Never The Bride(6)

I joined in the applause as Rachel and Dean were pronounced man and wife and kissed. I couldn't help looking at Miller's lips again as they did, and felt my cheeks flame to see him wink at me again. Great, that wink was what had got me into trouble in the first place. I grimaced as Rachel gave me a look right before she started her walk down the aisle and Rebecca, as chief bridesmaid, stepped forwards to join Miller. There was a brief moment of confusion as he stepped forwards, then turned around and muttered something to the long line of ushers, and one of them approached her instead, holding out his arm to take. Ok, what was that all about? I tapped my foot as I waited for my turn, perfected wedding smile plastered on my face, and breathed in a shocked gasp as I realised that Miller had waited back until the end to escort me down the aisle. I swallowed hard as I slipped my arm through his, someone from the pews shoving my slightly battered, rescued bouquet back in my hand.

'So, Abbie Carter, is that how you usually make an entrance?' he drawled as we followed the slow moving procession.

'It's a great way of attracting attention. I mean, it's kind of hard to get noticed when you're not the one in white,' I replied, keeping my focus ahead of me, not on him. I didn't need any more incidents to add to my catalogue of failures for this damn wedding.

'You think no one would notice you in that damn dress? What the hell was Rachel thinking?' he chuckled. I giggled. Thank God I wasn't the only one who thought it was awful.

'I may have told her it looked like a unicorn farted a neon rainbow, but seriously, it's all about the bride today, or at least it should be. I'm supposed to shrink into the background, not make a spectacle of myself. Everyone's focus should be on her.' 

'Mine wasn't, and it wasn't just that awful dress of yours I was looking at all through the service.'

'What?' I exclaimed, my eyes shooting to his involuntarily as we approached the arched exit. What was he trying to say, that he found me attractive? Him? No, no way could someone with male model potential be interested in me, especially not after my embarrassing display of body and verbal inability.

'I think you're gorgeous, Abbie.'

'Yeah, right,' I scoffed. Miller frowned at me as we ground to a halt on the crowded gravel forecourt outside the main door. None of my boyfriends had ever said I was gorgeous.

'I'm serious. Are you here with anyone?' he asked.

'My  …  my friend  …  Georgie,' I stuttered. 'Who's a girl  …  a friend  …  a girlfriend. In a totally non-lesbian way,' I quickly added.

'Good to know,' he replied, angling his beautiful glossy chocolate eyes down to mine. 'So if I come to ask for a dance later, you won't say no?'

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Was this really happening? This gorgeous man was implying he found me attractive and wanted to spend the evening in my company? After I'd embarrassed myself earlier?

'I'll take that as a non-refusal then.'

'I'm not exactly Taylor Swift on the dance floor,' I replied.

'I won't be looking at your feet, Abbie. I'll be looking at those utterly kissable lips of yours. And if you really behave, I may even let you sample these "super sexy lips" of mine,' he added with another wink as he let go of my arm. 'Everywhere.'

With that parting comment, he disappeared into the crowd as I stood there, stunned.

'Amazing wedding entrance, Abbie, and holy hell, who was that guy who grabbed you and walked you down the aisle? Smokin' hot,' came Georgie's voice as she sidled up next to me.

'Best man, Miller Davis,' I replied, still in a stunned daze. 'Pinch me.'

'What?'

'Pinch me, please pinch me. I'm really not sure if I'm awake. I mean, I caused a scene and took the focus off the bride, not to mention attacking her mother inadvertently. That sounds like me, right? But then I got rescued by some kind of handsome knight on a white steed, who told me he thinks I'm gorgeous and he wants to put his sexy lips on mine. Both sets! Things like that don't happen to Abbie Carter, stuffy and boring accountant. Owww, what the hell was that?' I demanded as I rubbed the top of my arm, which suddenly stung.

'The pinch! You're definitely not dreaming. You're an intelligent, beautiful, sexy single woman who, granted, doesn't live a wild life, but is far from stuffy and boring. But forget all of that. Let's focus on the fact that you appear to have struck gold. You're telling me that hunk of a man made a play for you?'

'He was teasing, he must have been teasing,' I stated, feeling my stomach sink, especially when I saw the excited look on Georgie's face. 'Men like that aren't into girls like me.'

'There are no girls like you, Abbie. You're unique. I honestly don't know who gave you this complex that you're not desirable, you so are, but you give out the not-interested vibe more often than not, which probably scares men off. And why would he tease? He looks like the sort of guy who can get any woman he wants. He wouldn't make a pass at you if he wasn't interested.'



       
         
       
        

'Humph. We'll see,' I retorted, my eyes desperately searching the excited, chattering crowds, hoping to get another glimpse of him.

'Rachel and bridesmaids, follow me please,' called James the photographer, holding his camera up in the air so we could see where he was going over the sea of heads.

'Go and be captured in your favourite bridesmaid dress for all posterity,' giggled Georgie.

'I really hate you sometimes, Georgie Basset,' I scowled, then gave her a wink before squeezing my way through the crowd.

'Abbie, how are you?'

'Oh hey, Caroline, fancy seeing you here,' I teased. I saw her at most weddings I was a part of, bridesmaid or not. As the other half of JOL Wedding Photography, wife of James the photographer, we were on first name terms. 'Please tell me James didn't get any pictures of my humiliation?'

'Actually,' she chuckled, 'a great one of the bouquet hitting the mother of the bride.'

'No, seriously?' I groaned. Was I ever going to live this morning down?

'If they pick it for the album, it will at least be a talking point.'

'Very true,' I confirmed, sure my cheeks had gone pink again with mortification.

'He also got one I think you might want a copy of, the moment you fell into the best man's arms.'

'He did?' That piqued my interest.

'What's the story there?'

'No story at all. I just met him today,' I confirmed as we approached James, who already had the bride in position and was directing the sea of colour where to gather around.

'Watch this space then,' Caroline replied with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows. I shooed her away with my hand and a laugh, but couldn't help but notice when Miller came to watch us, which made me stand a little taller, suck my stomach in, and push my breasts out. A girl had to work it sometimes.



I was surprised to find myself disappointed that I didn't get a chance to talk to Miller again. It was a blur of photographs at The Abbey, where he had to be positioned close to the happy couple, then it was the same as we headed to Severn Manor, where the wedding reception was being held. It was such a lovely venue, set in beautiful grounds only a few miles from Dilbury, which the river meandered through. It was a timber-framed, 16th century Tudor building, tastefully extended to keep up with the demand for functions. Violins were playing as we gathered on the lawn, while waiters in penguin suits carried around silver platters of champagne and canapés as the pictures were being taken. Every time I tried to grab a glass of bubbly, I was called away for yet more pictures.

The "riot of colour" theme continued indoors. Poor Sarah of Rosie Posie must have slaved away for days with the amount of gorgeous floral work she'd done in the room. I had to admit, much as I disliked my dress, not finding it at all wedding appropriate, the stunning bright flowers and sweeping layers of coloured voile that created a canopy above us did look lovely and summery, and definitely unique. 

Much to our mortification, Georgie and I were seated at a round table with some of the old fuddy-duddies, and worse, my back was to the top table, so I didn't have line of sight of the gorgeousness of Miller Davis. With the old cronies being family, it wasn't like I could ask them to swap either. I was sure I was going to get a neck spasm from casting longing looks over my shoulder throughout the meal.

Adding to the lesbian rumour that had already started circling the event, I reached out to hold Georgie's hand as the wedding speeches started. I'd told her I was worried it would be too much for her too soon, but she'd insisted she was going to be fine. Funnily enough, it was me that found myself suddenly choking up, not her, especially during the father-of-the-bride speech. Even if I ever got lucky enough to get married, I was never going to have that. I had no one to give me away, no parents to smile proudly at me, to tell me how beautiful I looked, or how ecstatic they'd be to see me looking so happy. If I had children, I'd have no mum to give me well-meaning advice or be a shoulder to lean on. And my babies would have no grandparents, on my side anyway.

I was suddenly overcome with emotion and felt the sting of tears at the back of my eyes. I could not cry. I'd already hogged the limelight this morning, I was not going to do it again.

'Are you ok?' whispered Georgie as I started dabbing my eyes with the white linen napkin.

'I  …  I think I need a moment, some fresh air.'

'Do you want me to come with you?' she offered, a look of concern on her face when she saw how close I was to tears.