Baby It's Cold Outside (27 page)

Unable to resist, I threw my arms around him and kissed him.

‘I'm here,' I said.

Jamie laughed – so did all the guests.

‘I'm glad,' he said.

The ceremony was perfect. Kirsty did the most amazing job, talking about our relationship and bringing in wee anecdotes from our friends and family – she'd spoken to everyone. She made us all laugh telling stories about the ups and downs of our romance – and there were enough of those to keep her talking for hours – and made me cry when she spoke about love and how as long as you had love you could achieve anything. I looked at Parker when she said that and he gave me a smile that melted my heart. Kirsty was right, I thought. Jamie and I loved each other, and we both loved Parker – so we could work this out. It was going to be a bit messy. DNA tests, and birth certificates and making sure we did see the little boy often enough for him and Jamie to build a proper relationship – which would inevitably mean us jetting backwards and forwards to Boston while Parker was still so small, with all the expense and inconvenience that brought with it. But if it was what we had to do, then so be it. It may not have been the family we planned, but families came in all shapes and sizes, I knew that better than anyone.

Then Mitch and Jamie's cousin Annalise did their readings – which made me sniff again because they were both so lovely – and it was time for the big moment. I'd been worried that when we came to say our vows, I wouldn't be able to speak because I'd be too emotional but when it came to it, I was almost giggling in delight.

‘I do,' I said. ‘I really do.'

Jamie laughed again. There was a lot of laughing in fact. It's possible we were verging on hysteria after the day we'd had, but it was lovely anyway.

There was a slightly tense moment when Frankie pretended he'd lost the rings but even that just made me giggle more – once he'd produced them with a flourish of course.

Eventually Kirsty said: ‘I now pronounce you husband and wife.'

Amazing, wonderful words that I felt like I'd been waiting years to hear. Probably because I had been waiting years to hear them. Jamie and I kissed and all our guests applauded. It was perfect.

And oh my goodness, had Claddach pulled out all the stops for the party. Millicent's food organisation was a triumph. We had big tureens of soup, pots of chilli and curry, a huge lasagne, loads of salad, homemade bread, cheese, crisps, hummus – all sorts. Everyone was starving, obviously, after waiting so long for the wedding, so they all dived in and soon the groaning buffet table wasn't groaning so much any more.

We'd invited so many people in the end that we'd decided not to do proper speeches but once everyone had helped themselves to seconds from the buffet, Jamie tapped his fork on the side of a glass to get attention.

‘My wife and I,' he began. Everyone cheered.

Jamie paused.

‘We just wanted to say thanks for coming. It's taken us a fair while to get here, and we couldn't have done it without you.'

Everyone cheered again.

I looked round at the room. Everyone was there – Mum, Dad, my brothers – Mitch was already chatting up Kirsty, who looked slightly alarmed at the attention. Harry, Suky, Louise. Eva and Allan, Douglas, Chloe and her family. Even Penny from the mountain rescue team had come along. And William was capturing all our precious memories with his camera.

I cleared my throat.

‘I've always thought Claddach was a special place and today you've all proved it,' I said. ‘Thank you all so much. Let's all have a drink.'

Chapter 43

‘My face aches from smiling,' I told Jamie later, as we sat hand in hand, slumped in two of the chairs I'd neatly tied ribbons round, watching everyone dance.

I pushed my cheeks forward and made a face at him.

‘I'm going to have to do this to stop it hurting,' I said.

‘Still fancy you,' Jamie said.

‘What about if I do this?' I said, going cross-eyed and sticking my tongue out.

‘Yup,' said Jamie.

I relaxed my face.

‘Oh no! God, no! What have I married?' he cried in mock horror at my normal expression. I punched him good-naturedly.

‘Mitch reckons he's in there with Kirsty,' I said, nodding across the room to where my handsome brother was fluttering his eyelashes. ‘He says they're going to do a duet later. He's brought his guitar and he's trying to persuade her to sing.'

‘Interesting,' Jamie said. ‘Does Kirsty want to?'

‘Not sure,' I said. ‘But I'm sure Mitch can win her over.' Mitch was a very talented musician and I had a lot of faith in him.

Harry came over and sat down, followed by Louise.

‘Having a good time?' she said.

‘The best,' I beamed.

‘Where's Parker?' Harry said. ‘Didn't he look cute in his little outfit?'

‘He flagged ages ago,' Jamie said. ‘Tansy and Michael took him home.'

‘Just think, at the next family wedding we could have a little one of our own,' Louise said, taking Harry's hand. Harry smiled at her adoringly.

‘I can't wait,' she said.

‘Wonder who'll be next to tie the knot,' Jamie mused.

‘Probably Mitch,' Harry giggled, raising her eyebrow at my brother, who was now dancing close to Kirsty.

‘Or your mum and Douglas,' Jamie said. I gave him a fierce look. I may have got over my doubts about Mum having a boyfriend, but a husband? I wasn't sure about that.

‘There's Tansy and Michael,' I said quickly. ‘We could all go to Boston.'

‘Why not?' said Jamie.

But Harry and Louise's chatter had made me think of something. Something that made me feel a bit odd – and a bit excited. In fact, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before.

‘Are you okay, Ez?' Jamie said. ‘You're miles away.'

‘Have you seen Chloe?' I asked.

‘Her mother-in-law was taking the kids home,' said Harry. ‘Think she went outside to say goodbye.'

‘I'm just going to find her,' I said, giving Jamie a kiss. ‘Back in a bit.'

I weaved my way across the dance floor and reached the door of the gallery, just as Chloe came in.

‘I need to speak to you,' I hissed in her ear. She looked startled, and more than a little bit drunk, but undeterred I pulled her outside.

‘It's freezing, Ez,' she complained.

‘I know,' I said. ‘I'm sorry. I need you to get something for me. From the twenty-four-hour shop.'

‘What?' she said. ‘What can you possibly need, right now?'

I told her and her eyes widened.

‘Okay,' she said. ‘Let me just grab my coat and boots.'

I blew her a kiss as she staggered down the stairs, slightly unsteady on her feet.

‘Hurry up,' I begged.

She wasn't away long. I was chatting with Mum and Douglas when I saw her emerge through the gallery door, cheeks flushed with the cold.

‘Oh I've just remembered I need to speak to Chloe,' I said, abandoning Mum and rushing across to meet her.

‘Did you get it?' I asked.

Chloe nodded and opened her blue clutch bag so I could peek in.

I closed my eyes briefly then I peered into Chloe's bag.

‘That's it?' I said.

She nodded.

‘And I just wee on it, and it'll tell me if I'm pregnant?'

She nodded again.

‘Okay, then,' I said breezily. ‘Thanks for that. Let's go back to the party.'

‘Oh no,' Chloe said. ‘No way. I went outside in the freezing cold in this small dress to buy this. Not to mention the fact that bloody nosy beak George from the garage clocked exactly what I was buying and is probably at this moment telling anyone who'll listen that I've got baby number four on the way,'

‘What if it's positive,' I said.

Chloe grinned.

‘Then you'll be about to have the most incredible adventure of your life,' she said. ‘And if it's negative, we'll come back to the party, neck some champagne and have a dance.'

‘Right,' I said, taking a deep breath. ‘Let's do it.'

We went downstairs to the cafe where there were more loos and where we were less likely to be interrupted

Chloe opened the box and pulled out a thick white stick.

‘You just wee on this end,' she said. ‘One line in this window means you're not pregnant, two lines means you are.'

I took the stick from her and went into the cubicle. My hands were shaking so violently I wasn't sure I'd be able to hold the test steady. But I managed, ignoring Chloe's helpful instructions that she shouted through the door. Then I lay the stick on top of the cistern and stared at it. Nothing happened. I wasn't pregnant, I told myself. It was just the stress. I was a week late, or thereabouts. But think of everything that had happened this week – that was bound to have an effect. Wasn't it? And yes I was definitely more tired than usual, but I'd been in an avalanche for goodness sake. That wore people out. I thought about my monster hangover after the hen night, when I'd only managed to force down a couple of drinks. Then I looked at the stick again.

‘Is anything happening?' Chloe shouted through the door.

I gulped for air and opened the cubicle door.

‘Something's happening all right,' I said, handing her the test. ‘I'm having a baby.'

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Baby It's Cold Outside
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Then turn the page to read an extract from the first book in the Could It Be Magic series:

Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered

Chapter 1

I was completely out of my comfort zone. I perched on the high bar stool, legs swinging like a toddler in a high chair, and cursed Harry for insisting on meeting me here.

‘Seven o'clock, Esme,
Cara Mia
at Canary Wharf,' she'd said in her message. ‘Don't be late. It's important.'

She was passing through town, she'd said, flying into Heathrow from the States and back to Scotland from City. Bad planning on her part. And even worse planning on mine to work spitting distance from the bar she'd chosen. I'd briefly considered changing jobs to get out of meeting her, but even I could see that was a bit extreme.

And so, here I was. With my legs uncomfortably wrapped around the chrome legs of a shiny stool, and my elbow in a puddle of something, in a bar full of the City types I spent a lot of time avoiding. And – I squinted at my watch in the dim light – it was now 7.25 and there was still no sign of Harry.

I shifted awkwardly on my perch and tried once more to get the barman's attention. He'd been ignoring me since I arrived, despite my best attempts at eye contact.

Finally, I thought, as his gaze shifted in my direction. But no, instead he served the woman standing behind me, who had glossy hair and the kind of honey-coloured skin that comes from a lifetime of winters spent abroad.

That did it. I moved my arm out of the puddle, rested my wrist on the cold bar and waggled my fingers, gently, in the direction of the barman. A small shower of pink sparks – nothing anyone would notice – wafted from my fingertips. The barman looked puzzled for a moment, then he picked a bottle of Pinot Grigio from the fridge, dropped it into an ice bucket and presented it to me, along with two glasses, with a flourish.

‘Nice,' said a voice in my ear. ‘And you didn't even have to ask.'

‘Hello, Harry,' I said. Of course she would choose that moment to arrive. She didn't kiss me. Instead she leaned over, scooped up the wine bucket and tilted her head in the direction of a booth.

I was expected to follow, clearly. I picked up the glasses, then had to put them down again so I could slide off the barstool without mishap. I resisted the temptation to turn around and descend backwards, but only just. Then I picked up the glasses again and trotted after my cousin, just like I'd been trotting after her my whole life.

As I approached the table she'd chosen, I noticed her normally immaculately made-up face was pale, with dark rings under her eyes. And her slouchy cashmere sweater hung off her. She grabbed the glass I offered, glugged wine into it and drained it. I felt slightly uneasy. Harry being in control was one of the constants in my life.

‘What's the matter?' I asked as I shuffled sideways along the seat into the booth.

Harry waited for me to sit, then pushed a glass in my direction.

‘It's Mum,' she said in her typically forthright way. ‘She's got breast cancer.'

I put my hand to my mouth in shock.

‘Oh God,' I said. ‘Poor Auntie Suky.'

Harry took another swig of her wine.

‘She should be OK because they seem to have caught it early enough. But she's in for a rough few months.'

She looked at me. ‘You have to go,' she said.

I was already shaking my head.

‘No,' I said. ‘Absolutely not.'

‘My mum needs you,' Harry said.

‘You go.' I tipped my wine into my mouth and poured another glass. ‘She's your mum.'

Harry looked away. I thought for a moment she had tears in her eyes, but perhaps it was just the light in the bar.

‘I've got some stuff going on at the moment, Esme,' she said. ‘I just can't leave work just now. I'll come as soon as I can.'

‘I don't care. I'm not going.'

I was annoyed she'd even asked. Going to see Suky meant seeing my own mum and Harry knew how shaky my relationship was with her.

‘I know you're annoyed I even asked,' she said.

‘Don't do that.' I scowled at her. I hated when she poked about in my head and read my mind.

‘What?' she said, her pretty face full of innocence.

Infuriated I shook my head again. Harry ignored me.

‘I spoke to your mum,' she said. I felt a flash of anger that she'd spoken to Mum when I hadn't. ‘She says there's been a bit of trouble.'