Page 46 (1/2)

"Why is everything suddenly so complicated?" Summer asked despondently "It sees this way Now I feel as if we’re trapped"

Jaet back to you," he told his in-laws Both were content to leave it at that

After brunch he and Suhborhood Their pace was leisurely, and she didn’t say anything for a couple of blocks She clasped her hands behind her back as if she didn’t want to be close to hied to put his arm around her

"I know you’re disappointed, sweetheart So aan "I--"

"This is what you meant about problems with the April date, isn’t it? The election"

"Yes, but…"

"I feel like excess baggage in your life"

"Suet so ers through his hair "I was the one who suggested we go ahead with the wedding right away"

"Thank heaven I’d hate to think how long we’d have to wait if you hadn’t"

"I was being purely selfish and only a little practical I kneouldn’t be able to keep froer"

"And you’re traditional enough--gentleested softly

"So like that" She made him sound nobler than he was He’d ine nother

"As you said, the proble you when I did Not when I knew very hat this year would be like"

"The can?"

He nodded "I’ve never been a political person, but it’s a real factor in this kind of situation"

"I thought judges were nonpartisan"

"They are, but trust me, sweetheart, there’s plenty of politics involved I want to be elected, Suh this"

She was silent again for a long "

She lowered her head and increased her pace "Why didn’t you tell anyone we’re ed" Ja his words carefully

"And?"

"And he asked h with the wedding He had a number of reasons, so that ood h that revealed little aer and already I dislike him"

"Ralph Ralph Southworth He isn’t so bad"

"What e do, James?"

"I don’t know"

"Do you want me to wait until after the election to move to Seattle?"

"No," he said vehemently

"But you have to consider Ralph’s advice"

"So like that" They walked past a school yard with a battered chain-link fence It looked as if every third-grade class for the past twenty years had oal to cli about this constantly," Jahed down his heart for nearly teeks, ever since his talk with Ralph "There are no easy solutions"

"We don’t need to decide right now, do we?"

"No" Actually Ja to say the heck with it and ive it soht in the next feeeks"

"Good idea" He placed one arm around her shoulders "I’ve worked hard for this opportunity to sit on the bench, Su etting rid of et it"

Jahtly It was a bittersweet kiss, reain Only this tiain

Suo, I had to practically beg you to kiss me in public"

"That was before you had es she’d already wrought in his life astonished him "I don’t knohat I did to deserve you, but whatever it was I’ht leaves in less than five hours"

"I know"

"I suppose we should go back to the apartment" She looked up at him and raised her delicate eyebrows "That’s plenty of time for what I have in mind"

"Surinned She ed to be sexy and funny si

They made their farewells to her family and were soon on their way back to the apartment There was tione again

Su because she said, "We always see each other"

Ja They parked in the lot outside her apartment, but as soon as they were out of the car Jaaze on theout of the car next to theirs