Chapter Seventy Five

'You know the last big box-office movie that featured his special effects...it's been nominated for a Golden Globe,' Favour rattled on. In my opinion, it's Collins work that really makes it so dramatic and memorable. Did you go and see it?'

'Yes. Stunning stuff.' She had sat in the movie theatre, enthralled by the mind that could imagine and create such amazing scenes. It had made the night she'd spent with him all the more extraordinary.

Uniquely special.

'He might get an Academy Award for that movie,' Favour rattled on.

'Leonard says...'

The other bridesmaids erupted into the room, carrying the bouquets and exclaiming how beautiful they were, and any further talk about Collins Templeton was abruptly dropped, much to Jasmine's relief. She didn't want to discuss him or his work. It was easier to keep him tucked away as a private memory.

Initially he'd been designated as Leonard's best man, but commitments on the other side of the world had forced him to regretfully decline the honour.

Which was undoubtedly true, yet Jasmine couldn't help wondering if that suited him since it neatly avoided meeting her again.

Though that was probably too personal a slant on his decision. His long friendship with Leonard would surely have taken priority over any sense of awkwardness over partnering her again... for just one night.

A second night...

Her stomach clenched at the need that suddenly clawed through her. Stupid, she fiercely told herself. Magic could never be recaptured. It would be different, a second time around. In fact, it might even spoilt he memory she had of him. Better that he was caught up in other things elsewhere.

The only problem was, she couldn't get interested in other men, despite her sister's best efforts to couple her with quite a few reasonably attractive prospects.

Favour thought she'd been too scarred by her long relationship with Robert , but it was actually Collins Templeton who got in the way, making other men seem hopelessly pale in comparison.

She hadn't even been tempted to pick up with Robert again, despite his abject apologies and begging for another chance. In fact, she'd suddenly seen his charm as totally egocentric, a toot he used in a deliberate play for power over others. Manipulation was his game. She'd been blind to it before, or sucked in by feelings he'd known how to play on.

In the first few months after her night with Collins, Robert had proceeded to target every woman who was professionally associated with Jasmine, focusing all his charismatic energy on them, one by one, until he had them, and then he'd slyly let Jasmine know as though that was supposed to make her feel jealous or possessive, firing up a desire to have him back in her bed and her life.

It didn't work.

Robert couldn't get to her anymore.

An ironic little smile hovered on her lips. Collins Templeton had certainly done her a favour there, but had he wrecked any chance of her connecting to someone else who might very well be good for her...like Khalid?

She wandered over to the window, knowing the vintage cars to transport the wedding party were due to arrive. The cars had been Leonard's idea, matching up to the old colonial house Livvy had chosen for the reception. Alt very romantic. As it should be on their wedding day.

The weather had smiled on them. It was a lovely sunny afternoon. The ceremony at the church was scheduled for four o'clock and it was now three-fifteen. Their parents were already dressed and waiting downstairs for their daughters to appear in their wedding finery. They would all leave together from this family home in Lane Cove where Jasmine and Favour had grown up and gone to school.

A big moment for their mother and father, Jasmine thought, their younger daughter getting married. Both she and Favour had left home years ago, seeking more convenient accommodation to their careers and the freedom to lead their lives without too much critical comment from their parents. The independent set-up had freed their parents, too, removing enough of their sense of responsibility and ties to their children for them to really enjoy the travelling they'd always wanted to do. But different lifestyles hadn't diminished the love and caring they shared as a family and today was a milestone to be cherished.

'The cars are coming up the street now,' she announced, glad they wouldn't cause any hitch in the arrangements.

She wanted everything to be perfect for Favour.

Her sister's wedding.

It might be the only one her family would have. She couldn't see herself ever getting married. For some women there was only ever one man.

Jasmine suspected hers had been Collins Templeton.

______

Collins glanced at his watch as he strode out of the Airport Hilton Hotel.

Just past three-thirty. He'd flown into Sydney only an hour ago, no luggage to collect since he'd carried his overnight hag and the suit-holder containing his formal clothes for Leonard's wedding onto the aircraft with him. He'd shaved in flight so he'd only had to shower and change here at the hotel. With any luck, he should get to the church on time.

The taxi he'd ordered was waiting for him. He climbed into it and gave the driver the address at Chatswood, adding that he had to be there by four o'clock for a wedding.

'No worries,' the cabbie cheerfully assured him. 'We take the freeway and the harbour tunnel. Being Saturday afternoon, the traffic's not heavy. In any event, the bride is always late.'

Not Favour, Collins thought, remembering her on-the-dot punctuality in arriving at the Galley restaurant on the night of his blind date with jasmine.

Jasmine...

He sighed over the frustrating conflicts she raised in his mind. The memory of her had almost stopped him from coming to this wedding.

Leonard's wedding! As it was, he'd let his old friend down, declining the role of best man because that would have inevitably put him as Jasmine's partner in the wedding party.

He shook his head over her lingering and pervasive effect on him. Try as he might, he couldn't set the memory of that one night with her aside and it had proved unsettling too many times over this past year, distracting him from business, insidiously destroying the attraction that other women would have had in the normal course of events. But he should not have let it get in the way of standing up for Leonard on his wedding day.

His hands clenched in anger.

Bad decision!

When he'd called from Singapore last night to say he was coming, the excitement and pleasure in Leonard's voice had shamed him.. Letting a woman-any woman-put him off sharing in such an important day.

Their friendship was worth more than any disturbance Jasmine Leclaire might give him.

'I may be late getting there,' he'd warned.

'Hey! No problem, man. It'll be great to see you. I will tell Mum to organise a seat for you at the reception. Where would you like to be? With the young bloods?'