Saved by the Cross (Cross 3)

44 - Blessing

He followed the older gentleman into a study and felt as if he stepped back in time. There was a fireplace, updated with a gas log, but he imagined servants lighting a fire to take away the winter chill. The room smelled masculine, like leather and tobacco.

"This would be a great room for my current story." He was finishing his second manuscript.

"I'm proud of you. You came through."

"I got lucky."

Philip shook his head. "You worked hard."

"I love your daughter. We want to be married."

Philip nodded. "I can't control my wife, but I will pay for my daughter's wedding and walk her down the aisle. I may cry, but I will give her to you."

"Thank you. She'll be happy."

He smiled. "You're loyal. I like that."

"Thank you, Sir."

They shook hands and returned to Mrs. Kane. "Amelia, Gray promised me he would wait a year. In that time, he published a book and bought a home."

"Where is it?"

"In Back Bay. It needs some work, but we're meeting with a designer."

"Carol Keene?"

Doyle appeared. "No, Mother. Emma Sumner worked for Carol, but she left when her daughter was born. She takes on select clients."

"Sumner?"

Doyle defended Emma. "Yes, from the publishing family. The Whitbys hired her."

Kasper snickered. "It's like a who's who in Boston."

The dinner wasn't as pretentious as he expected. The Kane children set the tone and drowned out their mother's dislike for him. If his wife were pregnant, Gray's mother would be over the moon, but Mrs. Kane encouraged Jimmy and Tate to start a family.

Gray was happy to leave Beacon Hill and return to Back Bay. They were both the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city, but one was home. Doyle came with him as she spent more nights in his bed than not.

As soon as they reached his apartment, she sighed. "That was so awkward."

He kissed her lips. "It went better than I thought."

"She'll never like you. She's still being a bitch to Ivy."

"I have thick skin. Your father likes me." Gray sank down on one knee. "He gave me his blessing. Will you marry me? I love you. I wish I could say I would have loved you without the cross, but my heart was closed. After I kissed you my heart opened and you filled it."

She nodded, as tears streamed down her cheeks. He picked her up and spun her around. When he put her down, he ran to his room. How had he bumbled it?

"I forget this."

She took the small box and opened the lid. "Oh, wow! It's gorgeous." The emerald-cut diamond was as unique as his K. "Are you sure you can afford it?"

He nodded. "Monty paid me well."

She jumped. "I want to show Sofia. Did you pick this out on your own?"

He laughed. "No. Tate helped me."

"My sister?"

He laughed. "It's the only Tate I know."

She smiled. "I've been saving too and really want to go to Greece on our honeymoon. Ever since you told me you loved it I've wanted to go take pictures."

He didn't realize that was exactly what he wanted too.

After hugs and excitement upstairs, Monty popped open a bottle of champagne. "A toast. Sorry Gray."

"I don't care. Sofia can't drink either."

"One little sip won't hurt our bebé."

Monty smiled and handed Doyle a flute. "To Doyle. You fought for Gray in ways I never expected. Because you love my big oaf, I trust you. We have a secret only five human beings know about. It is a need to know only, and for Gray to stop lying, you need to know."

She looked at him with sad eyes. "You've been lying."

He nodded. "Only because I had too. Monty, are you sure?"

Monty smiled. "If you are sure." Gray nodded.

Sofia threw her hands up. "You're scaring her, triste."

"Triste? What's triste?"

"It's sad in Spanish, but thanks to Sofia, I stopped being sad a long time ago. What you need to promise to never tell a living soul is that I used triste to create my pseudonym."

"Your pseudonym?"

Gray watched the gears turn in her head. She looked at him. "And all your traveling. I can't believe it."

Monty smiled. "It's true. You can be involved, but I can never give you credit."

"How?"

"Photographs."

"So I can travel with Trista Montgomery?"

Monty shook his head. "You can travel with me and Gray while we do research for Trista."

"Baxter would die if he knew the truth."

"You can never tell him. Sofia's sister does not know. Only the three of us, my agent and Oliver. His wife doesn't even know."

"I promise on my love for Gray. Cross my heart."

Gray smile. "Trista bought our condo and your ring."

He kissed her and felt his healed heart soar. He may have saved her, but Doyle and the cross had really saved him.

The final chapter tomorrow is a bonus chapter. I will reveal Kasper's cover too.

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