“You could have told me,” she said stubbornly.
“I wanted you to beat him on your own turf. And you did that. In spades. I was so proud of you.” He let out a long breath. “Now it’s time for you to be proud of yourself. Jen, the sin was Zach’s, not yours. To believe that, you needed to win this case. And you did. Now I rest my case.”
More than anything she wanted to believe he meant every word he’d said. Especially that he loved her. But being wrong hurt so much more than she’d ever thought it could. And she loved him. Even more because he’d understood in such a profound way what this case had meant to her.
“I don’t know why you bother to deny it, Grady. The truth is obvious. You didn’t trust me with your girls. Not really. Not completely.”
“Yes, I did. And I still do. I just did what any good lawman would do, what any father would do in my shoes. I arranged for backup.”
She sighed. “If that’s the way you see it, then we have nothing more to say to each other. Now, where can we get a key for these blasted things?” she asked, tugging on his arm.
“We’ve got a hell of a lot more to say,” he growled. “For starters, when did you get to be such a coward?”
“Excuse me?”
“You love me. I know you do. And I also know it scares the hell out of you. So you’re throwing up roadblocks as fast as you can. You’re afraid.”
“Baloney.”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “You’re scared to death of caring for someone. No matter what, you loved Zach. You learned early and hard how precarious life can be. And you’re afraid to let yourself care again.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you don’t love me.” He stared down at her—waiting.
She couldn’t tell him he was wrong. Because he was so very right. She was afraid—very afraid. She loved Grady so much. The feelings were so much bigger than she’d had ten years ago. Meaning the hurt of losing him would be bigger, too. Surviving it was a challenge she didn’t think she could handle.
“Oh, I get it,” she said, bluffing. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze—she hoped with defiance shining in her eyes and not the complete and utter adoration she very much feared was there. She tapped the metal handcuff on his wrist. “This is some hostage negotiating tactic. I’ve got news for you, Sheriff—we’re both hostages and you’re negotiating with the wrong person.” She glanced over her shoulder and cocked her thumb toward the door. “You should be working a deal with your deputy for the key to these blasted handcuffs.”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m mediating with the absolute right person. I’m just using the wrong technique.”
His eyes took on an intensity that robbed her lungs of oxygen. He put his left hand at her waist, effectively trapping her right hand there, as well. Then he cupped her cheek and jaw in his right palm, tipping her face up. Lowering his head, he gently touched his mouth to hers.
At the first moment of contact, Jen knew she’d lost. And she couldn’t have been happier. She could meet him word for word until he cried “Uncle.” But she couldn’t fight this. He was showing her with his hands, his body, his mouth everything words weren’t enough to say. He loved her. Not only that. He was eliciting from her what she couldn’t hide: she loved him back.
When he lifted his lips from hers, she tasted reluctance. He looked deeply into her eyes, and in his own she saw hope and fear, but most of all love. With his hand still cupping her cheek, he said, “I love you, Jen. I never knew what love was until you. And I’ll never know it again if you walk away. I swear on everything I hold dear that I will do everything in my power to always be here for you.”
Tears filled her eyes and her lips trembled. “Grady, I…”
He shook his head. “Don’t cry. Please don’t. I couldn’t stand that. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
“I know. And you’re right. I tried so hard not to have feelings for you.”
Anticipation gleamed in his eyes. “Does that mean you do have feelings for me?”
She nodded and the tears welling in her eyes slid down her cheeks. “I couldn’t help it.”
“Say it,” he said, his voice ragged. “Tell me.”
“I love you, Grady O’Connor. But I’m afraid…”
“It’s why they call it falling in love. It is scary. But you take a leap. Give it your best shot and grab all the happiness you can—while you can.”
“All of a sudden, you sure got smart about love for a man who’s never been in love.”
“I didn’t get smart all of a sudden. I’ve just been waiting for you.”
She smiled. “You’re just about the best man I’ve ever known. I would rather have whatever time fate gives me with you than a thousand years with anyone else.”
He released his breath, and relief stood out in his eyes. His shoulders relaxed as tension drained away. He smiled, chasing the shadows from his handsome face. “Then there’s only one more question I need to ask.”
She held up their hands with the handcuffs still attached. “I think your interrogation methods are interesting.”
He grinned. “Actually the method is Phoebe’s, but remind me to give her a raise.”
“You have to hire her back first. But you were going to ask me something.”
“Since we’re prisoners of love,” he said, looking ruefully at their hardware-connected wrists, “let’s make it legal. Will you marry me, Jen?”
“Yes,” she said, sniffling as tears filled her eyes again. “Now I suggest we find a locksmith or a blacksmith or a hacksaw and get these things off. When a girl gets engaged, she expects jewelry, but not matching bracelets.”
He tugged her with him to his desk and pulled a key out of the top drawer. In seconds, he’d freed them.
Rubbing her wrist, she said, “I smell a conspiracy.”
“Nope. Phoebe took matters into her own hands, presumably because I’ve been unbearable for the last few days. But sooner or later I’d have made you listen. One way or the other, I never would have let you go.”
“Better late than never,” she agreed. “I guess some things are just meant to be. And it’s just about impossible to resist a man in uniform.”
Epilogue
Eighteen months later
Jen smiled up at Grady as he slipped his arm around her waist. Then she looked down at their sleeping four-month-old daughter in her arms. “Emma is going to be hungry soon,” she whispered.
“Perfect timing. The ceremony is just about over,” her husband answered.
Along with their friends and neighbors, they were gathered at Dev Hart’s ranch to share in the wedding celebration of Polly Morgan and Frank Holloway. Hannah’s mother and the town doctor had finally decided to tie the knot. They’d claimed the wait had been necessary in order to snag the spotlight. Between the epidemic of weddings and births in the past year and a half, it hadn’t been easy.
Hannah had married Dev right after she’d turned down the offer in Los Angeles for a prestigious position in a pediatric practice. Now she was Frank’s partner in the medical office and Dev’s partner in life. Together they were raising Ben, his son from his first marriage. The boy was thriving with two parents who loved him. As Jen watched the three of them standing by as her mother took vows, Dev put his palm on Hannah’s gently rounded belly. Another Hart would be here before long—a girl, according to the ultra-sound.
Jen glanced to her right and smiled at her sister, Taylor. Her husband, Mitch Rafferty, held their baby son in his arms. They’d had a double wedding thirteen months ago and their babies had been born within days of each other. Rumor had it that often happened with sisters. Everyone had teased them about having more kids soon, and flip-flopping genders so they’d each have a boy and a girl. She figured that was probably going to happen. Although as the mother of twins now, Jen figured she would always be two ahead.
Then her gaze swung to the left, to Jack and Maggie Riley. Fai
th stood beside them and couldn’t stop touching her baby brother’s tiny feet. He was two months older than her own baby. After learning Faith was the daughter he’d never known about, Jack had jumped into fatherhood with the same focus he’d used to scour databases for the information to put Billy Bob Adams in jail where he could never hurt anyone again. After that, Jack and Maggie had married quickly and quietly and she’d gotten pregnant right away.
Jen’s gaze settled on her own deputy Cupid—Phoebe Johnson. Standing on Grady’s other side, the pretty young woman in a satin slip dress couldn’t have looked less like law enforcement. But she was still after Grady’s job, and her road was more uphill. The sheriff had retired and Grady had won a landslide victory in the special election to replace him. He was now Destiny’s official sheriff.
As the bride and groom kissed and the crowd cheered, Jen looked up at Grady. “Do you think if Phoebe hadn’t interfered we’d be together now?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s destiny.” He smiled. “But it might have taken a little longer, considering you’re so stubborn.”
“You silver-tongued devil,” she teased. “I guess her crash course in communication did speed up the process.”
“Think we can return the favor?” he asked, love shining in his eyes.
“You never know. This is Destiny.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Since that day in his office when they’d been handcuffed together, she was so full of happiness it often bubbled over. When it did, her comment was always the same as now. “And this is what happens if we fall in love.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6771-2
WHAT IF WE FALL IN LOVE?
Copyright © 2002 by Teresa Ann Southwick
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*The Marchetti Family
**Destiny, Texas
What If We Fall in Love? Page 15