Just Say Yes: The uplifting romantic comedy from Maxine Morrey

1

Another deafening thunderclap boomed over the cottage, as lightning illuminated the dark day. The first rain in months fell heavily as the summer heatwave finally broke, sending that wonderful smell of petrichor drifting in through the open windows. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be doing much to clear the humidity, and the air was still clammy as I listened to the steady drip drip drip from my leaking roof into the bucket I’d just emptied. The heat, although stifling, had at least been a respite from the emergency of a failing roof. That was the thing about old properties, they always held another surprise for you – and not always the good kind. My little cottage might look like the picture on a chocolate box but right now it was about as watertight as one. I crossed my fingers that today would help get me one step closer to changing that.

I glanced in the mirror, checking my appearance. I twisted my long auburn hair up and secured it neatly in a clip, keeping it off my neck in an attempt to stay cool, and then headed down the narrow stairs just as the brass doorbell clanged outside. Pulling open the heavy front door revealed the epitome of a tall, dark, handsome – not to mention broad – stranger loitering there. From the emails I’d exchanged so far with the bride whose wedding I was being hired to plan, my initial thoughts were that she had great taste. Now seeing the man she was to marry, it seemed I was right.

He was looking around, striking dark blue eyes taking in the cluster of picturesque houses that hugged the village green, before his gaze returned to my own cottage. I was used to seeing this sense of wonder. I still got it myself at times when I came home, a feeling of surprise that this idyllic scene existed at all, let alone within easy access to London. I smiled, waiting patiently for the ensuing compliment.

‘Jesus,’ the soft Irish accent proclaimed. ‘It’s like something out of Midsomer Murders.’

I forced the smile to stay in place, mentally readjusting my earlier thoughts about the bride’s taste. Clearing my throat, I stepped back from the door to indicate he should enter.

‘Well, the police did find someone last month tied to the railway tracks in the model village with a toy train wedged in his mouth, but apart from that it’s a perfectly lovely place to live. Would you like to come in?’

The man was staring at me.

‘Don’t worry. I promise it wasn’t me. Do come in out of the rain.’ I already had more than enough unwanted water coming into this house without standing here waiting for this rude man to let yet more in. His comment had irked me. It wasn’t as if us villagers hadn’t joked about the same thing ourselves, but there was something in the way he said it, as though he were laughing up his expensive sleeve at us, or would have been, had they not been rolled up to his elbows exposing tanned, muscular forearms. He stepped in and I took the black, old-fashioned umbrella with its beautiful, carved wooden handle from him and opened it to dry in the small boot room to the side of the front door. He might not have manners, but he did have good taste.

‘Do you always invite strange men into your house without asking their name?’ One coal-black brow rose, accompanying the softly spoken query.

‘I’m afraid your accent gave you away and you are perfectly on time, Mr Kelly.’

‘I’m not Mr Kelly,’ the man replied, studying me, a hint of amusement showing at the corner of the just-full-enough lips.

A cool shiver trickled down my spine, despite the humidity of the day. The man’s smile widened.

‘Don’t look so panicked. You’re quite safe. I’m his best man, Lorcan O’Malley.’ He held one large hand out. ‘Pleased to meet you.’

I stuck out my own automatically, unsure what to make of this man other than the fact that he was probably one of the best-looking men I’d ever come across. Why did I only ever meet desirable men through work? I had a very strict policy about not mixing work with pleasure and right now work needed all the attention it could get. The pandemic had meant that my business, Hart’s & Flowers, along with many like mine, had taken a big hit, so now I needed to find a way to recoup the losses I’d suffered. A lavish wedding for an American heiress could be the answer to, if not all my prayers, then at least some of them.

‘Patrick should be here any minute. He’s always late.’

‘Oh dear. Hopefully he won’t be late to the wedding,’ I said, looking up at Lorcan.

‘I guess that’s my job to ensure he isn’t.’

‘Glad to hear you’re already serious about your duties.’ I smiled.

‘I might not be a fan of weddings, or marriage, but I won’t let Patrick down.’

‘I see,’ I replied, and made a mental note to keep an eye on him – not exactly the toughest of tasks when a man looked like he did.

‘Would you like to come through to the kitchen? I must apologise – ordinarily I hold meetings in my garden office but the downpour has rather put paid to that today. I’m just waiting to have a path put in.’

In truth I was waiting for the money to be able to afford a path, but we didn’t need to go into details.

‘No problem.’

I led the way through into the airy kitchen. Thankfully, my cottage, though old, wasn’t listed so I’d had leeway to make changes when I’d first moved in. Once dark and cramped, this room had been extended and it now opened out with patio doors to the well-tended garden beyond, flooding the kitchen with light. It was probably my favourite room in the house. A loud thunk caused me to spin around and I found Mr O’Malley rubbing his forehead and looking as if he was gritting back a choice word or two.

‘Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry! I should have warned you to mind your head. I’m not used to having people as tall as you in the house.’

‘No problem,’ he said again. ‘So was that true, then? What you said about the model-village thing?’

As much as I would have loved to continue stringing this man along with the tale, I couldn’t do it and a bubble of laughter burst from within me.

‘Of course not, but you should have seen your face. I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist the tease.’

He studied me for a moment then grinned, full wattage, and a tiny voice inside me whispered, Wow.

‘Nicely done, Ms Hart.’

‘Can I get you a drink or anything while we wait for the others? They should be here soon. And, please, call me Maddie.’

‘I wouldn’t count on it. As I said, Patrick is always late and his fiancée isn’t much better.’

‘Bad weather can play havoc with travel plans. I’d rather they were late than anything happen.’ I turned back to face him as I said it, squashing the flash of memory that burst into my brain. Lorcan opened his mouth as if to say something but appeared to change his mind as his eyes met mine.

‘Definitely,’ he said. ‘And a cold drink would be great, if it’s not too much trouble.’

‘I have some home-made lemonade or there’s squash or water.’

‘Lemonade sounds great, thanks.’

I moved to the fridge and pulled out a large glass jug. Taking two tall glasses from a cupboard, I poured the pale liquid into them before returning the jug to the fridge, popped a sprig of mint in each glass from the mini herb garden I kept on the windowsill and then handed one of the glasses to Lorcan. He took a sip.

‘This is delicious. Home-made, you say?’

‘I did.’

‘By you?’

‘You seem surprised.’

‘Maybe,’ he answered cryptically. ‘I clearly haven’t worked you out yet.’

I gave him a cool look. ‘There’s not a lot to work out.’

‘See, that just makes me even more curious and think there’s plenty to work out.’ There was a dangerous half-smile on his lips that in other circumstances I might have acknowledged as being sexy.

2

The bell clanged again and I put down my glass, smoothed my hair quickly and went to open the door to my clients, only to find Betty, my next-door neighbour instead, with a plate full of pastries that smelled delicious.

‘Hello, love,’ she said, coming in as she usually did before I could say anything, bustling on through to the kitchen. ‘I’ve just made these cheese straws and there’s too many. If I leave them in the kitchen George will just eat them all and you know I’m trying to watch his weight. Oh, hello!’ she said, coming to a halt as she saw Lorcan sitting at the kitchen table.

‘I’m so sorry, dear.’ She turned to me, her eyes shining with curiosity. ‘I didn’t realise you had company.’

‘It’s work,’ I said quickly, before Betty jumped to any conclusions, although by the look on her face she already had.

‘Oh.’ The mischief disappeared from her kindly smile.

‘The garden is too wet to get to the office so I’m having to hold my meeting in here.’

‘Which is fine by me, if this is the service we get.’ Lorcan smiled, eyeing the treats.

‘Well, aren’t you the charmer?’ Betty laughed, holding out the plate towards him. ‘Take two. Big lad like you.’

‘Don’t mind if I do, thank you.’ He held out his hand. ‘Lorcan O’Malley. It’s nice to meet you.’

‘And you, dear. I’m Betty. Betty Collins. George and I live next door.’

‘It looks like a lovely village,’ he said, catching my eye as he said so and I gave the tiniest brow raise acknowledging his earlier, slightly less flattering description of the place.

‘It is, it is. So where’s your lovely bride-to-be?’

‘Oh, I’m not the lucky chap. I’m just the best man.’

‘Ah, already tied the knot yourself, have you?’ My neighbour couldn’t have been more transparent if she’d been made of plate glass.

‘No, not me. Still a bachelor, I’m afraid, Betty.’

‘Is that so?’ I saw the mischief slip back into her smile. ‘We live in hope of hearing that Maddie’s finally arranging her own wedding—'

‘Thanks ever so much for the goodies, Betty,’ I said, interrupting her, my face suddenly hot. ‘That was very kind of you. I’ll have to do an extra lap of the lake to burn those off.’

Betty waved my protestations away. ‘Oh, hush. There’s barely anything of you, is there, now, Mr O’Malley?’

Oh, Lord, the last thing I wanted was Lorcan O’Malley’s opinion on my figure.

‘Well, we’d better get on,’ I said, gently hustling Betty away from Lorcan before he could reply. ‘The bride and groom will be here any moment.’

‘Oh! Yes, yes. Sorry, duck.’

‘No, it’s fine. Really. And thank you so much again for the treats. You really shouldn’t have.’

‘Got to feed you up a little bit, dear,’ she said, touching my cheek gently. ‘All this worrying about the business and the house repairs has done you no good at all.’

I smiled, ushering Betty to the front door before she revealed any more about my private life to my visitor. Closing the door behind her, I took a deep breath and returned to the kitchen.

‘Sorry about that. Usually I don’t answer as I’m in the office, so she just knows to leave stuff in the kitchen. I assumed it would be Patrick and Peyton.’

‘They’re going to be about another fifteen minutes,’ Lorcan replied, looking up and waggling his phone. ‘He just messaged me. I can only apologise for their appalling timekeeping. Have you got more appointments today?’

‘No, it’s fine. I cleared the afternoon for them.’ The truth was the afternoon, and in fact the rest of the week, was far too clear for my liking.

He nodded. ‘Betty seems nice.’

‘She is.’

‘Keen to hear news of you arranging your own wedding, by the sounds of it.’

‘Yes, I think that would make her day.’

‘No sign of that, then?’

I gave him a look.

He shrugged. ‘Just making conversation.’

I remembered how badly I needed this job and pasted on a smile. ‘Yes, I know. I’m sorry. I just prefer to keep my private life private, that’s all.’

‘Fair enough.’ He finished the last of his lemonade and stood to take the glass to the sink.

‘Just leave it there, it’s fine.’

He washed it up anyway.

‘Do you ever do anything you’re told?’

He turned and gave me that smile again. ‘Now that, Maddie, would depend entirely on the situation.’

I felt a flush tinge my cheeks as Lorcan’s smile grew. God, he was infuriating… and way too sexy for his own good. And certainly my own good. Where were my clients?

‘I see what you mean about needing a path,’ Lorcan said, having now moved to the patio doors. His eyes took in the large muddy puddle that had once been the walkway to the garden office.

I sighed. ‘Yes. I’m sorry about having to hold the meeting in here. I know it doesn’t look the most professional.’

‘Ah, don’t be daft. It’s perfectly lovely. Feels like a real home.’

I turned, and he met my eyes, holding the gaze.

‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’ There was a pause, then he rubbed his forehead. ‘Doorways could do with being a bit higher though.’

I grinned. ‘Yes, sorry. I should have warned you. Another reason it’s better when the garden office is operational.’ I peered a little closer. ‘I’m afraid that’s going to leave a bruise.’

‘Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ve had worse.’

‘Walk into a lot of doorways, do you?’

‘No, most people I know don’t live in Hobbit houses.’

‘Charming.’

‘But I did used to be a bit of a scrapper when I was a nipper.’

‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’

He turned more fully towards me. ‘I don’t know. Why doesn’t it?’ I looked up into his handsome face, that hint of trouble lingering in the dangerous smile. The silence stretched until it was broken by another enormous clap of thunder that made me physically jump. As it died away, another sound replaced it. A faint howling cry drifted through the smaller windows I’d left open that wouldn’t let rain in.

‘What is that sound?’

Lorcan was already moving towards the front door, pulling it open and heading back to his car. The rain was bucketing down and he was soaked through by the time he got to it, opening the door and attending to something inside. Grabbing his brolly, I rushed out after him, coming to a halt with the umbrella over both of us as he lifted out a little dog, cuddling it to his chest and making soothing noises as the rain beat heavily on the fabric above us.

‘You left a dog in the car in a thunderstorm!’ I glared at him.

‘I didn’t want to!’ he snapped back. ‘He had water and the windows were open so he had air and I was about to come check on him anyway.’ I saw now there was plastic over the interior of the car and the windows were indeed open a little. But still, not many dogs were content in a thunderstorm and this one certainly didn’t seem to be.

‘What do you mean you didn’t want to?’ I reached out and gave the dog’s caramel-coloured head a little stroke. It seemed content enough now, snuggled against the broad chest of his owner.

‘Bod comes everywhere with me normally but Patrick said I wasn’t to bring him into the meeting today. I didn’t want to leave him at home because I didn’t know how long I’d be and he was sleeping when I left him in here. The vet gave me some stuff to help calm him in storms but I guess it wore off.’

He fussed with the dog, kissing its soft, furry head and whispering that he was OK now.

‘Come on, inside now, both of you. You should have just spoken to me about it. It’s my house, not Patrick’s.’

‘You sure?’

‘Of course, come on. You’re already soaked.’ I put my hand on his elbow and ushered them in as he briefly turned to beep the car locked and we hurried up the front path. Closing the door behind us, I took the umbrella through to the boot room again and set it dripping on the tiled floor before returning to my guest, who was also dripping.

‘Stay there,’ I said, before heading upstairs and rooting about in the back of the airing cupboard. Returning, I handed him a towel and a tee shirt and swapped them for the dog, whom I wrapped in a blanket. ‘It might be a bit small.’

Lorcan rubbed his dark hair from sodden to merely damp with the towel. ‘If it’s yours, it’s definitely going to be a bit small.’ He had a point. A size eight shirt was not going to fit a six-foot-five man who was built like the proverbial brick outhouse.

‘It’s not mine.’ I gave him a tight smile.

He held it out. It was definitely a man’s tee shirt, and he raised one dark brow in question. I ignored him and instead took the dog through to the kitchen and popped him down on the floor while I knelt and made a makeshift bed from a big cosy blanket, leaving his owner to change his shirt in peace.

‘I can hang your shirt in the airing cupboard if you—’ My words dried up as I turned and saw Lorcan in the tee shirt I’d given him. To say it was snug was an understatement. The previous owner, although tall, had definitely not had this man’s bulk. Not only was it stretched impossibly tight across his pecs, his biceps were almost bursting the seams and the too-short hem exposed the merest hint of a flat, tanned stomach and a line of dark hair leading to places I had no right even acknowledging, let alone thinking about.

3

‘Fits perfectly, thanks.’

The laugh rippled out of me and his eyes crinkled as he joined in.

‘I’m sorry. It’s all I have, but you can’t sit in that sodden shirt for the rest of the afternoon.’

‘It’s fine. As you say, it’s dry at least.’

‘Do you want me to hang the shirt somewhere?’

‘No, but thanks. I’ll sort it when I get home. You’ve done more than enough.’

‘It’s no trouble.’

He smiled down at where Bod was now snuggled into the blanket, his eyes closing as I drifted my hand over his soft fur.

‘You’re very kind, although if you have a bag or something I could put it in so it doesn’t drip everywhere over your floor?’

‘Give it here. I’ll put it in the airing cupboard. It will hopefully dry off enough in there by the time we’re done today.’

‘Thanks again. You sure it’s OK to bring him in? I hated leaving him out there.’ His brow creased and I could see the decision hadn’t been taken lightly.

‘Yes, I can see that now. I’m sorry I told you off.’

‘I know it was only out of concern for the dog.’

‘I’m surprised you listened to your friend, though.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ There was a look of interest mixed with amusement on his lips.

‘It’s just that… well, you seem like a man who knows his own mind.’

‘That’s a tactful way of saying you think I can likely be a stubborn arse, isn’t it?’

‘Not at all.’

Maybe.

He gave me a disbelieving look.

‘There was an unfortunate incident recently and Patrick got a bit uppity about it all. I’ve known Paddy since we were both tiny and he’s not usually so tense but I think this wedding lark and the fact his fiancée’s an heiress have made him feel a bit under pressure. As his best man, I’m supposed to make his life easier.’ He gave a shrug.

‘I think you’re allowed to make your own decisions about your dog and his welfare. Anything else to do with the wedding, feel free to run by me.’ I gave him a serious look that showed I was not to be messed with but all it did was make him smile.

‘You look cute when you’re trying to be serious.’

‘I am not trying to be serious. I am serious.’

He gave that killer grin again. ‘Then you look cute when you do that too.’

‘Look. I’m happy to have your dog in here as he is clearly well behaved. If you’re to stay, you need to be the same.’

Lorcan looked down at his dog, drifting off to sleep in his blanket nest. His eyelids were heavy but the odd rumble was still making itself known in the distance and he seemed reluctant to give in entirely.

‘I’m more than happy to snuggle down there with him if you really want.’

‘Oh, goodness. I can see I’m going to have to keep my eye on you.’

‘Looks like there’s going to be an upside in being involved in the planning of this wedding after all,’ he replied, grinning.

‘No,’ I said, firmly. ‘No upside.’

He gave a small head tilt.

I replayed the sentence back in my head. ‘I mean, of course there is. It’s all up. You get to be involved in helping your best friend plan the most beautiful day to begin his married life. But that’s it. The sole upside.’

He shrugged, still with a hint of mischievous smile. ‘Shame.’

‘And don’t think I won’t be warning the bridesmaids about you either. The last thing I need is you upsetting that particular apple cart.’

‘Are you always this severe on the best man?’

‘Only when required.’

‘Betty seemed to like me.’

‘Then when we’re done, I’ll send you round to Betty’s. Until then you need to behave.’

Moving past him, I double checked the table, making sure I had all I needed. Lorcan glanced down at my coloured sticky notes, pens, neatly lined-up pads (one for each person), and my main planner all organised on the table. His blue gaze then drifted to the fridge, where another colour-coded calendar was stuck with my schedule for the week. ‘You really like to be organised, don’t you?’

‘It allows me to make the most efficient use of my time. I like to plan and know exactly what’s happening and what’s coming.’

‘It doesn’t matter how much you plan, you don’t know what life has in store.’

‘Which is exactly the reason it’s good to plan as much as possible so that you have as few surprises as possible.’

‘Hate to say this, Maddie, but it doesn’t work like that.’

I was the last person who needed telling that, but I wasn’t about to go there now.

Lorcan’s intense gaze was studying me and I felt as if he could see into where I kept all my secrets.

‘Why do I get the feeling you know all that anyway?’

‘How ridiculous!’ I said, with a laugh that would get me thrown out of RADA.

Lorcan shrugged but all this did was make the tee shirt ride up and expose more stomach. ‘And put that away,’ I said, making a rough gesture around my own midriff as the bell outside clanged loudly, which hopefully signalled that this was, at last, my missing clients. Lorcan’s low, deep chuckle followed me all the way to the door.

‘Hi-i-i-i-i!’ Peyton flashed a wide, very white, very straight-toothed smile at me as I hurried her and her fiancé in out of the weather and explained the situation about the office. ‘Oh, that’s fine. Oh, my gosh, your house is just so cute! It’s like something out of an Agatha Christie movie. Who’s that one I love, sweetie? The old lady?’

‘Miss Marple,’ Patrick said, shaking my hand.

‘That’s it. Miss Marple. Not that you’re like an old lady, obviously.’ Peyton looked momentarily flustered.

‘I know what you mean and thank you. I like it.’ Apart from the leaking roof and the swimming pool where my garden used to be. ‘Do go through. Your best man is already here.’ Peyton squeezed Patrick’s hand, the wide smile still on her face as they walked through, and I followed.

‘What did I say about that dog?’ Patrick’s face darkened as he finally saw Bod, now snoring quietly by Lorcan’s chair.

‘That was my decision,’ I said quickly, in order to head off any disagreements. ‘I told Lorcan to bring the dog inside. He did initially leave him in the car as you asked, but it wasn’t fair on either of them. Lorcan was worried and Bod was scared. I’d rather the dog was safe and happy in here and he’s no problem. He can come any time.’ I glanced at Lorcan. ‘I’m referring to the dog, of course.’

Patrick grinned. ‘Glad to see Maddie’s got the measure of you already, you big eejit.’ His smile then faded a little. ‘Are you sure, though?’ Patrick asked, tilting his chin towards the ball of fluff on the blanket. ‘Another planner we saw got very uppity about it.’

‘Perhaps they were allergic? Or just not a fan of dogs?’

‘No,’ Lorcan interjected. ‘She was just a sour…’ He tailed off. ‘She just made a big deal about how it wasn’t in keeping with the tone of the wedding these two want. Like it had any connection at all! Ridiculous,’ he mumbled.

‘Bod really wasn’t being any trouble,’ Peyton added, sweetly.

‘And he’s no trouble here either and welcome any time. So, now that’s settled shall we get on? Can I get you a drink to start?’

‘I can thoroughly recommend the home-made lemonade,’ Lorcan suggested.

‘That sounds just perfect!’ Peyton said.

‘Great, thanks.’ Patrick added, now staring at Lorcan, who stood up to help me with the lemonade. ‘Mate, what on earth are you wearing?’

‘Funny story. And in a way, it’s all your fault.’

Two hours later we were making great progress and I was forming an even clearer idea in my mind, and on paper, about the wedding Patrick and Peyton wanted. I got the impression this was more Peyton’s vision and that Patrick was just happy to give her whatever she wanted. Lorcan, so far, had mostly behaved himself although I’d seen him bite his tongue a couple of times when Peyton went particularly misty-eyed about the romance of the occasion.

‘So when will you be able to go out and take a look at the venue?’ Peyton asked, her eyes shining with excitement. ‘Depending when it is, we might not be able to come but we can talk by