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yard, and stopped by the huge motorhome that was parked on the street.
    He set her down on her four-inch heels and as those delicate crimson heels sunk into the lawn, he reached into his pocket and brought out a ring of keys to unlock the door.
    And the entire time she stood frozen and wondered what the blazes ?
    “I finally did it, honey.” He swung open the door and urged her inside, closing the door quickly behind him before the chill of the night air could follow them in. He clicked on a light and waved one hand to encompass the huge area. “It’s bought and paid for, so we won’t have any extra expenses. Gas, groceries, and fun money is all we need to worry about.”
    “What?” was all she managed to croak out because the stupid corset was squeezing the breath from her lungs almost as much as the confusion over where he was going with this.
    He turned to face her, reached into his pocket as he dropped to one knee on the floor in front of her, and she couldn’t help but back up a step. For the first time, she noticed the adoration shining in his gaze and she wondered when had that happened? And why hadn’t she paid more attention so she could stop those feelings before they developed?
    “Mattie, honey, marry me. I’m tired of hiding from the neighbors. Of sneaking over to your house after dark like a sixteen-year-old kid, then sneaking out before the sun rises. For Pete’s sake, I can’t even look at you in public for fear I’ll give myself away. Mattie, honey, come out of the closet and marry me.” He looked up at her with his beautiful eyes full of emotion, took her hand in his, and gently slipped the ring on her finger, scaring the bejeezus right out of her with this simple romantic gesture.
    Even if it was a much better proposal than her first. Still, she’d accepted that one. But she wasn’t a stupid naive girl anymore.
    She tugged her hand free, looked down at the huge sparkly rock he’d put on her finger, and let out a nervous laugh. “Don’t be an old fool, Harry.”
    His dark brows lowered. “I’m sixty-six years old, Mattie, not ninety-two and senile.”
    She backed up a step, teetering on the edge of the steps they’d just ascended, and steadied her balance. “Get off your knees, Harry, and quit making an ass of yourself.”
    In one swift move, he came to his feet. Even with her spiked heels, he towered over her and made her feel tiny and delicate and sexier than she’d ever felt as a twenty-one year old newlywed. Except the sexy part was quickly fading in the trepidation overcoming her. “Damn it, Harry, why spoil what we have?”
    “We’re not spoiling it. We’re making it better.” He captured both her hands in his and leaned so close, all she could see was his beautiful eyes shining in the light of the moon streaming through the side windows. “Mattie, I adore you. I’ve adored you since the third grade and you still married that jackass Herbert. Well, he’s dead now and it’s my turn.”
    “Harry, I’m not one of your groupies that you can just order around.”
    His voice softened. “No, you’re a flesh and blood woman. I want to have the right to hold you in my arms in public. I’m ready to retire and you don’t have to work so hard anymore. I can take care of you. We’ll travel the Mainland and grow old together, and spend the next thirty or so years living in each other’s back pocket.”
    Matilda felt her soul shrivel up.
    Even though her late husband had been dead and buried for five years now, it seemed like she’d just escaped the shackles of one man. She snatched her hands out of his, tugged the ring off her finger, shoved it into his shirt pocket, ignored the warmth of his skin and said, “No.”
    His happy smile turned into a glower. “Why the hell not?”
    Could she really let him go? She squeezed his fingers and moved a step closer into his body heat. “Harry, I nominated you for Mayor today. You’ll make a wonderful Mayor. Handsome, distinguished,