Chapter Seventeen

Over the next few days, Sam was kept so busy arranging the details for Nicci’s secret wedding that she didn’t have time to think about herself and the fact that Reece would soon be returning home. There was so much to organise before the date, set for the first Sunday in April, but at least now she had a list of definite things to show Louise and Jay, who were the only two people who knew for now.

They’d met up the night before to discuss things, Jay pretending he was working overtime. So far the hotel Nicci had already been in touch with regarding the reception had emailed back and offered a reduced rate as an incentive to rebook, but wouldn’t do anything about giving a refund for the deposit she had paid. After discussing finances with Jay, she’d managed to negotiate a luxury room for the wedding night instead.

Sam had decided to call everyone together at the end of the week and announce it in one go. It would be far easier that way. And maybe she’d get some answers straight away. She studied her list again:

Venue – She’d tasked Jay with getting the registrar on board, and checking that everything needing to be done was set in place.

Dress – Jay had given her details of a particular one that Nicci had left notes about in her notebook. Helpfully, she’d also cut out a picture from a magazine, so Sam was going to see about getting it sewn up at a fraction of the cost.

Shoes – Clara had said she’d provide them for free. Melissa too had said she’d do all the make-up for the women in the bridal party. Charley, Louise and Ryan’s twin girls, Amelia and Abigail, were going to be bridesmaids, as per Nicci’s notebook. Mr Adams was making a cake like the one in the clipping Jay had brought for him from the wedding planning book. All that was left to organise was the flowers. Sam had given the florist notice of the wedding, and the colour scheme. All she needed to do was ask Jay if he knew Nicci’s favourite flower.

Sam put the list away in her pocket. All in all, planning a wedding without letting the bride know was still possible but it would take a hell of a lot of organisation and co-ordination. Still, as queen-of-the-list-makers, she couldn’t wait to get started. And at least it kept her mind from her own worries.

At five o’clock, Jay came to the market on the pretence that he’d knocked off work early after dropping off a delivery for his boss. Sam suggested that Nicci might as well finish now that he was here, rather than hang around for another half hour. Once they’d gone and the doors to the general public had been closed, everyone gathered around her stall. Sam stood at the front, Louise by her side.

‘I won’t keep you back for long,’ she shouted, looking around at a sea of puzzled faces, ‘but we have something we need your help with.’

She told everyone about Nicci and Jay’s story. Not about the debt and the on-off wedding proposal. But about a hard-working couple who were struggling to plan their big day. She made out in the speech that it was their idea, that neither Nicci nor Jay knew it was planned and that she was after offers of help to make the day perfect for them.

Everyone began to pipe up with ideas. Sam held up a hand as they all spoke at once.

‘I have to explain first that there isn’t much money so I’ll need you to offer your services for as cheap as possible. Maybe even,’ she paused, ‘for free?’

‘I wouldn’t want paying,’ said Melissa.

‘Me neither,’ said Mr Adams. ‘Nicci’s like one of our own, we’ve known her for so long.’

‘And Jay too,’ added Nigel Beaconsfield, from the butcher’s counter.

‘Ooh, and I love picking out wedding shoes!’ said Clara in an excited pitch. ‘I already have some in mind that I’ve seen. I know Nicci will love them, depending on the dress, of course.’

Louise’s eyes teared up. ‘Thanks, you guys,’ she spoke quietly.

Sam glanced around at everyone, still not quite believing what she’d heard. She caught Jess’s eye, her face like thunder, but decided to ignore her. She wouldn’t sabotage this wedding.

‘Are you all sure you’re happy to do this?’ she asked again, just to clarify, but beaming with joy.

‘Of course we are.’

‘Yes, absolutely.’

‘She’s a good girl, is Nicci.’

‘And Jay’s a great guy too.’

‘Well, it looks like we have a secret wedding to plan!’ Sam shouted, amidst a few whoops and cheers.

Louise smiled at them. ‘I can’t thank you all enough. Nicci will be thrilled.’

Sam nodded, along with a few other people. Weddings were so good for the soul. Then she remembered something else.

‘Just before we all disappear, Ryan?’ she shouted. ‘Are you still here?’

Although Ryan was back on his stall, he put up his hand. ‘Yep, still here.’

‘Jay wants you to be his best man. And you too, Matt.’

‘Cool!’ Matt grinned and shook hands with Ryan. ‘Looks like we’ll have to do a joint speech.’

‘Yeah, we can be double funny,’ Ryan replied.

‘Or double naff,’ Malcolm shouted. Everyone laughed, and headed back to pack up their stalls for the evening.

‘I know which one I’d say is the best out of the two of you.’ Jess licked her top lip and grinned at Ryan. ‘I’d say that’s definitely the right name for you, Ryan. The best man,’ she purred.

A couple of heads turned abruptly and Ryan caught a few frowns and strange looks. He pretended he hadn’t heard Jess and continued to banter with Matt.

But Louise and Sam had clearly caught what Jess had said.

‘What did she mean by that?’ Louise asked.

‘I’m not sure,’ Sam replied, not wanting to start an argument just as they were all on a high after soliciting help for the wedding.

Ryan watched as everyone around him dispersed, hoping he’d got away with it being no more than a throwaway remark. He’d scowled at Jess to let her know that he was mad at her, and she’d sidled off back to the sweet stall with a dramatic sigh.

But Matt didn’t let it go unnoticed. ‘Did you meet up with her?’ he wanted to know.

‘Just the once. I –’

‘And did you screw her?’

Ryan didn’t speak but his silence gave Matt his reply.

‘You ... you ...’ Matt pointed his finger in Ryan’s face. ‘You lowlife piece of shit. You said you’d never—’

‘It was only the once!’ he lied. ‘I admit that batting too close to home wasn’t such a clever idea but I haven’t seen her since.’

‘And you expect me to believe that?’ Matt grabbed his coat. ‘You can lock up tonight. I need some fresh air before I lamp you one.’

‘Mate, it’s not what you—’

But Matt was already gone.

At home, Jess thought about what she had done. Stupidly, she’d made some brash comment and now Ryan was angry with her. Things had been going so well after they’d met up in the store room on Valentine’s Day, too.

Once most people had left the market that night, they’d had words about what she had said. He’d told her Matt had sussed what was going on. Jess had apologised but Ryan had stormed off regardless. Maybe she had pushed her luck a little too much.

She decided to bring her plan of action forward. She took a shower and sprayed herself liberally with the perfume Ryan had bought her. Sleeping with him again twice the week before would have worked out in her favour too. It would make everything seem more believable.

A few days later, Jess executed her fainting fit with precision. She knew that Matt and Ryan moved a lot of their electrical stock and locked it away in the stock room every evening in case anyone broke into the market. At the end of the day, while the traders were packing up for the day, she watched them leave their stall and followed them, carrying a plastic jar of sweets in the crook of each arm. She pushed open the door, saw them in front of her and suddenly dropped to the floor, letting the jars clatter to the ground.

Matt got to her first. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, bending down to see.

Jess screwed up her eyes and frowned, as if she was trying to remember who they were.

Ryan waved a hand in front of her eyes. ‘What happened?’ he asked. ‘Did you slip?’

‘I’m not sure,’ Jess lied. She tried to get up, pretending that she was dizzy.

‘Whoa!’ Ryan steadied her by the arm. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’

‘Here.’ Matt pulled a plastic chair from a stack at the side of the room. ‘Sit down here a minute and get your colour back.’

Once Jess had their undivided attention, she decided it was now or never. ‘I’m fine,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s just that I’m pregnant and–’

Ryan’s hand moved from her arm. ‘What?’

‘I only found out yesterday. I was going to tell you.’ Jess looked up at him, this time with tears in her eyes, hoping he didn’t know too much about pregnancy.

‘What’s going on?’ Matt glanced from one to the other. ‘Oh no. Tell me you’re not the father!’

‘No!’ Ryan coughed after his voice came out as a squeak.

‘You are,’ Jess said quietly. ‘I haven’t been with anyone else in months.’

Matt glanced at Jess with disgust. ‘You planned this, didn’t you?’

‘No!’ Jess lied again. ‘I would never trap anyone.’

‘In that case, get rid of it.’

‘You can’t tell me what to do!’

‘Too right, I can’t.’ He poked Ryan’s chest. ‘But you can. And you’d better do it soon. You prick!’

‘What am I going to do?’ Ryan paced the stock room. ‘Sarah will kill me.’

‘What do you mean, what are you going to do?’ Jess challenged, suddenly forgetting all her earlier fainting antics. ‘This is our baby. We’re in this together.’

‘In what together, exactly? Christ, I only slept with you because you threw your tits into my face every day. What man in their right mind could refuse that?’

‘I did,’ said Matt.

‘Shut up,’ said Ryan. ‘I’m in enough trouble without you going on at me.’

Jess stood up quickly. She rested her hand on Ryan’s arm. ‘We’re in this mess,’ she told him. ‘It’ll be okay, you’ll see.’

‘A mess, that’s right,’ said Matt before walking away. ‘You two deserve each other.’

‘Wait!’ Ryan shouted after him.

But Matt didn’t stop. The door back into the public area slammed shut behind him. Jess stood silently, wondering if her plan had worked or not.

Ryan began to pace again.

‘I’m still here, you know,’ Jess said, annoyed at being ignored. ‘Maybe we should meet somewhere to discuss things?’

‘Yeah, I think we should,’ Ryan agreed. ‘I’ll meet you after we finish tonight and we—’

‘I can’t – I have a doctor’s appointment.’ It was a complete fib but Jess wanted to keep him keen.

‘Tomorrow night, then.’

Ryan had at least stopped pacing but the look of fear on his face made Jess feel secure. She had the upper hand for now. And once he got used to the idea, they could talk.

Charley wished she’d never come to meet her mum from work. While she waited for her to finish, Sam had asked her to fetch some paper bags from the stock room. She’d opened the door to the sound of raised voices and saw Matt, Ryan and Jess up ahead. She knew she should have walked away but natural curiosity got the better of her. Closing the door quietly, she’d sneaked across the room and hid at the side of a shelving unit in the distance.

From where she stood, she could hear some of the conversation. She held her breath as she watched first Matt, then her Uncle Ryan storm out of the stock room. A moment later, Jess followed and Charley was alone in the stock room.

Her heart beating wildly, she stood for a while trying to put together the different snippets she’d heard.

Jess was pregnant and Matt was going to become a father. Charley’s eyes brimmed with tears. She thought he cared about her mum, and if she was honest, she thought he cared about her as well. What would happen if there was a baby too, and with Jess? How the hell was that going to work out? They would be out of the loop.

No, she shook her head, this wasn’t happening. It couldn’t happen. It would ruin everything.

The disagreement between Matt and Ryan continued when they were back on their stall.

‘Is it yours?’ Matt wanted to know.

‘She got under my skin, okay!’ Ryan wouldn’t look him in the eye. ‘I couldn’t get enough of her. But I dropped it off because Sarah started to get suspicious.’ He gulped nervously. ‘I told Sarah I was with you.’

‘I said I wouldn’t cover for you!’ Matt seethed, clenching and unclenching his fist.

‘I’m sorry! But she collared me about being home late again and I – I just said the first thing that came into my mouth. That I was with you. I told her we’d started running to lose a bit of weight in time for the wedding. Best men, and all that.’

‘But can’t you see how awkward that is for me? I’ve known you both for years. I’m not going to lie to her. It makes me as devious as you.’

‘Anyone would think I’d murdered someone and was asking you for an alibi! It’s not such a big deal.’

‘She’s pregnant!’ Matt cried, then lowered his voice, aware again of his surroundings. ‘And you’re not married to Jess.’

‘Okay, okay! Keep your hair on!’ Across the aisle, Ryan could see Sam glancing over. He could tell she was wondering what was going on. ‘How about if I talk to her, finish things and –’

‘You can’t hide a baby, you stupid –’

‘I can deny it’s mine though.’

‘What?’

‘Everyone knows Jess is a dick tease. Of course she could make out it was mine, but she could just as easily have come back from London pregnant. I reckon she’s trying to trap me.’

Matt was astounded at his friend’s nerve. ‘Sometimes I don’t understand how we’ve stayed mates for so long.’ He shook his head. ‘You make me sick at times. It’s all about how Ryan can get his end away and get away with it, isn’t it? And this time it’s come back to haunt you. This time, there’s no getting away from it.’ He pointed at Jess who was also watching them carefully. ‘Because she won’t let you. If you think you can walk away from her, then you’re stupid.’

‘She won’t say anything,’ Ryan said, shaking his head as if to make himself believe that. ‘She won’t – and I’m going to finish it anyway.’

‘She’s got you over a barrel, mate!’

‘We’ll see.’

Matt glared at him before he really did punch him. But Ryan was watching Jess.

‘Look at her any more and everyone will know what you’re up to,’ Matt said. ‘especially after that best man comment the other day.’

This time, Ryan looked away swiftly.

Sam had watched Matt tear into Ryan across on their stall.

‘What’s going on over there?’ she asked Louise.

Louise stopped what she was doing and turned to look. ‘Beats me,’ she said. ‘But Matt looks fit to burst. Oi, you two!’ she shouted across to them. ‘You sound like a pair of girls in a catfight. What’s up?’

But the men ignored her. They were too busy arguing to respond.

‘Charming,’ said Louise. She spotted Charley coming back. ‘Did you see anything going on with those two while you were in the stock room?’

‘No, I didn’t see them.’

Charley rushed through to the back room, for fear her reddening cheeks would give her away. What was she going to do? She wished she had someone to confide in. She couldn’t tell her mum – she wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. And if she hadn’t fallen out with Sophie, she could have rung her. Sam would be an obvious choice but it would be hard to get her alone. Or maybe she should just ask Matt? Or even have it out with Jess?

Charley couldn’t decide. In the meantime, she’d have to act like nothing had happened.

‘Good day at school, Charl?’ Louise shouted through to her.

‘Glad it’s over,’ came her reply.

‘Sounds about right. I hated school too.’ Louise grinned. She took off her apron and washed her hands.

‘Louise?’ Matt appeared suddenly. ‘Do you want a lift home? I’m heading off soon. Hey, Charl, how goes it?’

Charley stiffened. Matt smiled, but she couldn’t look at him. She couldn’t pretend that nothing had happened. Pushing past him, she walked away down the aisle.

‘Don’t you want a lift home with us?’ Matt shouted after her.

‘What does it look like?’

‘Charley?’ She heard her mum shout but she ignored her. There was no way she was getting into Matt’s car until she got to the bottom of this mess. If Sophie wasn’t around she’d go and email Alex. Alex would tell her what to do.

‘What’s up with her?’ Matt looked puzzled. What was it with people today?

‘Beats me.’ Louise grabbed her coat. ‘Too many hormones, I reckon. She’s been a right moody sod lately.’

‘Takes after her mother,’ said Sam from behind them.

Matt sniggered.

‘Ha, ha.’ Louise’s voice was thick with sarcasm. ‘Anyway, Matt – care to tell us what you and my brother were falling out about?’

‘It’s nothing.’ Matt’s shoulders drooped. ‘Just boys’ stuff.’

‘That’s worse than women’s problems,’ laughed Sam.

‘If it wasn’t for you women, we men wouldn’t be falling out in the first place.’

‘Why, you cheeky—’

‘You little—’

Even though they were joking around, Matt turned abruptly and went back to the stall. He opened his mouth to speak to Ryan but decided better of it. Instead, he grabbed his coat and stormed off down the aisle.

He couldn’t stand to be in the fool’s company a minute longer.