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He squeezes my shoulder. “Oh, baby, you will. You’re far too talented a wedding planner not to.”
Ouch. That jabs. Still, I push it aside.
The afternoon goes by in a blur as we all run through ideas for the big day. I’ve always wanted to get married in Bucklebury, and say so, but Ant shoots me a glance of shock. I wait for him to expand on it, but he doesn’t, just changes his expression with a smile and goes along with it, asking for venue suggestions in the area.
“Bucklebury Hall after the chapel?” I laugh, and Sarah pulls a face.
“Fuck that, Cass. You’re not walking up the same aisle as Jack did with Susie. You need somewhere much better than that. Show the turd what he’s missed out on.”
Mum gives her a stern look, and Sarah shrugs as she grabs another biscuit.
“Cass can get married wherever she wants,” Mum says.
“Yeah, of course,” Sarah says. “I’m just saying,”
“Plenty of people we know have got married in the chapel,” I say in opposition. “It doesn’t really matter who has walked down the aisle first. Hell, Mum and Dad walked down the aisle there.” I laugh. “So did you.”
Ant looks at me with a smirk. “Who knows, baby. Maybe we’ll break the trend?”
I don’t answer that, but Sarah and Dave do. They list off a load of the grand venues around here, like I don’t know them all already. Harry jumps up and down at the mention of Lakeside Castle, saying how much he’d love to be a page boy there at a magical palace.
I wish I shared their thoughts on it.
Ant’s booked Bucklebury Hall for our celebratory dinner early this evening, so we all retreat to get ready.
“We’ll see you there,” Sarah says, and pulls me in for another tight hug. There’s a crack of emotion in her voice as she whispers up close to my ear. “I love you so much, Cass. Ant is a guy from a fantasy movie and you’re the luckiest woman alive, but you deserve it, you know that? You deserve everything. You’re the best sister ever.”
My voice cracks right back. “Thanks, sis, you too.”
I rush upstairs when they’ve left, desperate to get ready. I’ve brought a couple of options along with me, but Ant smirks as he puts on his tux, pointing to the red dress.
“Wear that one, baby.”
“But I wore this one last night.”
“I don’t care, Cass. Wear it again.”
His voice is so assured I don’t even think about questioning it.
I check myself out in the mirror about twenty times before we head downstairs, still struggling to believe how well the dress suits me. My hair is styled in a wave, and my makeup is smoky, and my jewellery looks divine, sparkling along with my engagement ring.
Mum sucks in a breath and puts her hands to her face as I appear on the stairs.
“Oh wow, Cass. You look absolutely beautiful!”
“You too,” I reply, because she does.
Both my parents look incredible, Mum in her finest green dress, and Dad in the suit he wore to Sarah’s wedding. I feel like a queen as Ant drives the four of us down to the High Street. It’s like I’m in a surreal dimension as we walk up to the Hall with the same familiar faces around us in the street, all of them doing a double take as they pass me.
I’ll be the talk of the town for weeks.
Sarah, Dave and Harry are already there when we take our seats, but there are still three empty chairs at the table. Sarah smiles, and I daren’t hope…
I sent Michelle a message last night saying I needed to see her, but haven’t filled her in yet. Seems I don’t need to, though. She walks in with Stephen and the awesome little Tommy and I’m straight up from my seat to greet them with hugs and kisses. I pull Tommy up in my arms and spin him around, because it feels like years since I’ve seen him. Video calls just aren’t the same.
Michelle’s eyes are full of tears along with mine as she stands back to look at me. She grabs my hand and admires my ring, and I choke up along with her. I’m surprised I have any tears left in me after how many I’ve cried over the past twenty-four hours.
Ant is straight up on his feet to introduce himself, and Michelle looks as amazed as I was when I first saw him at the bar back in Hanley. She looks visibly swayed, looking from him to me and back again.
“I’m so pleased to meet you,” she says, and he clasps her hands.
“The same to you. I’m beyond honoured to meet Cass’s best friend. She has amazing things to say about you.”
“Ha!” she laughs. “Well, I’m pretty honoured to meet her fiancé, and she has amazing things to say about you, so ditto.”
