“It’ll be a pleasure to ensure that everything is just as you want it to be for your big day.”

Abby turned away.

Marcus looked from Abby, to Jordan, then back. He frowned. “Everything okay? I’m getting some weird vibes from you two. Did something happen on the weekend I should know about?”

Jordan’s blood stilled, but she kept her mouth tight shut.

Abby went to speak, but Marcus held up his hand. “You know what, whatever it was, I don’t need to know. More to the point, I don’t want to know.” He smiled at Abby, such love held in his expression that Jordan’s stomach turned. “If you had a stripper, even if you snogged another man, it’s all part of it. So long as you’re ready to marry me now, that’s all that matters.”

Jordan didn’t even look at Abby. Because it didn’t really matter what her face said or what she was thinking.

Abby was choosing Marcus.

Jordan just had to finish the job and move on.

Chapter 26

Jordan walked into Turnbull House, the manor house hotel hosting the wedding reception. She didn’t need to ask the reception staff where the restaurant was, because she’d been here a few times already over the past couple of weeks, co-ordinating last-minute details with florists, caterers, the band and MCs. At least taking over the wedding planning had meant her duties weren’t solely focused on Abby. She was pretty sure Abby had been wholly in favour of it, too.

What meetings they had been in together had been short and sweet, with Abby preferring to do a lot of it via email and text, with minimal personal contact.

But when they had been in a room together, it’d been charged. How could it not be? It had only been four days ago that Abby had been inside Jordan.

Now, they had to pretend they were just professionally tied, nothing more.

Jordan had managed to keep her composure. Even earlier, when they’d run through the ceremony. She’d been the Jordan everyone expected her to be. A consummate pro.

However, tonight was different. Jordan couldn’t keep still. Couldn’t relax. It made sense, though. Because tonight’s rehearsal dinner was in front of everyone. The first celebration of Marcus and Abby as the happy couple. How was Jordan going to react? She was about to find out. She smoothed down her pink cocktail dress, centred her silver brooch, and took a deep breath.

The first person she encountered was Marjorie. The woman never looked anything less than glamorous. Did she go to sleep in her make-up and pearls? Jordan wouldn’t be surprised. Marjorie greeted Jordan with a measured smile and an approving nod.