Always and Only You

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Present Day

I walk onto the dance floor and a cheer goes up. I play the part, smiling, holding the bouquet above my head like a trophy to be won, even though I’m dreading what’s coming next.

Gathered in the middle of the dance floor are twenty to thirty women, most eyeing my bouquet up with hunger. Some have a ‘what the heck! This’ll be a laugh’ glimmer in their eyes, and they elbow their friends and pretend to do warm-up exercises. Some are definitely not single and are there under false pretences.

Anjali joins the end of the loose semi-circle. Instinctively, I know she’s placed herself there so there won’t be too many competing pairs of arms. She catches my eye and gives me a meaningful look.

I turn and grip the bouquet with both hands. After a couple of moments of stillness I breathe in deeply and mentally picture where Anjali is standing.

One … two … I make a little dip to get a better swing and then, three … I squeeze my eyes shut and send it flying up and over my head.

I turn round to track its progress and see that there, right beside my maid of honour, is Simon. There’s a moment of complete hush where all other eyes in the room are trained on the floral missile, but he locks his on me. I hold my breath as Gil and I watch to see where it lands.

There’s no larking around now. Women jostle, rise onto their toes, straining just to get a millimetre closer. One of my tall cousins is right behind Anjali, ready to intercept the bouquet with her long arms, but Taryn grabs for it a split second too late, and another hand shoots out and wraps around the ribbon-bound stems.

Not Anjali’s, but Simon’s.

She spins around to see who robbed her of her rightful prize, ready to put up a fight, but when she sees who it is, she falters. He does a gallant little bow and hands it to her.

She holds it up triumphantly, beaming at everyone and shooting me a you-almost-blew-it look, then she turns back to Simon to thank him. But Simon isn’t looking at her; he’s looking at me, and when he sees Gil slide a possessive arm around my waist, his expression hardens and he wraps his arms around Anjali and pulls her into an enthusiastic kiss.

More cheering, even louder than before. Because it’s what everyone roots for at a wedding, isn’t it? The best man and the maid of honour finding romance. What could be more perfect?

What could be more terrible?

I’m watching my best friend and the man I love making out right in front of my face.

Someone yells ‘Get a room!’ and everyone laughs.

But I don’t laugh. I want to be sick. I want to look away. But I can’t seem to make my body follow the instructions my brain is giving it. I’m frozen, and when Simon’s hand smooths down Anjali’s back to cup her bottom, I feel vomit in the back of my mouth.

I look away and see Gil staring. He’s just as astonished as I am.

‘You said we were out of here the moment the bouquet toss was done?’ I manage to croak out.

He nods.

‘Then let’s get out of here.’