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‘I’m sorry. I was...so...afraid...’ She bit her lips and swallowed.
‘You know...the wonderful thing about dogs is that they always return the love they’re given,’ Caitlin said softly, giving the older woman time to regain her composure. ‘They’re the most devoted companions in the world.’
‘You want me to have a companion?’
‘For when we’re not here.’
A wisp of a smile. ‘It’s you who is special. David was right about that.’
‘Thank you for accepting me. It means more than I can say.’
‘My dear...’ She looked down at the pup. ‘So small,’ she mused. But her mind was clearly on bigger issues.
By the time David returned with the coffee, an understanding had been forged. He watched them talk together, his eyes moving from one to the other with pleasure. When his mother took the pup out to the kitchen in case it needed a drink of milk, he whirled Caitlin into his arms and kissed her with such intensity that they were both in danger of the situation getting out of hand.
‘You work miracles,’ he said huskily.
Caitlin tried to catch her breath. ‘What’s this about the children we might have? I haven’t said anything on the matter at all.’
‘Sorry. A slip of the tongue.’
‘David, you haven’t told me you love me.’
‘Caitlin, I’m a seething inferno of love for you!’
‘We could run a procedural check to see how long you can last.’
His eyes blazed into hers. ‘It’s love. Definitely love. Nothing else. Forget biology. This is soul-sizzling love. This is mind-destroying love. It will last the rest of my life. You are the most wonderful, adorable, beautiful woman in the world. I’ll never forget this day and what you did for my mother, Caitlin. Never! It’s so...so...I love you.’
He kissed her again to express his feelings more adequately and eloquently. Caitlin had no difficulty in working out where this was leading to. She thought they should get married very soon.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE day after her first meeting with Mrs Hartley, Caitlin received a call from her own mother.
As it happened, David was in her apartment, discussing marriage plans. When Caitlin heard her mother’s voice, she had the satisfaction of knowing she could deliver one piece of happy news. Her mother, however, had more urgent matters on her mind.
‘Caitlin, I’ve got problems with your father again.’
‘What’s he done?’
‘He went up the street with twenty cents in his pocket, met a salesman he knew, and came home with a Ferrari. He expects me to pay for it.’
Caitlin burst out laughing.
‘Caitlin, this is not a laughing matter. A Ferrari is a very expensive car. And what’s the good of it? Your father is the slowest driver on the road. He never goes over sixty kilometres an hour. It’s ridiculous! Michelle says it’s ridiculous! Trevor says it’s ridiculous!’
‘Well, Dad bought the pick-up truck the year I was born. Maybe he needs a new vehicle. Perhaps with all that power under the bonnet he’ll be able to keep up with the flow of traffic better than he can now. What does Dad say?’
‘He’s very stubborn. He says he wants to drive me around in a Ferrari. He says I would look good in it, and he’d be proud of me.’
‘What’s wrong with that, Mum? If Dad wants to show you off, why not let him? It sounds great!’
‘Does it?’ she said uncertainly.
‘Absolutely. You would look good in a Ferrari. It would look really top class turning up at the wedding in a Ferrari.’
‘What wedding?’
