news—the forehead wrinkles cleared, her eyes brightened, and she actually smiled—he knew without a doubt he’d done the right thing.
“You’re getting married,” she said, sounding wondrous and shocked and thrilled at the same time. “About time.”
“If that’s your way of saying congratulations, I’ll take it.”
“Come here.” She beckoned him over, and when he stood next to her bed she reached for his hand. “You know I only want what’s best for you, Manish, and if this Harper makes you happy, then I’m happy.”
“Thanks, Iz.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead, and she hugged him close for a moment before releasing him.
“Now I definitely have to turn away from any white lights so I can meet this fiancée of yours and make sure she’s good enough for my grandson.”
“I’m counting on it.” He winked, thrilled his news had perked her up. “Now that I’ve given you an injection of endorphins, any questions about the surgery I can answer?”
“My cardiologist has done all that. Tell me more about your wedding plans.”
Thankfully, the anesthetist entered the room at that moment, saving Manny from having to explain he hadn’t got that far. Getting Harper to agree to his outlandish proposal had been his focus, and now that he was engaged he’d get to the rest; when his gran recovered from this potentially fatal disease.
“George, this is my grandson, Manish,” Izzy said. “He’s head of ER at another hospital, and he was just leaving.”
George grinned and shot him a sympathetic look. “She’s not so keen on having you advise on this procedure.”
“You got that right.”
Izzy waved him away. “I’ll see you after the operation, Manish. Go. Be with your fiancée.”
Manny wasn’t going anywhere until his grandmother was safely wheeled out of the OR and into recovery, but he didn’t want to rile her.
“Love you, Iz. See you when you’re done.”
“Not done, done, I hope,” she said, making George and Manny chuckle.
Manny blew her a kiss, nodded at George, and left the room. He’d wait in his car. He didn’t fancy a long stint in the cafeteria, surrounded by equally worried people trying to pass time by consuming brightly colored Jell-O or sloppy meat loaf.
And in the car he’d have privacy to call Harper.
If anyone could calm his nerves now, she could.
53
“You’re what?”
Lydia stared at Harper like she’d lost her mind. “How can you be engaged?”
“Quite easily, Mom. Manny asked; I said yes.”
“This is insanity,” Lydia muttered, shaking her head while Alec stepped forward to offer Harper a hug.
“Congrats, darling. If this is what you want, we’ll support you. Won’t we, Lyds?”
Lydia snorted, but her disapproving expression softened. “We haven’t even met this man. How do we know if he’s good enough for you?”
“Mom, I’m thirty. Don’t you think I’m old enough to make my own decisions?”
“Well, yes, but . . . we don’t know him; it’s not right,” Lydia blustered, her frown deepening. “And what kind of man doesn’t ask your father for your hand in marriage?”
“A man who’s forty, is worldly, and doesn’t live in the dark ages.” Harper rolled her eyes. “This is what I want. I hope you’ll support me.” She paused for emphasis, her gaze swinging between them. “Like I supported both of you through your separation.”
“Touché,” Lydia muttered, while Alec nodded.
“We’ve got your back, kid, one hundred percent,” Alec said. “So when do we get to meet this fiancé of yours?”
“He should be here any second,” she said, glancing at her watch. “He’s coming straight from the hospital.”
“He’s a doctor?” Her dad looked suitably impressed, her mom mollified with the reminder.
“Yeah, but he wasn’t working this morning. His grandmother had heart surgery, so he’s been with her.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s in recovery and doing well.”
Though Harper left out the details of how she’d spent an hour on the phone with Manny, trying to talk him down. He’d been wired with worry, and it broke her heart she couldn’t do more. If she had any doubts about her feelings, offering him whatever comfort she could, wishing she could be there for him, reinforced that what she felt was real.
She’d fallen in love.
“But just so you know, he’s popping in for a quick intro and then we’re heading back to the hospital together.”
“That’s okay, we can celebrate later,” Alec said, at the same time Lydia said, “So we won’t even have time for a celebratory toast?”
“Mom—”
“Lyds—”
“Fine.” Lydia threw her hands up in the air. “We’ll wait for a more appropriate time to celebrate.”
The doorbell rang at that moment, and Harper said,