The ceremony was touching, with both Aidy and Wren coming up with beautiful individual vows that brought a tear to even Callan’s eyes. He couldn’t help looking around in Alicia’s direction every chance he could though. As he stood at the front of the congregation, listening to the happy couple’s words and knowing his girlfriend was watching, he filled with pride and pleasure. It had been a long time since he’d felt this happy, before everything that had happened between Xander and Isobel. The spontaneous interlude before the ceremony also had something to do with that feeling and he couldn’t wait until later to finish properly what they had started. As he wondered whether his tie was long enough to bind Alicia’s wrists to one of the bedposts, his cock twitched, still tender having not had the release he needed. He shook his head, trying to bring his mind out of the gutter at what was such a pure and tender occasion.

The dinner and speeches went past in a flash, and his best man stories went down well. Day turned to evening and it was time for more guests to arrive. The barn had been transformed into a party space, lines of coloured fairy lights hung around the room, space had been cleared for a dance floor, and the DJ was hooked into the PA system, playing background music until it was time for the first dance. There were plenty of people milling around, chatting, catching up with old friends or family members they hadn’t seen for a while.

Callan and Alicia were talking to Wren’s friends from Books ’n’ Beans when the DJ called for the crowd’s attention.

Aidy and Wren headed to the centre of the floor, giggling.

“Oh, God, I hope they haven’t planned a proper choreographed dance,” said Callan. “Or expect us to join in.”

Alicia pouted at him. “It would be fun to dance.”

He hugged her close to him as the music started—something by Ed Sheeran he vaguely recognised—and the couple began moving around the floor. There was nothing choreographed about it at all as Callan watched Aidy lumber across the room. The groom waved at his best man to join him.

“Come on then, it seems I’m outvoted.” He pulled Alicia with him and drew her towards him. Their bodies fitted together perfectly, and Alicia rested her head on his shoulder. Their movement was barely perceptible as other couples joined them. His heart soared as she let out a contented sigh. It felt so right between them. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him, how she’d taken the darkness out of his life and filled it with light. As he was about to speak, the DJ changed the music and a frothy pop beat filled the air. It kind of killed the moment for him.

“Shall we get a drink?” he suggested instead. “I’m parched after all that effort.”

“Oh, yes please. I think my champagne levels are dangerously low.”

They walked hand in hand towards the bar, and Callan thought he saw a flash of blonde hair he recognised. He shook off the thought and spotted Jason getting a drink.

“All right, mate? Glad you could come tonight,” he said.

“Thanks, Cal, yes. Great evening so far and nice of Aidy to invite me at such late notice,” said Jason. “Alicia, you look lovely.”

“Thank you.” She beamed.

Callan spotted Jason had two drinks waiting in front of him. “Did you bring someone?”

Jason’s gaze swept across the room. “Yes, she was here a minute ago.”

“I thought it was nice of him to ask me.” A familiar voice came from behind Callan. “It would have been a shame to miss out on Aidy and Wren’s big day.”

Slowly, Callan released Alicia’s hand and turned around to face Isobel. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The clear blue eyes he had once fallen in love with fixed him with a triumphant look. “Jason asked me.”

A knot of anger balled in Callan’s stomach. He felt sick. “You’re not welcome. Do Aidy and Wren even know you’re here?”

“I bumped into Wren in the ladies. She was a little surprised to see me, yes, but I wished her well.” Isobel looked Alicia up and down. “She also mentioned you have a new girlfriend.”

“Leave Alicia out of this.”

“Out of what? I’m not causing any trouble.” Isobel’s words were laced with saccharine sweetness, only Callan recognised the underlying venom.

“Then you won’t mind leaving before you do.” Callan grabbed her arm and manhandled her towards the exit.

“Get your hands off me!”

“Why don’t the two of you go and have a chat?”

Callan’s head whipped around at Alicia’s suggestion. Isobel’s did the same.

“Clearly the two of you have some issues you need to sort out, so why don’t you get them off your chests and then move on?” Alicia looked between the two of them.

“Are you sure?” Callan frowned at her request, questioning her motive.

She nodded. “It’ll do us all good.” Alicia waved her glass in Jason’s direction. “Plus, Jason is going to get me another drink, and we can get to know each other better.”

Callan marched Isobel out of the hall and into a quieter area, occupied by an elderly couple, and a woman with a sleeping baby in her arms and a toddler playing at her feet. He took them into one corner, out of earshot of the others.

“Tell me why, Isobel.” He sank down onto the sofa. “And why Xander?”

His blonde ex-girlfriend sat down beside him.

“It just happened,” she said. “We didn’t plan it. You know we were always flirty at work, bantering and stuff. More and more frequently we worked late together, even though you were only upstairs.”

“Did anything ever happen in the shop?”

Isobel shook her head. “No. We were very careful not to arouse suspicion.” She looked at the floor rather than meeting Callan’s gaze as she spoke. “I’d go over to his place. When I told you I was out with friends, that’s where I was.”

She had certainly never aroused his suspicions at the time. Callan had no idea until he found them together. “Why him, Is? Why did it go wrong for us?”

“You were busy with the shop. Always doing boring business stuff, spreadsheets, rosters… we never seemed to go out or do anything fun.”

“So it’s my fault you cheated on me?”

“I didn’t want to.”

“Then why do it?”

“Because I loved you. I wanted to make you jealous, jealous enough to fight for me at least. You didn’t do that though, you simply threw me out. Sided with Xander. You don’t know how much that hurt.”

“That was a funny way to show it, Is.”

She finally met his gaze, her blue eyes shiny with tears. “I still love you now.”

Being best man at his best friend’s wedding, having his amazing new girlfriend with him and envisaging a future with her, then being presented with admissions from his ex, Callan’s emotions were all over the place.

“No! You can’t tell me that. You can’t treat me like you did and expect to come waltzing back into my life with declarations of love.”

“We were good together, Cal.” Isobel raised her hand and ran her fingers down Callan’s cheek.

He brushed her off. “Don’t touch me.”

“Please, can’t we try again? You know you want to.”

Callan wanted anything but. He wanted her to get away from him and get the hell out of his life. It was clear that Isobel was intent on the opposite as she forced herself on him, kissing him deeply on the lips, her tongue probing. He didn’t see Alicia enter the room to witness what was going on, nor see her bring her hand to her mouth with a gasp as she saw them together, nor see her flee, tears running down her cheeks. With a forceful shove, he managed to disentangle himself from Isobel.

“I said no, Isobel. What part of that don’t you understand? You cheated on me with my own brother. How can you possibly think that we could get back together after that?” His anger was bubbling under.

He jumped up and walked back into the main part of the barn. Isobel followed him, trying to grab his arm as he scanned the room looking for Alicia. He spotted Jason at the bar and made a beeline for him. Isobel was a few steps behind him, tears streaming down her face.

“Everything okay?” Jason frowned.

Callan squared up to him. “You shouldn’t have brought her here this evening.” Callan grabbed the lapels of Jason’s jacket. “After everything she’s done, you should have known she wouldn’t be wanted.”

Jason tried to brush off his boss’s grip, but Callan held firm. The simmering hatred directed at Isobel that he’d been trying to control came to the fore and without thinking, he threw a punch at Jason’s face, following it up with a rain of blows to his body. Jason gave as good as he got, and it wasn’t before long before the two of them were brawling.

“Callan, stop!” Isobel tried to pull them apart and got caught in the crossfire, with Callan giving her a stray slap.

The red mist that descended over Callan wasn’t showing any sign of dissipating as he and Jason fought. Horrified family and friends watched on as the pair continued their scuffle, hurriedly moving out of the way, not wanting to get caught up in the fray.

Seeing nothing else except what was in front of him, Callan wasn’t aware that they were getting dangerously close to the cake table. The table with the beautiful three-tier wedding cake, decorated with lace icing and crafted flowers, that matched Wren’s colour theme exactly. Almost in slow motion, they barrelled towards it.

“Callan!”

Aidy’s voice cut through the fog, and Callan threw a misdirected punch in his direction, catching him square on the nose. The break gave Jason the opportunity to escape, though he stumbled, tried to grab onto the cake table, and fell. Wren’s scream was loudest as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. The table collapsed, crockery crashed to the floor, and the cake swiftly followed. Wren’s bridesmaids appeared, both trying to comfort her and pick up some of the mess at the same time.

Callan felt himself being restrained, and he gave in as the two barmen led him away. The last thing he saw was Wren tending to the blood that stemmed from Aidy’s nose.