AllFreeNovel
Share Us
/> Her foot faltered on the stone path and he steadied her by pulling her against him. They continued down the path until it opened into a grassy area where white chairs had been arranged for the ceremony. Surrounding the area were trees, green foliage and brightly blooming flowers. It was a cozy place for a garden wedding.
“This must be the place.” Ryan led her through the hedge opening.
Men and women stood in small groups between the house and the ceremony area. Phoebe recognized a few staff members from the hospital. An unsure feeling washed over her. Should she be here?
“Something wrong?” Ryan asked, as they made their way across the garden.
He always seemed to know when she was disturbed. She pulled away from him. “Are you sure you should have brought me? These are the people you work with and I’m not one of them.”
“Look at me, Phoebe.” She did. His gaze was intense. “I wanted you here with me.” He took her hand. “I want to introduce you to some people I work with.”
With Ryan beside her she was capable of facing anything. Phoebe had no doubt that he would remain beside her. She could rely on him. What it all came back to was that she could trust him. He would be there for her. This was the kind of relationship she’d been looking for, dreamed of. A man who would stand beside her. She glanced at his profile, and smiled.
Phoebe recognized a number of the guests from their pictures on the wall of the clinic but there was no reason that they would know her. She had only been a patient of Sophia, and now Ryan. Still, were they surprised to see him show up with a pregnant date?
She pulled on Ryan’s hand, bringing him to a stop. “In that case, we both need to look our best. Let me straighten your tie.”
“What’s wrong with my tie?”
“It just needs an adjustment.” Phoebe stepped so close that the baby brushed against him as she reached up to move his tie a centimeter to the left. “Now it’s perfect.” Their gazes met.
“No, you’re perfect.” She blinked. His low raspy voice sent a ripple of awareness through her.
“Thank you,” she said softly, “and thanks for this evening. It’s already been wonderful.” She meant that with all her heart.
His brow arched. “We haven’t done anything yet.”
“I know, but it was nice just to be invited out.” And to be treated as someone special.
The group opened up as they approached to include them. Ryan went around the circle, introducing everyone. His hand came to rest on the curve of her back. “And this is my friend, Phoebe Taylor.”
She noticed that Ryan had presented her as a friend when he’d only introduced the people he worked with as his colleagues. It seemed as if he didn’t have many people he considered friends. Yet he and she had formed what she would call a friendship. Why didn’t he have more of them?
Ryan was acting nothing like he had the day she had met him. Was he hiding from the world for some reason? What had happened?
She smiled and listened to the conversation and banter between the members of the group. Ryan wasn’t left out. He was obviously liked so why didn’t he consider any of them his friends?
A few minutes later the notes from a harp sounded to announce it was time for the ceremony to begin. People started taking their seats.
“Sophia has pulled out all the stops for this wedding. I don’t believe I’ve ever been to one with someone playing the harp,” Ryan whispered. His breath brushed her neck as they stood in line, waiting for the usher to seat them.
Shivers ran down her spine. Thankfully her reaction went unnoticed because a tuxedo-wearing groomsman approached. He offered his arm and escorted her down the aisle, with Ryan following.
As they took their seats Ryan spoke to a couple of women sitting behind them. One he introduced as Isla, the head midwife in the maternity unit, and her husband, Dr. Alessandro Manos, who was one of the doctors there. Phoebe recognized Isla from visits to the clinic. A number of times Phoebe had seen her in the hallway. She was also very familiar with the prominent Delamere name. It appeared often in the society pages. She and Isla had something in common. Isla was pregnant as well but not as far along as she was. The other woman was Dr. Darcie Green. Phoebe was told she was a visiting obstetrician from London but she didn’t catch her date’s name.
After they were settled in their chairs she glanced at Ryan. He wore a stoic look. She leaned toward him. “This really isn’t your favorite thing to do, is it?”
His shoulder touched hers. They must have looked like two lovers whispering. What would it be like to be loved by Ryan? Amazing would be her guess. She’d sworn to herself she wouldn’t cross the line, had made Ryan pledge the same, but she wasn’t sure she wanted it that way any longer.
“Do you know a man that enjoys this?”
She paused. “No, I guess not. We don’t have to stay.”
“I promised dinner and dancing and I don’t plan to disappoint you.” Ryan moved closer, putting his mouth to her ear. The intimacy made her grow warm. “Men do like food and holding women.”
Was he looking forward to dancing with her as much as she was look forward to spending time in his arms? Thankfully, a woman stood in front and began to sing a hymn, leaving Phoebe no more time to contemplate the anticipation of having Ryan hold her. She wasn’t sure she could have commented if she’d had a chance. Minutes later the parents of the bride and groom were seated. The harpist played again. The groom and groomsmen stepped to the altar, which was defined by a white metal arch.
Phoebe straightened her back as far as she could to see over the heads of those sitting in front of them. The men wore black tuxedos, making them look not only dashing but sophisticated. She glanced at Ryan and imagined what he would look like in a tux. Very handsome, no doubt. She could only see the top of the best man’s head. He was in a wheelchair.
Ryan put his arm across the back of her chair and whispered, “That’s Aiden’s brother, Nathan, in the chair.”
Phoebe nodded.
The harpist continued to play as the bridesmaids came down the aisle. They were dressed in bright yellow knee-length dresses of various styles. Each carried a bouquet of white daisies. As they joined the men, they made a striking combination against the backdrop of trees and plants.
A breeze picked up and Phoebe pulled her wrap closer. She felt Ryan adjusting the wrap to cover her right arm completely. His hand rested on her shoulder. There was something reassuring about the possessive way he touched her.
She looked at him and smiled.
It was time for Sophia to come down the aisle. At the first note of the traditional wedding march everyone stood. Phoebe went up on her toes to catch a glimpse of the bride going by.
“Move so I can see.” She nudged Ryan back a step so she could peer around him.
He gave her an indulgent smile and complied.
What little she could observe of Sophia looked beautiful. When she reached Aiden all the guests sat.
Ryan’s hand came to rest on her shoulder again. He nudged her close. “You really do like this stuff.”
“Shush,” Phoebe hissed.
He chuckled softly.
It wasn’t long until Sophia and Aiden were coming back down the aisle as man and wife.
Ryan took Phoebe’s hand as they filed out of their row. He continued to hold it while they walked across the garden toward the house where the reception would be held. They entered the main hall through glass doors. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were being served there. Phoebe gasped at the beauty of the majestic circular staircase before them. It and the dark wood paneling were all the decoration required.
“Come over here,” Ryan said, placing his hand on her waist. “If you plan to dance the night away, I think you need to get off your feet and rest while you can.”
For once she accepted his concern and consideration. She’d gone so many years doing everything for herself that having someone think of her was fabulous. This evening she was going to enjoy being pampered. Having it d
one by Ryan would be even nicer.
There were high-backed chairs sitting along the wall and she took one of them. Ryan stood beside her. When the waiter carrying drinks came by they both requested something nonalcoholic, she because she was pregnant and he because he said he would be driving. She liked it that he was acting responsibly. Now that she was having a baby it seemed she thought about that more.
A number of people stopped and spoke to Ryan. While he talked to them, his fingers lightly rested against the top of her shoulder. It would be clear to everyone that she was with him. He never failed to introduce her. A few people gave her belly a searching look and then grinned at them. They must have thought they were a couple.
“Why, hello, Ryan. I never took you for a wedding kind of guy. I’ve never even seen you at a Christmas party.” The words were delivered in a teasing tone by a woman who joined them.
Phoebe looked up at Ryan and he seemed to take the comment in stride.
“Hello, Vera. It’s nice to see you, too. Sophia twisted my arm on this one. Couldn’t get out of it. I’d like you to meet Phoebe Taylor.” He directed the next statement to Phoebe. “Vera is the hospital’s chief anesthetist.”
“Hi.” Phoebe smiled at Vera.
“Nice to meet you.” Vera’s attention went back to Ryan. “I had no idea you were expecting a baby.”
“It’s not mine.”
“Oh.” She made the word carry a mountain of suggestions and questions.
“Phoebe was a wife of a friend of mine in the service. He was killed eight months ago.”
Vera looked down at Phoebe. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” Somehow the pain of Joshua not being there had eased over the last few weeks.
“So when’s the baby due?”
“In just a few weeks,” Phoebe said.
“You’re being followed at Victoria antenatal?” Vera showed true interest.
“You mean prenatal,” Ryan quipped.
She glared at him. “I wished you’d get away from calling it that. I have to think twice when you do.”
“And I have to think when you called it antenatal. Old habits die hard.”
