Best of Bosses 2008(70)

Fran could easily see how the spaniel had got her name. ‘Hello.’

‘Muddy paws! Oh, no. Sorry, Mum. Sorry, Fran,’ Ted said, looking at the paw-prints on the floor and his sister’s dress.

‘Hey, mud washes out. It’s not a problem.’ Gio made a fuss of the spaniel. ‘Hello, bella ragazza.’ He was rewarded with a lick—and muddy paw-prints on his shirt.

‘Ted’s girlfriend’s a police dog handler,’ Suzy said. ‘She’s meant to be helping him train the pup. Not that it’s working yet. Hi, Fran.’ She gave Gio a shy look. ‘And you must be Gio?’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ he said, shaking her hand.

Fran made quick introductions. ‘And this is Dominic, and my dad,’ she finished as they walked in together, laden with vegetables.

‘Hello, love.’ Warren smiled at her. ‘I cut extra beans so you can take some home to London with you. And Dom’s going to wrap some carrots up for you in newspaper—they keep better with earth on.’ He looked at Gio. ‘Nice to meet you, young man.’

‘And you.’ Gio held his hand out. ‘May I have a quick word in private, Mr Marsden?’

‘Warren.’ He smiled. ‘When Carol told me Fran was bringing you to see us, I wondered. Come into my study. Bring your tea with you.’



‘Does this mean you’re getting married?’ Suzy asked when Gio followed their father out of the kitchen.

Fran took a sip of tea. ‘Possibly.’

‘Um, have you sorted out bridesmaids yet? Because if not, I’d really…Well…’ Suzy wriggled on her chair. ‘You know.’

Fran stared at her sister in surprise. ‘You want to be my bridesmaid?’

Suzy nodded. ‘I know I’m the scary dentist-to-be and all that, but—you’re my big sister. And even if you want me to wear a dress that makes me look like a meringue…I won’t mind.’

Carol squeezed her hand. ‘And I know you’re brilliant at organising, but I’d love to help you choose your dress.’

Fran really hadn’t expected this reaction. Her mother and sister wanted to be involved in the wedding?

‘And we’ll be ushers if you want us to,’ Dominic added.

‘As the elder twin, I’ll make sure he wears a suit,’ Ted said, sitting on the floor with a wriggling puppy on his lap.

Which was when Fran realised. They were making a fuss just because she’d come home. So maybe, all these years when she’d thought she was an outsider, she’d been completely wrong. Her throat felt thick with tears and she swallowed hard. ‘I’d love that. Gio…being Italian, he wants to ask Dad’s permission to marry me.’

‘We guessed as much. Because you never bring anyone home,’ Suzy said.

‘And that’s why Ted—’ Dominic began.

His brother nudged him hard. ‘Shush, or I’ll let Bouncer chew your shoes.’

‘Ted what?’ Fran asked curiously.

‘Ah.’ Ted stared at the floor. ‘I, um, bent some rules. Looked him up on the police computer.’

Fran stared at him in shock. ‘You didn’t!’

He shrugged. ‘Well, we just wanted to be sure he was OK. And that he treats you right.’

‘He will,’ Warren announced, returning to the kitchen. ‘Gio and I have just had a very interesting chat.’

Fran squirmed. ‘Uh-huh.’

‘And I think we all need to disappear for a minute,’ Warren added.

Gio shook his head. ‘Absolutely not. This is the exactly the right time and the right place—in the heart of your house and the heart of your family.’ He took a small box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee in front of her. ‘Francesca Marsden. I have your father’s permission to ask you a very important question.’ He opened the box to reveal a platinum ring set with a heart-shaped diamond. ‘Will you marry me?’

A heart-shaped diamond—a ring she hadn’t even known he’d bought—given in the heart of their house and the heart of her family. Fran could hardly see because her vision was blurred with tears. ‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I will.’

‘I think,’ Warren said, ‘this means champagne. So we can welcome Gio to the family properly.’ It seemed to take only seconds for a bottle of champagne and seven glasses to appear. And as the cork popped, Gio held her very tightly. ‘It’s just the beginning,’ he said softly, ‘of the rest of our lives. And a very extended family.’

One that wasn’t as tactile as the Mazettis and maybe didn’t say it as often, Fran thought—but one that felt the same way.