Wedding Night

strap and is probably on its way to Belgrade right now.
    “It’s not, Noah,” I say patiently. “Keep looking.” A woman steps heavily on my toe, and I’m trying to remember any curse words I know in Bulgarian when my phone beeps with a text and I pull it out of my pocket.
    Guess what? WE WON!!!! All going brilliantly. Ben and I make a fab team. Totally happy.Hope u r having a lovely day too. Everything OK?? L xxx
    I’m so shocked I can’t move for a moment. They
won?
How the hell did they win?
    “Who’s that from?” Richard has seen me reading my phone. “Is that from Lottie?”
    “Er, yes.” I’m too slow off the mark to lie.
    “What does she say? Has she realized she’s made a mistake?” His face is so eager that I cringe inside. “Presumably they did terribly at the quiz?”
    “Actually …” I hesitate. How do I break this to him? “Actually, they won.”
    His face drops and he stares at me, aghast. “They
won
?”
    “Apparently.”
    “But I thought they didn’t know anything about each other.”
    “They don’t!”
    “You said they would tank.” Richard becomes accusing.
    “I know!” I say, feeling rattled. “Look, I’m sure there’s some explanation. I must have got my wires crossed. I’ll give her a ring.” I speed-dial Lottie’s number and turn away.
    “Fliss?” Even from that one syllable I can hear how ebullient she is.
    “Congratulations!” I try to match her tone. “You … you
won
?”
    “Isn’t it
amazing
?” she says exultantly. “You should have been there, Fliss. We did it in character! We were Dirk and Sally, you know, from that TV show we always used to watch?”
    “Right,” I say in confusion. “Wow.”
    “Now we’re celebrating and I’ve just had the most delicious lobster canapés and champagne. And we’re going back to the guest house tomorrow. And Ben wrote me a love poem in French.” She sighs blissfully. “This is the perfect honeymoon.”
    I stare at the phone in mounting horror. Champagne? French love poetry? The
perfect honeymoon
?
    “Right.” I’m trying to stay calm. “That’s … really surprising.”
    What the fuck has Nico been
doing
? Has he gone to sleep?
    “Yes, we were having a terrible time!” Lottie laughs happily.“You wouldn’t believe it. We haven’t even … you know. Done it yet. But somehow that doesn’t matter.” Her tone softens lovingly. “It’s as if all the crazy disasters have brought Ben and me closer together.”
    The disasters have brought them closer together?
I’ve brought them closer together?
    “Wonderful!” My voice is shrill. “That’s great! So you made the right decision to marry Ben?”
    “A million times over,” says Lottie ecstatically.
    “Great! Marvelous!” I screw up my face, debating how best to proceed. “Only … I was just thinking about Richard. Wondering how he was doing. Are you in touch with him?”
    “Richard?”
Her vitriolic tone nearly takes my ear off. “Why would I be in touch with
Richard
? He’s well out of my life, and I wish I’d never ever met him!”
    “Ah.” I rub my nose, trying not to look at Richard. I hope he can’t hear.
    “Can you believe I was prepared to fly across the Atlantic for him? He would never have made such an effort for me.
Never
.” Her bitterness makes me flinch. “He hasn’t got a single romantic bone in his body!”
    “I’m sure he has!” I retort before I can stop myself.
    “He hasn’t,” she says resolutely. “You know what I think? He never loved me at all. He’s probably forgotten all about me already.”
    I look at Richard—hot, sweaty, and resolute—and I want to scream. If only she
knew
.
    “Anyway, Fliss, I think it’s really tasteless of you to mention Richard,” she adds crossly.
    “Sorry,” I backtrack hastily. “Just thinking aloud. I’m glad you’re having a good time.”
    “I’m having a fantastic time,” she says emphatically. “We’ve been talking and bonding and making plans—oh, by the way. That guy you hooked up with. Lorcan.”
    “Yes? What about him?”
    “He sounds a nightmare. You should avoid him. You haven’t seen him again, have you?”
    Instinctively, I glance over at Lorcan, who is up near the carousel and has hoisted Noah onto his shoulders.
    “Er … not a lot,” I prevaricate. “Why?”
    “He’s the most dreadful, arrogant man. You know he works for Ben’s company? Well, he basically talked Ben’s dad into giving him a job there, and now he