Strictly Come Dating (The Kathryn Freeman Romcom Collection, Book 3)

by Kathryn Freeman

  She straightened, so she could look into his eyes. ‘I do. I’m just…’

  ‘Scared of making a mistake.’

  ‘No.’ She pressed her mouth to his, closing her eyes at the power of the connection. ‘Nothing about knowing you would ever be a mistake. I’m cautious though, Seb. I don’t want to rush this.’ She smiled. ‘Not when I’m really enjoying the journey.’

  ‘Yeah?’ He laughed softly. ‘That works for me.’

  But still her mind couldn’t help but plan ahead. ‘Then again I am thirty-eight, so time isn’t necessarily on our side.’

  ‘Bloody hell, you’re hardly at death’s door. Men pop their clogs earlier than women anyway, so our age gap evens us up…’ He trailed off when he saw her expression. ‘Ah, you don’t mean in that way.’ He pressed his mouth to hers, the gesture tender, his gaze full of love. ‘The way I see it, as long as this unrushed journey takes us to the place I want it to, Tabby and Penny will have a dad, and a step-dad. And the latter couldn’t love them any more if they were genetically his. If you wanted more kids, that would be your decision. You, Tabby, Penny, and me. That’s all I need.’

  Maggie felt her heart burst open, and tears roll down her cheeks.

  His thumb scooped them up. ‘Please tell me these are happy tears and I’ve not said something monumentally stupid, because, fair warning, I will do that. I don’t think before I speak, so sometimes crap comes out of my mouth before I realise it.’

  She hiccupped out a laugh. ‘You said something monumentally right.’ Her body moved so she was sitting astride him, face to face, nose to nose. ‘This slow pace I mentioned.’ She kissed him. ‘Do you think we can up it, just for tonight? I’m kind of in a rush to see your bedroom.’

  The following afternoon, Seb climbed out of his car in front of Maggie’s house. She’d left him early in the morning to, as she’d called it, rescue Sarah, though Seb knew she was keen to get back to her girls.

  He also knew she planned on telling them he was her boyfriend.

  And yes, nervous butterflies were now flapping around in his stomach. Maggie and he had talked about a lot last night, but one thing they hadn’t discussed was what happened if Tabby and Penny weren’t happy with their mum having a boyfriend. Or worse, with him being her boyfriend. He knew they liked him, but would that change if they were forced to see more of him? If they thought they no longer had their mum to themselves?

  While he was having his minor melt-down, the door opened, revealing Tabby, crutches under her arm, her ankle still in its boot.

  ‘We heard your car.’ She put her fingers in her ears. ‘It’s noisy, not like Mum’s.’

  Okay then, at least she was still talking to him. Then again, maybe that’s because Maggie had decided telling them was a small step she wasn’t ready to take yet. ‘It’s old, and its engine has worked hard. Now and again it likes to complain.’

  She nodded, as if that made perfect sense, then shifted to let him in. ‘We had Auntie Sarah stay with us last night ’cos Mum was with you.’

  He figured explaining whose house they’d actually been in wasn’t strictly necessary. ‘Did you have fun?’

  ‘Yep. She said she’s your sister, like Penny is my sister.’

  ‘That’s right. Only Penny is a cool sister.’ He bent to whisper in her ear. ‘Sarah is a bit goofy sometimes.’

  Tabby giggled, hazel eyes sparkling. ‘Mum said you’re her boyfriend now.’

  Seb sucked in a breath, but forced his legs to keep walking down the hallway, his face to remain relaxed, and not give in to the holy shit what do I say now expression it wanted to. ‘Is that okay with you?’

  ‘Does it mean you have to kiss her?’

  God, this girl was an incredible, wonderful, handful. ‘I don’t have to, but I do want to, yes. Though you don’t have to watch.’

  She nodded, expression turning sober. ‘Will you live here? ’Cos my friend’s mum has a boyfriend and he lives in the same house as them.’

  Oh crap. Hunkering down on his haunches, he looked Tabby right in the eye. ‘I don’t know, that’s up to your mum, but I do plan on being round here a lot.’

  Her face burst into a wide grin. ‘Good, ’cos when you’re not talking all the time when we want to listen to the telly, you’re funny.’

  Then she did something that made his chest tighten so painfully, he thought for a moment he was having a heart attack. She dropped her crutches and threw her arms around him.

  As Seb struggled not to give in to the tears that stung his eyes, he saw Penny’s face appear in the family room doorway.

  Picking up Tabby’s crutches, he handed them to her. Clearly oblivious to the fact that she’d totally shattered him, Tabby manoeuvred them skillfully under her arms and hobbled towards her sister. ‘Mum’s boyfriend is here.’

  ‘Hey, Penelope.’ Seb smiled over at her, his heart racing. Tabby was like him, she wore her heart on her sleeve so he knew exactly what she was thinking. Penny was altogether different.

  ‘I have another project. I have to choose a region, like North America or South America, or Europe, and then write about it.’ Her big grey eyes looked up at him. ‘Can you help?’

  He swallowed, hard. ‘Of course.’

  ‘I thought maybe North America, as that has Canada and Canada has mountains, doesn’t it?’ In a gesture that gripped his heart as painfully as Tabby’s hug, Penny clasped his hand as they walked into the family room and to the table where she’d clearly been working.

  ‘Yes.’ He had to clear his throat before he could carry on. ‘The Rockies is the most famous mountain range.’

  ‘Have you been there?’

  ‘I have.’

  ‘But you didn’t live on a pontoon there.’

  He laughed, but he knew it came out hoarse because he was still so choked full of emotion. ‘No. I stayed in a log cabin.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘Did you see bears? I read there are lots of bears there.’

  And before he knew it, Seb was talking to Penny about his holiday in Banff.

  It wasn’t until the girls went to bed that Seb had a moment alone with Maggie. When she came downstairs and joined him on the satsuma sofa, he stretched out so she could lie alongside him, cradling her head against his chest.

  ‘I got a text from my sisters,’ he told her, reaching for the phone he’d left on the coffee table and showing her the messages.

  The first was from Alice.

  If a smart cookie like Maggie is willing to put up with you, maybe you’re less of a dork than I thought, A x

  The second from Sarah.

  I sure hope this means I get my house to myself a bit more. You’re a grumpy sod in the morning. Does Maggie really know what she’s letting herself in for? S x

  Maggie laughed. ‘They love you really.’

  Yeah, he knew they did, even before reading the further messages they’d sent, telling him they were chuffed he was staying, and even more chuffed he and Maggie were really giving this a go. ‘The girls seemed okay about us?’ he asked, his mind turning to the other two people whose views were important.

  She laughed. ‘As if you had any doubts. The Peterson females are all putty in your hands.’

  ‘All of them, huh?’ He smiled, kissing the top of her head. ‘Does that mean I get to rule the roost?’

  ‘Oh no. I said we were besotted with you. Not pushovers. In fact we’ve already drawn up a set of rules.’

  Lists he could cope with; rules made his neck hair stand on end. ‘Oh yes?’

  ‘We’re going dancing once a week. All four of us. And Saturday night will always be Strictly night.’

  Relieved, he snuggled her further into him. ‘It’s a deal. Hell, if it makes you all happy I’ll even buy some sequins.’

  Epilogue

  Maggie looked along the row. There were Alice and Sarah, chatting away to their mum, who looked proud as punch, and very elegant in her floral print dress. Next to her on her right sat Tabby and Penny. Tabby, now eight, was
fidgeting around in her seat… just as much of a liability as she had been at seven. Penny, now ten, kept craning her neck.

  ‘I can’t see him.’

  Maggie pointed across the packed hall of the Barbican Centre to a group sitting at the front wearing black gowns and mortarboards. ‘He’s the one—’

  ‘Pretending his cap is a Frisbee.’ Penny grinned. ‘Found him.’

  It was no wonder her daughters adored Seb, Maggie thought with a rush of affection. He was basically a big kid himself. Only kids didn’t knuckle down to do a master’s degree while also commuting back from London every evening to give their undivided attention to their step-daughters. He’d originally planned to rent somewhere closer to the university, but she’d questioned why he wanted to waste money on rent when, she hoped, he would spend most of his time with them.

  ‘You said slow,’ he’d pointed out.

  But Maggie had soon got fed up with slow. What was the point, when she’d met the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with? He’d moved in with them last summer. And they were still adjusting. She was learning to say yes more than no to whatever wacky idea Seb came up with for the weekend; they’d been skiing (fake snow), rock climbing (climbing wall) and skydiving (indoor, over a tube of air) to name a few. He’d committed to keep his mess to his side of the bedroom, rather than across 80 per cent of the house. He still failed to adhere to her list system regarding shopping, but each time he scratched around in the biscuit tin for his favourite Oreos, only to come up empty, she ignored his cute puppy eyes and pointed to the list. Trouble is, he’d flash that full-on, twinkling, blue-eyed smile and she’d find herself writing the damn biscuits on the list herself.

  Between the adjustments though, there was laughter. And there was love.

  The chancellor stepped up to the microphone, and quiet descended.

  If he’d gone straight to the award ceremony itself, what followed later might never have happened. Seb was collecting a higher level degree, and his surname was Armstrong. It was highly likely his name would be one of the first ten students to be called up.

  The chancellor chose to make a speech first though, and it went on. And on.

  Tabby let out a loud huff. ‘That man’s boring. I want to see Seb get his ’tificate.’

  ‘Certificate,’ Maggie whispered, ignoring the glare of the woman in front of them. Seriously, had she forgotten what her darling son or daughter was like at eight? ‘And you will, soon.’

  Alas, there was more the chancellor had to say, and Tabby was now bouncing her knee up and down.

  Finally, thank God, he started to announce names. First came the doctorates.

  Tabby stared at the stage, a frown on her face. ‘Why’s he not going up?’

  ‘It’s not his turn yet. You have to listen out for his name. Sebastian Armstrong.’

  Next came the masters. Grace Ackerwell.

  ‘That’s a girl.’

  ‘Listen, Tabby.’

  Stuart Anderson.

  Tabby climbed to her feet, and Maggie felt a flutter of panic. ‘No, Tabby, you have to sit down.’

  ‘Why?’

  Sebastian Armstrong.

  Wriggling away from Maggie’s grasp, Tabby ran down the aisle. Seb, who was making his way to the stage, turned as the audience gasped. And his face broke into a huge grin as Tabby flew at him.

  Laughing, he bent to pick her up, plonking his mortarboard on her head before stepping up onto the stage. Taking it all in his stride, because that was Seb. Nothing really fazed him.

  The chancellor, who, to be fair, was now laughing too, handed over the certificate and the applause picked up.

  As Seb stepped down from the stage, he eased Tabby to the floor, his eyes skimming across the hall to where they were sitting, and to Penny. He handed Tabby the certificate, and whispered in her ear, nodding over to Penny.

  Tabby ran back to her chair, and shoved the certificate at Penny. ‘He said I have to look after his hat and you have to look after this.’

  That was when the tears began to stream down Maggie’s face. Seb never let Tabby overshadow Penny, like she’d always been overshadowed by Emily.

  Finally they made their way out of the hall to find Seb. He was waiting for them by the exit, unbelievably handsome in his dark suit, white shirt, blue tie and black gown. As the girls rushed towards him, Maggie wondered again at the amazing stroke of luck that had brought him into their lives. Paul, as she’d guessed, had decided not to marry Isabelle in the end. He was, by his own admission, too selfish to marry. And too selfish to be a proper father. He was still in their lives, the occasional phone call, the even more occasional visit. Their dad in name and DNA. In everything important though, Seb was there for them. He was the one Tabby wanted to tell when she’d fallen over/got picked for the school football team/remembered a joke/got detention for talking in class. He was the one Penny wanted to see when she aced a test/needed help with homework/wanted to know how to get rid of the boy who kept asking her out.

  He was the one who offered them constant, unconditional love.

  Unconsciously Maggie’s hand rested on her stomach, and the new life she’d found out that morning she was carrying.

  Seb loved his mum and his sisters, was besottedly in love with his step-daughters. But he wanted some time alone with Maggie.

  They were all eating in a restaurant round the corner from the Barbican. It was a sunny July day and Tabby and Penny were playing in the courtyard, having demolished their lunch. God, Tabby had killed him when she’d run up to greet him. Then to see the pride in Maggie’s eyes, the sweet smile from Penny as she’d hugged him afterwards. Sod the master’s, being part of their lives had been his greatest accomplishment so far.

  He wanted to take it to the next level though, and now, with his master’s behind him, a job already lined up… yeah, it was time. Never mind he’d not rehearsed it in his mind, not planned anything around it, like the venue, the ring.

  He’d known he was going to do this from that moment in Sarah’s flat, eighteen months ago, when Maggie had admitted she loved him.

  While Maggie chatted with his sisters, his mum caught his eye. ‘Your dad would have been so proud of you.’ Her voice caught. ‘And I’m not just talking about the master’s.’ She nodded to the girls. ‘You’ve stepped up, Seb.’

  He shook his head. ‘I’ve fallen in love. The rest was easy.’ He glanced over at Maggie, saw she wasn’t listening, and leant closer to his mum. ‘I could really do with your help with one… vital matter.’

  ‘Of course.’ Her gaze skimmed his face, and whatever she saw there made her smile. ‘Oh Seb, are you about to do what I think you are?’

  ‘I’m not getting the bill, if that’s what you mean. I don’t start earning till next week.’

  ‘You know full well I said I’d get that.’ But her eyes shone with a light that hadn’t been there much since his dad had died. ‘We’ll take the girls home. You and Maggie can follow us home later.’ She put a hand to her mouth, her expression gleeful. ‘Oh, you arranged a night in a hotel, didn’t you? That’s so romantic. See what I mean about stepping up?’

  ‘Ah.’ Bugger it. Why hadn’t he thought this through more? He’d known for eighteen months he wanted to propose, and yet he decided to actually do it on the spur of the moment?

  ‘You didn’t?’ His mum’s shoulders fell. ‘Oh, well, never mind. I’m sure you’ll think of something. You usually do.’ Rising to her feet, she waved over to Penny and Tabby, who were chasing pigeons. ‘Girls, we’re going to take you home. Your mum and Seb will follow… later.’

  They rushed over, Penny’s face flushed, Tabby’s hair half out of the plait he’d watched Maggie try to tame it into this morning.

  ‘Why aren’t we going home together?’ Penny asked.

  ‘Seb has something he wants to ask Maggie,’ his mum announced, making Seb wince, his sisters sit up with a start, and Maggie’s eyes widen so they looked like a couple of shiny silver ten-pence pie
ces.

  ‘He can ask her now,’ Tabby protested.

  ‘It’s something important.’

  Christ. Seb slunk further down his chair. She might as well just announce he was going to propose and be done with it.

  ‘Oh, well.’ Alice and Sarah stood, laughter in their eyes. ‘I guess we’d better get out of here.’

  Tabby looked at Penny, who glanced up at him and gave him a secretive smile.

  That’s when Tabby started to jump up and down. ‘I know, I know. You’re going to ask Mum to marry you!’

  Maggie’s gaze fell on his, eyes so full of laughter she looked like she was going to burst. ‘Well? Are you?’

  There was no alternative but to go with the flow. So with a flourish, Seb stood, walked over to Maggie, and dropped to one knee.

  He didn’t know what he said, only that his proposal was messy and chaotic, just like he was. Yet despite that, Maggie looked him straight in the eye, her gaze full of love, and agreed to be his wife.

  ‘I have something to tell you,’ she whispered as they hugged. ‘But we’re definitely saving that for when we’re alone.’

  He drew back to study her face. Beautiful, though perhaps a little pale today. Her eyes glowed back at him, flickering briefly down to her stomach before finding his again.

  And his heart cartwheeled in his chest.

  It looked like his life was going to get messier and even more chaotic. Yet as he gazed at the woman he loved, the one smiling serenely back at him, he knew he didn’t have to worry. She’d have it all under control.

  * * *

  THE END

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  Have you read The New Guy yet? Another irresistible romantic comedy by Kathryn Freeman… you can get your copy right here!

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  And don’t miss the similarly page-turning Up Close and Personal with its charming twist on one of your favourite movies! You can get your copy here!