Chapter Seventeen #2
He had wondered for the last five days if she had received the flowers.
And what her response would be. He had hoped for more, but he wasn’t surprised.
And this slow approach wasn’t working fast enough for him.
The dog…the flowers…none of it was getting him face-to-face with her.
This was going to take a much more hands-on approach.
So much for his sister’s advice. He had never been a person to sit still for long when there was a case he needed to solve.
And that thought turned on a big bright light bulb in his brain.
It was time to step up and be face-to-face and let the chips fall where they might.
Erin would let him know soon enough where he stood.
And if she even cared about dealing with him or not.
Either way, there would be a conclusion.
First things first, he needed a good sleep in his own bed.
Then he would prepare what he needed to say.
And on Monday, at the end of the court’s day, he would face the Honorable Judge Latham.
*
“She is an absolute doll. You should bring her with you every day,” GiGi said, giving Jackee another dog biscuit treat as the pup sat on a dog pillow beside her chair.
Erin shook her head. “This was a must bring with me day…Nellie was out, and I had to pick her up from the vet before they closed early. So, she was warned to be on her best behavior or else. I’m glad you all didn’t mind having her underfoot these last two hours.
One more case to hear a plea for and then we’ll be out of here.
But both of you can leave now. The paperwork will wait until Monday.
Jackee will be okay here. Just make certain the door is shut when you leave. ”
Erin took her place in her chair behind the bench.
The attorneys were present, as was the defendant.
She began the proceedings. And she encouraged them to move it along.
They did and she accepted the plea and that was that.
The gavel was about to come down when the door opened and a familiar figure with cowboy hat, boots, and his badge in view made his way down the aisle toward the bench. Before she could speak, he did.
“Sorry for the late interruption, Your Honor, but I have business with this court today.”
Erin was aware that the bailiff still stood with a mystified look at what this was about.
The attorneys were about to clear the room but hesitated.
Then it got strange. There was a loud bark, a sound of clawed feet scrambling for traction on the marble floor and a ball of fur came shooting out of the door that had not been secured.
The yapping began in earnest when she spied the tall figure standing still before the bench.
Jackee hurled herself at the man and he made a quick catch and scooped her into his arms.
“Hey, sweetie, I missed you, too. What are you doing here?”
Erin recovered and found her voice. She attempted to regain control of her courtroom. She slammed the gavel again. “Bailiff, please remove that animal to my chambers and stay there with her.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” He quickly moved to take the dog from the marshal. Erin waited until the door was shut firmly.
“Do you gentlemen have any other business in here?” She made the question—directed to the attorneys standing at the back—sharp.
“No, Your Honor. Sorry about that,” they both said as they exited the courtroom.
That left only her and the marshal who had begun the whole interruption. The court was not pleased.
“You have business, you say, before this court—yet you do not appear on my docket. That is a problem, Marshal Parker.”
“Sorry, Your Honor, but time was short, and I had planned for the courtroom to be clearing out.”
“And how do you know my dog? Explain that.”
“Yes, well, I had a friend whose rescue dog they adopted had puppies and I knew that you had expressed an interest in finding the right dog. And I saw this one and knew that the two of you belonged together. I’m sorry if that was a mistake. I can return her.”
“You most certainly will not. She is my property now. Let’s get on with this. I want to get home at some point. What is this business you say you have?”
“How about you gavel the court closed, and then come down off that bench and we can talk in a more civilized manner?”
“Civilized? My courtroom is always civilized.”
“Okay…a more personal manner then. Just come down, please.”
Erin did not respond right away. What was he up to?
What was the right thing for her to do? After all, he did come into her courtroom.
She hadn’t sought him out. Evidently, it was important enough to bring him there, so the least she could do was let him have his say and then leave. The sooner, the better.
She stood and made her way down the steps and then out front of the bench, standing on the opposite end of the aisle, by the prosecutor’s table. He was in front of the defendant’s table. It was a point not lost on her. She deemed it appropriate in a way.
She pushed the voluminous black sleeves of her robe upward on her arms and then crossed them.
The only thing missing was an insistent tap of her foot.
She waited. Erin might be able to pull off a calm demeanor on the outside, but her insides were as wobbly as a bowl of JELL-O.
She was surprised her legs were still holding her up.
“We didn’t have much time back in Destiny’s River before you left.
I know you wanted to not have to lay eyes on me longer than necessary.
I’ve had a lot of time to think over those last couple of days.
I can see how you would conclude what you did.
Given what I came to learn about your life and the men in it those last few hours.
Had I known before, I might have handled it differently.
But I didn’t. My only excuse for not telling you about the change of plans and the captain and all was that I was intent on talking about some things between us.
For the record, I was not going to send you alone on that chopper for two good reasons… if you had let me explain that.”
“Explain.”
“First, I was not ready to take you back until we could talk more. Second…I knew you hated flying in that chopper but never admitted it. I wasn’t going to let you go alone.”
“I see.” But she didn’t trust herself to articulate more at the moment.
Rance continued and that was for the best.
“None of this is easy for me. I would rather be on the hardest of assignments than experience the trepidation I did about debating with myself whether to come in here and speak my piece. But there’s no turning back.
I am sorry for upsetting you. I am not a liar.
Although Tori pointed out that I was guilty by omission.
I’m not getting into that. I just want to say that for the first time that I can remember I couldn’t get a girl out of my head.
It wasn’t because you’re beautiful.” Then he shook his head.
“I need to rephrase that… You are beautiful. But that isn’t the main reason.
And I’m getting tongue-tied. When we kissed, things really got mixed up.
The last time…well that sealed it for me.
That arrow hit me like my brother tried to tell me would happen and I just laughed him off. But that was before you.
“You deserve roses and moonlight and the best champagne with a guy in a tux and a wad of money in his pocket. I’m none of those things and this courtroom was a really dumb idea.
You deserve much better. So let me just apologize for what I said…
or didn’t say…at the cabin. And leave it at that so you can be on your way. ”
Erin saw him take a step to turn away and that couldn’t happen. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”
Rance turned back with a totally confused look on his face. “All I’ve got? I apologized. I just made a fool out of myself in front of a woman who I basically told that I was in love with and not in my right mind, and you want more of an apology?”
“You’re a guy,” she stated. “I need to cut you some slack. I accept your apology. But it could use some work.”
“Well, I…” he began but stopped when she held up her hand.
“You stated your case, and now it’s my turn. My courtroom, remember?”
This time it was his turn to cross his arms against his chest and give her his pointed gaze.
“I know you aren’t used to apologizing and I will cut you slack on that. I’m sure you’ll get more opportunities to work on that issue. You placed that pup on my doorstep. How do you plead to that?”
“Guilty.”
“Your reason?”
“Because you wanted one and I knew that pup and you belonged together. It would make you both happy. So, I did it.”
“How did you remember it was my birthday? Was there an ulterior motive in that?”
“I heard you tell Tillie when your birthday was. I put it in a safe place in my brain to remember. My only motive was to do something that hopefully would make you smile, and because I was sorry.”
“I am stubborn. I usually get my way…either because I’m a judge no one wants to cross or I scare them…because I am a judge. Either way, people have a certain perception of me. But you didn’t seem to let that bother you one way or another. I didn’t like you when we met.”
He looked a little unsure of where she might be going, but he kept silent.
“But you grew on me. Your family helped with that, and all the wonderful people I met in Destiny’s River only made it more perfect. I could breathe. I could do things I had not done before. And no one treated me any different because of what I did…only who I was.
“And then we kissed. And a lot of things changed. I am a judge whose job is in a courtroom in Austin. You are a marshal who travels all over. How do you see a romance playing out between us?”
“If I might speak, I have given some thought to that.”
“Then speak.”
“No one says you must stop being a judge…because you’re very good at it.
I don’t have to give up what I enjoy as a marshal because my base is right here…
same building as you happen to have your courtroom.
But I love my country roots. And from what I saw and heard you speak about, you love that life, too.
There are long weekends and holidays and that river will be right there waiting anytime for us.
” He paused. Somehow, the space between them had shortened a bit. But there was still room.
“I guess what I’m saying is that I know how I feel. I love you, Erin Latham. I could only hope with my whole being that you might be able to feel something for me, too.”
Erin’s heart was beating out of her chest. This is what it feels like. She thought it was a feeling she might never know. But this tall lawman had stormed into her court one day and never left it or her.
“I have deliberated and your case has merit, and I will need to take it under consideration for quite a while.”
He reached out his hand, a warm emerald glow surrounding her and filling her with immense joy. Her hand met his and was engulfed in something strangely like walking into a warm, firelit room on a snowy night…home, safe and sound.
“Quite a while? As in a few years or more?”
“If you’re lucky, it could be a lifetime sentence.”
She didn’t hesitate as he drew her slowly toward him, their hands joined between them. She could feel the hammering of his heart, and it matched hers. There was one final pronouncement from the court needed.
“Rance Parker, I should have known you were going to turn my quiet world upside down. And it makes me very happy to have you do it. I love you, first, last, and always. If I had my gavel, I would slam it down, case over.”
“I think a kiss would do just as well to seal the verdict.”