The Honeymoon by Shalini Boland

Author:Shalini Boland [Boland, Shalini]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2024-06-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

THEN

Although I’ve enjoyed the past few days staying at Austin’s place, it’s also been a bit stressful, what with him worrying about Bart and the business. He says it’s been good having me there to support him, but I get the feeling he needs a bit of space. It’ll be different when I’ve moved in properly after the wedding, but right now there’s not enough room for my clothes in the wardrobe, and I feel like my stuff is cluttering up his immaculate pad. Although he’s far too nice to tell me any of that.

So I’ve decided to move back in with my parents. Firstly, Austin hasn’t explicitly asked me to move in yet, and secondly, I didn’t want my mum and dad thinking I still held a grudge after their initial reaction to my news. I need to get back to our easy relationship because I couldn’t bear for things to be permanently awkward between us. They’re my parents, and despite any disagreements we might have, I love them to pieces.

Today, Mum and Dad are at work. It’s my day off, and instead of working on my choreography, I’m sitting in the lounge, nursing a coffee, scrolling through wedding sites and saving stuff to my Pinterest boards. It’s relaxing and nerve-racking at the same time. My main worry is about keeping costs down. Mum hasn’t told me how much is in their nest egg for me, and I don’t like to ask, so I’m still not sure how much to budget for.

I’ve seen a couple of cute dresses on Etsy that could be perfect, and they’re a fraction of the cost of the ones Claudia keeps sending me links to on WhatsApp. Mum keeps reassuring me not to scrimp. To have the wedding of my dreams. But I’m not sure what their version of scrimping is. My pared-back wedding could be their idea of a huge blowout. Honestly, I think I was less stressed when my dad was against the wedding. Austin’s lucky his parents are supportive. Then again, he can never do any wrong in their eyes.

I click off Pinterest and get to my feet, doing some light stretches to work out the kinks in my neck. I need to focus on something other than the wedding for a while. Maybe I’ll go for a walk, although I don’t like the look of those black clouds out there.

A face at the window makes me squeal, my hand flying to my chest. I exhale when I realise it’s only Jake. He grins and then knocks on the front door.

‘You almost gave me a heart attack!’ I cry, yanking the door open. ‘What are you doing looking through the window?’

‘Sorry.’ He gives an embarrassed smile. ‘I wasn’t, though. I mean, I was, but not on purpose. I was just walking to the front door and happened to look in at the same time you looked out.’

‘Hmm,’ I reply.

‘Can I come in?’ he asks, scratching the side of his head and staring down at his trainers.

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