responded quickly. “There’l be plenty of room, don’t worry about that. Your cousin Jeanette has broken her leg and you’l be doing us a favour taking up dinners that would otherwise go to waste. It’s al paid for, no refunds at this stage. Your father is in a gripe about it, so please, take up those places.”
Hol y watched it al , intrigued. Was his mum more sensitive to his ways than he realised? Had something been given away when she’d witnessed Stewart and Joshua in the hospital? Hol y wondered on it.
Joshua went to speak, but his mother ushered them along. “You’d better hurry because the whole family is here and the buffet is being demolished.
Get stuck in before it’s al gone.”
They were herded through the house, which was already ful of people clustered in groups in various rooms on the ground floor and sitting on the stairs. As she led them through to the kitchen and supervised them obtaining some food and drink, she narrated the various mishaps of the wedding rehearsal. “Poor Wil was so nervous he forgot his own middle name, and your sister—you’d have been proud—had to remind him.”
“Bodes wel ,” Josh said, almost to himself. Hol y could tel he was glad the spotlight was on his sister, who he loved and thought deserved it so much more than he did.
“Kyle was supposed to be ushering,” Mrs Dawson continued, “but he figured there wouldn’t be anyone to usher what with it being a rehearsal, and the verger found him outside studying the graves and thought he was ‘up to no good’.” She chortled. “Next thing we know we’re halfway through the rehearsal and he’s fighting to get back into the church. When you think about how much he balked at being given some duties for the day, it was rather entertaining.”
A younger, dark-haired woman approached. “Embarrassing is what it was. The vicar thinks we’re nothing but trouble.”
Hol y figured the woman who had chipped in had to be Josh’s sister, Donna. The similarity in looks was there, and they’d both inherited their Italian mother’s colouring.
Sure enough, Josh embraced her and cal ed her ‘sis’ when he made the introductions.
Joshua’s sister was beaming ear to ear, clearly delighted about her forthcoming nuptials, and she looked at Hol y and Stewart with curiosity as she was introduced. When Stewart gripped her hand, she purred aloud.
She batted her eyelids at him. “That’s quite a grip you’ve got there. It’s just as wel I’m engaged and about to be married, otherwise I’d be round at Josh’s visiting al the time.”
Stewart reacted by drawing her hand to his mouth and kissing it. “Your company would have been appreciated.”
He handled it so wel , so casual, and yet so flirty. It was the way he was, laid-back and genial. Hol y had so much less of an inside understanding of him compared to Joshua, but nevertheless she sensed it was only extreme situations that made Stewart tense. It just wasn’t in his nature. Even though Joshua’s procrastination about coming out had begun to grate, he was biding his time, being patient and understanding. It must be hard, Hol y realised.
Joshua had been cal ed over by another group.
“Cousins,” Donna explained, when she noticed both Hol y and Stewart watching.
He was a social creature and looked right at home here mingling with people, sharing a joke and drink. The big secret was holding him back from that, or at least holding them back from doing it together.
“Hol y, I understand you’re Joshua’s girlfriend.”
Hol y started. She felt Stewart tense at her side. “Actual y, your mum has read too much into it. We’re just good friends.”
“Ah, I see.” Donna gained a knowing look. “She does that, don’t let it bother you.” As she spoke she looked across to Joshua. “She’s so desperate for him to settle down with someone he loves, she’s ready to invent someone. Honestly, I don’t think she cares who it is, as long as he’s
Hol y watched it al , intrigued. Was his mum more sensitive to his ways than he realised? Had something been given away when she’d witnessed Stewart and Joshua in the hospital? Hol y wondered on it.
Joshua went to speak, but his mother ushered them along. “You’d better hurry because the whole family is here and the buffet is being demolished.
Get stuck in before it’s al gone.”
They were herded through the house, which was already ful of people clustered in groups in various rooms on the ground floor and sitting on the stairs. As she led them through to the kitchen and supervised them obtaining some food and drink, she narrated the various mishaps of the wedding rehearsal. “Poor Wil was so nervous he forgot his own middle name, and your sister—you’d have been proud—had to remind him.”
“Bodes wel ,” Josh said, almost to himself. Hol y could tel he was glad the spotlight was on his sister, who he loved and thought deserved it so much more than he did.
“Kyle was supposed to be ushering,” Mrs Dawson continued, “but he figured there wouldn’t be anyone to usher what with it being a rehearsal, and the verger found him outside studying the graves and thought he was ‘up to no good’.” She chortled. “Next thing we know we’re halfway through the rehearsal and he’s fighting to get back into the church. When you think about how much he balked at being given some duties for the day, it was rather entertaining.”
A younger, dark-haired woman approached. “Embarrassing is what it was. The vicar thinks we’re nothing but trouble.”
Hol y figured the woman who had chipped in had to be Josh’s sister, Donna. The similarity in looks was there, and they’d both inherited their Italian mother’s colouring.
Sure enough, Josh embraced her and cal ed her ‘sis’ when he made the introductions.
Joshua’s sister was beaming ear to ear, clearly delighted about her forthcoming nuptials, and she looked at Hol y and Stewart with curiosity as she was introduced. When Stewart gripped her hand, she purred aloud.
She batted her eyelids at him. “That’s quite a grip you’ve got there. It’s just as wel I’m engaged and about to be married, otherwise I’d be round at Josh’s visiting al the time.”
Stewart reacted by drawing her hand to his mouth and kissing it. “Your company would have been appreciated.”
He handled it so wel , so casual, and yet so flirty. It was the way he was, laid-back and genial. Hol y had so much less of an inside understanding of him compared to Joshua, but nevertheless she sensed it was only extreme situations that made Stewart tense. It just wasn’t in his nature. Even though Joshua’s procrastination about coming out had begun to grate, he was biding his time, being patient and understanding. It must be hard, Hol y realised.
Joshua had been cal ed over by another group.
“Cousins,” Donna explained, when she noticed both Hol y and Stewart watching.
He was a social creature and looked right at home here mingling with people, sharing a joke and drink. The big secret was holding him back from that, or at least holding them back from doing it together.
“Hol y, I understand you’re Joshua’s girlfriend.”
Hol y started. She felt Stewart tense at her side. “Actual y, your mum has read too much into it. We’re just good friends.”
“Ah, I see.” Donna gained a knowing look. “She does that, don’t let it bother you.” As she spoke she looked across to Joshua. “She’s so desperate for him to settle down with someone he loves, she’s ready to invent someone. Honestly, I don’t think she cares who it is, as long as he’s
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