Someone Like You (26 page)

So she walked out of the courthouse only to realize she'd given her ride home to Lyle. The BMW was gone, as was the delivery truck. It was about an eight-mile
walk back to Bev's place, which meant she was going to have to call and ask to be picked up.

She punched the number on the cell phone. When Bev answered, she explained what had happened.

“We have cookies in the oven,” Bev said when she'd finished. “Give us fifteen minutes and we'll be there. Tell Mac we're delighted for him.”

Jill had no plans to talk to Mac so Bev was going to have to deliver that message in person before she packed up and left for Vegas.

Jill planted herself on a top step off to the side of the courthouse. It didn't take long for the people to make their way out and leave. She supposed she could have gotten a ride from nearly anyone, but she wasn't in the mood to talk. Not when everything hurt.

Now what? If she didn't stay mad at Mac for being an idiot, she was going to have to feel horrible because he wasn't willing to fight for her. How could she love a man so very willing to let her go?

Her eyes burned. She blinked hard, because there was no way she was going to cry over him. He wasn't worth it. Except he was, and she loved him and why couldn't he see that?

She felt someone approach and turned her head so whoever it was wouldn't notice the tears. Then, before she realized what had happened, Mac had slipped a pair of handcuffs around her wrists. She stared from them to him.

“What do you think you're doing?” she asked in out rage.

“Getting your attention.”

“Are you arresting me?”

“Do you want me to?”

She held out her hands. “This isn't funny.”

“I know.” He sat next to her and stared out at the horizon. “I love it here, Jill. Los Lobos has always been my home. I want to run for election next November and I want to serve here for the next thirty years.”

“Nice to know you have your future mapped out. Now unlock these.”

“I don't think so. See, I've been trying to figure out why you got so mad at me yesterday and I think I know what happened.”

“Gee, I'll have to put a star by this day on the calendar.”

He leaned over and kissed her. She sat there as stiffly as she could, refusing to kiss him back, even when he nibbled on her lower lip.

“You love me,” he murmured.

“I don't.”

“Yeah, you do. You love me a lot and you don't want to go anywhere, but you didn't want to come out and say that. You wanted me to ask.” He kissed her again. “You wanted me to prove you were more than a convenience and that I thought you were worth fighting for.”

Her eyes started burning again and she knew she was seconds from crying but for very different reasons than before.

“Maybe,” she admitted.

“So if I hadn't asked, were you just going to go away?”

“No,” she said, her voice low. “I already turned down
both jobs. I was going to stay in Los Lobos and make you see sense.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “But I have to tell you, I gave the BMW back to Lyle.”

“That's okay. I prefer to buy American. Maybe we can get a minivan. You know, for all the kids we're going to have.”

She stared at him. “What?”

He smiled. “I love you, Jill. Please stay in Los Lobos and marry me. Although if it's really important, we can go somewhere else so you can practice your big-city law.”

The first tears slipped down her cheek. She raised her handcuffed hands over his head and pulled him close.

“I would rather stay right here,” she said with a sniff. “With you. We can buy Bev's house and have babies, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a minivan.”

“I thought you hated Los Lobos.”

She thought about the town and how everything had changed. “Actually, I think it's grown on me. Besides, you love it and I can live anywhere with you.”

He kissed her, and somewhere in the distance she heard the sound of applause.

“We have an audience,” she whispered against his mouth.

“I know.”

“You should probably stop kissing me and let me out of the handcuffs.”

“Yeah. I will.” He pressed his mouth to hers. “In a second.”

She pulled back slightly and grinned. “I think we should keep the handcuffs, though. For later.”

He laughed. “Jill, I have to tell you. I've always admired your style.”