“Wipe that smirk off your face, McLean,” she growled, as Tom watched her efforts with amusement. “Otherwise you’re gonna have to carry me.”
“I’d love to, but I’ve got a world tour coming up. I don’t want to do myself an injury.”
They were ushered into the main ballroom, which had been set up for the wedding ceremony. Hanna and Tom sat in the back row of chairs, both of them hoping to dip somewhere under the radar—albeit for different reasons.
The few minutes before the ceremony was due to begin allowed Hanna the chance to look around without being watched, and she luxuriated in her anonymity. She could see Claire and Steven, seated in the front row, along with Ruby and Claire’s mother, Lillian, who was still going strong at 93.
Then Hanna’s heart began to race.
In front of them, Richard and Nathan stood to the right of the room. Neither could stand still, and she watched as Nathan jabbed Richard in the side, swiftly followed by a return slap on the arm from Richard. Claire leaned forward and said something to them and, whatever it was, it made them both crack up in laughter. Hanna gasped as she saw Richard’s profile as he turned, the sunlight through the front window creating a halo effect behind his head.
He was still as beautiful as she remembered. She traced the line of Richard’s straight nose, past his lips and to his razor-sharp jaw. She couldn’t tell from here if he was clean shaven—although she assumed he was—but somewhere in her mind the memory of breakfasts in bed, stubbled jaws and clothes strewn around the room, came to the surface, causing a prick of tears to her eyes.
Richard leaned down and whispered something to the woman seated beside Lillian, and the girl reached out and smoothed down his jacket. Hanna held her breath as Richard looked at the girl, his smile gentle and crooked. Ruby had already told Hanna about Meredith, Richard’s fiancée.
Before Hanna could find an appropriate reaction to the scene playing out before her, the wedding march started, and everyone turned to see Nathan’s fiancée, Lucy, walking down the aisle on her father’s arm, followed by an assortment of bridesmaids. Turning to watch the bridal procession also alerted the guests to Tom’s presence. Hanna watched in angry astonishment as more than a few people started to take pictures with their camera phones, ignoring the bride altogether.
She began to wonder if bringing a famous singer to a Larsen wedding was such a good idea.
“Looks like the cat’s out of the bag,” she whispered. Tom tried to act nonchalant and ignore the flashes. “I’m so sorry.”
“It happens all the time,” Tom replied, glancing over his shoulder to see a security guard trying to remain invisible at the back of the room. “Don’t sweat it, Hanna. I’m here for you.”
They had debated back and forth for days whether she should even attend the wedding. At first she thought it had been a cursory invitation, only issued in the hope she would refuse it. But both Claire and Nathan had called and urged her to attend, and promised her there would be no weirdness between Richard and her. Claire had even gone as far as suggesting Tom be her “plus one,” no doubt urged on by Ruby, who maintained an impressive devotion for the singer.
After the ceremony, they moved into the dining room for the customary wedding breakfast. She and Tom were sat at a round table full of twenty-somethings in the middle of the room. Hanna couldn’t stop herself from sneaking glances at the top table, her eyes seeking out Richard, her gaze lingering on his face.
“You need to stop looking over there,” Tom whispered to her, after a particularly long stare. “Eventually he’s going to notice.”
Hanna blushed and dragged her eyes away yet again. Glancing at her watch she wondered how the hell she was going to get through the rest of the day. She wasn’t sure if she could go for another eight hours without making a fool out of herself.
“Keep reminding me,” she replied, before turning to the guy called “Mosh” who sat on her left. He was trying to regale her with a particularly lurid anecdote involving Nathan, a forgotten toothbrush and a toilet scraper. Hanna was pleased she’d finished her food before he started his story.
The toasts followed dinner, and when Richard rose to give the best man’s speech, she felt Tom put his arm around her shoulders once again. Hanna leaned into him, grateful he was there to support her. To hear Richard talk about true love was like a knife to the heart, no matter how light-hearted and funny he made his speech. His lips moved softly as he spoke, and occasionally his eyebrows rose up to accentuate a joke, at which point the guests all joined in the laughter. Her favorite part was when he made the toast to the happy couple. She watched as he picked up his champagne to take a sip, and his pronounced Adam’s apple bobbed below the taut skin of his neck.
As afternoon darkened into evening, the guests returned to the ballroom for the entertainment. A band had set up in the corner, playing modern, middle-of-the-road music which both Hanna and Tom found amusing. Slowly, people trickled onto the dance floor, fuelled up with alcohol and food and ready to bust a move.
Tom wandered to the bathroom, promising Hanna he would return as quickly as he could. She found herself at the bar, ordering a beer in the hope it would lend her some of that Dutch courage people always talked about.
“Hi.”
Hanna turned to see Richard standing alongside her. Meredith was next to him, her petite frame somehow accentuating his broad chest. Hanna’s mind momentarily blanked, and she could feel her panic starting to rise as she tried to think of something to say.
“Hi.” It wasn’t much, but it helped her avoid looking like an idiot.
“Hanna, I’d like you to meet Meredith Devries. Meredith, this is Hanna Vincent.” Hanna automatically shook the girl’s hand, surprised at her soft skin and limp wrist.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Meredith.” Hanna was surprising herself with her social graces. They were like a reflex action. So ingrained, that saying the words was automatic.
“You too. Are you a friend of Lucy’s?”
Richard had never told Meredith who she was? Hanna found this interesting, and for the first time turned to look at him. He stared right at her, focused on her face, but not her eyes. It was like he was gazing at her lips, and for some reason she found herself moistening them with the tip of her tongue.
“No, I’m Ruby’s friend.” It was as good an explanation as any.
“Hey, what have I missed?” Tom’s voice was like cold lemonade on a hot day, and Hanna reached out to take his hand.
“Richard was introducing me to Meredith.” Hanna replied.