Love or Justice (37 page)

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. I’ll also be making a lot more money than what I’m making now. I might have to travel a little bit, but not even half as much as I would as a Marshal. It’ll be different from what I’m doing now, a lot different, but it’ll be great. I might even make it through a few months without being shot at, though with you around maybe not.”

He grabbed for her hand and squeezed it.

“It was never my fault you were shot at, that was all Kaimi.”

“Still, I never took so many bullets until I met you.” He grinned. He pulled into the parking lot at the airport. He parked, then reached for both of Laurie’s hands.

“Listen, I don’t want you to worry about me, or my career, or anything, okay? We’ll be close to my parents, I’ll have a job, and I’ll be able to raise a family with you. That’s far more than what I need to be happy, I promise.” He stroked her hand.

“Are you sure? I mean, I hated the thought of you being hurt or killed while you were looking for Kaimi. I hated every minute we’ve been away from each other, but I don’t think I would have asked you to leave your job for me.”

She tilted her head to the side as she studied him.

“For us. I left it for us. We’ll see how it goes, we’ll see how I like this new job. If not, I’ll find something else. I just know for sure that I want to raise a family with you.”

Laurie digested his words. Then she smiled up at him, squeezing his hand.

“Okay. If this is what you want, I’ll support you.”

He kissed her hand.

“Besides, you can be the defender of justice in the family. There’s a law school in Omaha too. I figured after you have the baby, you might want to go back and finish. I’ve got us scheduled for an admissions visit.” He sat back in his seat.

“You do?” She didn’t wait for his reply; she leaned forward and kissed him. He kissed her back, brushing her hair away from her face.

“Thank you,” she said, when she broke the kiss. “Thank you for being such a wonderful man.”

“I try.” They paused for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes.

Dante checked the clock on the dashboard.

“Our flight leaves in a couple of hours. We could grab dinner or we could grab a hotel room.” He raised both eyebrows at her.

Laurie laughed.

“There’s always room service.” She shrugged.

“Best of both worlds.”

Laurie looked at the hotel, shaking her head.

“I can’t wait to see our house again. And our family.”

“Me neither.” Dante was amazed at the thought. They had a house and a family now. “Me neither.”

As they got out of the truck, the cool air and strong Hawaiian sunshine surrounded them. They smiled at one another. Dante took Laurie’s hand in his. Relaxed, weightless, excited, they turned all of their attention to the flight ahead. They headed for home.

About the Author

Rachel Mannino is a passionate writer who creates characters and settings that allow readers to explore power dynamics in relationships, the empowerment of women, and the ethical and moral dilemmas love can create in our lives. Rachel also uses her writing skills to raise thousands of dollars for entities that enrich our lives and create community change around the world. She has worked for the Peace Corps; the Humanities Council of Washington, DC; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; and the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events in Boston, MA. Her first novel,
Love or Justice
, will be published by Limitless Press in 2016. Rachel has a BA in theatre studies and writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College, and she has used it every day since graduation. She lives with her husband, author
Christopher Mannino (http://www.christophermannino.com/)
, and their adorable dog and cat in College Park, Maryland.

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