Her Doctor's Christmas Proposal Page 16

  ‘That’s charity, Izzy. You can do that on your own.’

  ‘Like hell I can. You give me the confidence to do that. You believe I can do that. You make every day worthwhile—waking up with you is the best gift I’ve ever had.’ She wrapped her fist around the keys on the chain at her throat. ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up with you every day. So, please, Sean—I love you. I want you in my life. I choose you. Please…don’t make me beg.’

  His eyes widened. ‘Why the hell not?’

  She swallowed. ‘Really? You want me to beg? Is that how it’s going to be?’ God knew, she’d really, really stuffed up. ‘Okay—if that’s what it’s going to take—’

  ‘Not on your life. I’m joking.’ Sean let his hands slip out of hers and made a decision. It was one he’d been toying with in Paris. One he’d made years ago and one he hoped he’d never have to make again. He could hardly believe what she was saying—but he had to. He had to take the chance. She loved him and wanted him.

  And he knew it was early days, that she had a long way to go—but he believed she wanted to walk that journey with him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box he’d been carrying with him ever since he’d arrived in Cambridge.

  ‘In that case, Isabel Delamere…’ Then he took one of her hands and knelt onto one knee. The look on her face was one of love and joy—and he knew he’d seen that before, in Paris, and he would never tire of seeing it. She loved him. He knew it, he felt it.

  ‘Oh, my God, Sean?’

  At that moment the chapel doors opened and out streamed a congregation of smiling people who came to a standstill at what they were witnessing. Great. Now he had an audience.

  ‘Izzy, I know this is soon for you—but I want you to know that I will be here for you, I will walk this road with you. I want nothing more than to be part of your family. I will give you all the time in the world for you to choose whether you want more children to add to it, or if you want our family to be just the two of us. But whatever you decide, I will be by your side. I love you, Izzy. Will you marry me?’

  He offered her the ring and his solemn promise.

  Her soft green eyes were brimming with tears. ‘Is that…is that the ring you gave me when I was sixteen?’

  ‘The very same.’

  ‘You kept it?’

  A collective awww had him turning his head towards the grins and smiles—everyone seemed to be silently cheering him on.

  He was starting to get stage fright. ‘I guess I always hoped…one day we’d get to use it.’ He took her hand again. ‘The wait is killing me… And everyone else?’

  A murmur of yes rippled around the space.

  She laughed, her mouth crumpling. ‘Oh, Sean, I couldn’t imagine a life more wonderful than being with you.’ Then she was pulling him up and in his arms and the congregation gave a cheer and a round of applause. As she pressed her lips to his all the other people melted away and he was alone again with her. Just her. The thought that had come back to him time and again over too many wasted years. Just her. His Izzy.

  Something akin to the joy he’d seen on her face roared through him. ‘I guess that’s a yes?’

  ‘Yes. Yes. Yes! When?’ Her arms were round his neck.

  ‘Whoa…someone’s keen.’

  ‘I want to start now… I want to be with you from now until for ever.’

  ‘Let’s start with today, then. Merry Christmas, Izzy.’

  ‘Oh, yes. A very happy Christmas to you, Sean.’ Then she gave him a long lingering kiss that left him in no doubt that this would be the happiest Christmas ever.

  EPILOGUE

  ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE it’s happening…’ Isabel looked out of her old bedroom window at her parents’ house down to the manicured garden below. If they weren’t quick the flowers would droop in the lovely summer heat. She turned to Isla, who looked so exquisitely beautiful in her long pale lilac silk dress, her hair woven with white flowers, eyes glistening with tears, it made Isabel’s heart ache. In fact, her heart hadn’t stopped aching—in a good way—for the last three hundred and sixty-four days. ‘It’s like a fairy tale down there.’

  ‘It’s your fairy tale—and we need to get on with it. I love you. I’m so proud of you.’ Her sister squeezed her hand; her voice was tender and calm and so not the way Isabel was feeling inside. Calm had left her somewhere around the rehearsal dinner last night when nerves and excitement had taken over. Then sleep had evaded her, not because she was scared—those days were long gone—but because she was just counting down the hours until she could see him again and become Mrs Anderson.

  ‘Okay, let’s do this.’ Isabel swallowed, inhaled deeply and then walked to the door. Would it be too unbridely to just run down there and jump into his arms? She guessed it probably would.

  As she took her father’s arm and began to walk up the makeshift petal-strewn aisle behind cute-as-a-button flower girl Cora Elliot, Isabel kept her focus on Sean up ahead waiting for her.

  He smiled at her.

  He had no idea.

  She smiled back, hugging to herself the new secret she’d kept from him for the last two days. And she kept that smile as she nodded to the guests who sighed as she walked by. To Darcie, who had become a firm friend and job-share partner over the last year. The part-time role giving her lots of opportunity to volunteer at the homeless clinic and to raise money for those charities that supported pregnant teenage girls.

  And she smiled at Lucas, the dashing man by Darcie’s side, who was grinning proudly at his little niece, Cora. Then on to Alessi, who was trying—and failing—to wrestle a wriggling Geo into some sort of quiet. Her gorgeous nephew had taken his first steps recently and was causing every kind of mayhem in their household.

  The only piece missing from their day was the staff from Cambridge Royal Maternity Unit, who had been such a huge part of their lives, but they’d had a long email from Bonnie this morning wishing them all the luck in the world; news that Hope’s baby had been born, a lovely boy for her and Aaron, and that Jess and Dean were just back from honeymoon with very big smiles. Bonnie and Jacob had some good news of their own—a wedding and adoption plans approved.

  Gosh, she missed them all. One day…one day, somehow they’d all be together again, but if not in person they talked regularly over the Internet and their friendships were solid and lasting.

  But it was so lovely to be here, sharing this day with these special people she loved, at home in Melbourne—and since opening her heart out to Sean she had truly never felt so loved in her life.

  And then she was there, facing him, in front of the celebrant and surrounded by so much love.

  As she said her I wills and I dos she kept her secret tight inside her.

  As her husband kissed her she didn’t say a word.

  But as the speeches were made and she had to raise a glass she just couldn’t hold it in any more. ‘Hey, husband of mine, this has been the best day of my life.’

  ‘Mine too. Now chink my glass and drink…they’re waiting.’ He gave her a kiss and a very sexy wink that had her looking forward to her wedding night at the plush vineyard hideaway they’d booked for a honeymoon.

  ‘I…er… I don’t think I should do that.’ She leaned in closer, careful not to mess up his dark charcoal suit that made him look very definitely the most handsome man in the world. ‘Not for the next nine months or so anyway.’

  He looked at her, dark eyes shining. ‘What? Really?’

  ‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I’m pregnant. And I have a clean bill of health, all going exactly to plan. Perfect? Yes?’

  ‘Yes, you are, my darling.’ Then he kissed her again as if he would never have enough.

  When he put her down she clinked his glass and the crowd cheered all over again. But still they didn’t share their news…because, well, because some things just needed to be enjoyed in private for a while.

  The marquee provided decent shade from the searing summer sunshine,
but there was a barbecue and music and later a plan for a trip to the beach. Sean surveyed the mayhem as their friends and family began the informal part of the proceedings. ‘A little bit different from last Christmas?’

  ‘And next year will be different again, with a little one.’ She patted her tummy, which was as flat as it ever was, but she knew…she just knew that everything was going to be fine.

  Sean ran his thumb down her cheek and she honestly didn’t think it could be possible to be any more happy. But she was, a little more every day, by his side, and now as his wife.

  ‘A baby would be totally perfect, but, Izzy, I don’t care where we are or what we do or who we’re with, just as long as you and I spend the rest of our lives together.’

  ‘Oh, yes, I promise with all my heart.’ She picked up her glass and, one last time, clinked it against his. ‘Together. For ever.’

  *

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  ISBN-13: 9781460389768

  Her Doctor’s Christmas Proposal

  Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.

  Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Louisa George for her contribution to the Midwives On-Call at Christmas series

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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