Page 29 of The Wedding Pact

‘Well, no.’ I cock my head at him. ‘I’ve been swept away to a tropical island by a billionaire. That’s about as far away from reality as you can get.’

‘And yet,’ he points out.

I laugh. ‘Yeah. I know. My mind is a little blown right now, to be honest.’

He nods, then smiles. ‘It’s vodka, Galliano liqueur, fresh orange and lemon juice and if you’re lucky you’ll get a cocktail cherry and a slice of orange with it.’

I stare at him. ‘You just happened to know the recipe for a Harvey Wallbanger? Is it secretly your favourite drink?’ I narrow my eyes at him.

He laughs. ‘It’s not to my taste, but I’ve made a few of them in my time.’

I blink at him. ‘Don’t tell me, you worked as a mixologist in one of your many past careers?’

‘Got it in one,’ he says, leaning his elbow on the bar. ‘It’s a great gig, pays better than standard bartending.’

‘So can you fling the bottles around and freehand pour perfect measures and things like that?’

‘Yup. Well, I used to be able to do flairtending. I haven’t done it in a while so I won’t try it right now in case I brain you. You’ll just have to take my word for it.’

‘Oh, I believe you. I can see it in my mind’s eye – you, being cool behind a bar.’

‘Glad to hear you hold such a high opinion of me.’

I put my own elbow on the bar and move a little closer to him, very much enjoying flirting with him now I’ve got his full attention. ‘I’ve always had a good feeling about you. Ever since we first started messaging. It’s like we’re on the same level. Cognitively, I mean.’

‘Me too. Our chats have been a lifeline recently, if I’m honest. A much-needed break from the craziness of my working life,’ he says.

‘Yeah. Same. That’s why I liked connecting with you incognito in our chatroom. It was great to talk without you having any preconceptions about me. I needed a place online to chat shit about things I like, and don’t like, without the risk of being publicly called out for having an opinion about something other people don’t agree with. It’s exhausting having to think about everything I say online, in case I offend someone. Once we’d formed our little clique of two, I felt like I could be totally honest with you without putting my reputation in jeopardy.’

‘It sounds like we’ve got more in common than we realised,’ Raffa says with a warm smile, which I feel all the way down to my toes.

‘It does,’ I agree, smiling back.

Our moment of connection is broken when the bartender puts a highball glass full of orange liquid in front of me.

I got lucky. There’s a cocktail cherry and a slice of orange in it, just as Raffa had predicted.

Thanking the bartender, I pick it up and take a sip. It’s a bit sweet, but pretty yummy, which is a relief. I was beginning to dread having to drink the whole thing if it wasn’t to my taste.

Raffa picks up his beer and clinks the glass gently against mine, before taking a sip.

‘To a fun week,’ he says.

‘Absolutely,’ I agree.

* * *

The evening flows well after that and we mingle and make small talk with what feels like the entirety of Raffa’s extended family, the solid weight of his arm slung over my shoulders a comfort, but also a reminder of how we’re not being entirely honest with these people about our relationship.

After we’ve done the rounds, we go and sit at the table on the edge of the now rather raucous wedding party, to eat a delicious dinner worthy of a Michelin-star restaurant.

We end up chatting with Gio, Raffa’s cousin on his dad’s side, and his mum, Raffa’s Auntie Kay, who are a lot of fun and really great company – especially as they talk nineteen to the dozen, barely requiring me or Raffa to utter a word.

In fact, the only time I’m compelled to talk is when Auntie Kay asks me to fill her in about who I am, after admitting she’s heard gossip from the other guests about Ida Fury being here and not knowing a thing about me.

This is said in good humour though.

I guess me being here has added to all the intrigue and drama of the wedding, which both Auntie Kay and Gio seem rather partial to. They certainly like to gossip about people, which they continue to do all the way through dinner.