Snow Going Back

Chapter 5

FIVE

There was a loud pop as another bottle of champagne was opened and poured over the tower of glasses on the round central table. Kate watched in a stunned daze, still unable to get her head around the fact this was actually happening. But it was happening. Because Ashton Kutcher hadn’t appeared to tell her she’d been punked, it was nowhere near April Fool’s Day, and as far as she could tell, Lance wasn’t blind drunk or doing this for a laugh. Which meant that this was all horrifyingly real. She really had accidentally accepted a marriage proposal – and she’d done it in front of all her family and friends.

There had been no time to work out how to rectify her mistake before she and Lance had been bombarded by the excited group of spectators. Eleanor had cried, hugging Kate tightly before telling Lance how proud she was of him and how overjoyed she was to be welcoming him into the family. Amy had squealed and jumped up and down, promising to be just as amazing a maid of honour to Kate as Kate had been to her, while Rick offered similar sentiments to Lance. One by one, everyone had stepped forward with their congratulations and hugs, and before she’d known it, they’d been ushered back up to the house and into the formal dining room, which was all set up with banners and balloons and the ridiculous champagne tower in the middle, to celebrate.

Eleanor, never one to miss a chance to play hostess and talk at a willing crowd, immediately took to a stool and gave an emotional speech about how worried she’d been, as the years had passed, that she’d never see this day. She declared Lance her hero and told Kate how proud she was of her for finding such a wonderful man. If Kate hadn’t been in a state of complete shock, she might have felt wryly offended by her mother’s focus, but she had bigger things to worry about now.

‘Here.’ Henry handed Kate a glass of champagne as she finally managed to slip away from the stream of well wishes and hugs.

‘Thanks,’ she replied, moving to the less crowded side of the room and standing back by the wall. She put a hand to her forehead, feeling hot despite the cold weather.

She’d done nothing to undo this colossal misunderstanding. Nothing . She’d just stood there with a forced smile, nodding her acceptance as each person spoke to her. As Lance proudly held her waist and accepted praise for choosing such a wonderful ring. She’d just stood in stunned, horrified, awkward silence, and every second that passed made it more and more impossible to go back. What was she doing? Realising her father was watching her with a small frown of concern, Kate forced another smile and raised her glass to meet his.

‘Cheers,’ he said quietly. He took a sip and looked over at Eleanor for a moment. ‘Well, you’ve certainly made your mother very happy,’ he commented.

‘Yes,’ Kate managed, following his gaze.

Her mother’s excitement and joy set off a fresh wave of despair. There was no way out of this. She couldn’t backtrack now. It was too late! Both Lance and her mother would be absolutely crushed and embarrassed after their various declarations and speeches in front of everybody. And on top of that, Eleanor would never forgive her. Lance was everything she’d ever wanted in a son-in-law.

Kate blew out a long silent breath as she tried to remain calm. It had surprised her, the strength of her natural reaction to the idea of marrying Lance. Why was she so horrified at the idea? They were great together. They were happy, they were in love, and everything about them as a couple made total sense. So what was it? She twisted the stem of the glass in her hand for a moment.

The idea of marriage had always just been somewhere far off in the mental distance for Kate. An idea she’d parked as something to get round to thinking about someday . But someday was another thing she’d always felt a distance from. How on earth had someday become today? And without any warning whatsoever? She took in a deep breath, forcing herself to expel it slowly.

It wasn’t that she was against marriage. But while girls like Amy had dreamed of dresses and made wedding scrapbooks, Kate had dreamed of adventures and made bucket lists. To her, marriage was something that came after she’d conquered the dragon and sailed the seven seas and found an ancient cure for all the world’s ills wearing Indiana Jones’s hat. But she hadn’t even bought the hat yet.

Kate looked over at Lance as he held court, his handsome face animated and full of life. Why hadn’t he brought the idea of marriage up in conversation first? Why had he made it so public?

Amy walked over and wrapped her arm around Kate, squeezing her in a sideways hug with another small sound of excitement. ‘So, when can I start organising everything?’ she asked. ‘This is perfect timing, by the way. I was getting serious post-wedding blues. All those years of planning and then it’s over, just like that .’ She snapped her fingers, then leaned forward and glanced around Kate to Henry. ‘You ready for this, Mr H? I’m going to put you in a wedding suit so sharp you’ll outshine all the other groomsmen on the day. Won’t take much, of course. Handsome chap like you.’ She winked at him, and he chuckled.

‘Buttering me up for the budget already, Amy? She’s only been engaged an hour.’

‘Well, you know what they say. The early bird catches the worm,’ she replied with a cheery shrug.

‘Right. Well, on that note, I think I’ll leave you early birds to it,’ he said. ‘Catch you in a bit.’ He wandered off towards Eleanor.

‘You and me, Mr H,’ Amy called after him. ‘Savile Row, suit shopping. Only the best for you!’

He nodded and raised his hand in acceptance.

Kate couldn’t help but grin. ‘You’re shameless, Amy Ellis.’

Amy shrugged, unbothered. ‘Shame is for bores.’ She sipped her champagne then turned and took Kate’s hand in hers to take a closer look at the ring. ‘That really is an insanely big diamond.’

‘Yes,’ Kate replied, the grin fading as she stared at it.

Amy’s brow dipped in brief concern, and she lowered her voice. ‘Do you not like it?’

Kate let out a troubled sigh. ‘It’s a very beautiful ring?—’

‘But it’s not you ,’ Amy said, cutting her off with a grim nod. ‘I thought that when he showed me, but he’d already bought it. It’s very Lance though.’

‘It is very Lance,’ Kate agreed. She’d didn’t wear much jewellery, but what she did have was delicate and subtle. The complete opposite of this dazzling statement ring. She sighed. ‘It’s not that though, Amy. It’s everything .’

‘What do you mean?’

Just as Kate tried to answer, there was a loud cheer. More champagne was being poured over the tower of glasses. She closed her mouth and exhaled tiredly.

Amy squeezed her arm and pulled her to the door. ‘Come on. Let’s talk in the kitchen. And give me that. We both know you hate champagne.’ She took Kate’s glass as they slipped out of the room. ‘I shoved some Prosecco in the fridge for you earlier.’

‘Thanks,’ Kate replied gratefully. That was exactly what she needed right now.

She made a beeline for the glass cupboard and pulled one out, while Amy grabbed the Prosecco and placed it on her mother’s large kitchen island. Glad to be away from all the noise and the people, she sat down on one of the bar stools as Amy popped the cork and poured.

‘Here.’ She passed it to Kate and sat down, taking a sip from her own glass. ‘So what’s going on? Talk to me.’

Kate sighed and shook her head. She wanted to tell Amy everything, but as she sat there, she realised she couldn’t. Not unless she was prepared to tell everyone. It wasn’t fair to place that burden on her. She fiddled with one of her nails.

‘This was all just really out of the blue,’ she said finally. ‘It just completely blindsided me.’

‘Surely you’d considered the possibility of this happening at some point though?’ Amy asked. ‘You’ve been together about a year now, right?’

‘No. I really didn’t,’ Kate answered honestly. ‘And yes, just over, actually.’ She rubbed her head and looked up with a troubled frown. ‘It’s just, we’ve never talked about it. I thought we were good , you know? As we are. I didn’t think we were here yet. We don’t even live together. And then this today, everything is just, I don’t know…’ She pushed her hand back through her hair and felt all the knots from the wind snag on her fingers. ‘Why didn’t you warn me he was planning this?’

‘ Warn you?’ Amy repeated. ‘Kate, it was a proposal, not the four horsemen riding into town! I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.’

‘But I hate surprises,’ Kate reminded her. ‘I always have. You know that.’

Amy’s forehead creased, and her eyes clouded with guilt. ‘I’m sorry, Kate. I thought this was one surprise you’d want . I didn’t mean to let you down.’

‘No. No , Amy you haven’t done that,’ Kate replied quickly. She was being unfair. ‘You’re an amazing friend. I’m sorry. It’s me who’s being weird.’ She kneaded her forehead, stressed.

Amy rubbed her arm. ‘Listen, it’s been a lot today. You’re just overwhelmed. That’s all this is. And you really are terrible with surprises. You’re right – I should have told you. You’ve never reacted well.’ She pushed her long blonde curls back over her shoulder then propped her elbow on the breakfast bar and rested her head on her hand with a smile. ‘Remember that time I tried to surprise you on your birthday by jumping out of a box on your doorstep dressed like a clown? We must have been twelve or thirteen. You cried for an hour and didn’t talk to me all day.’

Kate stared at her accusingly. ‘That was my ninth birthday and that was the scariest thing – to this day – that has ever happened to me. I still get nightmares about it now and then.’

‘Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad,’ Amy said with a dismissive wave. ‘I was even holding your birthday present. It was cute.’

‘It was a doctor’s kit,’ Kate said flatly. ‘I could see the fake syringe and pill box through the front, which really didn’t look cute in the hands of a clown, I assure you. Anyway…’ She shook off the memory with a small shudder.

‘ Anyway ,’ Amy echoed, ‘my point, though I could have perhaps used a better example, is that you’re right – you don’t take surprises well. That’s all this is. You and Lance are one of the best couples I know. You’re perfect together. And don’t forget, despite being surprised, you said yes ,’ she said with a smile. ‘You wouldn’t have said yes to marrying the handsome, charming, successful boyfriend you love while in shock if you didn’t really mean it. Would you?’

‘No,’ Kate replied, looking down at the bubbles rising in her glass. ‘I guess not.’

‘Well, there you go then,’ Amy said. ‘You just need another three glasses and a good sleep, and in the morning you’ll feel much better, I promise. You always do in situations like these.’ She took another sip of champagne. ‘Except for that time with the clown. Admittedly that was an exception.’

Kate forced a smile and sipped her Prosecco. But I didn’t say yes, Amy , she wanted to scream. I didn’t say yes. So what am I supposed to do now ?