Page 69 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
Her face flinched. “It wasn’t just a job to me. I fell for you too! Do you think I liked lying to you? But you were lying to me too. Why can’t we just call it even?”
“Because your lies were bigger than mine.” He cupped her face, his fingers wanting to feel the burn from her touch. “And you kissed me!”
“You kissed me too!” She shoved him, but he didn’t move. “Lying about being a single dad isn’t a big deal? Oh, this is rich. You think you’re on some high horse. Well, buddy, you aren’t. But all this arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere. Because Tara is still in trouble, and I still have a case to close.”
He dropped her arms and took a step back. “You should have told me who you were before now.”
“I couldn’t, and you know it,” she argued, looking over as Tim and Sheila walked back in.
He turned to his brother. “Tim, I don’t know what is wrong with you, but we’re going. Now. Don’t make me coldcock you.”
His brother walked up to him while Sheila came and stood beside Lily, huddling in closer until all four of them were standing close. “What? Do you expect us to put our hands into the pile and say Go Team?” he scoffed.
“Not exactly.” His brother whipped the arm he had resting behind him and grabbed Robbie’s wrist. His reflexes dulled by shock, Robbie felt something cold and metal touch his skin before he heard a click, and then Sheila was grabbing Lily’s wrist. Another click sounded. He looked down in shock.
They were handcuffed together.
“What the fuck is this?” he shouted.
Lily rattled the cuffs, their arms grazing each other. “Sheila, stop this! What in the hell are you thinking? I am not going to be handcuffed to this blockhead.”
“Blockhead?”Robbie eyed Tim and Sheila as they backed away toward the patio door. “Tim, you are a dead man.”
“After our talk about your unique feelings for Lily, I’m risking it.” His brother gave him a lopsided smile. “Destiny brought you here—”
“Tara brought me here!” He started to move toward his brother, but when he jerked on the cuffs, Lily cried out in pain. “Sorry. I’m not usually the one in the cuffs.”
“On that we agree,” she said dryly. “Tim. Sheila. I know you two think you mean well, but you’re only making things worse.”
“Listen to your partner.” Robbie turned to Lily’s partner, desperation rising in his veins. “Come on, Sheila. Give us the key. You can’t cuff a police officer.”
“I didn’t technically, and honestly, I’ve cuffed law enforcement officers in my private life before. More than once,” she said with a smirk, opening the patio door. “Your brother keeps surprising us. He had the idea and executed it brilliantly.”
Tim had the audacity to take her hand and grandly kiss it. “Thank you, kind lady.”
Robbie glared at him. “You’ve totally lost it, Tim.”
Sheila clucked with her tongue. “No, he hasn’t. We both agree you two are perfect for each other. That’s why you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.”
“This is such bullshit,” Robbie ground out.
“You’re both competitive, highly intelligent, protective, and nice,” Sheila continued despite his outburst. “Okay, that’s mostly Lily. You’re in the same profession mostly, which means you get the job. And you live in the same city. Neither of you has dated much lately, wanting something more, andvoila,here you are—practically a love match after a week.”
“This is so not happening,” Lily moaned.
Robbie thought about lunging for his brother, but from the set of his jaw, it was clear he intended to see this through. “I’m blaming your Shakespeare crap for this, Tim. You have one last chance to uncuff us.”
Tim lifted his chin. “I know what I’m doing. Besides, after thinking about it last night, I’ve concluded you and Lily have a shot at a very un-Shakespeare romance.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” he spat, feeling Lily straighten next to him.
“Yeah, I’m eager to hear this theory as well,” Lily replied, standing way too close to him for comfort.
“You said his works end in tragedy.” Tim’s blue eyes were warm but unrelenting. “While that disregards the fact that half his plays are comedies, all of his tragedies do end badly, and man, you have been living in one. Deceit. High drama. Intrigue. Good versus evil. But we don’t want your story to end predictably. I think you and Lily have a shot at a real happily ever after.”
He heard Lily’s sharp intake of breath beside him and ground his teeth. “That’s the biggest bunch of bullshit I’ve ever heard. Tim, we need to get Tara out of here—”
“That’s where you’re wrong, O’Connor.” Sheila put her hands on her hips and practically breathed fire back at him. “Lily’s plan is flawless. Hear her out. Now, Tim and I are going next door.”
