Page 31

CHAPTER 31

FROST

W hen he turned to see Hel standing in the aisle, his breath caught in his throat.

Her hair was a wild mass of curls with flowers woven through them. She wore a stunning green dress. No, that wasn’t the right word. It wasn’t a dress, it was a gown. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

When she finally saw him and their eyes locked, his heart began to thunder in his ears, and his lips quirked up into a smile. He dimly heard the music playing and wondered if she should be walking down the aisle. But she wasn’t moving, she was just staring at him.

There seemed to be some kind of discussion between the three women, and Hel glanced at Clara, then back at him, her confusion plain on her face.

Maybe he shouldn’t have come? He had been nervous when Clara phoned and asked him to come to her wedding, but she had been persuasive, and he hadn’t been able to resist the opportunity to spend one more day with Hel. So here he was at a Hollywood wedding in the Australian bush. Life was sometimes very bizarre.

He lifted an eyebrow in question, a small, hopeful smile quirking the corner of his mouth up. Holding his breath, he waited for her response. She nodded and smiled at him.

He released his breath in a whoosh and grinned broadly. How had Clara described it? That’s right. One perfect day. They didn’t get to be together, but they could have one perfect day before he left. This was going to be their perfect day, the memories of which would have to last him a lifetime.

His heart soared when Hel and Sadie continued their walk down the aisle, closely followed by Clara and a man he assumed was her dad.

For a second, he wondered how he would feel if Hel was walking towards him, then reminded himself this was one perfect day. Nothing more, nothing less.

The ceremony was probably beautiful, but he only had eyes for the redhead standing off to the left of the bride, and he sighed in satisfaction when Hel’s gaze stopped darting around the people sitting in the clearing and settled on him, a smile tugging at her lips.

He chuckled along with everyone when Hel tapped Clara on the shoulder to stop the kiss from getting uncomfortable. That was a couple who were very, very in love.

When the ceremony finished, Clara and Taylor dashed down the aisle together, laughing as the guests threw flower petals at them. Hel and Sadie rushed in their wake, giggling, clearly not expecting the exit from the ceremony to have been so rapid.

Frost felt a little out of place, not really knowing anyone, but suddenly, he wasn’t alone anymore, Gloria was right next to him.

“Frost. It’s so wonderful to see you.” Gloria leaned forward and presented her cheek for a kiss.

He took her hint and dutifully bent down to give her a chaste kiss. His eyes widened slightly as he was pretty sure she murmured, “If only I was twenty years younger.”

“Lovely to see you again, too. It was a beautiful wedding.” Frost said, assuming that, as the mother of the groom, she would have had some involvement and would appreciate the compliment.

Gloria raised her hand airily. “I had absolutely nothing to do with it. They hired a wedding planner, she’s a little…” Gloria checked around to make sure the woman in question was nowhere to be seen, “scary. I made a couple of suggestions, and she glared at me, so I stopped.”

Frost lips tugged upwards as he said, “Now, I don’t believe that for one moment. I don’t think you’re scared of anyone.”

“Okay, fine,” Gloria chortled. “I got the things I wanted in the wedding, and then I made other silly suggestions so the planner would think she won.”

“Tell me. What did you really want?” Frost asked.

“Good champagne and canapés while the wedding photos are being taken.”

“That’s it?” Frost laughed.

“No. I wanted it served to the wedding party while they were having photos taken, not just the guests. That planner told me it wasn’t the done thing, and I wasn’t allowed. So, I requested doves and butterflies to be released after the ceremony. Then I asked for fireworks and got upset when she told me they weren’t allowed in the Australian bush—which I knew. I was just being dramatic. She then decided some champagne and canapés were fine.” Gloria grinned broadly.

“You’re very devious.” Frost held his arm out to Gloria. “May I escort you?”

“Why, don’t mind if I do.” Gloria took his arm.

Frost walked carefully, his crutch supporting him on one side, and he hated to admit it, but he leaned on Gloria a little as they walked. “I’m sorry. I’m still not great on my feet,” he apologised.

“That’s alright, Frost. I’m enjoying being on the arm of a young man.” She gazed up at him smiling, and then she added, “It’s lovely you could be here today with your woman.”

Frost looked sharply at her face. It was straight, but she had an unmistakable twinkle in her eye.

“She’s not my woman,” he replied, unable to stop the regret from seeping into his voice.

“Oh, Frost.” Gloria nudged him with her elbow, which was linked through his. “From the minute Taylor began talking about Clara, I knew she was his woman. She was the only one for him. I see the same in you when you look at Hel.”

Frost shook his head. “She’s not mine.”

“She’s yours and you’re hers. It may seem impossible now, but things have a way of working out.” Gloria winked at him.

Frost hesitated. Could it work out? He wanted to believe it could, but his job was in Canada, and Hel was adamant she couldn’t move anywhere.

“Anyway, young man. I’m needed for the photos.” She stood up on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek before she scampered away.

Frost laughed when he noticed the sparkling gold baseball boots hidden under her long skirt. He watched her dash over to the bridal party, and his eyes snagged on Hel, who was lifting up her skirt to stop it from trailing in the dirt. He laughed again when he realised she also wore sparkling baseball boots, but hers were green and matched her dress.

He tore his eyes away from Hel and saw Sadie and Clara also had baseball boots on, and Gloria had a shoebox under her arm and was advancing on someone who he assumed was Clara’s mom. The other woman seemed to be trying to protest until she finally succumbed to Gloria’s charm. Taking the shoebox from Taylor’s mum, she opened it and pulled out another pair of sparkling baseball boots, these ones navy to match her dress.

When he looked away from the older women and back to Hel, she was staring at him. He waved, and the smile she gave him and the small wave back had him walking across to her. Well, limping across to her.

“Hi.” Frost stood in front of her, leaning heavily on his crutch.

“Hi,” Hel replied. A smile breaking out across her face as she stared at him.

“Clara invited me.”

“I know.” Hel rolled her eyes. “We had a discussion before we walked down the aisle.”

“That’s what you three were talking about?” He assumed it had been by the way the three women had all looked directly at him.

“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you’re here. But it was a surprise.” Hel huffed a small laugh. “So this is it? One perfect date.”

“Yes,” Frost agreed. “I wish things could be different,” he added sadly.

“Me too. But if all we can have is today. I’ll take it.” Hel held her hand out to him, and he didn’t hesitate, entwining his fingers with hers.

“Me too.” Frost squeezed her fingers, he wasn’t planning on letting go of her until the end of the night. “Is that Clara’s mum?” He inclined his head towards the lady in the navy who was frowning as she took off her sensible low-heeled shoes and put on the sparkly baseball boots.

“Yeah. That’s Julia. She’s not sure what to make of Gloria.” Hel giggled as she watched the two older women.

“I don’t think anyone knows what to make of Gloria,” Frost replied.

“You’re not wrong, but she’s got the biggest heart. She looks after all of us doctors and mothers us when we work too much.”

“She was not very motherly to me when we were at the pub quiz.” He had been shocked when she pinched his bottom.

“No. She’s got a soft spot for incredibly attractive sportsmen.”

“You think I’m attractive?” Frost teased. His grin so big it nearly reached his ears.

Hel blushed, but then she lifted an eyebrow, a glint in her eyes. “Don’t forget I’ve seen and heard your rendition of ‘Let it be’ while drunk as a lord, smelling like a distillery and looking like you’ve never had a shower in your life.”

“Oh yeah. I took the ambos—by the way, I love that word—some gift cards to the local Indian takeaway as an apology. Barney is a nice bloke. We had a good chat.”

“Oh, no. That sounds ominous. What did you chat about?” Hel winced.

“Not about you, I promise.” He gave Hel’s hand a reassuring squeeze. He had—correctly—assumed she would not appreciate being gossiped about with people she worked with. “Bizarrely enough, he’s a massive ice hockey fan. I’ve promised to hook him up with some tickets if he ever visits Canada or America.”

Frost was surprised with the younger man’s knowledge of the sport. They had spent a fun hour chatting about the best plays in the league that year. The years Frost’s team won the Stanley Cup and, more importantly, the year they lost in the finals.

Hel’s features sagged a little in relief.

“You thought we talked about you?” Frost wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Hel blushed more, giving an embarrassed shrug. Before she took a deep breath, and the twinkle in her eyes reappeared. “Well, of course. I’m pretty amazing.”

She tried to use her hand to toss her hair back over her shoulder to prove her point. But had obviously forgotten the hand that wasn’t clutched in his actually had a bouquet of flowers in it. A bouquet which was now wrapped up in her curly hair.

“Shit,” she swore as she tugged on the flowers, which only had the effect of getting them more tangled.

“Hold still.” Frost reluctantly dropped her hand and reached over, gently gripping the wrist that held the flowers. He passed his crutch to her so he would have two hands to work, then set about freeing her hair.

When he was done, he looked down at her, a grin on his face that fell off when his gaze locked with her hazel eyes, which were staring up at him. He was standing so close to her that he could hear her breathing become faster the longer their eyes held.

“Hel,” Frost whispered, his head dipping nearer to her.

They were in the Australian bush, surrounded by a wedding party who were now cheering as Julia modelled her sparkly shoes. Frost was distantly aware of her commenting loudly about how comfortable they were and how she wasn’t going to take them off, but it was all background noise as he looked at Hel.

He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, totally forgetting the bouquet in his hand and he pushed it back into her hair.

“Frost!” Hel sputtered with laughter, and the moment between them was broken.

“I’m so sorry. Hold still. I’ll free you again. Then we might need to put this bouquet somewhere that isn’t in your hair.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Hel shook with mirth as he untangled the flowers again.

Frost didn’t rush as he enjoyed standing close to her and wanted to do it forever. He spent more time examining her face than he did the flowers if he was being truthful.

“Hel, we need you for photos.” Clara’s voice broke into their bubble.

Hel looked away from Frost and over at her friend, who watched them with a very self-satisfied smile on her face. Taylor stood behind her, one arm wrapped around his new bride, and when Frost looked over, Taylor raised an eyebrow and gave him a nod, then his attention was back on his bride as he dropped a kiss on her hair before he took hold of her hand and spun her. Clara giggled breathlessly, then stood up on her tiptoes to kiss Taylor. Frost chuckled when Hel made a retching noise next to him and muttered, “Out of control public displays of affection.”

“It’s their wedding!” Frost laughed at Hel’s disgusted expression.

“It is, and that’s the only reason the vomiting noise wasn’t louder,” she grumbled.

Frost grabbed hold of her hand again. “I think it’s nice they’re so in love.”

“I didn’t take you for a romantic.” Hel glanced up at him in surprise.

Frost hadn’t taken himself for a romantic either. With previous girlfriends, he enjoyed being with them. He had been physically attracted to them, but he never missed them.

The redhead he held hands with was different. He wanted to spend his whole time with her. When Hel moved out, it only brought home how much she was under his skin. He wasn’t sure how he was going to walk away from her and go back home. But contracts were signed, and he had to leave.

He pushed thoughts of leaving to the back of his mind. If all he had was today, he didn’t want to spend it worrying about the future.

Without thinking, he lifted her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, his voice low when he said, “I’m getting more romantic in my old age.” They held eye contact, and a flush rose up Hel’s cheeks.

“Me too.” Hel agreed, with a small smile quirking at the corner of her mouth. When she finally looked away from him, she grunted in disgust. “They’re still at it!”

She gestured to Clara and Taylor, who were oblivious to everyone around them. Hel wiggled her eyebrows at Frost, a twinkle in her eyes.

“Hey, Clara,” she called. “You might want to stop. Taylor’s wearing more lipstick than you are now.” She giggled delightedly when the only response she got from her friend was a hand raised, giving her the bird.

“Rude,” Hel exclaimed and tugged on Frost’s hand, so he walked with her over to the rest of the bridal party.