Something Borrowed Read Online Free PDF Page B

a building company and says one day he’s going to build me a house. Okay, I know you just did a gagging action. Sorry.)
    Of course, I said yes! My sister, Chloe, is a wedding planner—I think I told you in my brief first email? She’s just starting out, so I’m one of her first clients. And, of course, Mum is going to make my dress. I thought I might try my hand at doing the flowers. It’s something I’ve always been interested in and a bit different to working as a hairdresser. Anyway, I imagine that’s all too much information for a soldier on active duty and who is probably not interested in such domestic things… so, I’ll go.
    Every time I hear about the Middle East on the news, I get nervous. Stay safe.
    Jenna x

Chapter 3
    V aughn’s restaurant was on Portland Road, a nice brisk walk away on a blustery spring afternoon. A weak sun filtered through high, thin clouds casting the antique shops, clothing merchants and bustling cafes in a magical halo of soft light. As she walked, Chloe tried to get rid of the tightness in her chest, focusing instead on her surroundings and the peace of mind she got being in this slice of Notting Hill.
    ‘Hey, Chloe, love! How are you?’ Don, one of the antique shop owners, walked past, takeaway coffee in one hand, a horse racing newspaper in the other. He gave her a big smile. ‘Cheer up, love, worse could happen.’
    Could it? What could be worse than going to a meeting with the man she’d assaulted on her wedding day? ‘Yes. Yes. Have a nice day, Don.’
    Next, it was the lady from the Chinese restaurant, sweeping out the front of her shop. She nodded, grinning. ‘Hello.’
    ‘Hi.’ Chloe smiled and waited to cross to the sunnier side of the street.
    Two young skateboarders skimmed down the centre of the road, slapping their boards on the concrete as they came to a halt to let her cross. ‘Age before beauty, right, miss?’
    ‘Watch it, you two.’ Despite Vaughn Brook’s presence in the area, she loved this place. The friendliness of the people, the fresh edge of bars and mismatch of trendy stores, the buskers and their eclectic choice of songs—which weren’t always to her taste, but added a definite buzz and a smile to her step.
    She liked the eccentricity of the market, the way each day had a different feel, a distinct personality; the quiet of the week and the bustle of the weekend with tourists snapping endless photos and local shoppers hoping to find a bargain. Jason had suggested, a few times, that they move out to somewhere cheaper, to somewhere with a community. Couldn’t he see that, despite being in a big bustling city, there was a real community right here?
    The trees along her route were coming to life again after a long, cold winter; tender, burgeoning buds promising blossom in a month or so. Daffodils had given way to tulips brightening the regimented Edwardian buildings, creating a colourful path. Despite all this, Chloe still felt a little like Dorothy on her way to Oz, surrounded by amazing things yet with nothing in her heart but the anxiety of trying to find her way back to safety again.
    Vaughn Brooks. Just her luck.
    She located the restaurant in a parade of shops selling chic and not cheap knickknacks, next to an organic butcher’s and a juice bar. Exquisite wrought iron railings separated the first-floor apartments from the ground floor businesses. Vaughn’s stood proudly in the centre of the parade with pristine white canopies hanging over the shop front, the lettering of his name painted in a swirl of flamboyance on the canopy fabric and across the windows. A cluster of tables and chairs on the footpath gave it a distinctly Mediterranean feel.
    Chloe stole a look at the menu on a board outside the door. Twice cooked pork belly, Chinese spiced duck… Which, in any other eating establishment, would sound wonderful, but right now gave her heartburn.
    ‘Chloe!’ Grinning widely, Stacey appeared at the restaurant door with Mark, the