Confetti Hearts (Confetti Hitched, #1)(51)

The music stops. Ryan is standing, offering his hand to Erica. “May I have this first dance?” he says loudly to a lot of catcalls. Erica dimples prettily, and he leads her to the now empty dance floor.

They stand still for a moment as DABBA plays the first chords of “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do”. Then my mouth drops open as the happy couple launch into a choreographed extravaganza of a dance. They’re dancing and reeling around each other like something from the first week of Strictly Come Dancing.

“Did you know they were doing this?” Greg asks, his brow furrowed as he watches Ryan lying on the floor while Erica jumps over him.

“No,” I say faintly. “I think I’d have remembered that.” I can’t turn my eyes away from the scene. It’s like they’ve hypnotised me.

I feel a warmth down my side and turn to see Lachlan standing by me.

“What?” I snap.

His eyebrow rises. “Just coming over to be with my hubby.”

“Better late than never,” I say and then immediately want to punch myself at the jealousy in my voice.

I look studiously at the gyrating couple, aware of Lachlan’s gaze hot on my face.

Finally, he leans back against the bar. “Why did we never do a first dance?”

“Dignity.”

He snorts. “No, really. Why?”

I roll my eyes. “Because you have zero dancing ability. I didn’t want my married life to begin with someone calling for an ambulance because they thought you’d electrocuted yourself.”

He laughs but Greg checks next to me.

“You’re married?” he exclaims.

“Very,” Lachlan says, glaring at him. “Passionately,” he adds for emphasis.

I groan as Greg glares at me and moves away.

“Thank you very much, killjoy.”

“That’s Robert Killjoy Silk to you.”

I shake my head, snorting. “That was a shit joke.”

“I do try.”

We fall silent for a few minutes, watching the dance in horrified yet reverent silence.

“I think I preferred our wedding,” he finally says.

I roll my eyes. “The ceremony lasted longer than the marriage.”

“Don’t say that.” I gaze at him, and he shifts. “Let’s have a drink.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I have to go. The celebrant says it’s going to snow, and if it’s as thick as he says it will be, I don’t want to get stuck here.”

His eyes are dark and mysterious. “Just one,” he coaxes.

I’m so tempted. To have a little period of time with him again would be a snatch of heaven before we go our separate ways for the last time.

“Okay, I give in. I’ll have a Coke.” I sit down on the stool he indicates. I notice he’s given me the one nearest the fire, knowing how cold I always am. I suppress a twinge of warmth towards him. “Maybe this was a good thing.”

He turns back from ordering a drink. “What?”

“This. Us. Maybe it’s good that we’re here.”

Amusement crosses his face for a second. “You didn’t think it was such a good idea a few hours ago.”

“That was before I knew you hadn’t cheated on me.”

He looks almost sad and then clears his expression. “So, you’re okay with me being here?”

“Yes, one last meeting before we go our separate ways.”

His eyes flare but he takes the drinks from the barman and clinks his glass against mine. “That sounds a bit like a railway station. Well, cheers then, brief travel partner.”

I open my mouth to say something, but he distracts me by asking after Jed. The answer segues into other subjects, the conversation as easy and stimulating as it always is with him. After a while, I check my watch and exclaim.

“We’ve been talking for a couple of hours. Shit. I’ve got to go.”

“Stay a while longer,” he coaxes. “I’ll get you a coffee.”

I shake my head, but his charm is as heady as ever, and really, I’m only going to a boring old airport hotel. I can spare a little time. “Okay, then. But I’ll go and grab my bag from the office before they lock the door.”

He nods and turns to the barman, and I slip out into the foyer. I retrieve my bag from the office and return to the lobby. Someone comes into the hotel, and I shudder at the ice-cold blast of air following them in.

I walk quickly into the bar and stop dead. The dark-haired man Lachlan was talking with earlier is sitting on my stool. I watch as they carry on a conversation, feeling my heart sink. The man is very polished and close to Lachlan’s age.

And, just like that, my desire to stay and talk with Lachlan disappears. Moments like this will keep replaying between us because every other man seems more appropriate for Lachlan than me. I’m the bridegroom married in haste and repented at leisure. I’m not worldly and sophisticated and as such I need to remove myself from Lachlan’s script and this performance. Getting stuck in his spotlight can’t happen again.

I back out of the room. Time to go.

“Joe?”

I turn and offer Erica a lacklustre smile. She’s flushed and happy.

“Okay, you newly married lady?”