Love me slender

With weeks until her wedding would Hazel choose her fiancé, or chocolate?

Ican explain¼' Hazel croaked when she saw what Ryan was holding in his hand.

Go on, then,' her fiancé cocked his head suspiciously.

It' s¼' She could feel her cheeks reddening, I¼'

You said no chocolate until after the wedding. No sweet stuff at all!' Ryan said, clearly disappointed.

I know.' The shame was audible. I saw it in the shop and I couldn' t help myself.'

She was mortified, and annoyed he' d found it so easily, sure she' d hidden it in a cupboard he would never look in.

I just thought¼ she sighed. One bar wouldn' t do me any harm.'

One bar wouldn' t, but you know what you' re like, one bar would turn into two and then three and then,' he said.

I know, you' re right,' she said embarrassed. The sooner this wedding comes around the better.'

For a moment she was furious at Ryan, livid that he was the only thing standing between her and a mouthful of silky sweet chocolate, but that fury soon turned in on herself.

She' d insisted on the health kick herself she' d vowed no more empty calories until the big day, she wanted the dress to fit just perfectly and that meant no more sugary snacks for the foreseeable.

Ten days, she thought, 10 days and then she could eat her weight in anything she wanted. Ten days until she could cut herself the biggest slab of wedding cake and savour every bite.

Though, with her sweet tooth feeling so neglected recently she wasn' t sure three tiers would be enough.

Rice cracker?' Ryan asked, interrupting her daydreaming and bringing her back into the hungry moment.

Go on, then. I might even spoil myself and have two.'

Her stomach rattled in the car, the church only a few minutes away.

Everything OK?' her father asked and squeezed her hand. No last-minute nerves?'

Hazel shook her head and forced a smile before giving into a yawn.

She' d barely slept the night before, but it hadn' t been anxiety that had her tossing and turning, it had been her soon-to-be husband' s insistence on her sticking to the diet.

When she' d mentioned a packet of biscuits a few days earlier, he' d stared right back as if two horns had sprouted on her head, and he' d started buying that fat-free milk she couldn' t stand too.

With a body like his he certainly wasn' t watching his own weight.

Was this it? Was this what it was going to be like from now on? Would it be salad every day for lunch and chickpeas every evening?

It didn' t bear thinking about, but then, neither did a life without Ryan by her side.

She supposed that if that' s what it took to make him happy, then she' d have no choice, but to give up all the sweet stuff for good.

Well, what do you think?' Ryan asked at the wedding reception, his new wife' s eyes lighting up beside him. I think I love it.'

Well, I thought you deserved a little treat after all you' ve put yourself through recently,' he smiled.

Chest puffed out like a pigeon, every inch the proud husband.

Now you don' t ever have to worry again about what you can or can' t put into your mouth!'

Hazel wasn' t going to argue, not when there was a delicious chocolate fountain in the corner of the room with her name written all over it.

Had she not been wearing white she might have made a beeline straight for it and leapt in like an Olympic diver, drinking all she could and leaving not one drop for the other guests, but instead she kissed her husband and pushed all the paranoia to the back of her head.

He hadn' t been watching her weight after all. Ryan had just been giving her a helping hand and the encouragement she needed.

The dress fitted perfectly, everyone had said so, and she looked every inch the bride she' d hoped.

No wonder she' d married him, he had her best interests always at heart.

I suppose we should go and mingle,' Ryan said once they' d finally stopped kissing.

Not yet,' Hazel smiled.

I' ve got more important business to attend to.'

Another kiss and then she headed towards the chocolate fountain.

This was going to be good.

Now you donÕ t ever have to worry again about what you can or canÕ t put into your mouth!Õ