Chapter 27

Mac was nearly at her wits end by the time her shift was over that day. Every time she and Vic were in the same area, he would hurry to her side to plead his case. Well, okay, not exactly pleading with her, but his continued insistence that he was better for her than an aging diplomat was really beginning to get on her nerves. Vic seemed to be under the mistaken impression that AJ wouldn't or couldn't keep her happy sexually.

She really didn't want to discuss with him which of the two men was the better lover. First off she wasn't one to kiss and tell, and secondly, she didn't 'rate' her lovers on a numerical scale. Both men pleased her sexually and completely satisfied her. The difference had been that although she had felt deep affection for Vic she hadn't been in love with him. AJ on the other hand was able to make her see stars simply because of the additional emotional component. She had once heard an old song that said something about 'love lifting you up…' it was certainly true in her case with AJ.

Trying to avoid Vic that day was like trying to bail out the ocean with a spoon. She finally allowed him to get her alone in a deserted corridor and she turned the tables on him. Backing him up against the bulkhead, getting up in his face, while poking him in the chest with a finger she told him, "You have to stop harassing me about this or I will relieve you of duty. I was going to recommend you to be my replacement when I leave the ship next week, but you are not showing me you can handle difficult situations very well!"

"Mac I love you!" he protested.

"And I love AJ! If you do love me, I would think you would want me to be happy."

"I want you to be happy with me."

"I do care about you Vic, but that's not love. Someday you will find someone that will love you back just as you deserve. I'll celebrate that day with you. But my happiness lies with AJ and even if you don't believe that, he and I are going to be married. You need to decide how you want me to remember you when I leave the ship. It can either be as a good friend who wishes me well, or as a petulant child who is acting out because he can't have his way. The other thing to consider is which of those two persons is most likely to be my choice for my successor?"

Vic stood there staring at her for a time letting the things she had said replay in his mind. Did he want to be seen as a sore loser by her? Did he really want that to be her last impression of him before she left the ship? From what she had said he had lost already. At the very least, he could let her go graciously. If one day in the future things didn't work out with Chegwidden, maybe she would remember him and return to him.

"While the promotion would be nice Mac, what you think of me is much more important. I'm sorry I've acted the way I did. All I can say in my defense is that I've never loved anyone like I love you and the thought of letting you go is practically killing me. Still, I do want you to be happy like you said, so I will wish you well no matter who you decide to recommend as your replacement." With that he gently kissed her cheek and walked away.

Mac felt a tear slide down her cheek as she watched his retreating back. She hated to hurt him, but there wasn't anything she could do to change his feelings. All she could do was hope that once she and AJ were off the ship Vic would be able to begin to forget her.

To be continued…..