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He was deeply gratified to know she didn’t mean what she’d said She wanted hi you" He

"Thank you" Mary Jo sounded both relieved and embarrassed

"I’ll stay here with you and we’ll wait for Linc"

Mary Jo sent hirateful look "Thank you," she repeated

He held out his arms for Noelle, and Mary Jo handed him the baby who settled instantly in his e her chin with his index finger Outwardly he re exactly what he should say to Mary Jo--and how he should say it

"I should start packing," she said

Mack raised one hand, stopping her "Don’t"

"But--"

"I have an idea that ht work"

She blinked "What kind of idea?"

"An idea that’ll let you stay in Cedar Cove"

Her expression grew hopeful "What?"

Mack gathered his resolve "You could marry me"

The color seemed to drain froht faint

"What do you think?" he asked, terrified that she’d reject hiht His heart felt as if it had shot into his throat and lodged there

"You don’t ainst the wall "That won’t solve anything," she said

Mack disagreed "The next ti withto both of us Trust ain, it’ll be the last tiive me the authority to tell hially adopt Noelle" He watched as her eyes flared hat he assumed was happiness Then almost immediately her face fell

"David won’t let you adopt Noelle, especially if he’s planning to use her to manipulate his father for funds"

Mack shook his head "He’ll surrender his rights if we pressure him for child support We could probably prove without too much trouble that he’s an unfit father" Mack suspected that as soon as David Rhodes realized he wouldn’t be able to use his daughter as leverage against Mary Jo and his father, he’d be willing to sign over all parental rights

Mary Jo seemed to consider his proposal "It’s…very nice of you to offer"

She was going to reject hi for her next words

She must have sensed his disappointment because she quickly added, "I need time to think about this"

Mack checked his watch "You have an hour and twenty-five minutes" He didn’t mean to make this sound like an ultimatum, but there was a practical reason for the time limit

She obviously understood what it was "Before Linc arrives?"

Mack nodded "I’d like to explain all this to him, so he’s comfortable with me as his brother-in-law"

"And if I say no?"

Mack expelled his breath He didn’t want to contemplate that possibility He’d deal with it if he had to and would volunteer his protection and friendship regardless, but…

"I’ree to marry me," he said

She turned away from him and her shoulders rose, then fell "First my brothers and now you! Why do all of you feel you knohat’s best for nized that he’d gone about this wrong, but he wasn’t sure how to rectify his blunder "You’re right," he said in a low voice "I don’t knohat’s best for you The problem is, I don’t think I could bear to live without you and Noelle"

She turned back to look at hiaze, her eyes dark and speculative Finally she nodded She’d reached a decision "Okay But I want to wait six months and…and this is iasped

"Not while we’re engaged"

"But you’ll stay in Cedar Cove?"

She nodded again

That lightened his e?" he asked

"It’ll give both of us enough tie ork At the end of six months, we can reevaluate If there’s no physical contact between us, it would be easier for either one of us to break off the engagement and walk away"

Mack’s mouth went dry He didn’t kno to respond

"Take it or leave it"

"Ah…"

"Should I assuement’s off or do ait six months?"