Wedding Bells on Madison Avenue: The perfect feel-good, romantic read from bestseller Helen Rolfe

1

DARCY

‘T o the happy couple!’ Holly raised her glass and the others around the table followed suit. ‘If anyone can make a marriage work, it’s you two. Congratulations.’

Darcy’s hand hadn’t left Myles’s lap since the minute they’d sat down at The Plaza with their closest friends to celebrate their engagement. Cleo and Dylan had come in to the city from Inglenook Falls, Holly had zipped over to The Plaza from her office, and now, as they all sipped champagne at the circular table in The Champagne Bar next to the long window that stretched almost from floor to ceiling, with Fifth Avenue views, Darcy hoped Holly was right with her words. She’d fallen in love, no doubt about it, but their relationship had moved as fast as the Manhattan rush hour, and she was starting to panic that they didn’t know one another well enough at all.

‘Show me the ring again?’ Holly grabbed Darcy’s hand the second she put down her glass.

‘It’s gorgeous.’ Cleo leaned forward for a second, better, look. ‘I can’t stop staring at it. I’m so pleased for you, Darcy.’

‘Thank you.’ She hugged her friends in turn. She couldn’t help but agree with their appraisal, extending her fingers on her left hand so the timeless, rose gold engagement ring with its solitaire diamond on her fourth finger sparkled beneath the lights. As soon as Myles had proposed, they’d gone straight to Tiffany & Co., excited, their future shining brightly in front of them. He’d insisted on being extravagant when it came to the ring and this time she’d let him have his way. And Darcy was glad they hadn’t waited either. They hadn’t let themselves get back to their busy lives, their careers, and put their relationship on the backburner.

‘So come on,’ said Cleo, desperate for more information. ‘Tell us how it all happened. You guys have only been together for five minutes.’

Darcy pushed the worries out of her mind. ‘It was very romantic.’

‘I couldn’t wait any longer.’ Myles beamed at his fiancée, his chocolate-brown eyes barely able to leave her face for a second.

‘I think I’m going to need another drink,’ Dylan chimed, ‘if it’s all going to get too soppy.’ He earned himself a nudge from Cleo, and Darcy could tell he didn’t mean it at all. From what she’d heard, Dylan could be a hopeless romantic when he wanted to be. Only last month he’d made his wife chocolate-dipped strawberries to cheer her up after a crazy day at the store she owned and ran.

‘Come on,’ Holly huffed, ‘proper details. Did he even get down on one knee?’

‘Sofia was home from Switzerland so I had a half day at the Inn. It had been days since we’d spent some quality time together, so we walked up to Central Park and had lunch at Tavern on the Green.’ Darcy watched the man she’d agreed to marry. Funny how they’d known each other for such a short time, yet she hadn’t even hesitated.

‘Oh, I love it there,’ Holly gushed. ‘Is that where it happened? Did he ask you there?’

‘Let them tell us the story!’ Cleo urged.

Myles took the floor. ‘I’d only intended on taking her for lunch. Proposing was the last thing on my mind, but as we sat and talked and laughed, I wondered why I was even waiting to make things more permanent. We left the restaurant and my mind was working hard to think of when and how I could possibly ask her. We went to the Shakespeare Garden, walked up to Belvedere Castle, and as we were making our way back towards the lake we saw a caricaturist.’

‘I thought it would be fun,’ Darcy grinned, fingers splayed on the stem of her champagne glass, her ring a glistening reminder of that perfect day. ‘I thought a picture could be a really nice keepsake.’

‘The caricaturist drew Darcy first,’ said Myles, ‘and it gave me a chance to think. Before he started to draw me I told her to go and grab a couple of cold drinks from the vendor nearby, and it allowed me enough time to put my plan into action.’

Cleo and Holly clasped one another in typical female fashion, on tenterhooks for the next bit, while Dylan was slightly more reserved and enjoying his champagne.

‘I gave the caricaturist some instructions and as soon as Darcy sat down next to me again, he got to work. When he’d finished I paid him, kept the picture hidden – not easy when Darcy was desperate to see it – and then as soon as we reached the top of the Bow Bridge I got down on one knee and showed her. The caricaturist had drawn me on one knee, with a speech bubble coming from my mouth that said, Will you marry me?’ He kissed his fiancée. ‘I’m so glad you said yes.’

‘Me too.’

‘That is so romantic,’ Cleo and Holly said in unison.

‘Does anyone have a tissue?’ Dylan sniffed and pretended to wipe his eyes until Holly shoved him on the arm to berate him. ‘No, seriously guys, congratulations. I think it’s great news. So when’s the big day?’

‘You’d better all put it in your calendars,’ Myles declared, ‘because it’s in August.’

‘August next year? That’s not long, it’ll fly by.’ Holly finished her champagne.

‘August this year,’ said Darcy.

‘Are you serious?’ Cleo shook her head. ‘But that’s only five months away. How on earth will you be ready in time? Can you even get a venue?’

‘That’s the only thing we’ve really sorted so far. We’re not having a big elaborate ceremony so that made it easier, plus we’re flexible about the day, so we’re having it at the Moonlight Loft & Terrace.’

‘The rooftop bar that just opened up on Madison?’ Dylan ordered a beer for both him and Myles, making Darcy smile. Couldn’t keep a man’s man down for long; she’d wondered how long before they exchanged the girlie champagne for something different.

‘That’s right,’ said Myles. ‘Darcy has a whole vision of what it’ll look like. They’ve done a couple of weddings there already but, being new, they’re not booked up.’

‘Wow.’ Holly was completely in the moment. ‘Getting married beneath the moonlight, out in the open air, it’s perfect.’

‘What happens if it rains?’ Cleo asked, earning a frown from Holly. ‘What? You need to plan for these things.’

‘There’s a lovely area inside,’ said Darcy, ‘but we won’t need it. It’ll be gloriously sunny by August and not quite as humid as July. It’ll be the perfect day. I just know it.’

Talk turned to what she had planned for the wedding ceremony, although she hadn’t thought about it in great detail yet, and the men showed as much enthusiasm as they could before their talk turned to hockey and they left the women talking dresses, cakes, and bonbonniere.

‘You could have mini preserves,’ Holly suggested, ‘or a couple I know who got married in the country last year had little pots of honey each with a tiny dipper attached to the side.’

‘That’s a great idea,’ Cleo approved.

Darcy hadn’t got down to the finer details yet. ‘I actually need to ask you both something.’ She grinned as Cleo clasped her hands together, pre-empting what was coming. ‘Holly, Cleo, would you like to be my bridesmaids?’

Both women squealed and even the men laughed after they knew what had gone down. ‘Oh Darcy, I can’t wait!’ Cleo could barely sit still.

‘I am truly honoured,’ said Holly more demurely. An editor with a top publication in the city, she was more reserved than Cleo although Darcy suspected she was maintaining some decorum and that before long, especially when they had dress fittings and saw the venue, her enthusiasm would unleash. ‘I haven’t known you all that long, are you sure?’

‘Of course I am. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known one another, I consider you a very good friend. So there’ll be you two plus my good friends, Isabella and Gabriella, plus my sister, Sarah. I can’t imagine doing this without every single one of you by my side.’

Cleo put a hand on her arm. ‘It’ll be our pleasure.’

‘It sure will.’ Holly smiled. ‘Talking of Isabella, where is she?’

‘She couldn’t make today, she’s away in Vermont with her other half. But because I knew she was heading out of town, I told her right after we got back from choosing the ring. We Skyped Gabriella in Switzerland too.’

‘With champagne I hope.’ Holly finished the last of her bubbles and they ordered another bottle.

‘Why of course.’

‘This is all moving so fast, Darcy.’ Cleo had a headache she blamed on drinking during the day and opted for a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. ‘I don’t know how you manage everything with work and now a wedding to organise. But I guess, when you know, you know.’

‘Never been in that situation myself.’ Holly’s red hair danced and her white gold chandelier earrings swayed when she moved her head. ‘But you two are so right together.’

Darcy looked across at Myles, who winked when he saw her. She had no doubts in her mind that Myles Cunningham was The One. The only doubt she did have was whether both of them could actually find time to build a life together. Ever since they’d started their relationship, it had been a whirlwind of excitement and the pace of getting engaged and married before they’d been together a year was really a representation of how their lives operated all round: breakneck speed, no pausing or deliberating, all go, go, go.

When they emerged from The Plaza, merrier from the champagne and chatting away so much that Cleo almost walked into the doorman, they made their way down the front steps of the building. Horses and carts lined up across the street ready to take tourists on unforgettable tours around Central Park, an iconic yellow taxi pulled up and dropped a new guest at the hotel, a cyclist cut across the sidewalk and back onto the street. Cars tooted their horns at a nearby intersection and a businessman scooted by in talks on his cell phone. This was the Manhattan Darcy loved, with its mayhem and character, but sometimes she knew it would be better if her personal life didn’t move at quite the same pace.

She looped her ice-blue infinity scarf over her head so it settled around her neck, and scooped her chestnut-brown hair free from beneath it.

‘You liked the scarf?’ Cleo didn’t miss a thing as they loitered in front of the building, ready to go their separate ways. ‘Ruby insisted you would. She picked out the yarn and said it matched your eyes.’ Ruby was Dylan’s daughter from his first marriage and both she and her brother, Jacob, had a good relationship with Cleo, who’d gone on to have another baby, Tabitha, who had just turned one.

‘Then Ruby has excellent taste. She’s turning into quite the little lady.’ Darcy hugged the woman who’d gone from a casual acquaintance to a really good friend. ‘Thank you for making it for me.’

‘It’s what I do best.’

‘Well it’s no wonder the Little Knitting Box is booming, it’s gorgeous.’

‘Do you take requests?’ Holly asked.

Cleo grinned. ‘Of course! Come out to the store in Inglenook Falls and we’ll sort something out.’

‘You’re on.’ Holly pulled on a pair of leather gloves. ‘I need some fancier things than these. They’re very…’

‘City,’ Cleo finished for her. ‘I’ll kit you out in something a lot more fun, don’t you worry.’

‘Sounds good to me,’ said Holly. ‘Although I’ll be happy to lose the gloves altogether for a while. I can’t wait for spring to really get going.’ She looked up at the sky, the clouds shielding much of the sun and insisting that this early on in the season they were very much the boss. She kissed each person on the cheek in turn, including the men, and hopped into a cab back to work as Cleo and Dylan went off to the Guggenheim Museum to make the most of a childfree afternoon.

Myles hugged Darcy to him and kissed the top of her head. The five of them had settled into a really strong friendship, as though all their lives had been hovering on the sidelines waiting to be slotted together. ‘Shall we take advantage of our rare afternoon off?’

‘What did you have in mind?’ She snuggled against him as they walked along towards the subway station. The wind whipped around them as a reminder that spring hadn’t really sprung at all even though it was the middle of March. Only last week there’d been ice on the sidewalk and down the steps of the Inn and by now Darcy had had enough of the extra work the season brought with it.

When he grinned she knew exactly what Myles was thinking and hand in hand they took the subway which shuttled them up the west side of the park. They hurried back to the Upper West Side apartment, took the stairs quickly, laughing and racing each other in a cardio workout to get to the fourth floor, and barely inside the door, they tugged at one another’s clothes before tumbling into the bedroom.

Myles ran his fingers lazily up Darcy’s arm. ‘I could get used to afternoon meetings like this.’

In the last hour she’d thought about nothing but him and her. There’d been no room for thoughts of the Inn, advertising, and preparation for guests’ arrivals or departures, and it was stolen time they rarely got. When he’d proposed, Darcy had thought Myles impulsive and panicked they weren’t doing the right thing, but she couldn’t ever imagine feeling this way about another man, and so she’d grabbed her chance with both hands.

‘My parents have invited us up at the weekend.’ Darcy shivered beneath his caress as it hit a delicate spot and he planted light kisses along her shoulder, moving the wavy chestnut tresses out of his way. Her brother, Tate, lived close to their parents so he’d be there but her sister, who lived in San Francisco, would have to wait to admire her engagement ring and give her fiancé the once-over.

‘I’ll look forward to it,’ Myles mumbled, although he was distracted kissing the nape of her neck.

‘You can definitely make it?’ she breathed.

‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’ He flipped her onto her back and she giggled as the muscles in his arms pinned her down. And then he kissed her until she begged to be released.

‘I know work is full on for you.’

‘It’s always busy, and so is yours. But this is more important.’

Music to her ears. ‘I’ll tell them it’s on then. Sofia flies back to Switzerland on Monday morning so I’ve got the whole weekend free.’

‘You two seem to have a good partnership going.’

‘It’s working out well.’

‘But…? Come on, I sense the hesitation.’

‘I love co-running the Inn, you know I do. And the profits are soaring lately, but… I hate that it’s not my home. I never ended up getting my own place, there never seemed a lot of point and Sofia insisted her apartment was big enough for the both of us, especially when she’s away so much, but… well, she’s my friend’s mom. And although I love her to bits, I need my independence too.’ One of her only regrets at getting together with Myles so quickly was that she hadn’t had the chance to re-establish herself in Manhattan, rent an apartment, and find her feet before everything changed again. But love had found her, and for that she’d never be sorry.

‘You do realise there’s no point in you looking for a place now,’ said Myles. ‘You can move in here whenever you like. Unless you want to look for a place we choose together rather than somewhere that was renovated for me.’

She looked around. ‘Luckily you have good taste, suits me just fine. I’ll bring everything over from the Inn and from where it’s being stored in my parents’ garage and move in properly once we’re married.’

‘Why not before?’

‘Sofia will be away a lot over the next few months but I think she’ll be back in New York more come the summer. Which means I won’t need to stay there so much and I’ll have some time to shift all my belongings.’

Myles grinned. ‘I think I got things a bit out of step.’ Jokingly he tapped his palm against his forehead. ‘First, date a girl… second, ask her to move in with you… then, propose.’ He propped himself up on his forearm and with his other hand tucked her hair behind her ears. ‘I missed out phase two.’

‘At least you impressed my dad.’

‘How so?’

‘You’re doing the honourable thing. We dated, you proposed, there’ll be no living in sin. At least…’ She eyed his naked body. ‘…not to his knowledge.’

‘Maybe I should take a selfie and send it to him.’ He put an arm around her and held her close before reaching for his cell phone.

‘Don’t you dare.’ She wrestled away. ‘But seriously, Myles, where do we go from here? I work long and erratic hours and am away from this apartment, you often work silly hours too. It won’t be much of a home if neither of us is here or, when we are, we’re not together.’

‘We’ll work it out, now would you come back here?’ He watched as Darcy grabbed his discarded shirt and tugged it on, protecting her modesty.

The shirt sleeves hung way past her hands and she rolled them up after she’d buttoned the shirt. ‘Do you have a pen and paper?’

‘Are you wanting to draw diagrams to decide what we’re doing next?’ he teased.

‘Stop joking around for a second. Do you have one or not?’ Hands on hips, she scoured the area.

‘On the dresser next to the mirror.’

She padded over the wooden floor, grabbed both items, and returned to the bed, brushing away his suggestion she take the shirt off again. They might be engaged but they were very much in the early, can’t-keep-your-hands-off-each-other stage of their relationship, and sometimes it was far too distracting.

‘What are you up to?’ He accepted defeat, reached out for his jeans and tugged them on.

‘We have just five months to plan the wedding.’ She tapped the pen against the paper. ‘We have a venue, but that’s it.’ Darcy began scribbling away.

‘We have a ring too.’ He ran a hand up her thigh. ‘You know, I remember you making another list once upon a time.’

She stilled his hand but couldn’t help smiling at his mischievous expression. ‘I remember.’ He’d been just a guest back then, but a man with a dilemma, trying to decide whether to take an escort to a work function. Between them they’d put together a pro and con list and he’d ended up asking her to go with him instead.

He peered more closely at the paper. ‘Just checking you’re not putting a column for con on the list when it comes to our wedding.’

She picked up a discarded cushion that had been knocked off during their lovemaking and chucked it at his head as he made his way to the bathroom. ‘Careful, or I might think about it,’ she called after him.

Lists were Darcy’s friend. They helped her to sort through the jumble in her mind and know what she needed to do, the crossing off of items a form of catharsis. But as she looked down at the ten major items she’d already made a note of by the time Myles emerged from the bathroom when he heard his cell phone ringing, she wondered how on earth they could possibly get it all done.

She was about to go through the list with Myles and expand it in more detail when he said, ‘I have to go in to the office.’

‘What, now?’

‘I’m sorry.’ He leaned over and kissed her, looked at the shirt and said with a grin, ‘It’s okay, I’ll grab a fresh one.’

‘How long will you be?’

He fastened the cuffs on the shirt he’d pulled from the wardrobe. ‘As long as it takes, I guess. The shit has hit the fan in a big way so I don’t have much choice.’

And just like that, their perfect afternoon was gone. Darcy’s visions of taking a bubble bath while listening to music, pouring a big glass of full-bodied red wine each, and snuggling up on the sofa, a rarity in their lives that had only been intersecting for a whirlwind few months, had disappeared.

Had they both leapt into this without thinking?

Their love was new and exciting; it was all the good bits, and they were only just starting to face the practicalities. They’d only been together since Christmas but as the New Year had dawned, both of them had thrown their focus into their separate work commitments. Darcy had been running the Inglenook Inn independently whenever Sofia was out of the country spending time with her daughter, Gabriella, who had been Darcy’s closest friend since they were at school. And when Sofia had returned, they’d got straight down to formalities. Darcy was now in a more formal arrangement and paid a decent salary for her efforts, working hard to boost profits and establish herself as one of the finest hoteliers in the industry. She and Sofia had discussed the long-term outlook too, which perhaps involved Darcy taking part ownership of the Inn if that was the route they chose, but for now they were managing it between them and it was working. And the high level of responsibility was a huge step forwards in Darcy’s career. The only worry she had was that this would come at a price, especially when Myles’s career on Wall Street was also going from strength to strength.

Since the day Myles had kissed her beneath the mistletoe on the steps of the Inglenook Inn in December, Darcy’s feet had barely touched the ground. But she had a sneaky suspicion the next few months, as they planned their wedding in a ridiculously short timescale, would test their resolve.

Only two people who were really meant to be would come out the other side.

2

MYLES

Myles was beginning to think he worked with a bunch of incompetents in his job as an investment banker. He was in charge of a team of six, including one troublemaker in particular. Rufus. The guy brought with him a degree and a high level of arrogance he didn’t have the right to unless he’d been in the game at least as long as the rest of them. Right now, Myles should’ve been at his apartment with Darcy in his arms, not in the thronging depths of the Financial District making his way towards the firm’s headquarters, where he’d need to execute damage control and babysit a member of his team who needed some further education, better known as Life Skills.

By the time Myles reached the office he was already cranky – at having been taken away from home, at having a problem to sort out that he’d played no part in creating, at the way faces