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William gave her a thumbs-up. ‘I’ll be ready.’
‘Graham’s not wearing trainers, right?’ Nikki hated being nit-picky about clothing but this was a wedding, not football practice.
‘I’ve told him.’ Helen gave her a reassuring smile.
‘I’m going upstairs to get ready.’
‘Can I make you a sandwich? It’s going to be a long day. You should eat something.’
‘We had doughnuts.’
That was a bit of a fib. There had been doughnuts but she hadn’t had one. There was no room for anything in her stomach besides nerves and dread.
‘Hey, Nikki.’ She was just about to leave the room when her dad called her back.
‘Yes?’
‘We’re both so impressed with how you’ve handled this, love. Don’t think it hasn’t gone unnoticed.’
‘What?’ For a horrible moment, Nikki thought they were referring to her obsession with Rik. Was it that obvious?
‘Organising the wedding.’
‘Oh!’ She laughed in relief.
‘It could have been a nightmare for all of us, and I don’t think anyone else could have done it except you.’
‘You’ve done Jess proud,’ her mother added.
‘You deserve a medal.’ Her father’s eyes were twinkling.
Nikki didn’t know what to say. She finally found her voice. ‘She’s my sister. I’d do anything for her.’
She left the kitchen and headed for the stairs. All she had to do now was get everyone to the church on time. She dashed into her bedroom, ripped off her clothes, rolled deodorant under her arms and squirted herself with perfume, then stepped into the bridesmaid’s dress that was hanging up on the wardrobe. It was a strapless sheath in pale green satin – not Nikki’s usual style at all, but Jess had talked her into it, and she had to admit she rather liked its sophisticated glamour.
Halfway into it she realised there was no way she could do up the long zip on her own, so she opened the bedroom door to shout down to her mum to come and help.
She came face to face with Rik, who was standing in the corridor.
‘Oh God,’ he said, embarrassed. ‘I wasn’t loitering. I was about to knock on your door.’
‘Oh!’
‘I just wanted to come and say thank you. For everything you’ve done for today. I don’t think Jess would have got through it without you.’
‘It’s been fun.’ Nikki tried to downplay it.
Rik looked even more extraordinary than ever, in a white linen suit, with a shirt made from the same scarlet silk as Jess’s dress, and he’d done something to his hair that made it look even more tousled and ringlety and golden.
Could she ask him to do up her zip? She was standing there, clutching the top of her dress so it didn’t fall down. Staring at him, transfixed.
‘I thought you were getting ready at the hotel?’ she managed eventually.
‘Your dad asked me up for a drink. He thought I might be nervous.’
‘Just a small one,’ warned Nikki. She hoped that since she’d left the bungalow, Jess hadn’t opened any more prosecco. She’d allowed everyone one Buck’s Fizz, but she suspected the minute her back was turned, the corks would be popping. Jess and her mates were wild.
‘Don’t worry. I’m actually going to wait till afterwards. But I guess it’s your dad’s last chance to tell me to look after his daughter.’ There was a strange expression on his face.
