The Children's Doctor's Special Proposal

‘Good.’ His eyes held hers. ‘So when are we getting married?’

‘End of the summer?’ she suggested.

He shook his head. ‘Too far away. I love you, Katrina, and I don’t want to have to wait for the rest of our lives together to start. Legally we could,’ he said, ‘get married in a fortnight.’

‘We can’t get married yet!’ At his raised eyebrow, she explained, ‘I want Maddie to be my bridesmaid. And she’s only just had the baby.’

‘True.’ He thought for a moment. ‘How about an Easter wedding? Though I want a compromise. As in a Valentine’s Day dinner with our whole family—yours and mine—to celebrate our engagement.’

‘Yes to the dinner—but there’s no way we can get married at Easter. Even assuming everywhere isn’t already booked solid, we don’t have enough time to organise a wedding.’

‘Sure we do.’ He smiled. ‘You leave it to me—all you need to do is the dresses. I assume you’d like a church wedding?’

‘I think,’ she said, ‘as this is the only time I plan to get married, then yes—I can’t deprive my dad of giving me away.’

‘That’s fine by me. So we need to see your parents. And talk to the vicar. And brief your bridesmaid. Ring your parents,’ he said, ‘and if they’re free this evening I’ll drive us to Suffolk.’

‘Tonight?’ she squeaked.

He shrugged. ‘It’ll take us, what, a couple of hours? That’s doable.’

‘But it’s rush-hour, Rhys.’

‘Doesn’t matter. Anything’s possible, with you by my side.’

‘You’re mad,’ she said, smiling, ‘but I love you.’

‘Good.’ He stole a kiss. ‘Call your parents.’

Her parents were in, and Rhys was as good as his word. They were lucky with the traffic and two hours later they were sitting in her parents’ house in Suffolk, and the Gregorys were hugging both Katrina and Rhys. Danny insisted on opening the champagne Rhys had brought, and Babs was delighted when Rhys asked if they could get married in the church in the village.

‘Katrina was christened there.’ She beamed. ‘And you want to get married at Easter?’

‘I don’t want to wait any longer to start the rest of my life with Katrina,’ Rhys said simply.

‘There’s an awful lot to organise in a very short space of time,’ Danny said. ‘But I can sort out a car for you, if you like.’

‘Dad, I’ll never be able to get in one of your cars, not with a wedding dress,’ Katrina protested.

‘Not one of mine,’ he said. ‘A friend of mine owns a white vintage Rolls Royce.’

‘And I have a friend who makes wonderful cakes,’ Babs said. ‘You know Nicky, Kat.’

‘Nicky who makes the best chocolate cake in the world?’ Katrina checked. At her mother’s nod, she smiled. ‘Yes, please.’

Rhys laughed. ‘Trust you to want a chocolate cake, cariad.’

‘And we really need to talk to the vicar.’ Danny glanced at his watch. ‘Do you want me to call and see if we can pop in and see him now?’

‘That,’ Rhys said, ‘would be brilliant. Thank you.’

‘Anything we can do to help, just say the word,’ Babs said. ‘I promise you we won’t be interfering in-laws. But as from now you’re officially one of the Gregory family, and we look after our own.’

To Katrina’s surprise, Rhys simply gave her mother a hug. ‘Thank you. I can’t think of any family I’d rather be part of.’

Katrina felt her eyes prickle. As Rhys had told her earlier, he’d come a long, long way. And wherever they went from here, he’d be right by her side.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

‘YOU’RE getting married?’ Madison stared at Katrina in shock the next day when her cousin dropped in to see how her first day at home with the baby had gone. ‘Hang on. When did all this happen?’

‘Yesterday,’ Katrina admitted.

‘And you’re engaged?’

‘Rhys wants an official family dinner on Valentine’s Day—which means you, Theo, Helen, Aunty Rose and Uncle Bryan as well—but, yes.’ Katrina waggled her fingers to make the diamond in her engagement ring sparkle. ‘This is a cariad ring.’ She explained the significance of the gems to her cousin.

‘That’s so romantic, Kat.’ Madison sighed. ‘He’s lovely. I knew he was going to be right for you. So have you set a date?’

‘Easter.’

‘What, this Easter?’ At Katrina’s nod, Madison shrieked, ‘But that’s only a couple of months away. No way can you organise a wedding that quickly! Or is it a register office do?’