‘My mother told me just before she died that she knew she was going to marry my father the first time she met him.’
‘Where did she meet him?’ Fran asked.
‘He nearly ran her down with his motorbike,’ he said with a crooked grin.
‘Oh, well, then, it looks like this was meant to be,’ Fran
said, still grinning from ear to ear. ‘Caro will be beside herself. No, actually, she’ll probably be annoyed that she didn’t have something to do with getting us together. She’s been husband-hunting for years for me to no avail.’
Jacob gathered her close again. ‘No pressure, sweetheart, but I just heard from one of the ambos that the doctor they had lined up for the locum has some issues with his overseas qualifications. It could be a while before they find a replacement. Do you think you could step up to the plate in the meantime?’
Fran looked up at him with adoration. ‘How long do you think it will take to find a new locum?’
He gave her a sexy grin. ‘What say we give it nine months at least, then instead of claiming a headache you can give the patients a genuine excuse for calling off consultations.’
Fran smiled radiantly as she nestled up close. ‘At least then if I have to cancel a clinic at short notice, I can honestly say it’s your fault.’
He brought his mouth down to just above hers. ‘I can’t wait until I am proven guilty,’ he said, and kissed her until they were both breathless.
When Fran arrived at the Pelican Bay church on her father’s arm it seemed the whole town had turned up. All the familiar faces were there—Candi and her father, the Pelleri family, and Tara and Sam Clark with their father Wayne. Kane was being held by Dave with one hand, the other arm protectively around the waist of Beth, her hair only just starting to grow back after her surgery for a benign tumour.
The collective sigh as Fran walked down the aisle towards
the tall figure of Jacob made her skin tighten with excitement. He was smiling at her, his blue eyes glistening with moisture the closer she got.
Caro, as matron of honour, was blubbering, their mother stalwartly and surreptitiously feeding her tissues from the front pew.
‘You look breathtakingly beautiful,’ Jacob said as Fran came to stand beside him.
She smiled up at him. ‘You look pretty amazing yourself.’
He squeezed her hands in his. ‘Everyone in town is here. That is how much everyone adores you.’
‘Not quite everyone,’ Fran whispered back. ‘Rufus is back at the house with a juicy bone.’
Jacob’s eyes twinkled. ‘Are you absolutely sure about that?’
She turned as she heard an all-too-familiar bark at the entrance to the church. Before anyone could do anything to stop him, Rufus came bolting down the aisle to sit at Jacob’s feet, his tail thumping the floor excitedly.
Jacob reached down and unclipped a little parcel attached to Rufus’s collar. ‘Thanks, mate,’ he said, giving the dog a quick ruffle of his ears.
Fran’s eyes widened. ‘You trusted him with the rings?’
Jacob grinned. ‘Who else would I ask to be my best man?’
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
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First published in Great Britain 2009
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Melanie Milburne 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4089-1778-7