Free Gypsy Wedding by Kate Lace

belong to any of the groups right now – at least, that’s how it feels.’
    ‘Oh, babe. But what about Liam?’
    Vicky sighed again. ‘What about him? I mean, I know he loves me …’
    ‘But?’
    ‘But … I think sometimes I get taken for granted just a bit.’ There, she’d said it. ‘He’s got me now – the rock is on my finger,’ she fingered ‘the rock’ on the chain around her neck as she said this and then added, ‘and I’m his and that’s it. I know he loves me, he really does and he’s going to be a great husband, one of the best, but …’
    ‘So he was ignoring you at the wedding, was that it? He was off with his mates, boozing at the bar and you felt all lonely.’
    ‘That’s it exactly, Kelly. How did you know?’
    ‘Because, babe, that’s men the world over. Once they’ve got you they think they can stop trying. Nothing special about your Liam there.’
    ‘And who is Liam?’ Jordan had arrived back with Vicky’s Coke.
    ‘Will you quit listening to other people’s conversations,’ said Vicky, rolling over and sitting up so she could give Jordan the full force of her irritation.
    ‘I was just asking.’ Jordan sounded defensive. ‘Here’s your Coke.’ He held the glass out and some of the condensation that had collected on the chilled glass dripped off and ran down Vicky’s arm. Jordan leaned down and wiped the trickle of water off with his forefinger. Vicky jumped like she’d been burned and slopped the drink, aggravating the problem.
    ‘Now look,’ she yelled, staring at the wet mark on her dress. But she was more fraught about the way her body had reacted to his touch. It had been like the moment when Liam had kissed her for the first time – but multiplied by ten.
    ‘Sorry, Vick,’ mumbled Jordan.
    ‘And so you should be,’ she yelled, using her anger to try to push her body’s treachery out of her mind.
    ‘Look, I’ll get this sorted.’ Jordan sounded really apologetic. ‘Come to the bar with me and we’ll see if we can’t rinse the Coke out somehow.’
    ‘Don’t be daft.’
    ‘No, he’s right, Vick. Let’s go to the Ladies. If we get some water on the mark we can get the worst out. It’ll soon dry in this sunshine and no one need know.’
    ‘I suppose.’ Vicky wasn’t convinced but hey, it was worth a try. If all else failed she supposed she could pretend someone at the party at the hotel had spilt drink over her. No one need know the real truth.
    The three teenagers made their way into the cool dark of the pub. Kelly managed to produce a tissue from her handbag and the two girls dived into the Ladies to try to repair the damage. Five minutes later they emerged. The mark was significantly better and they’d managed to almost get it dry with the help of the hand-drier.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ said Jordan, ‘I shouldn’t have made you jump like that. It was all my fault.’
    ‘Nah, my fault for overreacting.’ And what an overreaction. Vicky pushed the memory of his touch back into a recess. She told herself he was right, that he’d just made her jump. The heat from his hand contrasting against the cold water off the glass had come as a shock. That had been all it was. And she wasn’t going to think about it any more. Never. ‘Come on, let’s finish our drinks and then I must get going.’
    ‘What is it with you?’ asked Jordan as they made their way back into the sunshine. ‘You’re like Cinderella. I’ve never known a girl who’s so twitchy about being late. You need to learn how to chill.’
    The three of them flopped down again on the big tartan rug. ‘I’m not being funny, Jordan, but what is it with you and fairy tales today? Ivory towers? Cinderella?’ Vicky laughed. ‘The sunshine is making you all soft in the head.’
    ‘It’s not the sunshine making me soft in the head. It’s you.’
    Kelly cleared her throat. ‘’Scuse me, you two, but if you’re going to carry on like this maybe you’d better get a room.’
    Vicky’s