Three months ago, she and Joshua had sat nervously in the waiting room for news of their niece or nephew. By the time Ryan had emerged from the labour suite, his eyes bright with delight, and the words ‘It’s a girl!’ she’d known she’d never need to worry about her friend again.
Their friends laughed as Truffle came down the aisle with the rings attached to his collar. There was no way that Ryan wouldn’t let him be part of the day.
She slid her hands into Joshua’s as they said their vows. No matter the chaos around them, he only had eyes for her. The marquee fell silent as he recited the vows that he’d written.
‘Clara, you breezed into my life when I least expected it and swept me away with your sass, your straight talk and sincerity. I didn’t know what I was missing until I met you. You embraced both myself and Hannah and made us feel truly loved. I learned how to trust again. Know that I will love you now and for ever. You bring such joy into our lives. On good days and bad I will love you. In joy and sadness I will love you. In old age and wrinkles I will love you.’
The congregation let out a laugh before he continued.
He reached up and touched her cheek. ‘Whatever life throws at us, Hannah and I will love you, because we can do anything with you at our side.’
There was a collective sigh around the room and then Clara said her own vows back.
‘When I first met you I called you Mr Grumpy. I didn’t realise what a big heart was hiding inside that chest of yours. Thank you for loving me and accepting me the way I am. Thank you for trusting me with your heart and with your daughter’s. I promise to always take care of them, and any other children that might come along. Thank you for bringing joy into my life and a sense of belonging, a new family, and for letting me experience the joy of parenting a wonderful little girl with you. Thank you for letting me realise that being together takes work, commitment and the biggest amount of love in the world. I’ll love you always.’
Joshua let Hannah take their rings from Truffle and pass them over to them, sliding hers onto her finger.
Ryan took a little longer, getting tearful through his vows, before juggling baby Isla and finally managing to slide the wedding ring onto Georgie’s finger.
‘Finally!’ Georgie said gleefully when the celebrant announced they could finally kiss.
Joshua slid his hands around Clara’s waist and held her tightly. ‘I agree,’ he whispered. ‘Finally.’ His lips met hers and he dipped her backwards as she slid her hands around his neck.
And Clara knew that life was perfect.
* * *
If you missed the previous story in the Changing Shifts duet, look out for
Fling with Her Hot-Shot Consultant
by Kate Hardy
And if you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Scarlet Wilson
Cinderella and the Surgeon
Just Friends to Just Married?
Healing the Single Dad’s Heart
Tempted by the Hot Highland Doc
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Healed by His Secret Baby by Louisa Heaton.
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Healed by His Secret Baby
by Louisa Heaton
CHAPTER ONE
Hey, you.
So, this is it. My final wish. And I’m sorry I’m asking you to do this, but I truly have no one else. You’re the only one I trust, and you’ve always been there for me, and now I’m asking you to be there again. But this time it’s for Tori and that way you can’t say no!
I never told her father. You know why, and it was the right thing to do at the time, but as I get closer to going I can’t help but think of my darling little girl having no one in the world she’s related to. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. And it’s a lonely place. She’ll have you, her godmother, but...she has a father out there and he could be amazing!
So, I’m tasking you with this. Find him. His name is Cole Branagh and he’s a doctor. A GP. And if he’s a doctor then surely he cares about people? I’m hoping he has a good heart. I’m hoping he can be everything she needs.
I want you to find him, and if you think he’s a good man then let him know about Tori.
I need you to find her daddy.
I know you’ll make the right decisions.
Much love to you, always and for ever,
Skye xxx
LANE PUT DOWN the note and exclaimed, ‘Why are you making me do this?’
She went to scrunch it up in frustration but then stopped, thought better of it, and instead stared with defeat at the Liberty Point Surgery, a small general practice nestled in the village of Bourton-on-the-Water. As if just staring at the building long enough would make this whole sorry mess disappear.
He was in there. Cole Branagh.
Dr Cole Branagh.
The man who’d slept with her best friend when he really ought to have known better than to take advantage of a woman whose inhibitions were in question because of her alcohol intake.
Lane knew exactly what type of man he’d be. A charmer. A user of women. The type to hang around in bars looking for lonely easy pickings. This Cole Branagh bloke had got exactly what he wanted from Skye and nothing more.
Just like Simon.
And here she was, sitting in her car, feeling trepidation about going in there because a man like that wouldn’t want to know about his dead one-night stands, or babies they didn’t know they’d fathered. Men like that didn’t care.
Lane had uprooted her own life just to find this slime ball and have her theories proved right! Surely this was going to be a waste of time? Skye had told Lane all she needed to know about this Cole Branagh!
It had been quite easy to find him on the internet. Liberty Point Surgery’s website helpfully had a staff page with a smiling photo of each member of staff and a short paragraph explaining a bit about who they were. Probably to make them seem human.
Who would want to have a go at medical receptionist Mary when they knew she knitted hats for the preemie babies up at St Luke’s?