Read Online Written in the Stars by Ali Harris - Free Book Online Page A

might, taking in his sleek black hair, serious grey eyes, carved jawline with an added shadow that tells me he’s on holiday, but yet doesn’t lessen his air of authority. Then I glance down and take in my going away outfit that Milly chose for me. A cream dress with capped sleeves, nude heels and navy blazer. I think how my dark hair is blow-dried and tied loosely at the nape of my neck, softly curled tendrils float around my face. I’m wearing diamond earrings Adam bought me for my thirtieth and a simple gold watch on one wrist and a gold bangle on the other.
    From the admiring glances we got when we stepped onto the train, I know we look right together. I tug at my skirt and wipe my hands on my blazer.
    The only problem is, when I’m dressed like this I just don’t feel like me.
    Adam smiles at me apologetically as his phone starts ringing. ‘Dad?’ he says as I hear a series of demands fired down the phone. ‘Yeah, but I’m off on honeymoon, remember? Yes, of course I’m committed. Yes, I know that there’s no such thing as a holiday when you have your own business. Of course I want the responsibility . . . yes, I appreciate how lucky I am . . . I just . . . Fine. OK. I’ll deal with it . . .’
    Adam rubs his forehead as the call is ended. I stretch my hand across the table to his and he takes it. ‘You OK?’
    He nods. ‘Sorry about that . . .’
    ‘You need to be stronger with your dad.’
    ‘Easier said than done. No one says no to George Hudson,’ he says wearily.
    ‘And as of yesterday, no one says no to you, remember?’ I say, waving my left hand at him. His eyes crinkle into a smile and I know he’s back. Adam takes his champagne glass, leans across the little table and links his arm through mine so that we are glass to glass, lip to lip, eye to eye.
    ‘Here’s to our future, Mrs Hudson,’ he murmurs. ‘Thank you for making me the happiest man on the planet.’ We clink glasses and kiss softly and then I settle back, my fingers curled through Adam’s, squeezing them tightly like I’m scared to let him go. My engagement ring and my wedding ring glitter in the light of the sunshine streaming through the carriage window as we speed out of the city and make our way towards Paris. I can’t help but think, if life is two sides of a coin, I’ve most definitely landed heads up.

Chapter 13
    Bea Bishop: Cal Bishop is trying (and failing) to amuse me at Wells-next-the-Sea.
    Cal has brought me to the arcades at this cute little seaside town not far from Loni’s place in Holt and one of our favourite childhood haunts. I know why he’s brought me here and I find myself imagining the Facebook update I’d post if I hadn’t sworn off social media. We used to come here all the time as kids. Then, when we got older, we’d hang out in French’s, the fish and chip shop, and play the slot machines after going for runs together on the beach. Running was something Loni encouraged us to do when we were both under pressure studying for our exams and I was having a particularly bad bout of anxiety and self-doubt – I was doing my A levels, Cal his GCSEs. There was something about running side by side – usually in total silence – that made me feel connected to my little brother in a way I sometimes struggled to. He was always so sorted, so together, but when we ran it made me realise that sometimes he too needed to de-stress, clear his head and take time to work out where his life was going.
    Today he looks tired, of course, with the strain of worrying about his pathetic big sister alongside everything else, but at the age of twenty-eight my little brother usually has the assured air of someone much older. I smile as Cal bounds over with a bag of two-pence coins and a gigantic grin and I feel grateful that he’s trying so hard to cheer me up. He makes for the slot machines and waves me over like I’m one of his two-year-old twins. ‘Come on, sis!’ Cal says as he hands me the bag of copper coins.