‘I just want to know how Tom is inperson, though,’ Tess said. ‘Can he use his hand normally?’
‘Very close to normal,’ Matt lied.
‘We should really get going,’ Lily told him. ‘Tess is having a final dress fitting with a seamstress we found in the village. Why don’t you suggest to Tom that he practise anything he might need to do tomorrow, like putting the ring on and cutting the cake, and then we’ll know that there’s literally nothing to worry about?’
‘That’s a really good idea,’ Tess said. Again, genius from Lily. ‘Okay, thanks, Matt. We’ll see you this evening.’
We. Okay. As suspected. Lily would be at the dinner. Was it bad that he was kind of looking forward to seeing her there?
Five
Lily
‘I think we should go back to the hotel now and get changed for dinner,’ Tess said towards evening. ‘This is the last time I’m going to go for a walk on the beach as a single woman.’
‘Last time as a single womanagain,’ said Aaliyah, not that much under her breath, and rolling her eyes. ‘Yes, it’s definitely time to go back.’ To be fair to Aaliyah, Tess had pointed out it was the last time she was doing this as a single woman about pretty much everything they’d done today since she’d stopped her two-hour histrionics over Tom’s finger. And to be fair to Tess, it was huge getting married and itwasher last day as a single woman and Aaliyah was being quite intolerant.
‘I might just take a little walk by myself before I get ready,’ said Meg.
‘Say hi to Pythagoras,’ said Aaliyah.
‘Don’t be late for dinner,’ said Tess. ‘And don’t distract him from the catering.’
Lily didn’t say anything because she was busy watching a beach yoga class and remembering how much Matt had made her laugh the one time they’d done yoga together. It hadn’t been a success yoga-wise but they’d had a great time.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Pythagoras.
‘I thought I would come and meet you here, Meg. Good afternoon, everyone. Aaliyah, I have photocopies of those recipes you asked for. Obviously I’ll have to kill you if you share them any more widely.’ He grinned at her. ‘They’re family secrets.’
‘Oh my God, thank you so much.’ Aaliyah folded the papers he’d handed her and tucked them inside the front cover of the Sally Rooney she’d been carting around everywhere and not actually reading. ‘This is dinner sorted when my parents next come over. My mum might finally admit I can cook. And not to worry, I’ll guard the recipe details with mylife.’
‘Anyone like to join us for our walk?’ Pythagoras asked the others.
‘I can’t. I’ve got like abillionthings to do before tomorrow.’ Tess really didn’t have anything left to do other than panic. Belt and braces didn’t even begin to cover the wedding preps so far. ‘And, also, I really don’t want to be rudebutI can’t help asking how long it’s going to take to get the food ready for this evening?’
Pythagoras laughed. ‘Don’t worry, it’s all under control. I have a couple of people already up at the villa and Meg and I will join them soon.’ Carole had strong-armed a friend into hosting a garden dinner for them all this evening, and Meg had – with no difficulty, she said – persuaded Pythagoras into catering it.
‘Thank you so much for the walk offer but I might just grab a little snooze.’ Lily was not going to sleep; she was going to spend the maximum time available getting ready for this evening so that finally she looked okay in front of Matt. For pride’s sake.
‘I’m also going to have a little rest,’ Aaliyah said. ‘And drool over these recipes obviously. And then maybe join you in the kitchen for a few minutes to see you in action. Havefun.’ She did an enormous pantomime wink as Meg and Pythagoras wandered off towards the beach.
‘Honestly.’ Lily nudged her. ‘He’s nice, isn’t he? So much nicer than all her other boyfriends.’
‘Yep.’ Aaliyah nodded. ‘Genuinely lovely. And the first one who’s ever bothered speaking to us atall.’
‘Such a pity that he lives here, and Meg in Edinburgh.’
‘Comeon.’ Tess put an arm through each of theirs and started to march them towards the hotel. ‘It’s only two hours until dinner.’
Two and a quarter hours later, Lily and Tess arrived at Carole’s friend’s house. Meg and Aaliyah had gone ahead of them, to help Pythagoras in the kitchen. The house was in a beautifully peaceful hamlet on a hill overlooking the sea, and was gorgeous: traditionally styled, with white walls and blue shutters.
They were led straight into the back garden, which wasamazing. Lily had an impression of a long, cactus-lined terrace, and beyond that lots of vegetation with a stunning sea view as a backdrop.
Tess was immediately swept away by her mother, while Lily took a glass of something sparkly from a table on the terrace before wandering a little further into the garden, kind of looking forward to seeing Matt.
She was pretty pleased with how she was looking this evening, if she said so herself. She wasn’t hiding behind a scarf display or suffering from terrible hair or talking about broken fingers. Aaliyah had done a good job on her hair again, she’d spent a long time applying a generous amount of barely there, sun-kissed make-up, and she was wearing her favourite summer dress – a mint-green, Charleston-style one that always made her feel good. Obviously she’d split up with Matt and it had been his prerogative who he dated afterwards, and obviously this wassoshallow, but shereallywanted to make him wonder this evening why he’d married someone else less than a year after their split. Pride.
Lily was still drinking in the sight of lush grass framed by tall trees and beautifully vibrant flowers and, on the far side of the garden, a spectacular water feature, when she almost walked smack into Matt, who was standing talking to an older man, who Lily recognised as his uncle Norm, Carole’s husband.
