The Wedding that Changed Everything: a gorgeously uplifting romantic comedy. Jennifer Joyce
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– to defend herself – but Francelia is already striding away.
‘Right.’ Alice does a good job of faking cheer as she turns to me, smile fixed in place, head held high. ‘Let’s go and find your Prince Charming.’
I want to say no thank you, let’s not. I want to say I’m too knackered to have another lap of the ballroom. I want to kick off my shoes and curl up in bed. But I don’t do any of these things. I can’t. Not after Francelia’s little dig. Because as jolly as Alice appears to be, I know she isn’t. So, grudgingly, I decide to go along with it for just a little bit longer.
I’m ready for calling it quits when Alice suddenly squeals, grabs my hand and pulls me away from the second or third cousin (they’re all blending together into one boring mass by now) I’ve been listening to drone on and on for the past ten minutes (is that all it was? It felt like much longer, believe me). I’m mid-fake laugh as I’m wrenched away and plonked in front of Archie, the star of the show as far as Alice is concerned.
‘There you are!’ Alice throws her arms around Archie and gives him a tight squeeze. ‘We’ve been looking for you everywhere. It’s so good to see you!’
‘It’s good to see you too.’ Archie steps back so Alice is at arm’s length, though they’re still grasping one another. ‘It’s been too long. I’ve missed you.’ Archie adopts a stern voice, his head dipping towards Alice. ‘You shouldn’t have stayed away.’
Alice squirms out of his grasp and looks down at the floor. ‘I know, but all that stuff with the necklace…’
‘Hey.’ Archie cups Alice’s chin and brings her gaze back up to his. ‘Everyone who matters believed you. Carolyn, Tom, me. We know you’d never do anything like that.’
Alice nods, but she doesn’t look any happier.
‘Come here.’ Archie opens his arms and Alice falls into them, resting her cheek on his chest. He drops a kiss on the top of her head. ‘I really have missed you, Alice in Wonderland.’
Alice in Wonderland?
Archie catches my eye over the top of Alice’s head and smiles. ‘It was our nickname for Alice when we were kids.’
Alice giggles as she straightens. ‘I’d forgotten about that, Archibald the Great.’
Archie holds up his hands as he says to me, ‘That wasn’t my choice. I’m not that egotistical.’
‘Not like Queen Carolyn,’ Alice says with a giggle. ‘She insisted on that one.’
‘We’ll have to think of a nickname for you,’ Archie tells me. ‘If you’re to become part of the gang.’
Alice widens her eyes at me, her hands clasped and her lips pressing together in an attempt to keep her excitement locked in. I suppose it is quite sweet that Archie is inviting me into their little group.
‘As long as it’s something complimentary,’ I say.
‘Of course.’ Archie nudges Alice. ‘We only give the non-complimentary names to those who truly deserve them.’
Alice claps a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening. ‘The Goblin!’ She and Archie giggle at the shared memory. ‘The Goblin was the name we gave to Francelia, though we never told her that, obviously.’
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