Page 77 of Do Opposites Attract?

Mitch just shook his head. ‘I’ve kept you up too late. Time for me to go.’ God knows, his head couldn’t cope with much more tonight.

When they reached the front door, Catherine took his hand. ‘I understand your feelings, my boy, but this is one time you’re wrong.’ She kissed him gently on the cheek. ‘It was lovely to see you. Make sure it isn’t another fifteen years before I see you again.’

He smiled finally, enveloping her tiny frame in his arms. ‘You can count on it.’

Chapter Thirty-Five

Brianna was delighted to receive an invitation to dinner from Catherine. It had been a while since they’d last caught up, though they’d spoken on the phone only last week. Catherine had done the phoning this time, obviously dying to tell her all about the visit she’d had from Mitch. Brianna had listened avidly, her heart desperate for news about him. She’d learnt he’d been given the all-clear regarding his rehabilitation and he would be allowed back to work in another week.

She knocked on Catherine’s door, really looking forward to the evening. Despite their difference in age, the older lady was a good companion, very easy to talk to. She was also someone she could open her heart to about Mitch, someone who loved him as she did.

The moment Catherine opened the door Brianna could see she wasn’t her usual self. She seemed flustered and wouldn’t even look her in the eye. ‘Catherine, how nice to see you.’ Brianna kissed the other woman’s cheeks. ‘Is everything all right? You look like you’re hiding something.’

‘I think perhaps she is.’

Brianna’s face snapped round at the sound of that deep voice. ‘Mitch,’ she almost squawked in shock. ‘What a surprise to see you here.’

‘And vice versa,’ Mitch replied dryly, looking over at Catherine with suspicious eyes. ‘What are you playing at, Catherine?’

‘Oh, silly me,’ Catherine replied, ushering her two guests into the sitting room. ‘As you get older, your memory goes.’ She nudged Mitch. ‘You should know that, being a doctor. I must have forgotten to tell you I thought it would be a nice idea to have you both round for dinner. My way of thanking Brianna for getting us back together.’

Catherine breezed off to organise the drinks, leaving Mitch and Brianna alone, standing awkwardly together. ‘Sorry, I didn’t realise—’ she began to say.

‘How are you—’ Mitch started to speak at the same time. He stopped and gestured for Brianna to continue.

She smoothed down the non-existent creases on her suede skirt. ‘I was just going to say I didn’t know Catherine had invited you too. If I’d known—’

‘You wouldn’t have come?’ he supplied.

She blushed and looked away. Why did she have to feel so uncomfortable in his presence? So acutely aware of him and how fit and healthy he looked. With his face tanned once more and his body relieved of all outward signs of his injuries, he looked, frankly, gorgeous. ‘Of course I would still have come, if you’d wanted me to,’ she replied stiffly. ‘I just don’t want to interrupt anything. I’m an outsider, after all.’

Mitch shook his head. ‘You stopped being an outsider the moment you entered our lives.’

‘Interfered in them, don’t you mean?’

He gave her a small, slightly awkward smile. ‘Yes.’

‘Here you go, my dears. A glass of sherry.’ Catherine walked back into the room, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort of her guests. ‘I know it’s probably an old lady’s drink, but you have to humour me.’ She raised her glass and looked at them both. ‘A toast. To Brianna, to whom I will always be grateful. And to Mitch, my surrogate son, who has finally made it home.’

They ate together in the large dining room and Brianna’s discomfort began to ease as Catherine and Mitch traded humorous anecdotes from their time together. When Catherine divulged how stubborn Mitch had been as a teenager, Brianna laughingly joined in, adding her own tales of how Mitch tried to cope on his own despite his broken limbs.

‘Oh, he’s stubborn all right,’ Catherine agreed, speaking to Brianna. ‘Take now. He’s managed to convince himself he’s not good enough for you. It doesn’t matter what I say to him, he won’t change his mind.’

Confused, Brianna stared at Catherine. ‘What do you mean, not good enough for me?’

‘Exactly what I say. The man’s crazy about you, but for some reason he’s got it into his head that because he came from a poor background, he doesn’t deserve somebody like yourself. Of course, I told him you won’t care where he came from, but he won’t listen. Tell me, Brianna, does it matter to you where a man was brought up? How much money he has?’

Brianna’s shocked brain was having trouble dissecting the conversation. Had Catherine really just said Mitch was crazy about her? She stole a glance at him, but his shuttered, angry face didn’t help. ‘I’m sorry, Catherine. I’m not sure what’s going on here. But for the record, of course I don’t care about a man’s wealth, or his background. Mitch knows that. It’s what he is now that matters, not what he was.’

Catherine nodded triumphantly. ‘There you go, Mitch. Just what I told you.’ She stood and walked towards the door. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and lie down for a while. One of the privileges of being old. I’m sure you both have a lot to talk about.’

With that Catherine swept out of the room, leaving Mitch and Brianna alone. Silence echoed and her thumping heart sounded like gunfire in her ears. Mitch made no move to speak. Of course he didn’t. He simply crossed his arms, his face like thunder. The only thing Brianna could think to say, the only thing she was interested in, was whether what Catherine had said was true. Glancing at the rigid set of Mitch’s face, she found herself unable to ask. He looked as blindsided as she was. Stiffly, she rose from the table.

‘I think its best I go now. It’s been,’ she shook her head and sighed, ‘an interesting meal.’

Still he didn’t speak. Not until she’d reached the door.

‘Brianna.’

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