Page 42 of The Sheriff & the Nurse

Clint wanted to tell Lily he loved her.

He clicked on the listening device app again. Lily was still working with the expectant mom about to have a baby. There was some screaming and cursing.

He smiled, then broke into a grin. He got out of the truck, put his earbuds back in, and paced until the baby was born. Lily’s voice was so happy.

How happy would she be when he told her the issue with Walker was done? How great was his brother, putting Clint’s happiness before his own? He got a little choked up listening to the new mom and dad and Lily and the baby crying and everybody so happy and knowing Walker was one of the best guys out there.

He finally climbed back into the truck, drank a couple protein drinks, and dealt with a bunch of emails. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes as he listened to Lily’s melodious voice.

His phone beeped a text.

I have a lunch break now.

Ah, shoot. He hadn’t drifted off, but he’d let too much time go by in a semi-awake state. It was one-ten. He texted back.Meet you in the cafeteria. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind cafeteria food.

Clint slid out of the truck and stretched, his back and neck stiff. He was getting far too lax. Talking to his brother was one thing; losing track of time was quite another.

He put his hat on and rushed into the hospital and down the hall to the cafeteria. Lily was waiting for him. She looked tired and absolutely irresistible. He couldn’t wait to tell her about his conversation with Walker, but he didn’t want to just spit it out. He wanted to do it some romantic way, prove how much he loved her.

What would she do if he stormed to her and kissed her? The cafeteria was busier than yesterday. Did he need to prove theywere engaged? His eyes darted to the ring on her finger then back to her face.

He reached her and restrained himself from kissing her. He didn’t want to kiss her to prove they were fake engaged. He wanted to kiss her to prove how deeply he loved her.

Heart thumping erratically, he was bursting with the news that Walker was the best man on earth and was letting him out of his agreement. Now Clint could pursue Lily without any impediments or guilt.

“How’s your day been?” he managed to ask in a semi-level tone, taking her hand in his and reveling in the softness of her smaller hand that fit perfectly in his.

“Good. A lot slower than Saturday.” She smiled. “How about yours?”

“I sat in the truck and listened to your melodious voice and time flew by.” Some bodyguard he was. At least he hadn’t fallen asleep, but he had been close to drifting off. What if she would’ve said ‘hot sheriff’ and he’d missed it?

He had to find a way to sleep tonight. Rough to do with Lily in the next bedroom over. There was a huge problem with admitting all that he felt for her and pursuing a relationship wholeheartedly … sleeping in the same house. He’d have to pray this case came to a resolution soon or beg her to marry him tonight.

She arched an eyebrow and actually grinned. “Well, at least you weren’t listening to everything I said. My voice put you to sleep.”

“Thankfully not to sleep. I wouldn’t want to miss a single word.” He squeezed her hand. “But I never got ahold of Rhett.” He did get a hold of Walker. Was it time to tell her? Definitely not the romantic spot he craved, but he didn’t know if he could hold the news in much longer. Clint was never impatient or impetuous. With Lily, he was both. “Cafeteria food?”

“Sure.”

They walked up to the counter and ordered, then waited only a few minutes for his sandwich and her salad. He carried the food to a back table, then filled up water cups for both of them.

As he settled in, his pulse quickened and his mouth went dry. He had to tell her about his conversation with Walker. Could he carry her outside and kiss for a long time after? He took a drink of his water to moisten his throat, cleared it, and said, “Li?—”

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to look, cursing the interruption, but maybe that was the Lord’s way of telling him to wait for a better setting and more time to talk through everything after he told her.

“Mark,” he grunted.

“You can take it,” Lily said.

He didn’t like interrupting the little amount of time they had together, but it was probably important. Mark rarely called; a quick text was more his style.

“Yeah?” He took another drink of his water, studying Lily. Would she be ecstatic when he told her the obstacle with Walker was gone? When he admitted he loved her much more than he’d ever loved Sheryl? What if he’d ruined everything last night not fighting for her?

“We got a match on the prints.” Mark’s voice pitched up. Excitement or anxiety? That was weird.

“That’s good.” A resolution to this case would be better than good. Then he could pursue Lily and get engaged for real.

“Disturbing is more like it.”

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