Bittersweet Love - Cathy Williams [62]
On the Wednesday, Eric phoned, excited, to inform her that he was going to be married on the Friday afternoon and would she be able to make it.
‘This Friday?’ Natalie asked, stunned at the speed with which his love life had recently progressed. ‘Isn’t that a bit soon? I thought you said next week.’
‘I know I’ve only known her a short time…’
‘But it’ s the real thing?’ She laughed, hoping that he would not live to see his optimism misplaced. It was one thing rushing off into marriage with someone you were desperately in love with, but time could wreak havoc with one’s illusions. She was fond of Eric. She hoped that he was doing the right thing, but there was no way that she would dream of lecturing to him about his decision.
‘You and Claire will be the only people there,’ he told her. ‘My parents are out of the country, though from the sound of their reception to the news I seriously doubt that they would have seen fit to attend.’
‘I’m sure you’re wrong,’ Natalie said.
‘You always were an optimist’
Natalie patted her stomach unconsciously with an ironic half-smile. ‘Realist. Some situations you can’t change. You just have to make the best of them. What time on Friday?’ she asked, changing the subject, and they chatted for a while about the details.
Natalie would have loved to speak to Anna, to see exactly how bowled over she was with Eric; after all, she had been quite taken with Kane, and Kane and Eric were hardly similar types. Curiosity, she thought, killed the cat. What if the answer to that isn’t what I want to hear? Anna might well see Eric as no more than a reliable meal ticket after the stimulating but insecure rollercoaster ride with Kane. A timely and convenient revenge. She hoped not.
A sudden blitz of phone calls snapped her out of her train of thought, and for the remainder of the day she found herself struggling to do not only her own workload, but also that of the only other secretary who had taken the day off sick.
She completely forgot to mention Friday to Tony, to tell him that she would be taking the time off work to go to the register office. It was only on Friday morning that she remembered her oversight, and she waited anxiously for him to appear through the door. Which he did, about half an hour before she was due to leave.
Natalie stood up abruptly when she saw him, and said, Tony. I have to ask a favour of you. Is it all right if I leave work early this afternoon? In fact, in about twenty minutes’ time?’
Tony looked at her, dismayed. ‘What about work?’ he asked. ‘Susie’s still not in!’
‘I’m more or less up to date with the important stuff,’ Natalie informed him. ‘But if you like I’ll take some work home with me.’
He shook his head and smiled at her. ‘No need. You’ve been working hard. You deserve the time off. My wife says that I’m becoming an ogre. Work, work, work and not much else.’ The telephone rang and he picked it up, and Natalie collected her bag and jacket When he finished talking, he looked at her more closely. ‘Now that you mention it, you do look dressier than usual. Where are you off to?’
She told him the name of the register office, glancing at her watch and realising that she would have to get her skates on if she was going to be there on time.
‘Register office?’ Tony followed her out to the door, his forehead creased into a frown.
‘Yes.’ Natalie looked at him breathlessly and said apologetically, ‘And I’m sorry I gave you such short notice, but you know how it is. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision on Eric’s part.’
She smiled briefly and thought of Eric, the least likely person in the world she would have associated with spur-of-the-moment decisions, which only went to prove how love could make the average person act completely out of character.
Tony was nodding. ‘Well, my dear, all the best.