Last night’s storm all but forgotten, the party at Karadow Hall was in full swing. Aglow with candles and festooned with lights, the huge room overlooking the sea was alive with chat and laughter, music and dancing.
As the setting sun turned the sky crimson over the seascape, framed by the ballroom windows, the evening was a whirl of champagne and canapes, a lavish wedding breakfast, speeches and more champagne. Layla and Nick were a picture of happiness, their little daughter Evie, a beautiful one year-old doll of a child. Ella told herself that it wasn’t a dream – two people really could be this good together.
Darkness began to fall and, in the twilight, the party moved outside to the lawns to see the circus performers – fire eaters, jugglers and acrobats – do their stuff. Jessie and Ella stood apart from the rest of the party.
‘Would you say I’d be mad to wish for that head-over-heels falling in love feeling?’ Jessie gave a sigh. ‘I’d love to feel that way again, one more time. Is it only for the young? Surely not, what about the young at heart?’
‘I’m no expert. But I don’t see why not. Seriously, Jessie, would you like to meet someone?’
A passing waiter topped up their glasses.
‘I’m much too senior for romance. Don’t listen to me. I’m an old fool. It’s the champagne talking. I’m going to take a few minutes out and go inside, check on Hughie in the kitchen.’
Ella smiled. ‘Would you like me to come too?’
‘I think I need a moment on my own, but thanks for offering, I’ll be back soon.’ Jessie scooted off.
When the circus performers finished, the guests trickled back inside the house to the ballroom. Ella followed a couple from Paris, who had come dressed as Pierrots, up the steps from the lawn to the terrace. Preoccupied with admiring their costumes, Ella caught the toe of one extra large trainer on the top step. The masonry was loose and all the sudden, unexpected use by people moving between the lawns and the house, had made the step wobbly. Losing her balance, she tripped and stumbled against the back of a man wearing a gold lamé suit. To stop herself from falling over, she grabbed onto his jacket. Startled, he spun around. She collided with his chest, and came to a standstill with his arms around her.
‘Hey Ella!’ There was a supercilious leer on the man’s face as he greeted her. It was the dreaded Karl Lassiter, looking more Elvis impersonator than circus act, in his suit of shiny gold. Drake had had a word with the wedding planner and Ella had been discreetly moved to sit next to Jessie at the same table as Rosie and Pete. She’d successfully avoided Karl so far, but now here he was, literally holding her up, no thanks to a coordination malfunction. Having regained her balance, she stepped backwards, forcing him to let go of her. Unavoidably though, they air-kissed politely.
‘I hear you’re to be congratulated,’ he said. ‘This place is out of this world.’
‘It wasn’t me. The owner offered. I’m staying in a cottage in the grounds.’ She shuddered, realizing too late that she had let her guard down.
‘The house is quite something. I bet it’s spooky as fuck upstairs. I think I’ll take a look. It would make an ace movie location. I wonder if it’s been done?’
Ella thought it would be rude of him to go poking around uninvited. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘So, how’ve you been? Rough day, huh? Old flame tying the knot.’
Karl was deliberately winding her up. She laughed it off. ‘I’m having a lovely time.’
She had made herself useful, helping Jessie field logistical questions from the wedding planner, and sitting with Rosie and Pete and their friends had been fun. They were full of stories about Porthkara.
‘Plenty more fish in the sea.’ He leaned in, too close again, and his breath smelt sour. ‘If you’d like a shoulder to cry on, I’m available.’
‘I’m alright thanks.’
Karl had a self-consciously pompous manner which came across as innocuous, but there was slyness underneath. Ella saw through him.
‘Have a drink with me. The best cure for a broken heart is to drown your sorrows. Let’s get blotto.’ He slurred his words. Now he was the one swaying, and not because he’d tripped on a step.
‘I’m not getting drunk with you, Karl.’
‘Oh, go on. Don’t be a party pooper.’ He picked his drink up, off the flat ledge on the balustrade surrounding the terrace, and spilled a splash of it on her feet.
‘No.’ She turned away, throwing him a hasty, ‘Enjoy the rest of the party.’
Karl lurched after her, grabbing her forcefully and slithering an arm around her. ‘You know one of tomorrow’s headlines is “Ella Needs a Fella”? You and I could prove them wrong.’
‘I don’t need to prove anything.’
Across the terrace she glimpsed a dark figure, standing just outside the ballroom, watching the party going on inside.
She did a double take, delighted to see Callum.
Karl tightened his grip. ‘Okay, okay. I made that up. But how about it? You and me? Where’s this cottage of yours? Is there room for two?’
‘Yes. Two. But not three.’
‘Huh…?’ Going by his face, Karl was solving a complicated mathematical problem. His grip loosened and she broke free.
‘Callum!’ He turned at the sound of her voice. She waved and he waved back. ‘FYI, I’m with someone,’ she told Karl. She was stretching the truth. Lying in fact. She didn’t care. ‘He’s over there, waiting for me.’
Backing away, she spoke up for herself. ‘I want to get one thing clear. Know this. I find you totally, utterly, one hundred per cent resistible and…’ It took all her effort not to add repulsive.
Karl slurred his astonishment. ‘A mystery man, huh? Who is he? Tell all. Name that hunk.’
‘He’s…’ She nearly said nobody. But that wasn’t true.
Karl cut her off. ‘A new man? How come I didn’t see him earlier?’
‘Goodbye, Karl.’
She dived into the middle of the other guests mingling on the terrace, and burst through the other side like a cork out of a bottle.
‘Am I glad to see you!’
She threw her arms around Callum’s neck and kissed him enthusiastically. Obligingly, he bent his head and allowed himself to be kissed, which was convenient.
His kiss was the kindest, sweetest… most marvellous thing. She bubbled with attraction, processing that he was a phenomenal kisser. When his lips touched hers, it was like she was suspended in time.
She made herself stop kissing him. There were questions in his eyes, so she whispered against his ear. ‘I don’t know what came over me. I saw you and…’
‘You seem to be making a habit of this.’
‘Do you mind?’
‘No.’ His lips quirked into that smile she couldn’t resist. ‘As long as it’s not because of champagne…?’
‘The champagne is fabulous. Would you like some?’
His eyes sparkled. ‘Yes, please.’
She led him in the direction of the pop-up bar. She should tell him about Karl, that he was an arsehole with the arms of an octopus, but she couldn’t see where he’d gone and there was no point spoiling the moment.
A barman poured them each a flute of champagne.
‘I wasn’t sure you’d come.’
‘Nor was I.’ He ran a hand nonchalantly to the back of his head. ‘The party at the hotel ends at eleven. And after that I’m sure a few diehards will be putting the world to rights in the bar, but…’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t think I’ll be missed. Saffie and Josh have gone up to their suite already. Saffie was tired. Third-trimester fatigue, apparently.’
Ella nodded. ‘Understandable.’
‘My taxi drove straight past the cottage and dropped me at the door. I thought it would be rude not to show my face.’
‘I’m glad you’re here.’
‘Same.’
They couldn’t take their eyes off each other.
They went inside and sat on a window seat, away from the bustle of the party. Callum looked out at the village lights across the bay, and Ella scrolled through photos of Saffie’s wedding on his phone.
‘How was it?’
‘Compared to this jamboree – quite normal.’
‘She got the wedding she wanted, though?’
‘Yes. They had a blast. Until the pregnancy tiredness kicked in.’ He hesitated. ‘But it was fine. No one minded.’
‘What are you not saying?’ Ella was picking up on something unspoken in his tone.
‘Nothing. Their celebration finally happened. I’m happy for them. We’re all looking forward, not back.’
‘You’ve stopped wishing things could be different?’
‘If that’s the same as accepting how things are – then yes.’
‘I’m glad,’ she said, uncertain that the two were the same, but happy he was feeling okay and didn’t hate her for throwing herself at him.
She noticed Karl again. From across the room, he was watching them. She should warn Callum about what she’d said, but she was enjoying having a temporary “new man” much too much.
Later, after a lot of chatting and laughing and champagne refills, the wedding band launched into a disco classic which got everyone up to dance. ‘I expect you’re all danced out,’ she said, hoping he wasn’t.
‘I didn’t have anyone I wanted to dance with.’ His eyes told her the person he wanted to dance with was her.
‘In that case…’ She took his empty glass and set it with hers on the window ledge. Then, tired of the clown feet, she kicked off her shoes. ‘Let’s dance.’
‘Let’s go.’ Taking her hand, Callum drew Ella with him into the centre of the dance floor. He whirled her around with spots of disco ball light spinning all round them. She threw back her head and laughed, immersed in the moment. He pulled her in close and circled an arm around her waist with great timing as the music morphed into something slow. She’d convinced herself that she was putting on a show to get rid of Karl, but truthfully it was all about Callum.
‘You’re quite good at this.’ His touch gave her tingles, as she moved with him, their shadow on the wall a single shape, dancing to the retro love song.
‘I wouldn’t go right to good,’ he said. ‘But I’m doing my best. Because it’s you.’
‘Thanks.’
‘You’re welcome.’ His voice was a low murmur. ‘I’m probably going to have to kiss you again.’
‘I’m probably going to be fine with that.’ His arms wrapped around her felt incredibly good, she wasn’t ready for it to stop.
‘Probably? Are you sure? In front of all these people?’ A sexy smile spread across his face.
‘Yes. I would definitely like that.’ She was liking it.
She relaxed into his hold, pressed against him, and he lowered his head to her upturned face, his breath whisperingly soft. The whole world closed in, all the other people blurred into insignificance, and he kissed her, his hand slipping beneath her hair to cradle her neck. His lips moved irresistibly against hers, seconds split into slow motion; somehow, she’d become the one kissing him back.