Page 34 (1/2)

CHAPTER ONE

THE SWEET SMELL of rose petals filled the evening air, giving the falling dusk a sultry war out from the band on the patio, rohts twinkled in the branches of the trees and inside the marquees, and around them leaves rustled in the still warm breeze

The whole set-up was so perfectly loved-up Violet thought she h it a er

Glaring down at her lavender bridese of the celebrations where she could watch the live band play in peace She needed to , and maybe the music would help Her parents’ vow renewal ceree success Later, she had no doubt, her dad and the boys froe andthe reh they’d finished their official set an hour ago Knowing Dad, it would probably be a lower key, acoustic set the second time around

Keeping Dad off the stage was alwayshim on there, and he alanted onewell enough The courtyard in front of the stage was filled with people dancing, or just holding each other, or kissing Falling in love

Violet scowled and looked away

Of course, the situation wasn’t helped by her faainst her new husband—Lord Sebastian Beresford, Earl of Holgate, if you please—was her youngest sister, Daisy No, the Lady Holgate now Hard to believe that Daisy-Waisy was an honest-to-God countess, but soht swell of her baby bureen bridesmaid’s dress

Just a few more months and Violet would officially be thethe church flowerstea with her mother’s ‘ladies who lunch’ crowd Maybe she should just skip straight ahead to adopting a three-legged cat and taking up crochet

Actually, she’d quite like to learn to crochet, but that wasn’t the point

Seb rested his hand against his wife’s storin as she tilted her face for a kiss Violet turned away, suddenly e

But unfortunately her gaze just landed on Rose and Will, looking equally wrapped up in each other Her twin sister and her best friend Violet had to ad either An attraction, perhaps, or rooood anddress, after sneaking away for their own secret e ceremony once their parents’ vow renewal service was over

Maybe she just had no sort of love radar at all Or maybe it was broken That would explain a hell of a lot, really

Will glanced up at just the wrong h Even staring pointedly at the band, she couldn’t miss the whispered conversation between Rose and her new husband Probably trying to decide whose responsibility Violet’s hurt feelings were now

Violet sighed It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy for her sisters—she really, truly was And she knew that their happiness shouldn’t make her own sorry situation feel so much worse But it did

>

Sing, she looked down at her feet, and the high heels pinching her toes It would pass, she knew Any day now she’d be able to look at all the happy and loved-up people around her and just se that threatened to colour her whole world

That day just wasn’t yet, that was all

‘She thinks you’re cross with her, you know Orbeside her with his hands in his pockets Such a faht at these events Usually Will’s presence was a coh the amused looks, the only half-whispered couys she barely knew but who clearly thought they knew all about her—and her sexual proclivities

Today, though, he was just a reain

‘Cross with Rose?’ Violet asked,up a s you away from me? Good riddance, I say’

The startled look on Will’s face told her she’dvery badly

‘Uh, no She thinks you’re uy froood cha’

Ah, that Yeah, that would make more sense Especially since she hadn’t been completely silent about her unhappiness that the reporter was co at all

‘I hadn’t reallyyou think she stole me away from you?’

Violet gave hi after you, pining away for you through every one of your ridiculous engageroom stunts And now you’ve finally married my sister, I don’t think I will ever recover’

Her deadpan delivery apparently sold it because Will laughed with obvious relief ‘Good That’sokay, then And you’re not mad about the reporter either?’

‘I’ne Otherwise, I’ll cope’

‘You’re sure? I know you’re a little’

Violet tried to guess the word he was avoiding saying Nervous? Worried? Paranoid?

Probably paranoid

‘Apprehensive about hi,’ Will finished

Violet sighed Apprehensive wasn’t the half of it But her dad had made up his raphy on the shelves, and he’d picked this guy to do it Rose had looked at her orried eyes when he’d announced it, but even she admitted it made sense to do it now, ahead of the new tour and albuuy would have exclusive access, in-depth interviews and enough connections to get a real buzz going in the media

‘Rose says he’s nice,’ Will tried ‘They met in New York before she came home’

‘I’m sure he’s a doll,’ Violet replied It didn’t matter who he was He was press, and only interested in the he could sell

Violet had learned that lesson the hard way

Will frowned ‘Maybe if you talk to your dad’