‘Morning, love.’ Rita lifted her hand, then froze. ‘Wait, stop! I’ve just remembered something important. Imogen’s coming to stay in a yurt.’ She threw her hands up. ‘She’s the reporter from our retreat, the one who wrote that scathing article about us and Rosecliff Barns. She’s bringing a friend, apparently, in case the friend wants to have her wedding here… though I know she’s really just coming to report on the day. Not a single thing can go wrong in front of her. Not one.’ She paused, taking a breath. ‘So… let’s be nice. Let’s pretend we haven’t even seen her other article. Deal?’
‘Stupid cow,’ Kel added.
‘None of that, Kel.’ Rita was serious. ‘Even you need to pretend you like her. Finally, thanks again, everyone, for all that you’ve done to help after the fire. I feel blessed to know you all.’ She began to well up. ‘Damn these hormones.’
‘Any news on how it might have started, yet?’ Zenya asked.
‘Not confirmed, but on that note, I don’t want a bad word said against Rosecliff Barns in front of Imogen either.’
Thom and Sennen’s eyes narrowed at this comment, but they said nothing.
‘Right, everyone,’ Sennen then shouted. ‘Let’s get this show on the road!’
Taking a breath, Rita took them all in, especially her two kids, and the thought of Chloe and her unborn baby tugged ather unexpectedly. You couldn’t choose the family you were born into; some people had a good start, some didn’t. It made her realise just how lucky she was to have this strange, wonderful constellation of people orbiting her life like a hive of bees, each moving to their own rhythm yet somehow working together perfectly.
A rush of love swept through her.
FORTY-FIVE
Rita heard the bride before she saw her, laughter spilling across the yard. A flash of blonde, a burst of a brightly coloured sundress, and then… ‘Rita! Oh my God, Rita!’
Rita stared, wide-eyed. ‘Annie? What are you doing here?’
Annie, sixty, bold as brass, glowing like she’d swallowed the sun. Ex-airline cabin crew, all confidence and charm, the sort of woman who’d slip you an extra drink during turbulence and never forget a face. Rita’s heart lifted instantly.
‘Meet our bride,’ Sennen said, grinning.
‘I wanted to surprise you,’ Annie added with a smirk.
Rita couldn’t keep the smile off her face. ‘Well, you’ve certainly done that. And who’d have thought Michael Stone would be the lucky man?’
‘Who’d have thought indeed. Miserable old sod during our retreat, he was, but I soon bashed that out of him.’ Annie was completely straight faced.
‘Incredible.’ Rita beamed. ‘So that’s two firsts – our first retreat love story and our first wedding involving guests.’
‘I won’t be trying to say that after a couple of sherbets,’ Annie guffawed.
‘You look bloody marvellous,’ Rita said, meaning every word.
Annie laughed. ‘Darling, I feel it. Who’d have thought it, me getting married at sixty?’
‘It’s just a number,’ Rita said, then gestured to her stomach. ‘Who’d have thought I’d be pregnant with twins again at forty-six? Soon to be forty-seven… tomorrow!’ With all that had been going on she had completely forgotten about her birthday. The day when everything was supposed to happen. The day she was supposed to know if she wanted to be with Jago or not and vice versa. How life can change in an instant!
‘Well, if Victoria Coren Mitchell can do the late-mother thing, why can’t you?’ Annie added.
Rita laughed. ‘Exactly. I love that woman. If I get even a line on the Connecting Wall on that ridiculously hard quiz show of hers, I start thinking I should’ve gone to Oxford.’
A people carrier with wedding guests arrived and Rita looked over to see Zenya and Teo greeting and shepherding them towards the yurts, pointing, chatting, laughing.
‘We’ll get everyone settled,’ Zenya called back. ‘You two take your time.’
Annie lingered, slipping her arm through Rita’s. ‘Honestly, if I’d known you did weddings, I’d have booked you in a heartbeat. But when Sennen told me Rosecliff Barns had cancelled and you had space, well, it felt like fate.’ She lowered her voice conspiratorially. ‘We were going to spend our wedding night in one of your yurts anyway. Can’t think of anything nicer than waking up to that High Meadow view with Mr Stone beside me.’ Not wanting to explain that without Rosecliff’s refusal there would be no wedding venue here, Rita laughed, warmth blooming in her chest.
‘So… That’s why you’re taking the bride up the field in the Jimny, Mum,’ Sennen said lightly. ‘Annie requested it.’
Annie winked. ‘I do like an entrance, darling.’
‘Not sure about one in Mum’s old bone shaker, but you’re certainly going to get one in that Cinderella carriage,’ Sennen added.
