“Grandma and Ray have gone ahead to get the celebration feast started,” Mel said. “Can we go now?”
“Sounds good to me,” Diana said.
The fleeting look she sent Jack was inviting. Unless he was merely seeing his own feelings mirrored in her eyes? She’d been even more diligent over the past couple of weeks trying to keep the nights they spent in each others’ arms from her daughter. He’d once joked that she was ashamed of being seen with him.
Didn’t seem like much of a joke now.
All his business reasons for being with her had ceased. She could end the personal one with a word. That she had the discipline to do it he had no doubt. That she might at any moment sent a chill through his heart.
“Hungry, Jack?” Mel asked.
Only one thing scared him more than what he was about to do. And that was not doing it.
Before Diana could take more than a step, Jack positioned himself in front of the door, barring her way. She halted, looking up at him quizzically.
Jack held Diana’s eyes as he addressed her daughter. “Mel, I can’t be just your mother’s friend. I’m in love with her.”
“I know.”
“You know,” he repeated, surprised by both Mel’s immediate response and the blandness of her tone.
“She loves you, too,” Mel said.
“How do you know?” Jack asked, his pulse quickening as his eyes darted to the girl’s face and found her smiling at him.
“Because she looks at you the same way you look at her. Holmes and I have been wondering when you were going to tell us.”
Jack stared into the beautiful face before him. “Diana, do you love me?”
She chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “And still he has to ask. Some detective.”
He pulled her close to his fast-beating heart and brushed his cheek against her hair, every nerve ending in his body happily humming with the message in her words.
“Maybe I can hire Holmes to give me some pointers,” he said in a voice not quite steady.
“Always happy to be of assistance,” Shirley assured. “Although I will have to admit, Watson and I are going to miss the fun of watching Jack trudge through the backyard at four in the morning trying to find his car in the trees.”
“And tripping over the weeds,” Mel said with a giggle.
Jack shook his head in amusement. What had ever given him the idea that he was a good actor?
“You’re all right with this, Mel?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the gentle radiance on Diana’s face.
Mel’s responsive sigh was full of dramatics. “I suppose if Mom has to lose her mind over a man, she could do a lot worse than a great drama coach.”
Jack smiled. “Diana, I may not be a fan of kids, but I’ve sure fallen for this little supercomputer of yours. And having Sherlock Holmes in the family is a dream come true for any private investigator. Looks like the only way I’m going to be able to gain custody of them is for you to marry me.”
“Marry?” she repeated, and he was all too aware of the astonishment in her voice. “I thought you weren’t that brave?”
He traced the exquisite curve of her cheek with his fingertip. Until this moment he hadn’t known she’d given herself to him so unconditionally. For the woman she was that had taken a lot of love. A feeling full of gratitude and rightness poured through him.
“Bravery is simply the brain listening to the heart,” he quoted.
Her lips drew back in a smile. “I seem to have heard that somewhere before.”
“An actor always steals the best lines.”
“Ah, but you’re a private investigator now.”
“Which is why if you marry me, I can promise you’ll never have to pay full rate for private investigation services again.”
“I’d think twice before turning down such a generous offer,” Shirley said soberly. “I’ve seen Jack’s bill.”
“Say yes, Mom, or we’re never going to eat,” Mel chimed in. “He’s blocking the door.”
“Diana, I love you so much we’re going to beat the hell out of the divorce statistics. Be brave. Please. Tell me the answer is yes.”
Diana’s sigh was a happy sound as she wound her arms around his neck. “Of course, it’s yes. Doesn’t the hero always get the girl in the end?”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-3644-8
FOR THE DEFENSE
Copyright © 2003 by Mary Johnson.
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