The Man She Married: A gripping psychological thriller with a heart-pounding twist(10)

‘Nonsense,’ JoJo says briskly. ‘If you’d actually worn it down the aisle, maybe, but you never even got as far as putting it on. And it’s a stunning dress.’

‘It is,’ I sigh. ‘I did really love it.’ I correct myself, ‘I do love it. That’s probably why I didn’t sell it afterwards.’

‘Well, there you go then: it’s meant to be. Forget all the stuff about omens and wear it. Dominic won’t know unless you tell him. And if he asks, just lie.’

I manage a smile, inwardly resenting her suggestion that my marriage will accommodate lies so easily. But this is hard for her, I remind myself. Her best friend is turning her back on their joint single life. She must feel I’m abandoning her.

The dress is disaster number one. The second comes on Thursday, the evening before the wedding itself. I’m working my way through a last-minute list while my toenails are being painted a delicate shell pink by a mobile nail technician. Dominic and I are due to meet my future mother-in-law and my new brother-in-law Simon at their hotel, for dinner. It will be the first time I’ve seen either of them.

‘Babe…’ Dominic appears in the doorway. ‘Bad news, I’m afraid.’

I look up at him, dismayed. Another thing, on top of the lost dress. My mind races through all the things he might be about to say: that the reception venue has cancelled, that there was a mistake with the paperwork that we filed at the registry office. That he’s changed his mind, just like Alex did…

‘What? What is it?’

‘I’ve just got off the phone to Simon… Mum’s not going to be able to come. She’s not well.’ He sighs heavily. ‘Her heart’s playing up again.’

‘Oh no! Can’t she see how she feels in the morning? If they get up early, they could still make it to London for the ceremony.’

Dominic shakes his head. ‘She’s been admitted to the local hospital for tests, so…’

‘But Simon can still come, though?’

‘He says he’s going to stay with Mum. The hospital staff seemed concerned, apparently, so he didn’t feel he could just up and leave.’

My face falls. Meeting Dominic’s family – establishing that connection with his past – was to be an important part of the celebrations for me.

‘I know, babe,’ Dominic comes over and gives my shoulder a squeeze. ‘I’m gutted too. Obviously if it weren’t so close to the wedding I’d be heading up there myself.’

I have no choice but to rally, determined not to let my perfectly planned day be knocked off course by the absence of two people, however important. I can’t see another wedding go down the tubes. I force a bright smile. ‘Let’s go out anyway – it would be a shame to waste the table, seeing as you splashed out on somewhere so fancy. I’ll see if David and Melanie can join us.’

‘Fine. I’m just heading out to pick up a few surprise items for the honeymoon.’ He reaches over Shelley, the pedicurist, and kisses me, giving a conspiratorial wink as he heads out of the room.

I phone my brother.

‘Sorry sis, Melanie’s teaching a class tonight,’ His girlfriend, Melanie, is a Pilates instructor. ‘She won’t be finished before eight, and by then it will be getting a bit late for us to come up to town. It’s tricky, you know, with the wedding being a weekday.’

I’ve already been on the receiving ends of a few complaints that we’ve chosen a Friday for the ceremony – and on such short notice too. ‘That’s a shame. Okay, never mind; I’ll see you tomorrow anyway.’

‘You certainly will. Can’t wait.’

I wait for Shelley to clear up her equipment and leave, before heading upstairs to the bedroom, keeping my feet bare to give my now immaculate toenails a chance to dry. My fingers have already been painted a matching shade. I take down the heavy off-white garment bag from where it hangs on the front of the wardrobe, unzipping it to gaze longingly at the dress inside.

I decided against a long gown with a train for my wedding to Alex and I’m glad now, because it would have been over the top for a registry office. It’s ankle-length, made of layers of chiffon in the same palest shell-pink as my nails, with a Grecian-style top and beaded silver waistband. I have new shoes to go with it: strappy silver Manolos, and JoJo bought me a cute marabou shrug to cover up outside, because the weather forecast is distinctly chilly. The whole outfit makes me sigh with pleasure, and the fact that I bought the dress as another man’s fiancée doesn’t matter at all now. If you love someone and you’re happy to marry them, then there’s no such thing as a bad omen, I tell myself. A bad omen only applies if you shouldn’t be marrying at all.



Dominic insisted on treating his mother and brother and booked them rooms at the Connaught, with a table for dinner in Hélène Darroze’s restaurant. I decide that since it’s now just me and Dominic, I’ll cancel the dinner. We’ll only end up overeating because the food is so fabulous, and overindulging in the wine list. I don’t want to go to bed overfull the night before my wedding and wake up hungover with wine-drinker’s sallow and blotchy skin. Best I cancel.

‘This is the table for four in the name of Gill?’ the ma?tre d’ enquires smoothly.

‘Yes. And there were two rooms booked in the same name… they’ll also need to be cancelled.’