lot lately. In fact, they'd spent much of the last two weeks together. As promised, their first date had been to the Beachside Bar where he'd introduced her to San Francisco's finest rum drinks. They'd talked for hours over those drinks, and found they had more in common than just dark pasts.
She couldn't remember feeling so comfortable with a man so quickly, but going through a life and death situation with Spencer had vaulted them over the initial first date awkwardness, and their relationship was moving quickly past friendship into passion and maybe even love.
They'd both been through their own version of hell, but they were coming out of the darkness. Spencer had enrolled in a cooking class and was working on the weekends as a sous chef, and she'd just spoken to one of her former bosses at San Francisco General Hospital about working in the maternity ward. She thought bringing babies into the world would be a nice change of pace. She'd missed nursing, and it was time to stop running away from what she loved. Her punishment was over.
She'd never imagined a trip to the bank could turn her entire life upside down. And it wasn't just the robbery that had shaken her out of her stupor; it was Spencer.
After telling him her story, she'd been able to go back to her dad. Her father had apologized for not reacting the way she'd wanted. And she'd said she was sorry for not giving him a chance to react any way he wanted to. They'd made up and she'd found her dad to be far more understanding of what she'd gone through than she'd thought.
Speaking of her father…
"Don't forget, we have to get to my dad's house by eight," she said. "I promised I'd bring you by after dinner. He wants to meet the man who encouraged me to talk to him again."
"And I want to meet him. We'll be there in plenty of time." Spencer paused by the front door. "Before we go inside, I want to say something."
"What's that?" she asked, feeling a little nervous. It was a familiar feeling. In fact, she was starting to get used to the fluttery dance her stomach did every time Spencer was around. She was wildly attracted to the man; she just didn't know exactly what to do about it. After their fast start, they'd been taking things slow, but she'd been finding the pace a little slower than she wanted. In fact, she'd been taking a lot of cold showers lately.
Spencer gave her a serious look. "I want you, Hallie."
She swallowed hard, not sure what to say. "Okay."
He frowned. "Not exactly the reaction I was looking for."
"We're standing outside a courthouse."
"I know it's not the most romantic spot I could have picked, but I didn't want to go another minute without telling you how I feel. We've both been hurt by love. But I'm ready to take another chance—with you. If you're not ready yet, I'll wait. I know you loved Doug, and I want to respect that."
"How long will you wait?"
"As long as it takes for you to want me, too. I know I'm not the ideal man. I've got a prison record—"
"Hush," she said, putting her finger against his lips. "We've been all through that. I know what kind of man you are. I'm not afraid of your record or your past."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I already want you, Spencer. I'm scared of how much I want you. And after what we went through together, I don't want to waste any more time being afraid. I'd like to see where this relationship goes. So I'm in, all the way in." As she finished speaking, all her lingering doubts faded away. She was in love again. She'd never imagined she could be, but here she was.
"Thank God," Spencer said with heartfelt sincerity. "I feel the same way." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
"I'm glad you feel the same," she said breathlessly, but I hope you didn't bring me here to spring a surprise wedding on me."
"Well, someone is getting married, but it's not us. It's Emma and Max."
"Really? Here?"
“Emma didn't want to wait to put together another wedding. She wants to marry Max tonight."
"Isn't
She couldn't remember feeling so comfortable with a man so quickly, but going through a life and death situation with Spencer had vaulted them over the initial first date awkwardness, and their relationship was moving quickly past friendship into passion and maybe even love.
They'd both been through their own version of hell, but they were coming out of the darkness. Spencer had enrolled in a cooking class and was working on the weekends as a sous chef, and she'd just spoken to one of her former bosses at San Francisco General Hospital about working in the maternity ward. She thought bringing babies into the world would be a nice change of pace. She'd missed nursing, and it was time to stop running away from what she loved. Her punishment was over.
She'd never imagined a trip to the bank could turn her entire life upside down. And it wasn't just the robbery that had shaken her out of her stupor; it was Spencer.
After telling him her story, she'd been able to go back to her dad. Her father had apologized for not reacting the way she'd wanted. And she'd said she was sorry for not giving him a chance to react any way he wanted to. They'd made up and she'd found her dad to be far more understanding of what she'd gone through than she'd thought.
Speaking of her father…
"Don't forget, we have to get to my dad's house by eight," she said. "I promised I'd bring you by after dinner. He wants to meet the man who encouraged me to talk to him again."
"And I want to meet him. We'll be there in plenty of time." Spencer paused by the front door. "Before we go inside, I want to say something."
"What's that?" she asked, feeling a little nervous. It was a familiar feeling. In fact, she was starting to get used to the fluttery dance her stomach did every time Spencer was around. She was wildly attracted to the man; she just didn't know exactly what to do about it. After their fast start, they'd been taking things slow, but she'd been finding the pace a little slower than she wanted. In fact, she'd been taking a lot of cold showers lately.
Spencer gave her a serious look. "I want you, Hallie."
She swallowed hard, not sure what to say. "Okay."
He frowned. "Not exactly the reaction I was looking for."
"We're standing outside a courthouse."
"I know it's not the most romantic spot I could have picked, but I didn't want to go another minute without telling you how I feel. We've both been hurt by love. But I'm ready to take another chance—with you. If you're not ready yet, I'll wait. I know you loved Doug, and I want to respect that."
"How long will you wait?"
"As long as it takes for you to want me, too. I know I'm not the ideal man. I've got a prison record—"
"Hush," she said, putting her finger against his lips. "We've been all through that. I know what kind of man you are. I'm not afraid of your record or your past."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I already want you, Spencer. I'm scared of how much I want you. And after what we went through together, I don't want to waste any more time being afraid. I'd like to see where this relationship goes. So I'm in, all the way in." As she finished speaking, all her lingering doubts faded away. She was in love again. She'd never imagined she could be, but here she was.
"Thank God," Spencer said with heartfelt sincerity. "I feel the same way." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
"I'm glad you feel the same," she said breathlessly, but I hope you didn't bring me here to spring a surprise wedding on me."
"Well, someone is getting married, but it's not us. It's Emma and Max."
"Really? Here?"
“Emma didn't want to wait to put together another wedding. She wants to marry Max tonight."
"Isn't
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