The Night Of The Wedding

‘A party?’ Nick grinned. ‘Well, as I haven’t had any invitations to a party, I won’t hold my breath.’

‘You could come to one with me.’ The words popped out before she could think about them. ‘I’ve been invited to Tanya and David’s wedding.’

Nick frowned. ‘Doesn’t Tanya work with Stephen?’

Kate nodded.

‘Is that why you want to go to the wedding—because Stephen will be there?’

‘No! Of course not, and, anyway, even if he is there he’ll be with Natasha.’

‘So you want me there for moral support?’

‘No…well, yes, I suppose so.’ She frowned, wondering where the relaxed atmosphere between them had gone. Nick seemed to be looking at her as if she had sprouted a forked tongue.

‘You need to let go of the past, Kate,’ he said seriously.

‘I have let go of the past. But it’s only six weeks since Stephen and I split up—I’m bound to be a bit apprehensive about seeing him again.’

Nick said nothing to that, just continued to look at her with those dark, somehow disturbing eyes.

‘I’m not sure if I really want to go to the wedding anyway, but Tanya was insistent and I wasn’t quick enough to think of an excuse,’ she continued quickly.

‘When is it?’

‘The weekend after next. I don’t know where the venue is. She said she’d put an invitation in the post.’ She held his gaze steadily. ‘My first instinct was that I definitely didn’t want to go, but then I thought, Tanya was my friend before I even met Stephen and why should I stay away? I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.’

‘No, you haven’t.’

‘But you don’t think I should go?’

‘What I think isn’t important.’ There was that tone in his voice again, it sounded like disapproval. ‘If you want to go, and you don’t think it will upset you, then go.’

‘I don’t know how it will affect me to see Stephen again,’ Kate murmured honestly, and for a moment her eyes were shadowed, distant. ‘I won’t go if you can’t come with me,’ she said.