Backup Girl [Tom Hiddleston] {EBT book 2/4}

The climb

Kate cuddled in to Tom's warm body as he stroked her back. "Darling? It's ridiculously early but I want to show you something."
"Hm? What time is it?"
"5:20. Do you feel ok?"
"Yes, heaps better. Can't we just cuddle in the blankets, it's so cold."
"It will be worth it, I promise."
She sat up and grumbled. She could see the first hint of light out the window. Tom had found the most beautiful secluded spot on the coast, in a cottage right next to a light house. Putting on leggings, boots and an oversized chunky sweater, Kate swept her hair up in to a rough ponytail and wound a scarf around her neck. Tom was dressed in jeans, a grey shirt and black leather jacket, waiting at the door.
"What are you up to Hiddleston?" She said as he opened the door and took her hand.
"You'll see."
He led her up the stairs on the outside of the short wide light house. The freezing wind whipped up from the crashing waves below and slapped them with salty mist. "Kate, look." Tom pointed to the horizon. The light was just beginning to filter up to the spattering of clouds above, painting them in beautiful pinks and oranges. Kate's jaw dropped, this was actually worth getting out of bed for.
When they reached the landing at the top she leaned against the railing and Tom wrapped himself around her from behind, watching as the sun slowly began to peek above the horizon. "Tom, this is beautiful." She said as it the colours spread further, making the crashing waves below them dance with purple and orange. The cottage was now a shade of pink, as were the cliffs for as far as they could see. Kate leaned her head back on to Tom's shoulder as they watched the sun break over the horizon, casting shadows and red hues over the light house. Tom put his hands on Kate's hips and turned her around to face him, leaning down slowly to kiss her mouth. After a minute, he rested his forehead on hers and took a deep breath before moving back to look in to her sparkling blue eyes with his own.
"Kate," he said. "You surprise and amaze me every day. You are beautiful inside and out, clever, talented, kind, and loving. You're stronger than you'll ever know and so incredibly determined. You make me the happiest, luckiest and impassioned man I could ever hope to be, and I want to have you by my side every day, every night." Kate blushed and looked down, and he tilted her chin up to meet his eyes again. "I love you more than I believed possible." A smile lit up his face and his blue eyes twinkled in the pink light. He stepped back and took her hand in his, and in one swift, and yet slow motion, movement he was on one knee with a small blue box in his hand. "Katherine Allen, marry me."
Realisation and shock spread over Kate's face and she smiled down at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "Yes," she almost whispered, pulling him up and kissing him passionately. When they broke apart her face was wet with salty tears and she wiped her cheeks with her sleeve while he opened the box. Inside was a white gold band with one square diamond, rounded off on either side with 10 small ones. "Oh my god!" Kate exclaimed as he slipped it on her finger, the diamond dazzling her with the reflected colours of the sunrise.
They stood on the landing for over and hour, kissing and hugging and watching the sun climb over the water. Kate was still speechless when they got back to the cottage, and smiling like a loon.

Finally when they were packed and in the car, she looked over at him and put her hand on his leg. "Tom?" She said quietly.
"Yes darling," he smiled.
"We're getting married." He laughed softly. "Yes we are baby. I thought you'd be on the phone to Lizzie already,"
"Not yet. I think for a few hours I'd like for no one to know but us."
"Me too."

It was a different story by the time they arrived at Chris and Elsa's house that afternoon. "I'm impressed with Jeremy," Tom said out of the blue. "I wasn't sure he could keep it a secret."
"He knew?"
"Of course he knew, I asked him the day we arrived."
"God you're romantic," she smiled.
He switched off the engine and they got their bags out of the car.
"Hey," Chris welcomed them with a hug. "It's really good to see you guys."
"You too," Tom said.
"You must be Kate," Elsa said, "these two speak very highly of you. It's so lovely to finally meet you."
"You too Elsa," Kate smiled. Elsa had hold of her hand, and stared at it for a moment before Kate realised she was looking at her engagement ring. She looked over at Chris, and then Tom, and back to Kate.
"When did that happen?" Chris gaped at Tom.
"Uh, a few hours ago."
"Congratulations!" They said in unison.
"Thank you, I don't know if it's sunk in yet," Kate said.
"I'm not seeing helicopters following you so you obviously haven't gone public yet?"
Kate gaped at Tom. "He's joking," Tom reassured her. "I do need to call Luke though. Maybe tomorrow." He winked at Kate and they went in to the house.
It was a beautiful country house, huge and open plan, the perfect escape house. There was a whole suite for guests with its own spaces and Kate and Tom felt immediately at home.

Over dinner it wasn't long before talk turned to the hearing.
"I think you are so brave, Kate," Elsa said. "It's so sad how often it happens and women just can't report it."
"It is. Really, it could have been so much worse for me. The psychological will take longer to heal than the physical."
"I'm sure it will. So you and Naomi are friends again?"
"Yeah, never in a million years did I think that would happen. But the only thing that came between us was Dean. He manipulated both of us and turned us against one another. Before that she was almost the only friend I had left. After it I had no one."
Chris changed the subject. "I saw you with Ed Sheeran on YouTube, that looked like so much fun. And you sounded great!"
"Thanks, it was such an awesome experience. I can't wait to do it again."
"Are you touring with him again?"
"Yeah. I'm doing some recording with Chris Martin and Josh Groban when we get back as well."
"She's going to be busier than you Tom!" He said.
"I know. I'm so proud of her she's done so well."
"Hey, we have 2 extra invites for a ball in Sydney next weekend if you're interested."
"Ooh is that the unicef one? They asked me if the timing worked but I didn't think it would. And then I forgot about it," Tom laughed. "And that's why I have Luke."
"Yeah it is. We're going, we'll stay down there and then fly back here."
"Kate?" Tom asked.
"Yeah sounds great. Any excuse for a party," she smiled.
"When are you going back to London?" Elsa asked.
"Ah, soon? We haven't even discussed it yet!" Kate looked at Tom and he shrugged.
"I think probably the week after next," he said. "I hadn't brought it up because you need a decent rest first."
"When are you guys filming again?" Kate asked Chris and Tom.
"Um. Later in the year? I think? Are we?"
"This is why he has Luke." Chris quipped. "Early next year I think. Only a small part though. He doesn't get to be the star in this one!"
"That's what you think," Tom said in a gravelly voice.

All too soon their break was over and Tom and Kate had to go back to organise their return to London. They would be seeing Chris and Elsa again at the unicef ball and they were both feeling rested when Kate started the drive home early on Tuesday morning. They called Luke on the way home.
"Hey, I um, we, um...."
"Luke, we're engaged." Tom interjected. "Kate's still having trouble saying the words."
"Oh, wow. Congratulations guys, when did this happen?"
"Uh, while we were away. We need to get organised to come home."
"You know you're not getting out of it that easily. People are going to want to talk to you. They already do."
"Oh. OK then. We're in Sydney this weekend for the unicef ball and then maybe we can do some interviews and fly out mid week?"
"Unicef ball? I thought you said no?"
"I did. I changed my mind." Tom winked at Kate, there seemed to be few things he loved more than tormenting Luke.
"Tom! You can't just decide-"
"Chris and Elsa had spare tickets, relax."
"OK. So you're going to announce your engagement at the ball?"
"Hadn't thought about it."
"Is there a ring?"
"Oh there sure is!" Kate chimed in.
"Well you have two choices. Announce it, or answer the same question a thousand times. Take your pick."
"He's yanking your chain Luke, yes we're going to announce it at the ball."
"You two are getting the bill when I have a stroke, ok?"
"Sounds fair," Kate narrowed her eyes at Tom.
"So I can go ahead and book appointments for both of you from the following week? Tom will be filming in the US a fortnight later. Kate, Ed wanted to book you for the tour in a month, for 6 weeks. That cool? It's the UK and US."
"Yeah that's awesome. Maybe we can narrowly miss one another!"
"I'll make sure of it," Luke said. "Behave will you. I'll book your interviews for next week in Sydney and Melbourne, mostly just Kate but maybe Tom can crash a couple. I don't feel like dealing with the security issues of double interviews right now. I'll talk to you about it tomorrow guys. Have a safe trip."