A Wedding in December

“Rosie White, you’re about to be married.”

“Doesn’t seem that way, but even if I was it doesn’t stop me noticing when a man is hot. Just stops me doing something about it. Jordan is smoking hot.”

“He is.” Something in the way her sister said it made Rosie wonder.

“Did you have trouble staying warm when you were snowbound in that cabin?”

“No. I was toasty. There was a perfectly good fire.”

“So no body warmth, then.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Katie!” Rosie sat up and stared at her sister. “Did you—?”

“Yes, we did. Several times in fact. Probably would have been more but he ran out of condoms. There. That’s my first ever kiss and tell. I’d carve his name in my bedpost, except my bed doesn’t have a post.”

Rosie hadn’t thought she was capable of being cheered up, but for some reason this cheered her up. “How long is it since you’ve been involved with a man?”

“Who said anything about being involved? I’m not involved. We spent a pleasurable physical night together, that’s all.”

“Apart from the fact you told him things about yourself you’ve never told anyone else.”

“That too.”

“And he knows your real name.”

“Now you’re freaking me out. Fortunately for me, as you pointed out, he kept me there so that you and Dan would have time alone, so I don’t think either of us need to worry that this is going to be a lasting relationship.”

“And you’re not mad with him for that?”

“The only person I’m mad with right now is myself. I am going to call the airline, then a taxi. And I will take advantage of the long flight to rethink my life.” Katie heaved herself to her feet. “But first I need coffee, and now that your breathing seems to have settled down you need a hot shower to warm up.”

“Please don’t leave. If we leave, then we’ll leave together. I still need to talk to Catherine. Promise me you won’t leave?”

Katie stilled. “I thought you’d had enough of me.”

Rosie stood up, too, and wrapped her arms around her sister. “I’ve had enough of you protecting me, but I haven’t had enough of you.”

“Okay, well—” Katie hugged her back. “I won’t leave until you do. That’s a promise.”

“What about Mum and Dad? Are they splitting up? I’m confused.”

“You and me both. They were definitely thinking of it, but once I calmed down I realized they couldn’t possibly have known we were all going to show up this morning, so the whole bed thing couldn’t possibly have been for effect.”

“Can we not talk about the bed thing?”

“Good plan.” Katie gave her a final hug and walked to the kitchen.

“Do you think it was my fault they were having problems?”

“Why would it be your fault?”

“My asthma put strain on the whole family.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Katie handed her a mug. “Relationships are complicated.”

“You don’t need to tell me that.” Rosie took a sip of coffee. She felt exhausted. Drained of energy. And on the verge of tears. Knowing that crying in front of her sister would make Katie feel worse, she put her coffee down. “You’re right. I need to take that shower. What are you going to do?”