Sophie smoothed a wrinkle that wasn’t there from the creamy swath of flowing silk fabric that fell to the ground, straightened up and faced the mirror as Ginny buttoned the tiny pearls that had been hand-sewn on the back by the local dressmaker.
‘Just breathe. Put one foot in front of the other. And try not to arse over whilst walking down the world’s longest aisle.’
It had seemed like such a good idea at the time. A wedding held on the beach where she and Alexander had first truly begun to bond. To understand each other. The place where they’d spent countless hours since walking and talking, paddling and splashing. Not to mention kissing. All the kissing. So much kissing. With some hand-holding too.
It was where he’d officially proposed. Where she’d said yes.
And today she was going to upgrade that ‘yes’ into an ‘I do’.
‘Can’t blame you for staring at yourself.’ Ginny came up behind her and tweaked the flower-embroidered caplet sleeves. ‘You look beautiful.’ She touched her burgeoning stomach. ‘And I look like a whale in lavender chiffon.’
Sophie rolled her eyes at Ginny’s wrinkled-nosed reflection in the mirror. ‘You look stunning. Here.’ She reached behind her and picked up a velvet navy-blue drawstring bag. ‘This is for you, to say thank you.’
‘It’s your wedding and I get the presents.’ Ginny took the bag and opened it, pulling out a silver chain bracelet with three charms attached. ‘A book. An angel. And a heart.’ She passed the chain to Sophie and held her wrist out.
‘The book for me. The angel for Nat, since she’s always kept an eye on me. The heart for you, since you’ve loved me unconditionally, at my best and at my worst.’ She fastened the bracelet and pulled Ginny in for a hug. ‘You’ve got the biggest, fiercest heart I’ve ever met, Ginny. Love you.’
‘Love you too.’ Ginny squeezed her tight. ‘Love you even though you’re making me traipse down that shocking track to the beach when I could drop at any moment.’
‘You make it sound like the track is treacherous. It’s anything but since Alexander’s business had it all fixed up.’ Sophie smiled to herself. Alexander’s business. He’d come so far in the last year. His plans for Herring Cove had been more successful than either of them could have dreamed, and his father had promoted him to Co-CEO, with Alexander in charge of taking the growth model he’d created in Herring Cove and working with other small Cornish villages that were in need of a hand to elevate them to boutique tourist destinations in keeping with each village’s individual charms.
‘Time to go, Soph.’ Ginny picked up their bouquets, brimming with sunflowers, gypsophila, roses and delphinium and passed one to Sophie. ‘You ready?’
‘More than ready.‘ Sophie checked her reflection one more time and loved what she saw in it. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling. A smile that wouldn’t quit her lips. More than that, she saw peace and contentment. A happy soul. Not a single kernel of loneliness to be found or felt.
They made their way down the stairs and into the bookshop. Her fingertips trailed the spines of the books in the closest shelf as she floated to the front door. She breathed in the crisp, clean scent of new books mixed with the aromatic muskiness of the first editions she and Alexander went hunting for on their one day off.
It was the smell of home. Of happiness. Of security, trust and love.
Ginny opened the door and gasped. ‘They outdid themselves.’
Sophie stepped into the bright sunshine and followed Ginny’s delighted gaze up the street.
Silver and gold bunting hung from lamppost to lamppost. The flower boxes were freshly made up with blooms that matched the colour scheme of her bouquet. Solar-powered fairy lights circled the lampposts, ready to illuminate the lane, their love, when the sun sank beneath the horizon.
She laughed as she saw a miniature bride and groom had been placed on the shop sign Alexander had carved by hand. A stack of books, perfectly chiselled, so much so they almost looked real, with the spine of the top book reading ‘All Booked Up’ in gold script.
She didn’t think her smile could grow any larger, yet it had. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘It’s all Alexander.’ Ginny clapped her hands with glee. ‘He rounded up anyone and everyone he could to help. Not that he had to try all that hard. He’s got the villagers wrapped around his little finger.’
‘He’s always had that ability, that son of mine.’
Sophie twisted round to see Frank standing a few steps away, looking dapper in a three-piece dove-grey suit, complete with top hat and cravat.
‘Would you look at you, Mr Fletcher. Don’t you scrub up well,’ she teased, laughing as Frank’s cheeks bloomed pink.
‘Well it’s not every day you get to welcome a new member to your family. One we’re thrilled to have. Thrilled being an understatement.’ He stepped forward and crooked his arm.
Sophie slipped her arm through. ‘You’re too kind. Keep it up. I like it.’ She squeezed Frank’s forearm, and marvelled at how far their relationship had come.
Frank had not been the easiest nut to crack, but little by little he’d come out of his shell. Seeing how Alexander and Sophie worked as a team, supporting each other and thriving on it – personally and professionally – had eased his initial concerns that Sophie and Alexander weren’t suited, were too different in background, to survive.
‘Right.’ Ginny clapped her hands to get their attention. ‘I’m going to waddle off, fast as my pregnant elephant cankles can carry me. You two wander down. I’ll have the band start the music in seven minutes, okay?’
Sophie lifted her flowers to her forehead. ‘Yes, sir.’
Ginny rolled her eyes, blew a kiss, then hurried down to the cliff’s beach entrance.
‘Waddling elephant cankles, my arse,’ Sophie muttered, which earned her a hearty laugh from Frank.
‘You set, my dear?’ He tightened his grip. ‘And tell me I’m not the only nervous one.’
‘You’re the only nervous one.’ Sophie grinned. ‘I’m too happy to be nervous. I get to marry the love of my life. It’s not something that happens every day.’
‘No. No, it’s not.’
Frank and Sophie set off at a leisurely pace, taking the time to accept the good wishes that came flowing from the bustling shops on either side of them. It may have been a Sunday, but Herring Cove was filled with out-of-towners enjoying pastries from the local artisan bakery, cheeses from the newly opened cheesemonger, and discovering local arts and crafts at the gift shop.
Alexander’s dream for their village had come true, and he was beloved for making it happen, by no one more than Sophie.
They reached the cliff’s pathway entrance just as the string quartet began ‘Here Comes the Bride’.
‘Right on time.’ There was no hiding the admiration in Frank’s voice. ‘If that Ginny ever wants a job she can have one. She’d have my contractors going at double speed.’
Sophie hitched her skirt up a little as they made their descent, the faces below tipping towards them. ‘I think she’s about to have her hands full. Doubly so now that the online store Natalie created for her has seen her skincare business take off.’
‘Well, I’ll slip her my card along with the offer in case she ever wants a change of pace.’
‘You Fletchers and your inability to take no for an answer.’ Sophie grinned as she saw two small figures standing beside Ginny jumping up and down with excitement. Bella stopped to twirl around, sending her pink dress skirt out in a circle. Joe tugged at the tie Natalie had insisted he wear, telling him a ring bearer had to look extra dashing.
Ginny flashed her the thumbs up, took Joe and Bella in hand, then walked them up the aisle to where Natalie was standing, looking gorgeous in the lavender bridesmaid dress, even more so because of the smile on her face. One that had grown in the past few months as her website business had flourished, along with her self-confidence.
Frank and Sophie took the last few steps down to the beach and were greeted by Veronika, looking regal in an emerald green boat-necked, form-fitting dress.
‘You look stunning, Sophie. An absolute vision.’ She threaded her arm through Sophie’s as the three of them began to walk down the aisle towards Alexander, his back turned to her.
She smiled as she saw his foot tapping impatiently. Stopping when Mike, who had struck up a solid friendship with Alexander and had happily stepped up to be his groomsman, nudged him to let him know his bride was near.
He turned, his mouth falling as his eyes widened – and misted up. ‘You look beautiful,’ he mouthed.
‘You look hot,’ she mouthed back, fanning herself with her bouquet for extra effect.
Hot was an understatement. In his black, tailored suit, paired with a crisp white shirt, left open in keeping with the casual environment, Alexander had never looked so handsome.
‘Thank you for allowing us to walk you up the aisle.’ Frank raised her hand and kissed it as he stepped back.
‘I’m so glad to have a daughter in the family.’ Veronika pressed a kiss to her cheek. Completely at odds from the cool air-kiss Sophie had received on their first meeting.
Sophie returned the kiss. Her heart full for the woman who’d taken the time to get to know her. Never pressed. Never fussed. Sophie had taken Veronika’s initial distance to mean she was not fond of her, but over family dinners, which became weekends spent together searching out first editions when Alexander was too busy to come along, she realised she’d mistaken dislike for a natural reserve. One that hid a warm, generous woman, who hadn’t just accepted Sophie into her family, but ensured she felt very much a part of it.
Sophie passed her flowers to Natalie, blew her a kiss, then with a deep breath turned to her soon-to-be husband.
Their hands found each other and the ceremony began.
Rob, who’d attained his celebrant certificate specially for the occasion, officiated with his usual charm. Weaving a tale of how the two met, having their guests in fits of laughter one moment, dabbing their eyes the next.
‘And now for the important bit.’ Rob gave them an encouraging nod. ‘The vows.’
Sophie swallowed hard, terrified she’d forget the words she and Alexander had spent hours crafting, then more hours trying to remember.
They were simple words. And few of them. But they meant everything. Embodied their love exactly.
Alexander held her gaze, sent her strength. She returned his support with a squeeze of hands, then took a deep breath…
‘I, Sophie, promise to never let fear see us fall. To risk everything to ensure we grow. To trust in us, always.’
‘I, Alex, promise to stand up for us. To catch us should we fall. To keep us steady no matter what life throws our way.’
‘I promise to love you with my heart.’
‘I promise to love you with my soul.’
‘For you are mine.’
‘As I am yours.’
‘Forever.’ The last word said together, in perfect unison, as they slipped a gold band onto each other’s ring finger.
‘And with those beautiful words, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You know what to do next….’
Their guests laughed as Alexander pulled her closer, and they sealed the deal the best way they knew how.
With a kiss.
One that spoke of unshakeable foundations. Good bones. A solid roof.
And a lifetime of love.
If you enjoyed The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove then why not try The Little Unicorn Gift Shop, another uplifting romance by Kellie Hailes?
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