AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘You know your parents would have travelled halfway round the world to be there with you when you got married regardless of how you chose to go about it.’
A spike of guilt lanced Luke as the truth in Claudia’s words found their mark and slashed hard. ‘We didn’t invite anyone,’ he reiterated. ‘Not even Philippa’s parents.’
Claudia shrugged. ‘Okay.’
‘Mum seemed okay with it when I spoke to her.’
It had never been his intention to hurt his mother and if he’d had any inkling that would be the outcome he would have paid for them both to fly over.
Claudia rolled her eyes. ‘Of course she did, you idiot. You were blissfully happy and she didn’t want to burst your bubble or burden you with her disappointment. She’s your mother—she was never going to put a guilt trip on you.’
‘But I suppose you have no compunction?’
‘Strangely enough, tonight I don’t, no.’
Luke glared down at her. He knew exactly how she felt. ‘It’s a strange old night,’ he said.
A trill undulated in her belly at the intensity in his gaze. ‘Amen,’ she muttered.
Their eyes locked momentarily before they glanced away from each other. Luke resumed dancing and Claudia followed suit. He had been happy, he remembered. Blissfully happy. It seemed like a long time ago now and time had mired it in such bitter memories, but he’d really thought Philippa was the one.
‘Maybe that’s why it failed...your marriage.’
Luke faltered again slightly but kept going. Dancing with Claudia like this was the sweetest torture. All soft and warm against him despite her sharp tongue and prickles.
‘Oh, this ought to be good,’ he said derisively. ‘Please do share why you think my marriage failed.’
Claudia shrugged. ‘All women want the fairy tale, Luke. The dress, the cake, the bridesmaids. Where’s the romance in a register office?’
Luke snorted. Not Philippa. Her lack of interest in a big event had puzzled him at the time—most women he knew wanted the fancy party, the whole shebang. But not Philippa. Of course, it had become evident only two years later why she hadn’t been bothered.
The bitter memories rose to the surface again and twisted a knife in his gut. ‘Dear little Claude,’ he said, ‘still on board the Love Boat, I see.’
Claudia froze as his patronising words slid down her back like cold slime. She’d thought he’d finally seen her as a woman tonight—not some adoring little lapdog that followed him around and hero-worshipped him. Not some silly romantic girl with her head in the clouds.
She stepped out of his arms and glared at him. ‘I think I’m done with dancing.’
Luke glared back. ‘Me too.’
THIRTEEN
An hour later Claudia was still royally pissed off.
Lying on her bed in the dark, her red velvet dress twisted around her, she stewed away like some sappy freaking Cinderella who hadn’t got the prince after the clock had struck twelve.
Occasional flashes of lightning from the storm brewing outside slanted into the room in strobe-like bursts, illuminating her misery.
God, maybe she was as pathetic as Luke’s words had suggested.
Why weren’t life and love as simple as The Love Boat?
Why, more importantly, hadn’t she just kept her big mouth shut? Yes, she’d spoken some home truths, things he’d needed to hear, but who’d died and left her in charge of things Luke should know?
And what on earth had possessed her to spout on about where his marriage had gone wrong when she knew hardly anything about it? In fact, until tonight, all she’d known was the name of his ex and that they’d worked together at the same firm.
She’d seen a photo, of course—a tall, gorgeous, curvy brunette. Worldly and sophisticated. The exact opposite of her.
But that was it.
And she’d told Luke it was because their wedding hadn’t been romantic enough. She, who had been married exactly zero times, was dishing out marital advice!
Argh!
But, man, he’d been especially...infuriating/sexy/irritating tonight. Coming over all do you think you should be wearing that? and treating her as if she were some recalcitrant teenager who needed her virtue protected.
She laughed suddenly at the absurdity of it. Her virtue had been lost some time ago. Ironically on a cruise she and Avery had taken together when they’d been nineteen.
She knew he liked her in the dress. His eyes had practically bugged out of his head, for crying out loud. She knew he’d been aware of the delicious friction between them as they’d danced. So why didn’t the jackass just accept it for what it was and let it go?
