Page 149 of Pretender

“You’ve told me a lot today. I need to think now, okay? I’m here this weekend. We can spend more time together.”

He stands up, putting his hands in his pockets.

“I’d love that.” Then he winces. “Tomorrow is tough, I have a whole day of wedding tasks.”

“Me too, and that’s fine. We can both think.”

He tucks his lips in, looking at the floor, and he’s simply painfully cute.

“It’s best you go now, Aiden, before we move too fast. I need to be respectful of my own boundaries.”

He glances up at me again. “Of course, I understand.” He turns around and I avert my eyes because watching him moving around in those jeans is painful.

Aiden pushes his hands further into his pockets. “I’ll see you at dinner with the family?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. See you soon, Linnea.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

choosing you

LINNEA

This is the first wedding I’ve helped with since Jamie and Sophie got married. But it’s the first I’ve done without supporting staff. I’m pleased with the results. And Venetia’s niece was an absolute delight to work with as a floral decorator.

Amara’s Art Nouveau garden wedding dream has come true.

Five tall wrought-iron arches run the length of the lawn, from the foot of the dining room stairs to the end where the folly is. We’ve draped them with flowers, trailing greens, and crackled glass lanterns at different heights, so the whole aisle glitters from every angle.

Lining the inside of the arches are the chairs, all draped in green and pink floral chair covers that melt into the garden perfectly, and every seat faces the garden folly. We’ve wound a climbing wisteria across it. A fake one, but it’s gorgeous.

It’s nothing short of magical out here.

When I turn, I take in the dining area. The doors have been opened and pulled back leaving the exit to the garden wide and allowing the bright August sun to fill the room. We’ve taken the garden inside—floral decorations adorn the sides of the room and every table, a mix of fresh and fake. It’s completely over the top and completely marvellous. Amara told me how much she adored Millefleuré, and she dreamed of a wedding that felt like that, and I’m confident this lives up to her vision.

It’s nearly time for the guests to gather. I’ve been ready for twenty minutes, walking around, pretending that I’m checking the decor, but I’m really waiting for Aiden to arrive. Hoping that I can see him before we have an audience.

There’s a sound behind me and I turn.

And there he is.

“Hi.” He stops, taking me in. The look in his eye is like that in Florence. As if he can’t entirely believe what’s in front of him, but he appreciates what he sees. It takes some of the nerves away, bringing a smile to my face instead.

If I thought seeing Aiden in his casual wear yesterday was hard, watching him stand there in a full, black three-piece suit without being able to touch him is torture. From the way it hugs his broad shoulders I’d bet it’s tailored just for him. His waistcoat is as if sculpted onto him. The pure white shirt is gorgeous against his tan skin, and his silver-blue tie perfectly matches his eyes.

“We’re matching,” I say, gesturing to my royal blue dress. It’s not the same hue, but they complement each other, although I just notice his pocket square is exactly the same blue.

“I was hoping you’d wear that.” His eyes roam over me.

“Of course. It’s perfection.”

“On you, yes.”

I press my lips together, not daring to smile fully at him. I didn’t tell him everything last night, it was too much to go through all of it in one evening. But it doesn’t change how I feel about what he told me. I didn’t sleep much last night, going over it all again and again. His eyes, in particular. The ache in them.

“This is stupendous, Linnea. Thank you for doing this for Mum.”