I turned around reflexively to my name, although the voice was strange to me. When I came face to face with my caller his large blue eyes screamed with familiarity. I studied him for so long he was probably wondering if there was something wrong with me.

He was on the verge of saying something his lips pulling up at the corners in a familiar way when I realised who it was in front of me.

"James?" I asked unsurely, could it really be him?

I hadn't thought about him since I got engaged to Shane, and I hadn't heard from him since I turned down his proposal.

He was so different from when I'd seen him last, he was a lot taller and more muscled, his hair was longer shaggier and his natural honey blond colour instead of the bleach blond it used to be but his dress sense was definitely the same as I remembered casual but smart.

A sudden wave of embarrassment and uncomfortable-ness washed over me.

"Hard to believe, right?" He smiled teasingly, pulling his blazer opened slightly and doing a little spin.

I stood there dumbstruck probably with my mouth hanging opened I couldn't feel it because of the shock, after what I did to him how could he be talking and smiling to me as if we were old friends greeting each other?

"Hi Mitchie." He smiled more earnestly now as he walked towards me hands out stretched.

I hugged back absently; did I slip into some twilight zone? Since when did people you turned down because you were in love with someone else act this way?

"Hi." I managed to say as we pulled away. "You look great." I tried to smile to hide the uncomfortable feeling that was swirling around my body.

"Thanks, but I'm no superstar." His smile was teasing again.

I laughed once out of embarrassment.

"You've done really well…" He started but Derrick interrupted us.

"Mitchie here's your bag; do you want me to help you take it up to your room?" Derrick asked as he came through the door.

"It's o.k. Derrick I'll get it myself." I smiled, taken it from him. "But if you could do me another little favour."

"Take the rent-a-car back." He smiled knowingly.

"Please and thank you." I pleaded putting on my best puppy dog face.

He rolled his eyes and sighed jokingly, "I'll have it taken care of."

"Thank you." I sung.

"Cough." James cleared his throat behind us; I'd almost forgotten him in our playful banter.

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" Derrick asked politely looking towards James.

"I'm Mr Fletcher, I'm here for…"

"…the tour." Derrick finished his sentence. "Of course, I'll get someone to take you around the estate immediately."

"I'll do it."

I looked around to see who volunteered only to find it was me.

"That would be great." James beamed at me. "We'll get to catch up then."

"Great." I tried to smile instead of grimace.

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I met James at the reception area after I left my suitcase up to my room, cleaned up a bit and talked myself out of faking sick and not taken James on the tour.

"Thanks for doing this." James smiled helping me down the last couple of stairs, always such a gentleman.

"No problem." I smiled weakly; I was such a bad liar.

"You didn't have to do this you know; I know it must be weird for you." He said as we made our way out of the reception area into the car park.

"No honestly, I wanted to I haven't been home in a while it'll give me a chance to look around see if much has changed."

My answer wasn't a lie but I purposely didn't remark on the last bit of his sentence. Unfortunately James new I was purposely avoiding it and raised one eyebrow at me.

"It's a bit weird." I admitted as we walked along the gravel path in the garden. "I mean the last time I seen you was when I was turning down your proposal." I sucked in a breath when I realised what I just said, maybe my honesty wouldn't help the awkwardness.

"Yeah, but I should've known not to come between you and Shane, you's are one of those couples that are together even when you're apart." He chuckled as we walked through the wrought iron gate to walk down to the stables.

I had to hold back a grimace at the sound of Shane's name I was afraid of the turn this conversation was about to take.

"Where is Shane anyway? I should apologise for the last time we seen each other." He said sheepishly.

"You do owe him an apology." I commented. "But Shane isn't here he's on tour." I wonder if he noticed how the word "tour" came out through my teeth.

"Oh that's a surprise I thought you would've been…"

"So, how come you're getting a tour of my B&B?" I interrupted. I couldn't let him finish that sentence it would hurt too much.

"Oh…I…I'm getting married."

"Married." I repeated in shock. "That's amazing, congratulations." I amended when the shock wore off and embraced him in a hug.

"Thanks." He smiled as we pulled away from each other again.

"So, you were looking to have the reception here." I assumed.

"We were thinking about having the whole wedding here." He corrected. "Is that too weird? Having my wedding at the place my ex girlfriend grew up?" He asked.

"No it's not." I promised quickly before looking away from him and swallowing back a lump in my throat. This marriage talk had upset me considering my marriage seemed to be crumbling apart. "You'll probably want the service outside in the side garden, where you's can stand under the iron butterfly arch to say your vows and your reception in the big mess hall with the crystal chandelier then the reception party out in the big yard with the fairy lights and gazebo and she'll probably want to arrive in the horse drawn carriage." I wasn't sure at what point during my blabbering I started crying but soon the sobs made it impossible to talk.

**********************************************************************************************

Once James managed to calm me down after my break down by the stables he insisted on cutting the tour short and instead have a cup of tea on the porch.

"I had no idea you got so emotional over wedding talk." James smiled as he set the china cup and saucer in front of me.

"I don't normally, but that was my wedding talk."

He looked at me confusedly for a moment until a new expression made its way onto his face; "Shane and you are having problems?" His statement came out as a question so I could confirm it for him.

I nodded once solemnly.

"You shouldn't let it bother you so much, you and Shane, you's will sort it out." He said reassuringly reaching across the table to rub my hand.

"It's not a simple falling out though." I argued.

"No matter what it is I know you's will be fine."

I was about to argue but he cut me off.

"Mitchie, you's fell out once before and four years later you's were back dating then a year later he was asking you to marry him."

I looked at him sceptically until he realised his mistake.

"Not that this will take four years to get over." He backtracked.

"I'm not too sure." I mumbled.

"Mitchie..." He started sympathetically before something in my expression made him stop using the sympathetic tone. "How about we spend tomorrow together just you and me and no talking about Shane?"

I little flicker of hope ran through my veins, "That sounds good."

A Shane free day would be just what I needed.

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That night I got back to my room I had five voice mail messages from Caitlyn, ten from Jason but none from my husband. I didn't bother listening to them and instead turned the phone off and hid it under my pillow.