One of the younger servers adjusted the collar of his shirt, which was starched enough to stand up on its own. Another smoothed down her immaculate blazer.
They all nodded in unison, their black bow ties and sleek ponytails giving the entire lineup a strangely glamorous air.
“Good,” I said, stepping aside as they moved into formation with smooth, silent efficiency. “Let’s give them a worthy welcome.”
And just like that, the room snapped into rhythm, plates lifted, glasses polished, chairs straightened, everyone falling into step as if choreographed.
Just the way I liked it.
The guests began to arrive only minutes later, laughter and polite chatter spilling into the air.
Caroline claimed her seat with her usual commanding energy, Emma sliding gracefully into the seat beside her like her emotional ballast. Margaret and Richard Harrington entered next, almost in sync, Margaret’s heels clicking like punctuation marks against the floor.
“Everything seems… satisfactory,” she said after a long scan of the room, the kind of remark that somehow felt both approval and insult in one.
Richard adjusted his cufflinks and gave Sophie a pointed look as she bounded through the doorway after them. “Good to see you, Sophie. Try not to break anything.”
Sophie beamed, spinning around on her toes. “This is incredible! I mean, this room, magnificent! Can we just take a moment to appreciate it?”
James, already settled opposite Caroline, lifted a brow and grinned. “Take a moment? Sophie, lunch isn’t going to wait while you admire the chandeliers.” He tipped his glass, signalling the server to pour his wine with effortless polish.
Elaine arrived next, her presence immediately transforming the room. She placed a familiar hand on James’s arm and smiled at everyone. “Hello, everyone. It’s wonderful to see you all together.”
“Perfect timing, Mum,” James said affectionately “We’ve just sat down.”
The servers moved with well-timed grace, guiding the remaining guests to their places. Caroline had Emma beside her, Sophie was strategically seated near the Harringtons, and Elaine was next to James.
Two seats remained empty, one for the best man, Ethan, and one for the groomsman, Lucas.
I subtly looked down at my watch, a glimmer of concern tightening my chest. We were seconds from running behind schedule.
Just as I was debating whether to begin without them, Ethan Prescott appeared soundlessly, like he’d materialised from thin air.
No fanfare, no footsteps, just there, leaning against the doorway with the kind of poise that suggested he’d never rushed for anything in his life.
Calm. Composed. Immaculately put together in a tailored grey blazer and open-collar shirt that somehow managed to look both corporate and expensive. His watch was sleek and understated, and the kind that costs as much as a family holiday.
He was certainly the kind of man who didn’t need to announce himself because people simply noticed when he arrived.
James spotted him first. “Ethan! Finally, you made it!”
Ethan grinned, tossing James a quick salute, relaxed, confident, the easy shorthand of two men who’d been through years of friendship, business, and probably a few disasters together. “You couldn’t keep me away, mate.”
He made his way around the table with unhurried confidence, greeting each guest with easy charm, a firm handshake here, a polite nod there, the kind of demeanour that made people instantly at ease.
He finally stepped towards Caroline, and her smile lifted in a way I hadn’t seen all morning. “Ethan,” she said, voice dropping into something gentler than her usual polished tone, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss against her cheek.
“Come on,” she said, too bright, “sit down. We’re about to start.”
He took his seat with composure, moving like someone who belonged there.
I leaned towards James, keeping my voice low and professional. “Shall we start lunch, or wait for Mr Scott?”
James turned towards the doorway, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “Let Lucas make an entrance. Lunch can wait five minutes. I’m curious to hear what his excuse is this time.”
Suppressing a sigh, I stepped discreetly to one side, giving the guests their space while mentally recalculating my timeline. Five minutes might not sound like much, but in my schedule, it was an eternity.
