A Ring for the Greek's Baby

Emily met Loukas’s stunned gaze. ‘Twins?’ he asked.

‘We’re having twins?’ Emily echoed him.

‘You are indeed having twins,’ the sonographer said. ‘And they’re identical, from what I can see. Congratulations. I’ll print out the pictures for you while you sit here and get acquainted with your babies for a while. I won’t be long.’ The curtain swished closed.

Emily couldn’t stop staring at the screen where their babies were curled up like two peanuts. ‘Oh. My. God.’

Loukas brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. His eyes were moist and he seemed to be having trouble speaking. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times but didn’t get any words out.

‘I’m sorry,’ Emily said, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. ‘Trust me to not do anything by halves. You didn’t even want one baby and now I’ve given you two.’

‘No, don’t say that,’ he said when he was finally able to speak. ‘I do want the baby—I mean, babies. I want you too. I love you, Emily. So, so much.’

Emily wasn’t sure if she should believe him. He had just been informed they were having twins. He might be able to let her walk away from him with one baby, but two was something else again. If he was so sure he loved her, why wait until today? Why not some time over the last six weeks? She narrowed her gaze. ‘How do I know you’re not just saying that because we’re having twins?’

He held her hand against his chest where she could feel the thud of his heart. She was no cardiac doctor but it seemed to be racing as hard and fast as hers. ‘I only realised it a couple of hours ago. I know how unlikely that sounds—I should have realised the moment I met you that you were the only woman for me. I’m sorry for putting you through hell these last weeks, but I’ve been a coward. I didn’t want to fall in love because everyone I’ve loved in the past I’ve hurt. I convinced myself I hadn’t fallen for you, but I think I did at Draco and Allegra’s wedding when you caught the bouquet and smiled at me with those gorgeous dimples of yours showing.’

Emily wanted to believe him but she had been so hurt by his distance these last few weeks. ‘I don’t know...it seems a little too convenient to me.’

‘I can prove it, agape mou,’ he said. ‘I have a surprise waiting for you in the waiting room. The reception staff are minding them for me. That’s what all that laughter you can hear is about. I bought you a present to convince you I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.’

‘You buy presents for everyone,’ Emily said with a little scowl. ‘It doesn’t mean you love them.’

‘I know, and that’s been my mistake in the past,’ he said. ‘But when you took everything but the jewellery box key I realised how much I loved you. You’re my key. You’ve unlocked my heart and wriggled your way into my life to such a degree I can’t bear to be without you.’

‘I wondered where that key went,’ Emily said. ‘I haven’t been able to open the box. I locked it after I took the earrings out before I left your place. I tried picking the lock with a nail file but it didn’t work.’ But despite Loukas’s words she still wasn’t convinced he was truly in love with her and she kept frowning at him.

‘Will you at least come with me to visit Ariana and my mother once we’re done here?’ Loukas asked. ‘I have a present for Ariana as well as you. Please? Will you just come and see, and then you’ll know I’m not lying?’

Emily climbed off the bed with his help. ‘Maybe I should go to the bathroom first.’

‘Good idea.’

When she came out of the bathroom, Loukas took her by the hand and smiled down at her. ‘Ready?’

Emily walked with him to the reception area to find two adorable Irish Retriever puppies being babysat by the reception staff. She promptly burst into tears and turned blindly into Loukas’s chest, hugging him tightly. ‘I can’t believe you bought me a dog. Two dogs! Are you even allowed to bring them in here?’

He smiled down at her tear-stained face. ‘I told the staff they’re therapy dogs. One is for Ariana. It will give us a good excuse to visit for play dates. Will you help me build my relationship with my mother and sister? They already love you and can’t wait to see you.’

Emily leaned back to gaze up at him. ‘You really do love me, don’t you?’

His eyes were glistening with moisture. ‘I love you more than I can say. Will you marry me, my precious love? Will you be my wife and help me raise our family?’

She touched his face as if to see if he was really standing there in front of her. Not just in front of her, but all the patients and staff as well, who were watching with avid interest, faces beaming. ‘I will marry you. I love you. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I’ve been so lonely and sad without you these past weeks.’

He held her close. ‘Me too. What a fool I’ve been for waiting so long to tell you. And then, when I did tell you, you didn’t believe me. That was a bad moment.’

‘But saved by those adorable little puppies,’ she said, slipping out of his arms to go to cuddle them and having her face thoroughly licked in the process. ‘Do they have names?’

‘Not yet, we have to choose them. While we’re at it we’d better get working on our babies’ ones as well.’

Emily handed him one puppy to hold while she cuddled the other. ‘You’ve made me so happy, darling. I feel like pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming this.’

Loukas stretched his neck to avoid a wet puppy tongue aiming for his chin. ‘Forget about pinching yourself. These little guys have needle-sharp tee

th that will more than do the job for you.’

Emily laughed. ‘And here I was, thinking you’d cut yourself shaving. Although, I did wonder how you scratched your hands.’