‘Really?’ I reply.
‘Really,’ she insists. ‘Just… put your head on his chest and smile. How could you not?’
‘Use my phone,’ I say. ‘It’s there, on the bedside table.’
Jake does as he’s told and so do I. I place my head and my hand on his chest and gaze up at the camera. He smiles as he takes the photo. He looks almost model-like, with his bedhead and his sleep grin. He’s good at this.
Downstairs, the lodge looks gorgeous in the morning light – and the food smells great.
Cordelia is cooking. Andy is standing next to her, sipping his coffee – he’s got stuck-up hair like he always does on a morning, and he looks like he’s not quite powered up yet, like he always does before he’s had his coffee. I know him so well; it’s such a shame we couldn’t have given things a go, to see if we could have had something together. I’ll always love him and I’ll always wonder, but he does seem genuinely happy with Cordelia, even if she does seem a little odd sometimes.
‘You slept well?’ She greets us with a wiggle of her eyebrows. ‘Or did you not get much sleep…?’
I almost choke on the atmosphere as Andy’s expression shifts to something close to horrified.
Jake slides seamlessly into fiancé mode.
‘Sure did,’ he says, smiling. ‘Breakfast smells real good.’
‘Well, Arty did ask for you when he brought it, so we have you two to thank for this – for all of it. Don’t we, Buzz?’
Cordelia gives Andy a nudge when he’s too slow to reply.
His eyes flick to Jake. Then to me. Then away again quickly, like it’s physically uncomfortable.
‘Yeah, thanks,’ he says plainly.
JJ joins us, tapping away on her phone as she walks in.
‘Morning, lovebirds!’ she chirps. ‘We’re going to have to make this quick – we’ve got work today. Me, Whit and Jake. But that just gives you two a chance to spend quality time together.’
‘Great,’ Cordelia says brightly.
‘Yeah, great,’ Andy adds without the same level of enthusiasm.
After breakfast – which JJ photographs far more than is normal – we head outside to where JJ has set up a game of bowls on the lawn.
‘Time to frolic,’ she commands.
And so we do as we’re told. I have to admit, I’ve never played bowls before, but it’s actually quite fun.
‘You’re smilin’ for real,’ Jake whispers to me when I land an actually decent shot.
‘I always smile when I’m winning,’ I joke.
Jake wraps his arms around me from behind and sways me gently. I feel a bit like I’m inside a boyfriend simulator. Like this is the Small World ride equivalent for me as an adult. It’s like I’m inside a dream. I know, it’s not real, but I’m enjoying it none the less.
As I glance back towards the lodge I catch Andy watching us from the terrace. He looks away too quickly when he sees me, like he doesn’t want me to know that he was staring.
Is he jealous? I suppose he could just find it weird, seeing me with someone, and Jake is captivating to watch. But, I don’t know, I know Andy, and he doesn’t look happy with this.
JJ did say it would work, that it would bring out Andy’s feelings if he still had them lurking. Part of me wants to back off, to stop making him feel uncomfortable, but I don’t know, the other part of me can’t bring myself to get off the Jake ride just yet. I’m having too much fun.
22
I suppose when you’re planning a last-minute wedding, your hands are sort of tied when it comes to the decision-making. They were lucky to get a booking here – I think they said they took the first available cancellation – so they’re lucky to still have a choice of food. I don’t suppose I’m bride-minded at all, because I would just pick something, but not Cordelia, oh no, she still wants to try the food, even though we’ll be having it in a matter of days. I wonder if they would extend this privilege to everyone, or if perhaps they’re getting special treatment because of Jake’s link to Arty.
Oh, and not content with choosing their own food, Andy and Cordelia have invited me and Jake along to help.