buffet bar. I helped myself to a big bowl of fruit and yoghurt in one hand and in the other I filled a bowl full of oats, Bran Flakes, Rice Krispies and Frosties. Honestly, I wouldn’t need to eat another thing for the rest of the day.
The hotel was surprisingly busy with a cross-section of visitors – business people, young families and retired couples enjoying a well-earned break – although looking around, when I was seated back at my table, I could have bet any money at all that I was the only soon-to-be bride whose wedding had a great big red pen hovering over it, waiting to be scribbled out.
I sighed, pushing away the thoughts of all things bridal and tried to concentrate on my breakfast. A few minutes ago I’d been completely ravenous and now with the smorgasbord of delights laid out in front of me it seemed as though my appetite had clean deserted me. I stirred my spoon aimlessly around my bowl, wondering what Ed might be doing right now and if he’d spent the night with Sophie. Surely he must know by now that I’d found out about his dirty little secret. Sophie wouldn’t have wasted any time in telling him how she’d found me with Ben the other day.
Perhaps she’d even planned the whole thing in advance. Maybe I’d walked straight into her trap. Perhaps she’d deliberately left the diary on her bedside cabinet knowing I was likely to wander in there to retrieve my earrings. Who couldn’t resist having a tiny peek inside someone’s diary if it was left in full tantalising view? If it really wasn’t meant for anyone else’s eyes, my eyes in particular, then she should have hidden it away in her knicker drawer or under the bed.
What an idiot I’d been! Sophie had set me up completely and like the poor unsuspecting fool that I was I’d walked straight into it. There’d been nothing accidental about me stumbling upon that diary; Sophie had manipulated the whole thing. I’d been into her bedroom a hundred times before and hadn’t even known she kept a diary. Yet just a few days before my wedding, it suddenly appears lying bare like a pre-wedding gift with my name on it. It might as well have had a pink ribbon wrapped around its centre it was that obvious. Too coincidental by far. Huh, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Ed had been in on it too!
I dropped my spoon into my bowl at this blinding revelation, the resulting clatter resonating around the breakfast room. Everyone turned to stare at me just as I was having my eureka moment.
What if, oh God, what if it was a whole heap of lies and Sophie was some mad-crazed stalker obsessed with me and Ed and she’d made the whole thing up in an attempt to try to split us up? It was possible. I’m sure I’d seen a film along those lines a while ago. It didn’t end happily. There were dead bodies and everything. Oh God, perhaps Ed was blameless and as much a victim in all of this as me. And I hadn’t even given him the benefit of the doubt or the chance to give his side of the story.
I sighed heavily.
As if by magic a waiter appeared at my side and presented me with a sparkling, fresh spoon.
‘Thank you,’ I said with a smile.
What was I doing here spending all of Ed’s hard-earned money? We needed to talk and how were we expected to do that when I was holed up in this luxury hotel? Last night I’d been on the brink of throwing myself into the arms of a man I’d only met a couple of hours earlier. I cringed in shame and embarrassment. I didn’t know for certain that Ed had cheated on me and yet I was only too eager to do the same thing to him without even thinking through the consequences.
I slumped down in my seat again. Who was I kidding? I might not be able to believe a word Sophie said or even wrote in her diary, but I knew Ben hadn’t lied to me. The only thing he’d done was to try to spare my feelings, but it was evident from the way he’d wrapped me in his embrace and tried to console me after finding me a wailing, gibbering mess
The hotel was surprisingly busy with a cross-section of visitors – business people, young families and retired couples enjoying a well-earned break – although looking around, when I was seated back at my table, I could have bet any money at all that I was the only soon-to-be bride whose wedding had a great big red pen hovering over it, waiting to be scribbled out.
I sighed, pushing away the thoughts of all things bridal and tried to concentrate on my breakfast. A few minutes ago I’d been completely ravenous and now with the smorgasbord of delights laid out in front of me it seemed as though my appetite had clean deserted me. I stirred my spoon aimlessly around my bowl, wondering what Ed might be doing right now and if he’d spent the night with Sophie. Surely he must know by now that I’d found out about his dirty little secret. Sophie wouldn’t have wasted any time in telling him how she’d found me with Ben the other day.
Perhaps she’d even planned the whole thing in advance. Maybe I’d walked straight into her trap. Perhaps she’d deliberately left the diary on her bedside cabinet knowing I was likely to wander in there to retrieve my earrings. Who couldn’t resist having a tiny peek inside someone’s diary if it was left in full tantalising view? If it really wasn’t meant for anyone else’s eyes, my eyes in particular, then she should have hidden it away in her knicker drawer or under the bed.
What an idiot I’d been! Sophie had set me up completely and like the poor unsuspecting fool that I was I’d walked straight into it. There’d been nothing accidental about me stumbling upon that diary; Sophie had manipulated the whole thing. I’d been into her bedroom a hundred times before and hadn’t even known she kept a diary. Yet just a few days before my wedding, it suddenly appears lying bare like a pre-wedding gift with my name on it. It might as well have had a pink ribbon wrapped around its centre it was that obvious. Too coincidental by far. Huh, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Ed had been in on it too!
I dropped my spoon into my bowl at this blinding revelation, the resulting clatter resonating around the breakfast room. Everyone turned to stare at me just as I was having my eureka moment.
What if, oh God, what if it was a whole heap of lies and Sophie was some mad-crazed stalker obsessed with me and Ed and she’d made the whole thing up in an attempt to try to split us up? It was possible. I’m sure I’d seen a film along those lines a while ago. It didn’t end happily. There were dead bodies and everything. Oh God, perhaps Ed was blameless and as much a victim in all of this as me. And I hadn’t even given him the benefit of the doubt or the chance to give his side of the story.
I sighed heavily.
As if by magic a waiter appeared at my side and presented me with a sparkling, fresh spoon.
‘Thank you,’ I said with a smile.
What was I doing here spending all of Ed’s hard-earned money? We needed to talk and how were we expected to do that when I was holed up in this luxury hotel? Last night I’d been on the brink of throwing myself into the arms of a man I’d only met a couple of hours earlier. I cringed in shame and embarrassment. I didn’t know for certain that Ed had cheated on me and yet I was only too eager to do the same thing to him without even thinking through the consequences.
I slumped down in my seat again. Who was I kidding? I might not be able to believe a word Sophie said or even wrote in her diary, but I knew Ben hadn’t lied to me. The only thing he’d done was to try to spare my feelings, but it was evident from the way he’d wrapped me in his embrace and tried to console me after finding me a wailing, gibbering mess
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