‘I guessed that was what you meant.’ He seemed amused that she was at a loss for words.
He was being friendly, a lot more so than when she’d been in the tea rooms earlier, but perhaps it was a few drinks and the occasion that made him so.
‘It looks like we’ve had the best of the day.’ He nodded to beyond the barn doors where the clouds had come over and drizzle graced the courtyard.
The change of weather didn’t seem to put people off milling outside though, especially not the kids, who were running around out there with another batch of party poppers. ‘Barney’s going to have a terrible job getting streamers out of the gravel,’ she said imagining the coloured strands littering the ground for weeks to come.
‘I don’t think he’ll mind at all.’ Both of them looked to the newlyweds, who were chatting and joking with others as they did the rounds.
Jade realised it wasn’t alcohol that had made Linc relax because he was sipping from a bottle of water rather than a beer or glass of champagne as favoured by the majority of the guests.
‘You look beautiful tonight.’
His comment caught her off guard. ‘I’m usually covered in icing sugar or flour and wearing an apron and scruffs so this is one of the few chances to dress up. You’re looking very smart yourself.’ Better than smart – hot, but she wasn’t going to say that.
‘Come on, you two, get on the dancefloor!’ Patricia urged, refixing the flower in her hair for the umpteenth time when it refused to stay put as she danced.
‘Etna, take it easy,’ Linc warned when he saw her dancing too. She wasn’t exactly holding back and it was good to see.
‘Can’t hear you,’ Etna trilled, ‘la-la-la!’ She twirled again, Joseph at her side.
‘Act your age,’ he called out to her, laughing.
‘Never!’ she hollered back as Kenneth joined her too.
Linc was still laughing when he turned to Jade and said, ‘Come on, we can’t be beaten by the oldies.’
‘Heard that,’ Patricia called out, holding the flower in her hand when it slipped yet again.
Jade had no choice but to join in with the dancing, but with a lively number it wasn’t too difficult to blend in with the others. She did her best not to lock eyes with Linc too many times but as soon as the band slowed to a different tune, perhaps influenced by a few flagging older people in the crowd, she took the chance to have a breather and made to follow Etna and Kenneth as they headed in the direction of the table with the food platters.
‘Not so fast.’ Linc reached out and took her hand before she could leave the dancefloor. ‘Unless you’re waiting for someone else.’
She said nothing to that, her mouth bone-dry as he drew her in closer to him. She thought back to the way Dario had held her at the cottage that first day, again on the beach. It had been familiar, brought up memories. In Linc’s arms she felt different, but, weirdly, it felt right as he led the dance, both of them moving like every other couple, the touch of his starched white shirt against her cheek, the silken edges of his bow-tie that every now and then with a subtle change of direction of his head alternated with the graze of stubble beneath his chin.
‘Where is the Italian anyway?’ Linc murmured as they danced, one of her hands in his, her other resting on the shoulder of his dinner jacket.
‘He’s gone back to Italy.’
He pulled back and looked at her, his surprise clear. Tracy really hadn’t shared much with anyone about her latest guest at the inn. ‘Is he coming back?’
She shook her head.
The music changed to upbeat in tempo and it was Joseph who interrupted them this time as they stood looking at each other, Linc digesting what Jade had told him.
‘Etna is behaving like she’s just found her legs again,’ Joseph laughed. ‘Would you look at her?’
‘Fingers crossed her ankle doesn’t play up,’ said Linc, distracted and not fully paying attention to his dad. Not that Joseph noticed; he’d already darted off again as though his feet couldn’t stay still.
‘Are you going to move to Italy?’ Linc came straight out with it.
Jade smiled. ‘Are you kidding? And miss all this?’
‘I’m serious.’
So was she. ‘It’s over, he’s gone, and I’m staying here.’ She noticed him swallow hard before he spoke again.
‘Do you still have his photograph in your bag?’
