Merger By Matrimony (20 page)

‘It's not vanishing,' Callum said softly. ‘It's something that's shaped you and will be with you for ever. It's just given way to something else, a different way of life. And of course we'll be back to Panama often, to see your father when he's here.'

‘You mean, your fan?' she teased. Far from disliking Callum, her father had warmed to him instantly, and the pride on his face at their small wedding still had the power to make her feel tearful.

‘One of my fans,' he said airily. ‘The other one's here next to me and number three will be on the scene in a matter of three months. What more could any man ask for?'

Or woman, for that matter, she thought lazily. Who could ask for any more perfection?

‘W
ELL
,
I think it's time we decided to go for it. There'll be one or two changes to your lifestyle… Could you cope…? Do you even
want
to cope? Am I presuming too much?'

‘How can you even think that you're presuming too much? After all the things I've told you, you little fool. I can't imagine any kind of life without you in it…'

‘So if I asked you to marry me, your answer would be…?'

‘Yes! Yes, a thousand times over! Yes, yes, yes!'

There was much fumbling, then a small box was retrieved from a trouser pocket. The look in her eyes, eyes that could still turn his bones to water, made the unaccustomed and arduous hike through jewellery shops worth every minute of exhaustion.

‘My mother is going to be so pleased,' he murmured with blushing pleasure.

‘
Only
your mother?'

‘Pleased doesn't begin to tell you what I feel now. I'm walking on cloud nine. But…'

‘No buts.' She slipped the ring onto her finger and held it up to the light, letting herself be dazzled by the solitaire glow from the diamond.

‘Panama is completely different from London,' he said gravely.

‘One city is much the same as another when you're with someone you love,' she answered in as grave a voice as his. And she meant every word of it. She closed her
eyes and sighed with happiness as he leaned across the small table in the restaurant to place a kiss on her mouth, a kiss that was as tender as it was laden with the heady promise of the life stretching out before them.

Everything was so different and so good. She was even beginning to learn French, to be as bilingual as he was.

‘And,' he said, sitting back and leaning with his elbows resting on the table, ‘how do you feel about starting a family? I have to admit that when we went to see Destiny and Callum and their baby, I felt a little envious.'

‘I know. Little Rosie's perfect, isn't she? Those green, green eyes and black, black hair.' She smiled at the memory of her one-time fiancé and his fierce devotion to the two women in his life. Destiny and baby Rose. He had barely been able to tear his proud eyes away from the two of them.

‘Yes, my darling Henri,' Stephanie said dreamily, ‘I think starting a family would be a very good idea indeed…'