leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. ‘You’re a darling and I love you.’
Liam smiled. ‘Love you too, babe.’
He walked back to the party and grabbed another beer. Sometimes, thought Vicky as she watched him go, life might just be easier if she was engaged to someone like Jordan who would understand about having a bit of ambition. She loved Liam, of course she did, and of course she wanted to get married, but … no. She loved Liam and she was going to marry him and that was that.
3
The Saturday of their friend Theresa’s wedding dawned warm and clear. The weather that they’d all enjoyed a couple of days earlier when Vicky had got her results had held, as promised, till the weekend. Vicky had worked long hours on the Friday to finish the outfits for her mother and sister and now the family were almost ready to set off, dressed in their new clothes, to the local Catholic church for the wedding mass and then the party after.
Shania was jigging with excitement at the thought that Mikey would almost certainly be at the wedding too. She smoothed the brilliant green fabric of her dress over her hips and turned left and right to see her reflection in the long mirror. She had to admit that Vicky had done a fantastic job. The extra sequins emphasised her slim waist and the green made her auburn hair look even more vivid. She knew she looked hot and as she admired herself she practised looking seductive and mysterious as well.
Vicky, brushing her hair in front of the other mirror that hung over the shelf that served as their dressing table, watched her sister in the reflection. It was so obvious what was going through her mind – she was rehearsing how she’d try to get noticed by Mikey and maybe get grabbed by him.
‘You just remember not to give in too easily,’ warned Vicky.
Shania blushed, giving her alabaster skin rare colour. ‘And just what sort of girl do you think I am? Of course I’ll fight … for a bit.’ Shania let out a naughty giggle. ‘Don’t want to overdo it and have him think I don’t fancy him, now do I?’
‘I don’t think, given the way you were making sheep’s eyes at Mikey on Thursday, he can be in much doubt.’
‘But he is buff, isn’t he. You have to admit that.’
‘Yes, he’s buff,’ she agreed. Although to Vicky’s taste he wasn’t as fit as Liam – or Jordan for that matter. Now what , she thought angrily, has put that thought into my head? Jordan had no business there. Her irritation with herself transferred to her sister.
‘Quit jabbering about Mikey and do my eyeliner for me.’
Shania took the pencil from her sister and drew a neat line around both of Vicky’s eyes, making them look even more exotic than they usually did.
‘And will you do mine?’
‘Of course. If we’re going to make sure you get grabbed you need to look your best.’
The tip of Vicky’s tongue stuck out between her lips as she concentrated on helping her sister make the most of her already pretty looks. She finished with the eyeliner and picked up the mascara wand from the shelf.
‘The trouble with being ginger,’ moaned Shania, ‘is that you get rubbish eyelashes. Look at them.’
‘Your eyelashes are just fine. Okay, they’re pale but they’re long and thick. There’s nothing a good coat of mascara can’t sort.’
‘But I can’t wear mascara in bed.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘When Mikey and I marry, he’ll see me without it. What can I do, Vick, I look well rough without it.’
Vicky stopped coating her sister’s eyelashes with glossy black mascara and stared straight into Shania’s eyes. ‘Don’t be daft. When you’re married he’ll be so mad for you he’ll never notice a thing.’
‘Do you think?’
Vicky tutted. ‘He’ll think himself the luckiest man alive – and why shouldn’t he?’
‘Is that how Liam thinks of you?’
‘Of course.’ Vicky was utterly confident about this.
‘And that’s how you feel about
Liam smiled. ‘Love you too, babe.’
He walked back to the party and grabbed another beer. Sometimes, thought Vicky as she watched him go, life might just be easier if she was engaged to someone like Jordan who would understand about having a bit of ambition. She loved Liam, of course she did, and of course she wanted to get married, but … no. She loved Liam and she was going to marry him and that was that.
3
The Saturday of their friend Theresa’s wedding dawned warm and clear. The weather that they’d all enjoyed a couple of days earlier when Vicky had got her results had held, as promised, till the weekend. Vicky had worked long hours on the Friday to finish the outfits for her mother and sister and now the family were almost ready to set off, dressed in their new clothes, to the local Catholic church for the wedding mass and then the party after.
Shania was jigging with excitement at the thought that Mikey would almost certainly be at the wedding too. She smoothed the brilliant green fabric of her dress over her hips and turned left and right to see her reflection in the long mirror. She had to admit that Vicky had done a fantastic job. The extra sequins emphasised her slim waist and the green made her auburn hair look even more vivid. She knew she looked hot and as she admired herself she practised looking seductive and mysterious as well.
Vicky, brushing her hair in front of the other mirror that hung over the shelf that served as their dressing table, watched her sister in the reflection. It was so obvious what was going through her mind – she was rehearsing how she’d try to get noticed by Mikey and maybe get grabbed by him.
‘You just remember not to give in too easily,’ warned Vicky.
Shania blushed, giving her alabaster skin rare colour. ‘And just what sort of girl do you think I am? Of course I’ll fight … for a bit.’ Shania let out a naughty giggle. ‘Don’t want to overdo it and have him think I don’t fancy him, now do I?’
‘I don’t think, given the way you were making sheep’s eyes at Mikey on Thursday, he can be in much doubt.’
‘But he is buff, isn’t he. You have to admit that.’
‘Yes, he’s buff,’ she agreed. Although to Vicky’s taste he wasn’t as fit as Liam – or Jordan for that matter. Now what , she thought angrily, has put that thought into my head? Jordan had no business there. Her irritation with herself transferred to her sister.
‘Quit jabbering about Mikey and do my eyeliner for me.’
Shania took the pencil from her sister and drew a neat line around both of Vicky’s eyes, making them look even more exotic than they usually did.
‘And will you do mine?’
‘Of course. If we’re going to make sure you get grabbed you need to look your best.’
The tip of Vicky’s tongue stuck out between her lips as she concentrated on helping her sister make the most of her already pretty looks. She finished with the eyeliner and picked up the mascara wand from the shelf.
‘The trouble with being ginger,’ moaned Shania, ‘is that you get rubbish eyelashes. Look at them.’
‘Your eyelashes are just fine. Okay, they’re pale but they’re long and thick. There’s nothing a good coat of mascara can’t sort.’
‘But I can’t wear mascara in bed.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘When Mikey and I marry, he’ll see me without it. What can I do, Vick, I look well rough without it.’
Vicky stopped coating her sister’s eyelashes with glossy black mascara and stared straight into Shania’s eyes. ‘Don’t be daft. When you’re married he’ll be so mad for you he’ll never notice a thing.’
‘Do you think?’
Vicky tutted. ‘He’ll think himself the luckiest man alive – and why shouldn’t he?’
‘Is that how Liam thinks of you?’
‘Of course.’ Vicky was utterly confident about this.
‘And that’s how you feel about
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