“I heard Iain is planning to wear his family kilt,” Mitch said. “Should turn a few women’s heads, too.”
They laughed, Grace thinking Iain would look fabulous in a kilt, and kind of sorry she wouldn’t get to see him.
“Where’re they getting married? Maybe I’ll crash it just to have a look.” She beamed a teasing grin.
“At Marylebone Registry Office, that’s what I heard.”
The thought of a private wedding sounded fine to Grace. When a person married their meant-to-be love, who cared where they got married? She was sincerely happy for Lexi and Iain.
“Too bad we won’t get to see them all decked out,” she said.
Mitch squeezed her shoulder. “Oh, if I know Lexi, there’ll be pictures, loads of pictures.”
She smiled, looking forward to seeing them, as they rounded the landing to the last flight of stairs to the first floor. Warmth flowed through her chest, and it wasn’t just from taking the stairs. Life was good.
She loved how spring seemed to be breaking out at the Hunter Clinic, with Leo and Lizzie leading the way in marriage and now Lexi and Iain. Rafael and Abbie had seemed to have worked through their marital problems, too. And after what Mitch had hinted at last night, she had an incredibly positive outlook for her own future.
When they hit street level and pushed outside, it was sunny and fragrant from the nearby Lighthouse rose garden. They noticed the group of reporters gathered on the hospital entry steps. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, Mitch did the same, and they turned and snuck off in the other direction, ditching the crowd and leaving the PR up to those best suited for it—Leo and the soon-to-be Mrs. Lexi McKenzie.
Could a day be any more perfect?
CHAPTER TEN
SATURDAY MORNING, MITCH insisted Grace go along with him and Mia for waffles and a special surprise. Even though she had loads of work to make up, she didn’t put up a fight—she couldn’t think of two people she’d rather spend time with. And since she’d been staying at his house ever since Wednesday, how could she refuse?
It had only been four short weeks since she’d arrived in London, yet a lifetime of troubles had already disappeared. She gazed around and smiled before getting into the car. It was a sparkling sunny day—trees green or in blossom, the air warm and fresh. Even the sidewalks were clean and the drivers polite. As they drove, she rolled down the car window to listen for tweeting birds. Funny how being in love adjusted the attitude that way.
They ate at the same restaurant Mitch had taken her to for breakfast her very first week in town. But once their orders of waffles arrived, Mitch kept checking his watch. Grace let it slide as she was enjoying the magnificent flavor of blueberries and waffles cooked to perfection.
Later, when Mia dawdled a bit too long over the too-huge-for-one-little-girl fluffy waffle, he encouraged her along. “Eat up, Mia. We don’t have all day.”
“What has gotten into you this morning?” Grace asked. “I thought you said before we left that we did have all day. Just the three of us, remember?”
“Not exactly,” he said, wiping the syrupy corners of Mia’s mouth, letting her know she was finished whether she really was or not.
“What’s up?” Grace prayed there hadn’t been an emergency add-on surgery scheduled that Mitch hadn’t told her about.
He sighed. “I want to keep it a secret, if you don’t mind.”
Surgery? “Well, excuse me,” she said, lifting her brows and making a playful, exaggeratedly offended expression. Could this qualify for their first tiff? If so, it was really fun.
He stood. “I’ll explain soon enough.”
So he was going all dark and mysterious on her. Okay, she could accept that. In fact, he looked pretty sexy that way. Since she liked surprises, she’d go along with his secret plans. Not that she had a choice. Besides, who knew, it might be fun—like just about everything else was with Mitch.
“Where’re we going?” Mia had clicked into the conversation. She grabbed one last bite of waffle and shoved it into her mouth.
He checked his watch again. “Too many questions, honeybee.” He put a wad of bills on the table, stuffed his wallet back into his pocket and helped Mia out of her chair. “Ladies, just follow me, okay?”
They both opened their mouths to say something. He anticipated it and shushed them before either could make a peep.
Mia looked at Grace and lifted her shoulders, held them by her ears for a second, then burst into a giggle as they dropped. Grace shrugged back.
Mitch was asking her to trust him. Easy-peasy. She’d never trusted anyone more in her life!
“Okay, boss. Whatever you say,” Grace said, saluting and taking Mia’s hand and following Mitch’s wide strides out of the restaurant.
He looked gorgeous as usual, wearing fashionable navy-blue slacks and a designer-brand pink plaid shirt that showed off his flat stomach and broad chest. She loved a man who wasn’t afraid to wear pink. He’d rolled up the sleeves. His lightly hair-dusted forearms always struck her as sexy and strong, especially when he unlocked the car door and the sinews flexed ever so subtly.
Yeah, she was in lo-o-o-ve.
They were back in the car and traveling into familiar territory within ten minutes. “Oh, look, Mia, there’s the London Eye!” Grace pointed out.
Mia oohed and ahhed, which always put a smile on Grace’s face. She loved seeing things through a five-year-old’s perspective, as if for the very first time. She smiled again and realized that a smile hadn’t left her face in the last three days since she’d been camped out at Cooper’s place.
Mitch parked in a nearby lot and they all got out of the car. “I guess I can’t keep this a secret any longer. We’ve got reserved pod tickets for ten-thirty. After all, we are pod people, right? Have to initiate the young adventurer, too. Let’s go.” To save time, he picked up Mia and they quickly walked toward the ride.
Grace laughed to herself. They were perfectly matched pod people. But Little Miss Adventurer-to-be Mia looked both excited and maybe a little frightened about the four-story-high ride.
“It’ll be fun, I promise,” Grace said, patting her arm. “I was a little nervous the first time, too.”
“Promise?” Mia looked at her with those huge, trusting eyes.
It was never a good idea to fudge the truth to a child, but in this case Grace was perfectly sure. “I promise.”
That seemed to do the trick. Mia’s little hesitation disappeared, quickly replaced by a wide smile.
There was a separate line for those with reservations, and after a short wait they boarded a pod. Mitch grinned at Grace as if they’d returned to the scene of the crime. He took her hand. Sweet, flirty memories floated through her mind. How he’d seemed so glum at first but soon after she’d struck up a conversation with him he’d switched to charming and fun! How lucky she’d been to get on that particular pod at that particular hour. What if she’d decided not to go that night, or if she’d let her doubts rule the day and had never spoken to him? How different things would have been.
As they started their journey upward, Mia’s fears returned and she buried her head in her father’s chest. He rubbed her back and hummed. What a great dad he was, and could the man be any more appealing?
She loved him. Without the hint of a doubt. Loved him with all her heart.
“Oh, look over there, Mia,” Grace said, attempting to distract her. “That’s Big Ben.”
Mia peeked up, forgetting how high they were getting, and soon began enjoying the sights along with Mitch and Grace.
About fifteen minutes into the ride Mitch put Mia down and took Grace’s hand again. She said a silent thank-you for the man who’d changed her world. His grasp was warm and sturdy, and somehow she knew she could always depend on him.
The pod was crowded and noisy, nothing like the night they’d met, but the magic still snapped between them. They’d staked out a corner with a good view and that was good enough for this girl.
; Mitch bent down to Mia. “Remember what we talked about?” She got serious and quiet, as if not quite sure what he really was talking about. He whispered something into her ear, and her eyes went huge with understanding. She made an O shape with her mouth then pinched her lips tightly together, as though she might let out the big secret otherwise.
Thoroughly intrigued and entertained, Grace looked on. So happy to be a part of Mitch and Mia’s inner circle, warm, fizzy feelings pulsed through her veins.
Mitch straightened and cleared his throat. “There’s something that Mia and I want to ask you.”
Now he had her attention full-on. Did he want her to move in with them since she’d been spending every night there? She could give up her furnished apartment in a heartbeat. “Okay.”
At the serious look in his eyes, she went perfectly still, sensing something special was about to happen. The London skyline faded into the background, along with the chatter from everyone in the pod. All she saw and heard were Mitch and Mia. Mitch took one of her hands and Mia took the other one. The hair on her arms prickled with anticipation.
Grace savored this little circle of three with the two most important people in her life: Mitch—the man who’d given her back her self-worth and sensuality, the man who’d shown her complete acceptance, and who’d taught her to love with abandon. And Mia—the child who’d awakened a mother’s heart in Grace, then had stolen it.
Mitch nodded at Mia then looked into Grace’s eyes. Love and sincerity intertwined in the sexiest eyes she’d ever seen. His lips spread into a tender smile, and he inhaled through his nose as if building courage. “Will you marry us?”
“Yeah, marry us?” Mia slapped a hand over her mouth and covered a delighted squeal.
So moved by the question and rush of full-blown emotion, tears raced to Grace’s eyes. She wanted to mimic Mia and clap her hands, but held the wild and crazy feelings in, trying with all her might not to jump up and down.
Being hardly able to breathe and with her head swimming with joy, she answered.
“I’d love to.” She looked first into the sparkling sea-green of Mitch’s eyes, seeing an ocean of love there. Her hand trembled when Mitch took it, steadying her nerves instantly.
Though it was incredibly hard to tear her gaze away from him, she didn’t want to leave Mia out for one more second, so she bent over and pulled Mia close. “I’ve waited for you all my life.” The message could be applied to both of the Cooper clan.
Mia crinkled her nose. “Even before I was born?”
Grace laughed softly and nodded. “Even before you were born I hoped someday to have a child, and here you are.”
“Here I am.” Mia grinned. “And I get to be a bridesmaid!”
Laughing with unfathomable joy, Grace took both of Mia’s hands and squeezed them. “Of course you do.”
Mia chattered on and soon got lost in her own thoughts about what her idea of a wedding might be—something that involved swings and slides, ponies and bubbles and …
Mitch took Grace in his arms and high above the Thames and the London skyline he gave her a world-class kiss. Warm, slow, tender and passionate all rolled into one. A kiss of promise. The kind of kiss a guy gave a girl he planned to spend the rest of his life with.
And Grace believed in that kiss and, most importantly, she believed with all her heart in Mitch Cooper.
ISBN: 978 1 472 04541 6
200 HARLEY STREET: AMERICAN SURGEON IN LONDON
© 2014 Lynne Marshall
Published in Great Britain 2014
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
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