She hadn’t even decided whether she was going to give up her surname when she got married. It went against every feminist bone in her body. However, bringing that up today might have tipped Marjorie over the edge, so she’d kept quiet. That battle could wait for another day. Marjorie had enough trouble understanding Abby’s Scottish accent.

Marcus strolled over to her, leaving his club by the driving mat. When he sat, he took her hand in his.

Abby closed her eyes. She always felt safe with Marcus. It was one of the reasons she’d agreed to marry him. That, and the fact she’d turned 36 four weeks ago, and time was ticking if she wanted a family. Which everyone kept telling her she did. Marcus was so far ahead of any man she’d ever dated, that when he’d proposed, she felt like she’d won the jackpot.

This was her life now. Driving golf balls with her future husband. Marcus Montgomery. She’d landed on her feet. Her life from now on was going to be happy.

Neat and precise.

But happy.

When she opened her eyes, Marcus’s gaze was focused on her. He squeezed her hand and sighed.

“You see, this is what I don’t want. This is the countdown to our wedding, and you’re the most important person on that day.” He stabbed his chest with his index finger. “Not me. I’m the luckiest person because I’m marrying you.” He leaned forward to emphasise his point.

“And yes, I know Mother got a bit carried away, but she was right on one thing. You need an assistant for the run-up to the wedding. Someone who’s just focused on you.” He paused. “I thought this after the last time you met her, and today only solidified it. Look at you, you’re all flushed and stressed.” He sat up straight, before fixing her with his I-mean-business stare. “I’ve been doing a little research, and I have a solution. It might sound a little unorthodox at first, but it could be the answer to our prayers.”

Abby could see his mouth moving and words coming out, but she was struggling to make sense of them. “What do you mean by unorthodox?”

“I’ve found a woman who runs a service called Professional Bridesmaid. She’s kind of a bridal PA, exactly what we’re after. So I took the liberty of contacting her.”

“You did what?” They weren’t even married yet and Marcus was already doing things on her behalf? An alarm sounded throughout her body. This was not okay.

“If you’re worried about money, don’t be. It’s my treat.”

“It’s more the Montgomery takeover I’m worried about.” Abby bristled. “You can’t just keep doing things behind my back. It keeps happening with this wedding. Sometimes I feel like a bystander.”