Alternate Ending 1 Chapter 6
"Harriett what did she tell you?" he wondered, afraid of what the answer would be.
"She said you kissed her under false pretenses. How could you deceive her like that?"
"At first I didn't know she didn't recognize me. I didn't think I had changed that much over the summer."
"Even with that mustache I'd know you anywhere!"
"My hair was longer and the mustache was bushier."
"But how could she not know your voice?"
"I still had a trace of the Italian accent I'd picked up from Francesca."
"But why didn't you tell her who you were before you kissed her?"
"It wasn't right I know, but my plan was one brief kiss and then I was going to go home and clean up and start courting her."
"Well it's about time you admitted you loved her?"
"WHAT?"
"Oh give me a break AJ! I've known how the two of you felt about each other for years. It's about time you got your head out of your sixes and admitted it!"
Shaking his head with his hands on his hips and asked, "Does Clayton Webb know what he's missing by not having you on his staff?"
Harriett snorted and said, "Like I'd want to work for him after I'd had the best boss in the world. Now go tell her how you feel!"
With a happy grin on his face, he started for the door once again as Harriett threw after him, "By the way, I like the mustache. I think I'll insist on Buddy grow one."
Meanwhile, during this conversation, Mac was once again upstairs talking to herself, 'How could I have been such a fool? I should have known there wasn't another man in the world that much like AJ. But once he'd realized that I didn't know him why didn't he say something? He's a SEAL; he couldn't have been "in shock". His kissing must have been deliberate. So why did he do it?'
She stood there considering the options for a while and then it hit her! 'Well, duh, Mackenzie! You had just confessed you were in love with him; he kissed you out of pity! Oh God I'll never be able to face him again. I've got to get out of here before he comes looking for me.' Leaving the nursery she headed for the back stairs, which would take her down to the kitchen and allow her to escape out the back door.
Taking the stairs two at a time AJ reached the top just in time to see Sarah heading for the back stairs. Glad he'd kept up his jogging he raced down the hall after her, calling out, "Sarah, wait!" He was just a bit surprised when she glanced back over her shoulder and then turned and started running like the demons of hell were chasing her. He caught up to her in the kitchen and grabbing her shoulder spun her around to face him.
Trying to jerk her arm out of his grip, she cried, "Let me go!"
As he noticed for the first time the tears streaming down her cheeks, he asked, "Why are you running from me?"
"Because I don't need your offer of pity!"
"That wasn't what I wanted to offer you. The many times I imagined saying this to you, I never once imagined doing it in the Roberts' kitchen…"
"Whatever it is, say it and get over with so I can get out of here!"
"If you want to get out of here that bad, maybe we could go somewhere else and talk?"
Mac snarled, "I said all I had to say to a stranger at Wal-mart!"
"Good!" he told her with a cocky grin, "Then you can just listen! Your only choice is, your place or mine!"
Figuring to have a home-court advantage would be strategically in her favor, and knowing that ultimately AJ was always a gentleman and would leave if she insisted, Mac said with a grumble, "Well, I guess my place then."
"Then let's go," still having a hold on her arm he led her out the door.
"My coat!" she exclaimed.
"We're not going back in there for it. Here take my jacket." Wrapping it around her shoulders, he led her out to her 'Vette, he said, "I'll be right behind you. Don't go anywhere but your place."
"That sounded like a threat AJ."
To be continued…