When she returned to the table, she noticed Susanna was leaning in, placing her ample cleavage right on Josh’s side plate. Gareth looked keen to continue telling her what an entitled failure she was, so Audrey took back the reins of the conversation.
‘Why do people get married, Gareth? Why did you get married?’
He paused, contemplating her question. ‘It’s better for the kids, isn’t it, once you have them. Plus, there are the tax breaks. Crissy gave me a two-year deadline when we started dating.’ He nodded across the table towards Crissy. ‘Said she was, and excuse my French, “tired of fucking about”.’’
‘And they say romance is dead.’
Gareth gave her a slightly leering grin. ‘You’re funny. How come you’re single then?’
‘I’m holding out for the right tax breaks,’ she said, and Gareth roared with laughter. ‘Susanna, what have you managed to find out about Josh here?’ Audrey asked, turning back to her left.
Josh’s lip twitched into a smile. God, she wanted him. Maybe it was the wine or the new threat of Susanna’s clear interest, or Gareth’s recent swipe at her self-esteem, but right now, Josh appeared a beacon of everything that was good in the world. She wanted to win, she wanted to be the person he talked to, the person he kissed tonight.
‘I’ve learnt plenty.’ Susanna grinned. ‘Josh here claims to be a dog and a cat person, which you can’t be. He also says his favourite place in the world is the top of a Scottish mountain. I’ve never climbed a mountain in my life, I can never find the right sports bra,’ she giggled, ‘but maybe Josh could get me up one.’ She leaned forward in another blatant cleavage parade, a peacock unfurling its feathers. Audrey saw a flicker in Josh’s eye. Surely this wasn’t working. ?Was it?
Audrey put an arm across her own modest chest and reached to refill her wine glass.
‘Is all that walking how you got these huge thigh muscles, Josh?’ Susanna asked.
Josh suddenly pushed back his chair.
‘If you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to use the bathroom before dessert arrives.’ He stood up, then leaned down to say to Audrey, ‘If the waitress comes, can you please tell her I’d like the cheeseboard?’
‘Sure,’ she said, feeling a small fizz of victory that he had asked her to order his dessert and not Susanna. Then she did an internal eyeroll at the fact that this ridiculous crush on Josh had turned her into such a vapid bonehead.
While Josh was away from the table, the bride and groom started to circulate between the tables, and to Audrey’s annoyance, Dee sat down in Josh’s empty chair to chat to Susanna. Josh did not come back for his cheese course, and when she looked around the room, she saw he’d been intercepted by the groom at the bar. Audrey listened quietly to the conversation going on around her and reached for the bottle of dessert wine.
‘Audrey, I assume it’s Hepburn you’re named after? Tough bar to live up to there – one of the most beautiful women in the world,’ said Gareth, smirking.
‘Oh, do fuck off, Gareth,’ she said.
When the dancing started, Audrey stepped out of the marquee to get some air. She found Josh helping the father of the bride move some chairs that were getting wet in the drizzle.
‘Here you are. You neglected your cheese,’ she said, and he grinned at her then.
‘Audrey Lavery, if I’m not mistaken, I think you might have missed me.’
‘No, I just don’t like seeing good cheese go to waste.’
‘You came looking for me. You’re not having fun at this wedding without me.’
‘I didn’t and I’m having plenty of fun, thank you.’
He held her gaze, unblinking, and a wave of desire coursed through her. She didn’t want to play this game, she was drunk – her verbal sparring capacity was impeded.
‘Come with me, I want to show you something,’ she said, reaching out for his hand.
She pulled him around the side of the marquee, out into the dark, drizzly night.
‘Where are we going?’ he asked, hesitating slightly.
Once they were out of view from the party, Audrey turned and planted her lips firmly on his. She could tell that he hadn’t expected it, but then she felt the surprise turn to want and he kissed her back, his arms folding around her, his lips soft, but urgent. Something inside Audrey melted into air.
‘We’re doing this, are we?’ he murmured, his breath hot on her cheek, when there was a pause in the kissing.
‘Looks like it,’ she said, holding onto his shirt collar, feeling her whole body respond to his lips.
‘I can’t work you out, Amy,’ he said, pulling his head away from hers but still holding her in his arms. ‘I thought you hated men who climb the corporate ladder, who aren’t in a band, who order the same cup of coffee every damn time.’