The Summer Without You Read Online Free

‘No!’ a female voice screeched delightedly, clearly meaning ‘yes’, as the light popped
again.
    Ro rolled her eyes and reached down for the discarded clothes – how reckless? – just as she heard the furious rat-a-tat-tat of stilettos on the marble floor behind her.
    She looked down at the clothes balled in her hand and turned in the same instant she switched them behind her back, a frozen smile on her face.
    ‘Have you seen my husband?’ the bride demanded, her eyes scanning the empty spaces of the corridors like a sparrowhawk hunting mice.
    Without visibly moving, Ro threw the clothes behind her, hearing just a soft, muffled
thwump
as they fell to the floor of the booth. ‘Uh, no . . . now you mention it, I
haven’t seen him recently. I was just in the loos and he wasn’t there.’ The bride scowled. ‘In the bathroom, I mean . . . obviously.’
    The booth began to hum, vibrating softly, and the bride looked behind Ro, her attention diverted. She looked at the drawn curtain. ‘Who’s in there?’
    ‘In there?’ Ro echoed, her voice an octave higher than usual. ‘Um, no one.’
    ‘The drape is drawn.’ She bent to the side. ‘And I can see legs. Someone’s in there.’
    Ro looked down. At least the legs she could see were encased in black trousers again. ‘Oh yes, of course. And, uh . . . you’re right. Obviously someone’s in there. It’s
just not . . . your husband.’
    The bride’s eyes narrowed suspiciously again.
    A sudden whirring started up and they both looked down as a strip of photos slid out. The bride reached for them, but Ro got there first, whipping them away before either of them could set eyes
on the images. ‘Uh . . . I can’t let you see those.’
    ‘Why not?’ the bride demanded furiously.
    ‘Because—’
    But the bride wasn’t hanging around to hear Ro’s story and in the next instant she had flashed open the curtain. Her jaw dropped at the sight of her maid of honour and the waiter who
had fed Ro only twenty minutes earlier smiling back at her, a sign hanging from the bridesmaid’s neck.
    ‘What the . . . ?’ the bride stormed.
    The waiter locked eyes with Ro, who was looking on, open-mouthed with shock. They both knew he was going to get fired for this.
    ‘It’s not what you think,’ Ro said, hurriedly closing the curtain again, much to everyone’s astonishment.
    ‘Why is . . . why is my maid of honour standing in that booth with a
waiter
and wearing a sign that reads—’
    ‘It’s a surprise!’ Ro blurted out. ‘For the video.’
    The bride blinked at her.
    ‘Yes, uh . . . I mean, it may not work, but . . . we thought we’d give it a go and . . . if it doesn’t work, I’ll leave it out. It’s just good to have options,
that’s all.’
    She nodded frantically, smiled manically, her fingers threading through the strap of the camera round her neck.
    ‘But what—’ At that moment, the groom appeared from the men’s bathroom, fiddling with his cuffs.
    ‘Where have you been?’ the bride shrieked as he walked over, taking in the testy scene. ‘Everyone’s waiting for our first dance.’
    ‘Well, I’m ready when you are, baby,’ the groom shrugged, as his bride grabbed him by the elbow and steered him back to the ballroom.
    ‘Hayley!’ the bride snapped over her shoulder. ‘Are you
coming
?’
    The maid of honour peeped out through the curtain, giggling nervously and mouthing ‘thanks’ to Ro as she skittered past.
    A moment later, the waiter peered round the curtain. ‘Is it safe to come out?’
    ‘Just about.’ Ro turned back to him.
    ‘I don’t know how to thank you. You saved my ass for sure,’ he said, buttoning up his shirt and hurriedly tucking it back into his trousers. He reached over and picked up the
tray she hadn’t noticed sitting on a side table just a short distance away. ‘You don’t know how badly I need this money.’
    She shrugged. ‘Well, I figure one good turn deserves another.’
    ‘Here. By way of