Local Hero

don’t know what else to say. I just wish—”
    He pressed his finger to her lips. “We’ll talk about it later. I’ll take you back to work.”
    “No, don’t bother. Really,” she said when he started to argue. “I’d like some time to think, anyway. Being with you makes that difficult.”
    “That’s a good start.” He took her chin in his hand and studied her face. “You look fine, but next time don’t cry when I ask you to marry me. It’s hell on the ego.” He kissed her before she could speak. “See you later, Mrs. Wallace. Thanks for lunch.”
    A little dazed, she walked out into the hall. “I’ll call you later.”
    “Do that. I’ll be around.”
    He closed the door, then turned to lean back against it. Hurt? He rubbed a spot just under his heart. Damn right it hurt. If anyone had told him that being in love could cause the heart to twist, he’d have continued to avoid it. He’d had a twinge when his long-ago love in New Orleans had deserted him. It hadn’t prepared him for this sledgehammer blow. What could possibly have?
    But he wasn’t giving up. What he had to do was figure out a plan of attack—subtle, clever and irresistible. Mitch glanced down at Taz consideringly.
    “Where do you think Hester would like to go on our honeymoon?”
    The dog grumbled, then rolled over on his back.
    “No,” Mitch decided. “Bermuda’s overdone. Never mind, I’ll come up with something.”

Chapter 10
    “Radley, you and your friends have to tone down the volume on the war, please.” Hester took the measuring tape from around her neck and stretched it out over the wall space. Perfect, she thought with a satisfied nod. Then she took the pencil from behind her ear to mark two
X
s where the nails would go.
    The little glass shelves she would hang were a present to herself, one that was completely unnecessary and pleased her a great deal. She didn’t consider the act of hanging them herself a show of competence or independence, but simply one more of the ordinary chores she’d been doing on her own for years. With a hammer in one hand, she lined up the first nail. She’d given it two good whacks when someone knocked on the door.
    “Just a minute.” She gave the nail a final smack. From Radley’s bedroom came the sounds of antiaircraft and whistling missiles. Hester took the second nail out of her mouth and stuck it in her pocket. “Rad, we’re going to be arrested for disturbing the peace.” She opened the door to Mitch. “Hi.”
    The pleasure showed instantly, gratifying him. It had been two days since he’d seen her, since he’d told her he loved her and wanted to marry her. In two days he’d done a lot of hard thinking and could only hope that, despite herself, Hester had done some thinking too.
    “Doing some remodeling?” he asked with a nod at the hammer.
    “Just hanging a shelf.” She wrapped both hands around the handle of the hammer, feeling like a teenager. “Come in.”
    He glanced toward Radley’s room as she shut the door. It sounded as though a major air strike was in progress. “You didn’t mention you were opening a playground.”
    “It’s been a lifelong dream of mine. Rad, they’ve just signed a treaty—hold your fire!” With a cautious smile for Mitch, she waved him toward a chair. “Radley has Josh over today, and Ernie—Ernie lives upstairs and goes to school with Rad.”
    “Sure, the Bitterman kid. I know him. Nice,” he commented as he looked at the shelves.
    “They’re a present for completing a successful month at National Trust.” Hester ran a finger along a beveled edge. She really did want this more than a new outfit.
    “You’re on the reward program?”
    “Self-reward.”
    “The best kind. Want me to finish that for you?”
    “Oh?” She glanced down at the hammer. “Oh, no, thanks. I can do it. Why don’t you sit down? I’ll get you some coffee.”
    “You hang the shelf; I’ll get the coffee.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And relax, will you?”
    “Mitch.” He’d taken only two steps away when she reached for his arm. “I’m awfully glad to see you. I was afraid, well, that you were angry.”
    “Angry?” He gave her a baffled look. “About what?”
    “About . . .” She trailed off as he continued to stare at her in a half-interested, half-curious way that made her wonder if she’d imagined everything he’d said. “Nothing.” She dug the nail out of her pocket. “Help yourself to the