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‘Take a seat, back in a tick.’ He patted Matt’s hand, a simple gesture, but one Matt was grateful for.
The only spare seats were in full sun, away from the protection of the large oak tree.
He sat down, wishing he’d thought to check that Zac had arrived before turning up. He could kick himself.
An awkward silence followed.
The wooden chair beneath him creaked and he prayed it wouldn’t collapse under him. He could imagine Chris sending him the bill.
His phone pinged with a message from an unknown number. For a fleeting moment, he welcomed the distraction… until he realised the message was from Beth Lawrence.
Zac gave me your number. We need to finalise the wedding budget. Please respond ASAP.
At least, he assumed it was Beth Lawrence. Who else would be asking him about wedding budgets? It was hardly the friendliest of messages, but then, she hadn’t struck him as the friendly type.
He typed in a response.Hi to you too. Will talk to Zac about budget. How’s it going?
A few seconds later she replied.Fine.Please ensure that you do.
She hadn’t defrosted then? It was fair to say they hadn’t got off to the best of starts. Although he was the first to admit that his actions last week hadn’t exactly helped matters, it wasn’t reasonable to still hold a grudge. He’d got over the whole debacle the moment he’d realised who she was, but she clearly hadn’t. She still imagined him to be a guy capable of deliberately inflicting revenge by knocking hot tea over a person. Like he’d ever do that. But she didn’t seem interested in changing her opinion of him, and that annoyed him. He was not that type of bloke.
He looked up to discover all eyes fixed upon him. What had he done? Had he been frowning? Made a noise?
He glanced around the table, making eye contact with his so-called family. A set of blank faces stared back. He felt like he was at a really stressful job interview, under scrutiny from the board of directors for a funeral firm. That, or on trial for crimes against the family – the Hardy clan had sullied the good name of the Hamiltons, and he was here to pay.
He glanced at Will, who gave him an embarrassed shrug. Will Taylor was Gemma’s brother. He ran a successful events-planning company and had all the necessary skills to organise a wedding. If life was fair, it would be Will helping Zac arrange his nuptials and not Matt, but who said life was fair.
His gaze switched to Will’s wife, Lily. She smiled nervously, her eyes flicking to Gemma and Chris to check they weren’t watching. She was a costume designer and the bride’s best friend – which placed her firmly in the ‘enemy camp’, poor woman. He could empathise. Agreeing to make Megan’s wedding dress hadn’t gone down well, but Lily’s loyalty to her friend overrode any objections from her in-laws. Good for her.
Zac’s grandmother gestured to a bowl of nuts in the middle of the table. ‘Can I get you anything to eat, Matt? The barbeque won’t be ready for a while.’
Diane was the peacemaker of the family, the one who mediated and soothed. Her grey hair was cropped into a short style, and she looked healthy and happy, an advert for how to age well. How his own mother should look… but didn’t.
He shook his head. ‘I’m good thanks, Diane.’
Bobby returned with the drinks and Matt accepted his beer gratefully. He was in need of something to dull the torment and readily knocked back a large mouthful, followed by another, and another. All the while, ignoring Chris’s tutting. He didn’t care. Anaesthetic was needed.
His phone pinged again. Another message from Beth Lawrence.
Can you also chase Zac for the guest list? I need it ASAP.
She was certainly organised, he’d give her that, something he should be grateful for. After all, the more she took control, the less he’d have to get involved with.
He replied.Will do. Anything else you need me to do?
No.
Charming. He tried again.Chatty, aren’t you?
No time. Working.
On a Saturday?
On a Saturday.
At that point, Zac arrived. Matt was relieved. There was only so much tense silence and furtive glances from his estranged family he could cope with, and it wasn’t like exchanging WhatsApp messages with Beth Lawrence was cheering him up.
Zac looked flushed. ‘Sorry I’m late. Megan called from Greece. I didn’t want to cut short our call. We don’t get much of a chance to catch up.’ He was dressed in his usual black attire, complete with guyliner and black nails.
