with women.’
‘You seem to have a problem with May’s strong-mindedness.’ Nick frowned.
‘Only because I have to work with her,’ said Cillian.
‘I like women who know their own minds. I’ve always viewed my female friends as equals.
I don’t want you to think I’m some misogynist.’ God, was he putting the men off too, now?
Only Kitty and Alice to go, and he would have made enemies all round.
‘We’re not saying that,’ said Luke. ‘You have May wrong. Yes, she can be a bit spiky. She’s certainly got a temper on her and doesn’t always think before she speaks, but she’s got a heart of gold.’
‘My daughter loves her,’ said Nick. ‘And Emily is pretty choosy about who’s on the receiving end of her affections. She loves May, and that tells you a lot about the kind of woman May is.’
‘Yeah, and you have to remember she’s not had an easy life,’ said Luke. ‘If she’s a bit spiky, it’s probably because she doesn’t trust you yet.’
‘Oh?’ Cillian’s interest perked up. ‘What’s happened to her?’
‘Well, she was abandoned by both parents for starters,’ said Luke.
‘Her dad’s never really been on the scene.
Yeah, he throws money at her occasionally, but he’s not exactly taken on a parenting role.
And then, when she was fifteen, just about to take her GCSEs, her mum ran off to the other side of the world, leaving Alice to look after May.
The pair of them have had to fend for themselves most of their lives, from what I can understand, and that’s bound to create a bit of a tough shell. ’
‘I had no idea.’ Cillian took this news on board. ‘I can’t imagine what it’s like to be abandoned by your parents.’
He thought about his own mum and dad. If anything, he considered their affection annoying, suffocating. Given the alternative, he could see what a blessing it had been growing up in a loving home.
‘Yeah.’ Nick downed the last of his pint. ‘May’s a tough cookie because she has to be. But, like Luke says, she’s got a heart of gold. Maybe next time, hear her out.’
Luke pulled Nick’s empty glass towards him, cocked an enquiring eye at Cillian’s barely touched drink, and said, ‘I’ve spent a lot of time with May these past few years.
So long as she gets to say her piece, she’ll show you the same respect.
Maybe you need to start afresh. Talk through her ideas rather than writing them off. ’
Cillian shook his head at Luke’s implicit offer of a drink and picked up his pint. ‘Yes,’ he said, his mind whirring. ‘Perhaps you’re right.’