Page 48 of A Diamond Deal with Her Boss

Abby had laughed and told him that the paparazzi had nothing to do with her or anyone in the village. ‘That’s all for you,’ she had teased, looking at him with a heart so filled with love, she thought it might burst. ‘So, when it comes to being treated like royalty, look no further than yourself, my darling.’

The months leading up to the wedding had been hectic. Her parents had returned from their cruise, beyond excited to meet the guy who was going to be their son-in-law, and as expected Gabriel had laid it on thick with the charm. Afterwards, he’d told her just how nervous he had been.

He told her stuff like that now. The macho persona was still there but he no longer hid his emotions, at least from her.

‘You’re the other half of me,’ he’d let her know. ‘You get to see what no one else is entitled to see.’

Ava, of course, had been speechless with delight. The engagement ring, Gabriel had later confessed, had stayed in its box in a drawer in his bedroom.

‘I couldn’t tell her that it was off,’ he’d confided. ‘Somehow it would have felt too final and I suppose, deep down, I wasn’t prepared to let you go. I just couldn’t face a life without you in it. I just had to wake up to that fact, and thank God I did.’

They had a blissful two-week honeymoon on an exquisite island in the Caribbean and then, returning to England, they searched and found somewhere to live just outside London. A perfect cottage surrounded by fields.

A perfect cottage for kids.

And now...

Abby placed her hand on her still-flat stomach and smiled. They weren’t yet in their perfect cottage and, when theydidmove in, it would be just in time for the addition that would turn two into three.

She heard the sound of the front door opening and she felt that familiar skipping thing her heart did whenever she saw him, whenever shethoughtof him.

Walking in, Gabriel dropped a kiss on her lips, thought about it, deepened the kiss and kept kissing her as he kicked shut the door behind him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the table was set and there were candles on it.

‘What’s the occasion?’ he asked, then he looked at her with dawning comprehension.

She loved the way he could do that—read her mind, predict what she was going to say.

‘Nothing yet but definitely something in, oh, approximately seven months’ time...’ She grinned and tiptoed to kiss the side of his mouth. ‘I’m pregnant.’

She took his big hand and guided it to her stomach and, for a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Gabriel found that he couldn’t. He was going to be a dad. Joy swelled through him and he closed his eyes.

‘My darling,’ he said unsteadily. ‘That’s the most wonderful news any man could ever hear. I love you so much.’ He kissed her again gently. ‘I used to be scared of handing my soul over to someone else. You have my soul. For now and for ever...’

* * * * *