The Fairy Tale Bride (9 page)

A few heads turned as they walked in. Lisa with her bright red dress. And hand in hand with the new doc. She could practically hear phones ringing all round town.

Cameron behind the bar gave her a little nod. “Looking good, Lisa,” he said casually. “What’ll it be?”

“How about one of those cocktails you were drinking the other night?” Adam gave her a cheeky wink. “It might match your dress?”

The beer from earlier was beginning to kick in. Another cocktail and she might finally stop thinking that everyone was staring at her. She’d much prefer it if they just stared at Adam.

She gave a nervous smile to Cameron. “I’ll have the strawberry daiquiri.” She glanced around. “What’s with this place tonight? It’s practically buzzing.”

He gave a wave of his hand. “Oh, that guy was in earlier.”

“What guy?”

“Jared somebody. The guy that Nancylynn Pruitt’s going to marry. I think half the locals just came in to celeb spot. Not that I’m complaining.”

Lisa looked around. “Well, I don’t see him. He must have left already. I heard that he and Nancy are practically attached at the hip.”

Cameron opened his mouth as if to say something, then gave a little shake of his head. He put the drinks down on the bar. “Enjoy.”

Adam carried their drinks over to one of the booths. Adam had opted for a beer and decided just to leave his car parked in the high street.

As a few heads turned in their direction Lisa started to pick at the hem of her dress. “Leave it,” said Adam huskily. “The dress is beautiful. The color suits you. Let people stare. You’re just living up to your nickname.”

She rolled her eyes. “What one is that?”

“Luscious Lisa.”

She choked on her drink. “What? Where on earth did you hear that one?”

“From some of the guys. They have nicknames for everyone. You were lucky. They were mostly complimentary.”

“Luscious Lisa is complimentary?”

“I think so.” He leaned towards her. “Whereabouts in Marietta do you stay? Now I’ve decided to have a beer I’ll need to walk you home.”

“I think I can find my own way home. Marietta’s not that big a place to get lost in.”

There was a glint in his eye. “You’ve already tagged me as a gentleman. There’s no way I’m letting you walk home alone. Not with that dress on anyway.”

She shook her head. “Where do you live?”

“Bramble Lane. I just bought the house. I like it. The kitchen and bathrooms need a little work but the bedrooms and sitting room are perfect. All I had to do was move my furniture in.”

“Bramble Lane is nice. But it’s a big house for a single guy. What made you buy a house there?” She tilted her head. “Do you have a secret family to move in?”

He shook his head. “I don’t even have a dog. But that’s in my plans too. To tell you the truth I don’t actually have enough furniture to fill the house. Two of the bedrooms are empty and I still need to buy a dining set. I think the word you would use to describe my décor right now would be sparse.”

She laughed. “Well, I stay on Front Avenue above the bridal salon. My apartment has hardly any space. Certainly no room for a dog. Although I’d love one. I think the word you would use to describe it is compact.”

“Ever think of moving?”

Lisa shifted uncomfortably. “Not really.”

“So, how do you like your new job? It must be a big change from Washington.”

“It is. But it’s exactly why I came here. I didn’t want to just specialize in one area. And I didn’t really want to be a family doctor. So, working in a hospital like Marietta General is perfect for me.”

“What’s your favorite ward?”

“It depends. Sometimes I love general medicine, other times it’s peds.” He paused for a second. “It must be the same for you. I’ve seen you in different wards.”

She gave a careful smile. “I move about the place. The staff know me. I’ve been around for a while. They know they can rely on me.”

“And the fairy tales?”

It seemed as if she was thinking about how to respond. “Everyone remembers fairy tales from their childhood. Most kids love them – even older ones who like to pretend they don’t. With the elderly patients? Sometimes it’s just someone sitting telling them a story, or they feel a familiarity about it. Whatever it is, it seems to help. So that’s why I do it.”

It was noisy in the pub and they were leaning close together to hear each other talk. Adam reached over and brushed her hair back from her face, resting his hand behind her ear. “And that’s why I like you,” he whispered in her ear. “Now,” his eyes glanced dangerously downwards again, “How about I get us another drink?”

It was dark by the time they’d emerged from Grey’s. Lisa was feeling much more relaxed now. She was enjoying Adam’s company. He was easy to be around. And the sexy smile was making her stomach flip in more ways than one.

Another few drinks and a few compliments on her dress were making her feel a lot more confident. After Joe and Melody had left it had seemed so easy just to default into wearing black all the time. It was professional. On fat days it was slimming.

It also helped her fade into the background. And that’s pretty much what she’d been doing. She didn’t want to be noticed. She didn’t want people to ask difficult questions. She was happy to try and help other people achieve their dreams without even thinking that she should find some of her own.

And the children’s ward was the best place of all to hide. At least there she felt as if she were really achieving something. Strange as it might seem, there was comfort on being on the children’s ward – even when there was sadness. Someone always needed a cuddle, someone always wanted a story read. She didn’t really care what she did, as long as she felt as though she was helping. It was the little things that made the difference. Having a sister who’d died of cancer had taught her that. If she could be the person to make things easier for another family, then that was what she’d do.

As they walked along the street she gave a little shiver. The temperature had dropped now and she hadn’t thought to bring a coat. Adam noticed and slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He made it seem like the most natural thing in the world. And it almost felt as if she fitted.

The street lights cast up orange shadows that reflected off the shop windows.

Although the street seemed empty there was the echo of low voices. Adam looked around and shrugged. A few seconds later someone let out a laugh.

As they walked it became obvious there was someone in one of the alleyways off Main Street. More than someone.

A woman’s laughter rang out too. The outline of two interlocked bodies came into view. Adam pulled back a little. “Oops,” he whispered as he turned his head.

Lisa didn’t want to stare. She really didn’t. It was obvious the couple were drunk and were fumbling around. The guy laughed and threw his head back as a security light on one of the doorways flickered on. Lisa sucked in a breath. Jared? He was easily recognizable.

But the woman he was with wasn’t. She was a brunette – not blonde like Nancy.

Adam noticed the change in Lisa instantly. She sucked in a deep breath and tensed under his arm. He followed her gaze. “What’s wrong?” It was pretty obvious what was happening amongst the fumbling down the lane. He cringed. Hardly the thing you wanted to see when walking a date home. It was obvious that both of them were drunk. Being loud and indiscreet wasn’t really helping. “Do you know him?”

Lisa stared at him. “You don’t?”

He shook his head. Although he could see the guy’s face he didn’t recognize him at all. As for the woman, her head was down in places where there was no light.

Lisa’s eyes were wide. She looked in shock. He tried to remember what he’d heard about her. There was no recent ex. No skeletons he was aware of.

He turned his back towards the couple. It just seemed too voyeuristic to keep staring. And anyway, he was far more concerned about Lisa.

He reached up and touched her shoulders. “Who is he, Lisa? Is it someone you know?”

“It’s…Jared,” she stuttered. “Jared Lovell.”

Nope. Nothing. He still hadn’t a clue.

He gave a shake of his head and she threw up her hands in exasperation. “Jared Lovell? From
Sultry Suburbs
?”

Now that sounded vaguely familiar, but he still wasn’t getting it. Guy. Girl. Drunken fumble in an alleyway. “Who?”

Lisa shook her head. She looked mad. She pointed her finger. “That,” she hissed, “is the groom for the wedding I’m helping out with. You know – the wedding of the year.”

Now, he got it. “Ahh…,” he glanced over his shoulders. “I take it that…isn’t the bride?” To be truthful he was wondering how on earth Lisa knew who it was. There wasn’t much to go on.

“Not unless she’s dyed her hair and it’s grown by four inches in the last twenty-four hours.”

Okay. The wedding of year wasn’t looking good right now. But why was Lisa so upset?

He hesitated. “Is the bride a friend of yours? I thought you didn’t know her that well.”

Lisa sucked in another breath. Her brow was furrowed. “I hate this. I hate things like this. Nancylynn loves him. She talked about him to me. She obviously trusts him.” She lifted her hand again. “And look at him. Look at what he’s doing. How dare he? This is her home town. How dare he come here and behave like that – as if Nancy means nothing to him?”

She stepped forward, he could feel the fire sparking from her, see the momentum in her body and moved sideways – straight into her path.

“Ooof!” She walked straight into him. “What are you doing? Get out of my way!”

Adam shook his head and held her by the shoulders. “No way. You don’t know him, Lisa. You have no idea what he’s like. I’m not letting you put yourself in that position. He’s drunk. You’ve no idea how he’ll react.”

Another peal of female laughter and mumbled voices sounded from the alleyway and he cringed. He shook his head. “The guy’s obviously not who he pretends to be.”

He chose his words carefully. “Maybe Nancy knows? Maybe the marriage isn’t what you think it is? Aren’t some of these Hollywood marriages a sham, or a publicity stunt? Maybe this one is the same? Didn’t you say it was really short notice?”

Lisa’s face paled. “Yes. Yes, it is.” She put her hand up to her throat. “Oh no. Maybe Nancylynn is pregnant. I never even thought about that.” Her eyes glassed over. “Maybe she’s pregnant and her husband-to-be is cheating on her. The jackass.” The determined glint appeared in her eye again and she tried to step around him.

“No way.” He held her firmly. “You don’t know any of the circumstances. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions? What other conclusion is there? Jared Lovell is a no-good cheating lowlife. And it’s about time somebody told him.” Now she was shouting and her voice carried easily down the street.

There was an exclamation from the alleyway. An acknowledgement that something had been heard.

Adam quickly put his arm around Lisa and steered her away. The last thing he wanted was the so-called bridegroom exiting the alleyway and causing a scene. Lisa would probably end up nose to nose with him right now.

She shrugged off his arm. “Don’t,” she muttered and started walking quickly down the street. It was obvious she was upset. And although he understood, in principle, why she was upset, he couldn’t really understand why she was taking it so personally.

It wasn’t like Nancy and Jared were her best friends. She didn’t know the guy at all, and she’d only met Nancy again a few days ago.

Right now, if he ever saw Jared Lovell again, he’d probably wring his neck with his bare hands.

Adam took a deep breath and walked behind her, his brain spinning.

They’d already turned and walked down Front Avenue and it didn’t take her long to pull her keys from her bag and slot them into her doorway.

Her hair flicked over her shoulder. She turned to face him. Were those tears glistening in her eyes? “Thanks for a nice evening, Adam,” she said swiftly, her voice trembling.

He nodded. It was obvious she couldn’t wait to get away from him. Whatever it was that had bothered her she wasn’t about to share. Women. He’d never understand them.

She pushed open her door and stepped inside. “Good night, Adam,” she said quietly as she closed the door. The flash of red disappeared. And with it – all the unspoken promises.

Adam stood there for a few seconds. How could a night that had started with such promise end in such a disaster?

‡

L
isa wasn’t just
at the end of her tether, she was practically dangling from the cliff edge.

She winced as yet another delicate dress was yanked over the head of Ruby. Polly had one lying discarded at her feet – a puddle of very expensive silk covered in crystals. They were taking dresses off and tossing them to the side before Lisa could rescue them.

Nancy in the meantime was no help at all. She’d been biting her nails and staring out the window in a virtual trance ever since she got here. The only time she blinked into life was when her phone beeped.

Lisa gathered up the discarded dresses. Polly and Ruby had abandoned the concept of closing the curtains in the dressing rooms. And Lisa was doing her best not to stare but it was clear that even in the last week Polly had gained a little weight. Her hand was never away from the basket of chocolates from Sage’s shop. Maybe she should stop restocking? Ruby, on the other hand, had brought her own bottle of pink champagne which she’d drunk half of already – even though it was barely midday.