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“Yeah. They hired a wedding company, and there’ll be a lot of staff around for the next few days, waiting and whatnot.”
One of them, a pretty young woman with shiny blonde hair in a ponytail, approaches with a smile and says, “Morning, sir, ma’am. Are you here for the wedding?”
“Yes,” Alex says, “Alex Winters and Missie Macbeth. I’m the best man, and we’re staying in Kip’s apartment.”
“Oh, of course, nice to meet you both. Would you like to go straight to the apartment? Or shall we take your bags down so you can join the others on the terrace?”
“That would be great,” he says, making my heart skip a beat. She beckons one of the guys over, and the two of them take our bags.
“Thank you,” I say, and they both smile before heading off to the cable car.
“Don’t panic,” Alex tells me as we head along the path toward the house. “You look amazing.”
“I’m so nervous. I hope I don’t say something stupid. Do I look okay?”
He stops walking. I look at him in surprise, my eyes widening as he pulls me toward him. Other guests are pulling up in cars, and staff wandering around, including two gardeners brushing the paths and tidying the hedges, but Alex ignores them. He lifts my sunglasses onto the top of my head, takes my face in his hands, and lowers his lips to mine.
My face flushes, but I don’t fight him, because he’s a hell of a kisser, and I know he’s trying to reassure me. I close my eyes against the bright sunshine and concentrate on the feel of his lips on mine, the warmth of his hands on my skin. He kisses me gently, taking his time, and I sigh, my panic dying down a little.
He lifts his head, and his eyes hold a sultry heat. “Stop. Worrying,” he instructs.
“Yes, Dad.”
His expression turns wry as he takes my hand, and we start walking again. “And don’t call me that or I’ll be dragging you down to the apartment and we’ll never get to meet anyone.”
My eyebrows rise. “You like being called Daddy?”
“No…”
“Alex…”
“Stop it,” he scolds, and nods at one of the guys in silver waistcoats who directs us around the house toward the terrace below it.
There’s no more time to tease him, because the scene opens out before me. The top terrace is a wide, open space with a neat lawn. It’s dotted with attractive mosaic floors with ocean-inspired patterns that are topped with round tables and elegant white chairs. A canopy of white fairy lights covers the whole terrace, and there’s a huge Christmas tree near the house that’s also covered with outdoor solar lights.
The place is full of people—old and young, sipping drinks, eating from the trays of canapes the waiters are taking around, and talking and laughing. There are kids and babies and dogs, and it’s a beautiful, chaotic scene that immediately makes me feel better, because although I know I’m going to have to talk to people, it’s not the same having half a dozen people staring at you across a dinner table, asking questions.
“Alex!” Damon spots him immediately and crosses the lawn to come and greet him. Like Alex, he’s dressed casually but also manages to look wealthy and sophisticated in a light-pink shirt and smart stone-colored chinos. “I saw the helicopter come in and thought it must be you. Good to see you.” The two of them exchange a bearhug.
He turns to me then and smiles. “And you came! I’m so glad.” He gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Where’s Belle—she’s been so looking forward to meeting you. Belle!” He calls to a pretty young woman with brown hair who’s wearing white jeans and a blue top, and beckons as she looks over. Oh, so this is Alex’s youngest sister? She’s not unlike Gaby, a little shorter, a tad younger and prettier. She spots us, and her face lights up.
“Alex!” She runs across and throws her arms around him, then moves back and beams a big smile at me. “You must be Missie! I’ve heard so much about you, and I’ve been dying to meet you.”
“Oh dear.” I smile back as we shake hands. “All good things, I hope.”
“Oh God, yes, Alex doesn’t stop talking about you. It’s all ‘Missie this’ and ‘Missie that.’”
“Belle,” he says, exasperated.
“Well, you do! It’s great to meet you at last.”
“This is such a beautiful place to have a wedding,” I tell them.
“Oh, it’s like a fairytale palace,” she says. “I was totally intimidated when I came here. Still am, really. But Mae and Neal have organized everything. They’re Damon’s parents. Come on, let me introduce you.” She slides her arm through mine. “We’re going to be best friends,” she states.
“She doesn’t normally talk quite this much,” Alex tells me. “You need to cut back on the coffee, Belle.”
She pokes her tongue out at him and leads me away, over to an older couple who are standing talking to some of the staff. “Mae, Neal,” she says, “I want you to meet Missie. She’s Alex’s girlfriend.”
