Charming Mr Stewart

18. An Awkward Sleepover

Elle watched as Harry ushered Maya and Bonnie in. "So, tell me all about this job of yours? It sounds fun."

Elle smiled. Harry had always thought photography was a glamorous profession. It's not that Elle didn't agree, but working crazy hours and sometimes with fanatical clients was a deal-breaker for most. "It's just another wedding."

"Oh, please!" Bonnie interrupted. "It's a huge, upmarket wedding. They are some big people, but very private, so we can't actually talk about them. In fact, we don't even know what the family does."

"Oh." Harry pouted. "Any guesses?"

Bonnie grinned. "A few."

"Ooh. Do tell!" Harry grabbed Bonnie by her arm and led her into the kitchen where James and Mitch were busy setting the table.

"Ellie!" Mitchell ran to her for a hug.

"What have you been eating, Mitch?" Elle smiled at her nephew. "You're almost as tall as your father."

"I grew a whole foot last summer."

"I can see that." Elle turned to Maya and nudged her towards Mitchell. "Aren't you going to say hello to Mitchell?"

Maya bit her lip. "Hello, Mitchell."

"Come along, girls, sit, sit!" James went around, pulling out chairs for them. "We can always chat later. First, let's eat. Food's getting cold."

"You're sitting next to me." Mitch held his hand out to Maya to grab.

"So where's this wedding happening, aye?" James slapped a dollop of garlic mash on his plate.

"Out on the harbour." Elle picked out a piece of chicken breast.

"On a glass boat!" Bonnie squeaked.

"It's a night thing, then?"

They both nodded. "The ceremony is at sunset and then dinner," Elle said, taking the mash as James passed it on.

"The Glasshouse?" James almost choked on his food. "The Glasshouse?" Elle and Bonnie looked at one another, unsure. "That's one fancy place to have a wedding."

Harry nodded. "We looked at it for our own wedding years back and we couldn't even think about it. Isn't that right, honey?"

James nodded. "But we also had an extended guest list, darling."

Elle shrugged. "The family wants good coverage of events leading up to the wedding day."

"Bridal fitting, pre-wedding shoot, hens and bucks maybe, rehearsal dinner, and then the wedding day itself," Bonnie listed the activities.

James' brows almost reached his hairline. "Wow, they really want everything covered. Don't tell me they want you to cover the honeymoon, too?" He laughed. "That'd be awkward."

Mitch laughed the loudest, causing the adults to stop laughing. "Finish your food, Mitch, and take Maya to the lounge. We're talking." James said sternly.

"Where are you two staying?" James asked as he helped Bonnie clear the table.

"The brother of the groom has offered us his apartment for the week."

"You're staying with the family?" Harry chimed in.

"We asked them to recommend the closest accommodation so we could be on hand and instead, they offered us one of their apartments," Elle said, busily ignoring Harry's stare as she loaded the dishwasher.

"You can stay here then?"

Elle knew this was coming. "Harry, I don't know Sydney well."

"So? Why are you staying with strangers when you have family here?" Harry asked, hurt.