Bron took a breath and, emboldened by the wine, she said, 'Of course. This is for the team. It's not like we're setting Sarah up or anything.’

`Go on then,' Elsa urged before they lost their nerve. Bron picked up Sarah's mobile and negotiated the phone book, squinting at the numbers. They were both giggling now, like a couple of naughty schoolgirls. 'He's there.’

‘Ring him then. Before she comes back.' Elsa glanced nervously at the door to the Ladies.

A moment later, in as composed a way as she could, considering the two large glasses of wine she'd drunk already, Bron said, 'Hi Hugo, we're at the Number Nine Wine Bar in the High Street, having a summit meeting about a big celeb. wedding. We definitely need you. Can you come?'

‘You got voicemail?' said Elsa.

Bron nodded. 'I never know what to say to answering machines. He won't come. I left out all sorts of details.'

‘Yes, like which town we're in. I dare say he could work it out. But never mind, we did our best. Oh, here's Sarah.’

They were on to their third bottle of wine and halfway through large plates of pasta when Bron suddenly kicked Elsa under the table. Her mouth was full at the time so she could only nod and gesture.

Elsa turned and saw Hugo through the window of the restaurant. She took a breath. 'Sarah, we didn't say anything before because we thought he wouldn't come, but here's Hugo!’

‘Oh God!' muttered Sarah, sounding anguished. 'What's he doing here!'

‘We asked him to come!' said Elsa out of the corner of her mouth, wondering, too late, if they'd done the wrong thing by ringing him. What if there was a perfectly understandable reason for Sarah not to ask Hugo and they'd only made things worse? 'We thought he should be here. What's the matter?’

Hugo had reached the door of the wine bar, seen the women and pushed open the door.

‘It's just that I never wanted to see Hugo again if I could avoid it,' said Sarah softly, but just loud enough to be heard.

‘Why?'

‘Oh God,' she breathed. 'Too late, he's coming over.'

‘Good evening!' Hugo said, arriving at the table. 'How nice to see you all.' He looked pointedly at Sarah. 'What's all this about a summit meeting?’

Feeling guilty for getting Hugo to come to the wine bar without clearing it with Sarah first, Elsa said, 'A really important client wants to get married in about five minutes flat and, er, we thought…'

‘I know,' said Hugo.

‘How do you know? I thought it was all highly confidential!' said Bron.

‘Didn't Sarah say?' He looked at Sarah again, enquiringly this time. She could only stare at her hand, clutching her wine glass.

Feeling chastised, she turned to Bron and said, 'It was through Hugo I got the contact.'

‘Why didn't you say!' said Elsa. She glanced at Bron. Had they made things completely impossible for Sarah now, or what? Catching the glance, Bron made an I haven't-a-clue face.

‘I would have told you,' said Sarah, feeling defensive, 'if I'd had a chance. We've hardly begun to discuss it.'

‘So why didn't you invite me to the meeting?' he asked. She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not. This was going to be harder than she thought.

‘I would have done,' she said. 'This was just a preliminary chat. For girls.’

He raised his eyes. 'Oh, for girls! I'd better get another bottle then, and be an honorary one.'

‘I'm not sure you'd make a very convincing girl, Hugo,' said Sarah quietly, glad that they were on safer ground once more, but uncertain as to whether he was still suffering from wounded pride or not.

‘No? You wait and see.' Now his look was frankly challenging.

And as she watched him get up and go to the bar, she realised he was a bit offended with her. Surely he hadn't really minded her turning him down? It was a shame if he had, but it couldn't be helped. Sarah took herself to the Ladies again. Once there she splashed her face with water before daring to look. Not good! Although she hadn't had much, it was obvious she'd been drinking, and what makeup she'd put on that morning had long since disappeared. Her hair had started to turn feral. She exhaled deeply, gave herself a quick lecture involving 'getting a grip' and 'don't be such a wuss' and then searched her handbag for some emergency kit. If only Hugo weren't so attractive, she'd be fine. She delivered the lecture again. She'd be fine, she kept repeating to herself. She was a professional. She'd been taken by surprise, that was all. She was calmer now and back to her professional self. He was a good photographer, they were colleagues, and he need never know what effect he had on her.

Hoping she hadn't spent a noticeably long time doing repairs, Sarah went back to the others, holding her head up. Be dignified, she told herself. Be cool!

‘It's all right,' said Elsa, seeing Sarah's anxious and slightly disapproving face as she surveyed the number of bottles on the table, 'Hugo's going to drive you and Bron home.'

‘And you,' said Hugo. 'However near you live, you're not walking back at this time of night. Sit down, Sarah, you're not going yet.’

Sarah squeezed herself in next to Hugo, thinking at least she had a chance of getting to the door before he did, should she need to make a run for it. She could pick up a taxi easily enough.

‘So.' Sarah decided to take control. 'Have you met Carrie Condy herself?'

‘Yes,' said Hugo modestly. 'Once or twice, through friends of friends. I thought you'd be perfect when Mandy mentioned Carrie was looking for a wedding planner.' He smiled at her.

Oh God – the curl at the corner of his mouth, the crinkle of his eyes… but she must stay in control. 'And I do appreciate it, but you know she wants everything exactly the same as Ashlyn's wedding, including the bloody lych-gate! And it's your fault!' That's it, you can do this, she told herself. Keep it professional and lighthearted. He's a colleague. Just because they'd crossed the line once, it didn't have to affect their working relationship.

Hugo chuckled unrepentantly. 'I know, but I thought if anyone could do it, you could. Anyway, you could always get one mocked up.’

Sarah nodded. 'I've thought of that already, it's the church that's going to knock the whole thing on the head. Carrie just doesn't seem to realise that pretty churches are booked up even if you set aside the whole inconvenient thing about having to have some connection with it, like living in the parish, or it being the groom's parish, or whatever.’

She put her elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. She suddenly felt overwhelmed by it all.

‘I might just be able to help you there,' said Hugo.

She straightened up again. 'How? Tell me. I've been going mad.' She wanted to remind him again that he'd got her into this mess, it was up to him to get her out, but she knew that wasn't true or fair. It was an amazing favour he'd done her, giving Mandy her name.

Hugo seemed reluctant. 'It might not work, though. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it.'

‘Well, nothing much else is likely to work,' said Sarah.

‘Is getting a venue really so difficult?' asked Elsa.

‘Picturesque ones at very short notice are. And not only do you have to have the right sort of church, you have to have an accommodating vicar. There are rules about who can get married where.' Sarah sighed. 'It's not that I'm not grateful for the contact, Hugo, because I really am. But it's going to be jolly hard to do. Especially as Carrie happens to have chosen the same date as my sister. She only told me she was getting married last weekend.' Sarah closed her eyes. That's the real reason why I'm so stressed, she told herself, it's nothing to do with Hugo.