Sexy Love (Sexy Series Book 4) (36 page)

That time isn’t even worth thinking about though, it was so drastically awful but he’s better now, he’s very nearly back to his normal self, which is an absolute miracle. Seeing him with his tiny sons, loving his wife with all of his heart – it’s exactly what every single one of us wanted to see while he was recuperating.

As I’ve said before, Clare has everything she ever wanted, and I couldn’t be happier for her. And now, we’re related! We were already closer than ever, so it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference, but calling her my sister-in-law is a great privilege.

And from one sister-in-law – to the other. The elegant, utterly sophisticated Alexia. I look her impeccable body up and down in her rose-pink bridesmaid dress as she fastens her necklace in the mirror, unaware that my attention is on her.

Her long and immaculate brown hair drapes around her neck, tumbling over one shoulder and down her chest, she looks – as always – beautiful.

To meet, initially, I know that some people may find her too serious, too ‘proper’, maybe even a little uptight, but once you get to know her – you see that that isn’t the true Alexia, and that - in fact, she’s a very wonderful, very lovely friend that would do anything for you.

It didn’t take me long at all to find that out, maybe it’s because I’m Daniel’s girlfriend and she warmed to me, or maybe we just clicked immediately, but I know it was very much the same for Clare and Alexia.

Tilly took a little while to warm to her, they have vastly different personalities and at the time, Tilly was a little fragile – privately pregnant and in love with Luke, and she thought Alexia was after her man.

Of course she wasn’t, anyone can see that they’re just fantastic friends and as close as brother and sister, but it wasn’t so easy for Tilly at the time. But very quickly, she began to realise that she wasn’t an enemy, and really felt a bond growing as she and Luke became more of an item. Now, they’re chalk and cheese best friends who adore each other and share a constant, brilliant banter.

Everybody loves Lex but until Sebastian came along, I think we felt a little like she needed to release – to go crazy once in a while, to let her inhibitions go. She almost did, every now and again, but she was all too quick to rein it back in.

Then, Sebastian Love arrived. She’d already known him, we knew that, but she’d signed him off as a bit of a dickhead, a womanising man-whore with a lecherous tongue. It wasn’t until that night in Aspen when she kissed him in ‘Escobar’ that it started to dawn on us that he might be the key to her ‘letting go’.

I fully appreciate her feelings about elegance and personal presentation, especially at the office, but I think she became so used to it that she ended up taking her work-life home with her, forgetting to relax.

She changed when she started to see Sebastian a bit more frequently. I don’t think I can put my finger on exactly what changed, because I loved the Alexia I knew, but she just seemed to become a little more… cheeky.

She’s a very private woman, and I think it took her a while to realise that we weren’t there to judge her, but to enjoy her, and that we did. And eventually, she felt able to open up about her feelings and thoughts. I love that.

I knew that she felt close to me, but when she started to exchange her personal thoughts with us, it was almost an acceptance, a trust in us that she hadn’t had with anyone before, other than her family. She realised she could look like shit around us if she wanted to, not that that could
ever
be possible with her, but she knew that she could.

Watching as she questioned herself over her feelings for Sebastian was almost like watching a girl getting involved with a guy for the first time. I know she’d had boyfriends before, but Sebastian seemed to be the one that grabbed her and triggered her emotions. The others can’t have been serious contenders, and it was clear that Sebastian had done something to her that no other man had succeeded in doing.

He rattled her cages, he aroused her senses; he enlivened her soul. He woke her up, shook her about a bit and said ‘Hey, Sexy Lexie, wake up!’ And it worked.

I know things were a little touch and go for a while, and he did that disappearing thing that some men love to do so much, but whatever his reasoning, it was all resolved and he most certainly isn’t in the business of doing it again.

Although she already thoroughly enjoyed life, it seems she has a new vibrancy, a new wavelength, and she’s full of zest. Sebastian is clearly in awe of her; he looks at her as if she’s the most fascinating, rare creature in the world.

Socialising with them as a couple has been lovely, Daniel and I have been out with them on many occasions since they became a permanent item a few months ago, as have Tilly and Luke.

It’s fantastic how we all click so well. Getting together with everybody, as rare as it is with Clare and Oliver in the UK, is just such a merry and cheerful event. The meal that we all enjoyed together a couple of nights ago was thoroughly entertaining, and I know that today and tonight is going to be even more so.

I feel blessed to have with me, such an outstanding group of women who I know I’ll be able to count on and enjoy for the rest of my life.

“Shall we put your veil on, darling?” Tilly asks, bringing me back to my big day. “We’ve got about ten minutes until we should think about making a move downstairs. Oliver will be here soon to give us the go ahead and take the babies.”

“I have it here,” Alexia says, stepping back into the lounge area, holding my simple veil.

I smile, jubilantly. “Girls, can I just say before we head down…” I bite my lip as I pause to hold back the tears, fanning my eyes with my hand having just felt a huge sense of gratitude, reminiscing and appreciating my best friends. “I’ve just been thinking about my lovely friends and how everything has worked out for you all, and for me, of course – and I… well, I’m just so happy for you, and so grateful that you’re all here with your perfect men, to help Daniel and I celebrate our big day.” My voice squeaks as the emotions get the better of me. “And being in here, with me as I get ready, helping me, it’s been just perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing morning.”

“Aww, Bea, darling…” Clare says, rushing over to me with a tissue. “Don’t let your mascara run,” she spurts quickly before she continues. “Of course we’d be here, you’re one of the most important people in our lives and there’s nowhere else we’re going to be than right by your side as you start your new journey.”

“What she said,” Tilly adds. “We are just as lucky to be able to share this with you, and to have had you at our sides when we needed you. Seriously, though – blot under your eyes because you’ve got a big fat tear about to fuck up your make-up and I’m not standing for that right now.”

We giggle and I carefully place the tissue underneath my lashes to soak up the threatening tear.

“Bea,” Alexia whispers as she walks towards me with my veil. “If you hadn’t met Daniel, I don’t know if I’d be where I am right now. You and your friends have been such an incredible example to me, showing me that I can open up once in a while. Being able to do so, with all of you, whilst contending with my emotions about Sebastian has probably changed me immensely. I’m not sure I’d have been able to persevere with my relationship at the start, if I hadn’t been able to share some of it with you.”

“Oh, now you know that Seb and you were meant to be, of course you’d be together, and I think you opened up all by yourself. Maybe we were just at the right place, at the right time.” I respond.

“No, it was all you guys. So thank you. Having a sister-in-law and friends like you will only enrich my life, further. My brother, Luke and Oliver are lucky guys.”

“I think I’m safe to say, we’re also very lucky women. They’re not all as perfect as ours.”

“You can say that again!” Tilly says with a roll of the eyes, probably remembering the ‘beautiful connection/hideous sex’ guy, or one of her other, equally unappealing dates of days gone by.

“Okay, okay – I’ll stop with the mushy stuff, I’m sure there’ll be plenty more of that today! Let’s get this show on the road!”

I sit down and Alexia carefully attaches the simple, plain veil to my styled hair. My hairdresser and I both decided on a very loose, fat French plait along the bottom hairline, travelling from one ear to the other, finishing at the hair resting on my shoulder and loosening into free, tumbling locks down one side of my chest. She left some wavy, wispy pieces around my face so that it looks natural, but pretty. She did a fantastic job, and the veil sits just above the plait on my crown, perfectly.

“Oh, wow, Bea,” Clare says, excitedly, “it looks perfect. You look perfect.”

I grin, thanking her as I slip into my Christian Louboutin satin and lace ivory heels. They’re so simple and elegant, I adore them!

“I guess it’s time!” I say, more eager than nervous. “Daddy, where are you?”

“I’m right here, Bumble Bea,” he says, emerging from the bedroom, carrying a baby car seat in one hand, glass of champagne in the other. “Oh goodness, darling, you look absolutely stunning. I’ve never seen you look quite so… quite so…”

“Oh Dad, don’t cry! You’ll send me off again!”

“No, no…” he says, clearing his throat and finishing his drink. “Wouldn’t want to do that now. Is Oliver coming to collect these lovely little boys?” he asks Clare, distracting himself from emotion.

“He should be here any minute and then we can head down.”

“Jolly good. Now, if I can just step over here to give my smashing daughter a little kiss on the cheek…” he carefully deposits the car seat on the floor next to Mum who’s carrying the other, and makes his way past the girls to me.

We share a long and utterly welcome cuddle, disturbed only by the knock at the door. “That’ll be Ol now.” Clare says, making her way to the door.

As he enters, he’s followed by the planner. “Hey gorgeous girl, you look beautiful, can I whisk you to our room for a few minutes?” I look at Alexia and grin as we all hear his greeting for his wife and their kissing noises coming from the entryway.

“No you may not, Oliver, we have a wedding to get to.” Dad says, amused.

“Spoilsport.” Oliver responds as he steps into the room behind the planner with his arm around Clare. “Wow! Blimey, you scrubbed up well, Bea!” he says having kissed Mum.

He walks over to me and puts his arms around me, kissing my cheek. “Oi, watch the veil!” I warn.

“Alright, alright, I wasn’t going to pull it off. You look amazing, Bea. Daniel is so excited, you picked a goodun.”

I grin and giggle a little. “Yeah, I know. You didn’t pick a bad one yourself.”

Clare blows on her fingernails and polishes them on her dress, subtly, amusing everybody.

“And downstairs? Wow- the location looks stunning!”

“Does it? Oh, I’m so excited!” I squeal in delight. “Thank you so much!” I cry out to the planner.

“Not a problem, it’s my job. Is everything set here?”

“Yep, think so!

“Alright, so where are my boys? We can’t keep everybody waiting.” Oliver says, looking over to his babies on the floor by our parents. He takes Max in his seat and the planner offers to take Henry so that my brother doesn’t have to carry two car seats through the hotel.

We give them a little head start before making our own way through the corridors of the hotel, clutching our flowers. Butterflies wiz around in my belly. This is it; I’m about to become the wife of the man I love more than anything. I’m about to marry the father of my future children. I’m about to make that wonderful man - my husband. I’m more than ready.

The bottom of my dress swishes heavily with each step, it feels perfect against my skin, it feels as if somebody has been making this dress for me, personally since the day I was born; each stich, each line specifically for me to make it feel like a gown that I could wear over and over again without getting bored.

I’m so excited for Daniel to see it, I’ve been talking vaguely about it since the day we picked it, and I know he’s been excited to see what it looks like.

It’s sad that I’ll never get to wear it again. Maybe I’ll slip into it every now and again at home to surprise Daniel when he gets in from work, just to remember our day; the day we made me a ‘Berkeley’.

Although his name doesn’t change, it’s not just about me becoming a ‘Berkeley’; it’s also about Daniel becoming a ‘Hart’. He’s joining our family, just as much as I am - his, and I know that my family are as overjoyed about that, as I am. We’re bringing our two families together and we can both feel comforted in the knowledge that everybody is on board.

As we approach the exit to the pool, the planner and Oliver take the babies out to Tilly’s sister, Gemma, Jay and Jack who have agreed to sit with Emily, Max and Henry during the ceremony.

When the planner returns to advise us that Oliver is in position with the rest of the groomsmen and that they’re ready for us. She helps us get into position before stepping outside, Mum and dad on either side of me, and the girls ready to go ahead, one after the other.

I asked my Dad to give me away, of course, which he was thrilled to do, naturally, but he said that he would like it if Mum could be there, too. He said that he wouldn’t feel right to hand me over to Daniel officially, without having my mum by his side. He wanted it to be something that they did for their daughter, together, and it seemed so right when he said it.