Holding out his hand he offered it to Patrick. ‘Your maths were right. I’m pleased to meet you at last.’
The hand that shook his was firm and strong. ‘You don’t know how much this means to me.’ The grip held for a few more moments before Patrick finally released his hand and turned to Abby. ‘And this must be the young lady who called earlier, asking about my prices. I could tell from your voice you were a beauty.’
Abby ignored the offered hand and put her arms around Patrick’s neck, kissing his cheek. ‘And you’re a flatterer. Hello, I’m Abby Spencer.’
Patrick’s face lit up as Abby hugged him and Doug smiled to himself. Clearly his biological father and he had more than eye colour and painting in common.
‘Can you spare the time for a drink and a chat? I can lock up the shop and put the kettle on.’
Before Doug had time to glance at his watch, Abby was threading her arm through Patrick’s. ‘That sounds fantastic.’
Doug raced to his car, flinging open the passenger door for Abby. ‘We’re going to be late.’
Abby giggled as she slid inside. ‘We’re late, we’re late. For a very important date.’
He threw the car into first and zipped out onto the road. ‘I believe a wedding does come under the banner of an important date.’
She sobered slightly, but her eyes were still dancing. ‘Umm, it does, but we aren’t going to be late. Not if you drive quickly. Besides, being late is a Spencer family tradition.’ She put her hand on his thigh and squeezed. ‘If we are late, will it have been worth it, to finally meet your father?’
It was a question he didn’t have to consider for long. ‘Yes.’
‘What did you think?’ she asked. ‘Did you like him?’
‘As fathers go, he hasn’t got much to live up to in my book.’ She dug him in the ribs which he took to mean she wasn’t happy with his flip answer. ‘Yes,’ he told her as he screeched into the small car park of the pretty waterside hotel. ‘I liked him.’ He flicked her a gaze. ‘And one of the best things I liked about him was that he took a shine to you. Now come on, lady. You might be used to being late but I’m not.’
They flew out of the car and into the lobby. Balloons were dotted everywhere, silver and pink to match the bridesmaids’ outfits. Doug started to feel all hot and cold as he took in all the wedding regalia. The carefully dressed tables and chairs in the adjacent restaurant, complete with large pink bows. The artfully arranged pink roses. The three tier cake that stood in pride of place near the top table. God, he wasn’t sure he was up to this. There was only so much emotion a mere male could manage on one day. Seeing his father for the first time had already pushed him outside his limit.
‘You’re looking a bit pale,’ Abby whispered into his ear as she waved frantically at her arriving sisters. ‘Cheer up, it’s only a wedding.’
Sally, Ellie and Holly piled out of Roger’s car and rushed towards Abby who was wearing a very similar, but more elegant, version of their pink dresses. Roger followed behind, carrying a wriggling George.
‘Dad has already gone once round the block with Mandy,’ Ellie said breathlessly. ‘They’ll be here any minute. Can you put my hair up? I asked Dad but he was useless, and Mandy was too busy doing her own and Sally started but she took so long we had to go.’
Abby took the proffered clip and with a few swift snaps of the wrist had Ellie’s hair neatly up. ‘There you go, all done.’
‘Oh no. I can’t believe it.’ Doug looked over in alarm as Holly’s face crumpled. ‘My nail varnish is smudged.’
‘Nail varnish,’ he muttered to nobody in particular.
Abby being Abby didn’t tell Holly that smudged nail varnish wasn’t a disaster. She simply glanced at the offending nail, then at the rest of Holly’s fingers. ‘Nobody will notice because the rest of your nails look amazing, Holly. You’ll have to give me a manicure some time.’
‘A manicure is more than just painting your fingernails.’ Sally waved her hand in the air. ‘I had my nails done after school yesterday. The woman massaged my hand, filed my nails, pushed back my cuticles—’
‘Mandy and Dad are coming round the corner,’ Ellie screeched. Doug had never been so grateful for one of Ellie’s interruptions.
‘Okay then,’ Abby clapped her hands. ‘Here’s how it’s going to work. Best man Doug is going to escort the groom and his son – aka Roger and George – into the stateroom, where the other guests are waiting. As chief bridesmaid I shall wait here with my fellow bridesmaids for the bride. We will then follow the beautiful bride and her father down the aisle, gliding elegantly towards the handsome groom and best man.’
The girls burst out laughing. ‘OMG, I can’t glide,’ Holly squawked.
‘Yes you can,’ Abby told her firmly. ‘We’re all going to practice now while we wait for Mandy.’ She glared at Doug and Roger. ‘When we lose the men.’
Doug took the hint and draped a reassuring arm around Roger. ‘Come on, mate. Time to go and meet your fate.’
‘Shit, don’t say it like that. I’m bloody terrified enough as it is.’
Doug gaped at him. ‘You’ve had a child with Mandy, lived with the Spencers for the three months since Abby left, faced weeks of intense questioning about your honeymoon plans from those three sweet-faced monsters you’re soon to call your sisters-in-law and yet you’re terrified of this part?’ Shaking his head, he gently pushed him forwards. ‘This bit’s a doddle. You only have to stand at the front and repeat a few lines. I’m the one who should be terrified.’
Roger stared at Doug, then down at the squirming George. When he looked back at Doug a grin split his face. ‘Oh yeah. I’d forgotten.’ Laughing now, he maneuvered his son into Doug’s rigid arms. ‘Good luck, mate. He’s all yours.’
‘Just for the ceremony,’ Doug reminded him, but Roger only laughed again. At least he’d made the guy forget his nerves, which Doug guessed was part of a best man’s duty. Immensely touched at being asked, he was anxious to fulfil his role properly, though he hadn’t realised babysitting a restless toddler would be one of his duties. It did go to prove how much a part of the Spencer family he’d become, though. And if the privilege of being part of their big, loud, loving family came at the expense of the occasional child minding duty, he’d gladly suck it up.
He followed Roger into the rather grandly named stateroom. Decorated with pink bows, green foliage and lots of flickering, romantic candles it looked like wedding heaven, and babysitting horror.
Perhaps George would be okay just sitting on his lap.
Abby stifled another giggle as she watched Doug yanking George’s pudgy little hand back from yet another candle. She’d never seen George looking so happy, or Doug so harassed. From the moment George had seen his mum and not been able to go to her, Doug had had his hands full. He’d found a way to distract him by letting him think he was going to touch the candle, then pulling him back at the last minute. A high risk strategy, though it seemed to be working so far.
‘If any person present knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, he or she should declare it now,’ announced the registrar.
There was silence, interrupted by a screech of toddler giggles. Doug winced and shrugged apologetically as he bounced George up and down on his knee. Abby’s heart, already full to capacity, threatened to burst. To think she’d once believed he was lacking emotion. That he’d believed he was cold. The Doug she was living with was far from cold. He was fun-loving and compassionate. Sexy, kind, generous and absolutely adorable.
Finally the ceremony finished, the groom kissed the bride, much to the delight of the bridesmaids, and Abby caught up with Doug. As George looked on with great interest, she gave Doug a big, soppy kiss.
‘What was that for?’
‘For being the most handsome man in the room and the best babysitter of all time.’
His eyes glittered. ‘I’ll accept the first, but I’m not sure playing with candles is in the top ten list of recommended ways to en
tertain a toddler.’
‘If it works, it gets in my list.’ She held out her arms. ‘You can relax now for a bit. Dad and the girls will look after George.’
‘Relax?’ He looked at her with a pained expression. ‘I’ve got to deliver a heart-warming yet funny, short yet descriptive, thoughtful yet entertaining best man’s speech.’
She laughed. ‘You’ll ace it. Go and get yourself a drink to settle your nerves. I’ll be back when I’ve palmed this little monster off on Dad.’
It wasn’t hard to spot her father. He was the one watching the photographer take photos of Mandy and Roger with a part proud, part dazed expression on his face
‘Time for some grandson, granddad bonding time.’ She lifted the heavy toddler into her dad’s arms. ‘When he gets too much, come and find me. Better still, find Sally, Holly or Ellie.’ She was about to go when she noticed his eyes had misted over. ‘Hey, are you okay?’
He touched a hand to her cheek. ‘Just being sentimental. Your mother would have loved today. She’d have been so proud of you all.’ He swallowed and gave her a sad smile. ‘I wish she was here to see how beautiful her girls have turned out.’
‘Oh, Dad.’ Abby gripped his hand. ‘You know she is here, in a way. You told me when she died that part of her is in each one of us.’ She nodded over to where Ellie was trying to persuade one of the waiters to give her a glass of champagne. ‘I’m not so sure about Ellie, mind. I think she may have come from another planet altogether.’
As if she’d heard them, Ellie turned round. ‘He won’t give me a glass.’
Her father looked down at George, and then over at his youngest daughter. ‘No, but he’ll give me one. And if you help me take care of George, I’ll let you have a sip.’
Ellie beamed. ‘Deal.’
Doug’s speech was exactly as he’d promised. When he sagged back down on his chair to the sound of laughter and loud applause, Abby squeezed his hand. ‘I told you you’d ace it.’
‘I think that’s pushing it, but I’m glad it’s over.’ He turned to give her a dazzling smile. ‘Our turn next.’
Her heart skipped a beat. ‘Our turn? Was that … is that …’
‘A proposal?’ he cut in, shaking his head. ‘No. Even I can manage something more romantic than that.’ Taking her hand he stared deep into her eyes. ‘It was a warning though, so you might want to start thinking about your answer.’
Abby had told herself she wasn’t going to cry today, but it seemed she was wrong. ‘Okay.’ She dabbed at her eyes. ‘But there are only a few ways a girl can say yes.’
His eyes brimmed with joy and for a few seconds they simply grinned inanely at each other.
‘Here, it’s your turn.’ Ellie unceremoniously dumped a flushed, pungent smelling George onto her lap. ‘I think he needs changing.’
‘You think?’ But when she turned to reprimand Ellie, she’d scarpered. Abby turned to Doug. ‘I don’t suppose …?’
Her lover gave her a dashing smile. ‘My babysitting duties were only procured for the ceremony.’ He darted her a quick kiss. ‘But hurry back and I’ll save the first dance for you.’
‘Who gets the second?’
‘Ellie.’
‘The third?’
‘Holly.’
‘The fourth?’
‘Sally.’ He gave a slightly awkward shrug of his shoulders. ‘What can I say? I seem to be a hit with the Spencer ladies.’
Laughing, she stood up, holding her whiffy nephew down wind. ‘Okay, but from dance five onwards, you’re all mine.’
He leant back against his chair and gave her another slow, heart-stopping smile. ‘Abby, I was all yours from the first day you launched yourself into my office.’
And with her heart overflowing with happiness, Abby went off to deal with her nephew’s nappy.
* The End *
We would love to hear how you enjoyed Oh Crumbs. Please leave a review on the eBook store where you purchased this novel. Reviews on retail sites really do help the author. Thank you!
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Thank You
I get so much pleasure out of writing a book – spending months in a fantasy world with my perfect hero, what’s not to love?! The greatest pleasure though, comes from hearing that others have enjoyed the fantasy I’ve created. I’m not alone in that. Authors love feedback – it can inspire, motivate, help us improve. It can also help spread the word. So if you feel inclined to leave a review, I would be really grateful. And if you’d like to contact me (details are under my author profile) I’d be delighted to hear from you.
Kathryn
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About the Author
Kathryn was born in Wallingford, England but has spent most of her life living in a village near Windsor. After studying pharmacy in Brighton she began her working life as a retail pharmacist. She quickly realised that trying to decipher doctor’s handwriting wasn’t for her and left to join the pharmaceutical industry where she spent twenty happy years working in medical communications. In 2011, backed by her family, she left the world of pharmaceutical science to begin life as a self-employed writer, juggling the two disciplines of medical writing and romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero…
With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) the romance in her life is all in her head. Then again, her husband’s unstinting support of her career change goes to prove that love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes can come in many disguises.
For more information on Kathryn:
www.twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1
www.kathrynfreeman.co.uk
See all Kathryn’s novels next including a preview of Too Damn Nice
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