Page 46 of Courageous Demands

“Maybe we could practice saying those three words again later, too?”

Her heart turned over once more as she saw his tender smile and the warmth of his gaze. He wanted to hear her say ‘I love you’ again. Oh boy – she would scream it to the heavens for anyone to hear.

“I think I could manage that,” she murmured, feeling a flush of joy fill every corner of her soul as she watched Alec climb out of the truck and walk to her side, opening her door. He held out his hand to her, helping her down, and looked her in the eyes.

“Things are different this time – and I am here for it. I like what we have going, and my eyes are finally open, Willow.”

“Mine too,” she replied softly. “Because I’m never letting go again.”

“Me neither.”

“Shall we?”

“Chili and flyers… then kisses and hugs.”

“You got it.”

Alec chuckled and leaned forward, picking up the massive crockpot while she dug out her package of flyers and roll of stickers. She slipped the roll onto her wrist like a bracelet and shut the truck door, following him across the parking lot to where a bevy of picnic tables waited.

Immediately, they were swallowed by people. Everyone wanted to say ‘hello,’ shake hands, and seemed to know Alec. The man did not have a stranger in this world, and he was cutting up with everyone. She saw Chief Carpenter, Alec’s boss, standing at a table with several others – all wearing stickers that said ‘Hello’ with the word ‘Judge’ written underneath.

The chili cookoff judges, she smiled as she heard Alec.

“Hey! I got your winner right here, Chief,” Alec announced, setting the crockpot on the table nearby. “Where’s your little brother, Inferior?”

“Inferno,” Chief Carpenter laughed loudly – and even several others around started chuckling at the play on words. “His call sign is Inferno in the Air Force, and Max will be here shortly with his new wife. Do us all a favor and try not to call him Inferior to his new wife.”

“No promises. Potato, potato. A cupcake is still a muffin with frosting no matter how pretty it looks. How about ‘Infernal’ or ‘Nocturnal’?”

“How about ‘Max’?”

The two men were laughing and cutting up several feet from where she stood, only for Willow to feel someone touch her arm. She turned to greet the person and plucked a flyer off the pad in her arms – only to come face to face with her competitor.

Judge Eugene Stevenson.

“So, you and the firefighter, huh? I didn’t think you had it in you to sink so low, Rushman,” Eugene said under his breath. “Nice touch, you know. The calendar, coming to this event, and trying to squirrel the favor of all the first responders in the city.”

“What are you talking about?”

“So, how’s it going for you? Do you think you are going to win favor by sleeping with Mary Beckett’s son? Her husband was a hero, and you are tarnishing their family name by dragging him through the mud. Wait until the internet gets a hold of those pictures…” he drawled and gave her a sideways look – and Willow felt herself pale.

“What pictures?” she whispered weakly, realizing her suspicions that she was being followed were accurate. She had been hoping to catch someone in the act so she could turn it over to the police, yet Judge Slimeball was downright admitting to it.

“Oh, let’s see. I think my favorite was you two rolling in the grass and kissing each other. The kiss in front of the fire station was a nice touch, sweet, but that didn’t help me at all…” and paused, getting this nauseatingly smug smile on his face.

“Now it’s interesting what you can do with digital photography. Your boy-toy’s mini-blinds are broken, and if you pay the right person with skills…?” his words hung in the air, shocking her to her core. He tutted softly, walking around her like a predatory animal. “Shameful – and who knew that the honorable Judge Rushman isn’t exactly honorable after all… is she?”

“I’ll sue you,” she said tightly. “You were having me followed and…”

“You can’t prove anything,” he replied smugly, cutting her off. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

Willow couldn’t help but feel like a tiger was stalking her, playing with her, waiting to pounce, and she had no idea what he was talking about regarding some mysterious photos. If someone had taken pictures of her kissing Alec at her home, they had to have been peering over the privacy fence – which was creepy as could be. This also meant that someone was peering into Alec’s place, following him, and a complete invasion of privacy. How far did this extend? What other photographs had someone taken of her? How badly were they doctored?

Her mind was going wild as she stood there, completely side-swiped by the comments he was whispering and the implications.

“People used to point at you, using you as a model citizen for all their daughters to see… lawyers looked up to you because you were fair, honest, and ethical, but what do you think they will say when…”

“Hey!” Alec snapped, suddenly showing up – and shoving Judge Stevenson bodily, making a scene. “Are you threatening her?”

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