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I run my tongue over my teeth.
Henry glares at me. “You do realize what an insult that was?”
I frown. “The money, you mean?”
“Yeah.”
“Why? I couldn’t just ask her to marry me for nothing, could I? It’s a two-year commitment, minimum.”
“You fucking idiot.”
I’m baffled. Alex’s face is impassive. Tyson’s forehead is creased.
“I don’t understand,” I say.
“Don’t worry about it,” Alex replies. “It’ll all come out in the wash.” He glances at Henry, and something unspoken passes between them.
Henry’s lips curve up. “Right.”
“I have no idea what’s going on,” I tell them, “but please, amuse yourselves with my dire predicament.”
“When’s the wedding?” Tyson asks. “Can we come?”
“No,” I say hastily. “I’ve asked Alex and Missie to act as witnesses, but that’s all.”
“I’ve organized the celebrant,” Alex announces. “She’s free next Friday at four p.m.”
“Okay. Is she coming to the house?”
“No,” he says. “We’re going to Kea Lodge in Arthur’s Pass.”
Arthur’s Pass is a town on the road through the Southern Alps that runs between the west and east coasts. It takes a good two hours to drive there.
“I’ll fly us in the helicopter,” Alex adds.
“I don’t want any fuss,” I protest.
“Right. Got it.”
“Alex…”
“Look, you said you’re worried that Blue’s lawyer might be able to make it work against you, right? Paint you as a wealthy playboy who thinks he can buy his way into anything?”
“Are you trying to make me blush?”
“I’m just saying, if it was real, you’d whisk her away for the weekend and spring it on her, right? Plus, that way she’ll be able to tell her folks she didn’t get the chance to invite them.” He lifts his eyebrows. “You had thought about the fact that she’s going to have to tell her parents she got married without them?”
I haven’t thought about her family at all.
“Yeah,” I say.
He gives me a wry look. “They’ll be very disappointed. Mums like to be mother-of-the-bride and dads like to give their daughters away. You’re not going to be popular.”
It strikes me then that Aroha might make me go with her when we tell them. Ah, shit.
“Hopefully the money will smooth things over,” I say. I mean it as a joke, but it sounds spiteful when it comes out, and Alex raises an eyebrow.
“I’m not happy about this,” Henry says. “I like Aroha. She’s a nice girl. I hope you’re not intending to take advantage of her.” His manner is deadpan. I can’t tell if he’s joking.
