Holly's Intuition (16 page)

Joshua looked at them quickly, and they both nodded their acknowledgement.

Stewart reached for Hol y’s hand and kissed it, squeezing her fingers, conveying to her how happy he was.

“We’re al coming,” Joshua replied, with a grin.

When he put the phone down, he was stil smiling. “It’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

“You didn’t have to do that for me,” Hol y said.

“I did. I had to do it for both of you, no matter what the outcome, because I love you, both of you.”

The stone-built church where Donna and Wil ’s ceremony was being held was as pretty as a picture. White satin sashes decorated the end of each polished wooden pew, and massive flower displays stood either side of the altar. The seats were already half ful when they arrived, the guests chattering in low voices as they waited for the ceremony to begin.

Hol y was so nervous she almost felt as if she were the bride as she walked down the aisle. The presence of two men, one on either side of her, helped shake that odd notion off. The nerves were because Mrs Dawson knew about the three of them, and probably Mr Dawson too, by now. Would her initial positive reaction have turned into something else? Joshua had been determined to tel her—and damn the consequences—but now they were here it wasn’t quite so easy to dismiss the last few doubts.

Kyle, Joshua’s younger brother, swaggered along in his dapper morning suit as he led the way and gestured into the second row of pews.

“Are you sure we should be sitting here and not farther back?” Joshua asked.

“Yes,” Kyle replied with an air of authority. “Al three of you are to be seated right behind the parents on our side.” He gave them a cheeky grin as he observed the three of them hovering there together.

Hol y and Stewart exchanged glances. It was pretty obvious the lad knew something. Had Mrs Dawson told the family already? Warning them, perhaps? Hol y was surprised. Then again it was Kyle who’d made the gay comment.

By the time they got seated, the vicar arrived and hovered expectantly at the side of the altar. It was almost time.

Stewart peered at the vicar. “I wonder if he does marriages for three.”

“Stewart.” Hol y nudged him and glanced around to make sure no one else had heard, blushing as she did so.

Joshua wasn’t bothered by it though. “Is that even legal?”

“Why not?” Stewart responded. “Everything else is these days.”

Joshua gave a wry laugh. “Hark at the old man.”

A moment later his parents arrived to take their seats in the row in front. As soon as they sat down, they both turned to chat, resting one elbow along the back of their seat. Mr Dawson gave his son an assessing look, but it was with gratitude that Hol y saw no bad feeling in it.

“So you took after your Uncle Ted, did you?”

Joshua shuffled his feet and leant forward. “Dad, please, we’re in a church for goodness sake.”

“Who’s the old man now?” Stewart commented under his breath.

Mrs Dawson waved her hand dismissively. “We’ve had exciting sex too, you know, it’s not just something your generation do.”

“Mother!”

Hol y barely stifled a giggle. When Mrs Dawson looked her way, smiling fondly at her, Hol y thought she’d better comment. “Joshua is so pleased with your reaction to his news. He’s just surprised at how wel you’re taking it.”

Joshua’s mother looked at Hol y with shining eyes. “You know him that wel already…that’s so wonderful.”

Hol y realised what she’d done. She’d conveyed Joshua’s thoughts. But instead of denying it, she nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”

The sound of the bridal march started up, and al conversation ceased, everyone straightening their clothes and rising to their feet. Hol y, Stewart and Joshua stood up in unison. The men either side of her held her hands tighter stil and emotion buoyed up inside Hol y.

“Marry us,” Stewart whispered provocatively, just loud enough for both of them to hear. “I don’t care if it’s legal or not, I think we should do it.”

“Stewart,” Hol y chastised, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She nodded her head down the aisle, where the bride had appeared.

“We’l discuss it another time.”

On her other side, Joshua slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you,” he whispered. “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”

“Yes, yes I did.”

No yes and no. Not this time.

“Then do as Stewart says and marry us, you know it makes sense.” Humour fil ed his expression.

“Is that even legal?” she asked.

“Who cares?” he responded. “Let’s do it.”