The Secretary's Secret (16 page)

He held his arms out. ‘You’re looking at the happiest man on the planet. Kit’s agreed to marry me.’

Frank popped a bottle of champagne as Caro and Doreen swamped them in hugs.

‘Ooh, I shouldn’t,’ Kit said when Doreen pressed a glass of champagne into her hand.

‘Tsk! In my day it was considered healthful to take a glass of beer in the evenings. Never did any of us any harm. A thimbleful won’t hurt you any.’

Doreen was right. Her doctor had said the same. A sip or two wouldn’t hurt her. It was only right they celebrate the happiest day of her life.

‘To Kit and Alex,’ Frank boomed, raising his glass. ‘Many congratulations!’

They all lifted their glasses—even Davey, who had a champagne flute full of lemonade—and drank.

Kit snagged Caro’s arm. ‘You will be my bridesmaid, won’t you?’

‘You bet!’ She slanted a grin at Alex. ‘The meat cleaver gets them every time.’

He laughed and kissed Caro’s cheek. ‘Had me shaking in my boots.’

Caro nearly spluttered champagne all over them. ‘Liar!’

She sobered a moment later. ‘Okay, so when are you going to have the wedding? Before or after the baby is born?’

‘After,’ Kit said at the same moment Alex said, ‘Before.’

Caro grinned. ‘Right, so you’ve discussed it then?’

Kit turned to Alex. ‘I thought you might want some time to get used to the idea.’

‘This isn’t some
idea
, Kit. This is my life—our life.’ He reached out and touched her face with sure fingers that made her breath quicken. His thumb trailed a path down to the corner of her mouth. ‘I know what I want and that’s you and the baby.’

She’d never seen him look more serious in all the time she’d known him. Her chest expanded and she could’ve sworn the only thing keeping her from floating off into the stratosphere and turning weightless somersaults was his hand on her face, with that maddening thumb brushing back and forth at the corner of her mouth. She reached up and seized it before it tempted her to do something that would make her blush.

‘So…’ She kept her eyes fixed on his. ‘Before the baby, then? We’ll get married before the baby is born?’

He nodded, his eyes intent. ‘Yes.’

A smile built through her. ‘In the first weekend Mum can make it down to give me away.’

‘Am I rushing you?’ He suddenly frowned. ‘Weddings traditionally take a long time to organise, don’t they?’

She didn’t want him to frown; she wanted him smiling. ‘I’ve never much cared about all the trappings that go along with a wedding. I’d be happy to have the ceremony here in the garden.’

‘Won’t fit,’ Caro said, sipping her champagne.

‘Lovey, you’d be better off at the community hall in your grandmother’s retirement village. She can organise one of her luncheons for you.’

Kit glanced up at Alex. ‘What do you think?’

‘Does it mean you’re going to marry me sooner rather than later?’

She grinned. ‘It does.’

His lips descended to hers. ‘Then it sounds perfect to me.’

‘Mmm,’ she murmured against his lips.
Perfect
was exactly how it sounded.

ISBN: 978-1-4592-8208-7

THE SECRETARY’S SECRET

First North American Publication 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Michelle Douglas

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