ThreeReasonsWhy by Mari Carr Page A

didn’t have her genes,
but she couldn’t ask the same of Wes. She wouldn’t. “It’s not the same thing. I
would never ask Wes to give up the opportunity to make a son or daughter in his
own image. Imagine a little boy with Wes’ eyes and strong jawline.” She smiled
at the thought of a miniature Wes, before the crushing weight that she couldn’t
give that to him threatened to suffocate her.
    “Fine. Hire a surrogate.”
    Jill closed her eyes and released a long breath. “You’re
relentless.”
    “And you’re a coward.”
    Jill reared back as if her sister had struck her. “What?”
    “You aren’t giving Wes the credit he deserves because you’re
too wrapped up in your own self-pity.”
    “Jesus, Kate. Don’t hold back. Tell me what you really
think.” Her words were a weak, sarcastic attempt at avoiding the truth. Kate
was right. Unfortunately, the rightness of her sister’s words weren’t enough.
    “God. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. You know I love
you more than my luggage.” They smiled at the Steel Magnolias quote. She
and her sister had watched it a thousand times in their lives, often pulling
out lines from the movie at appropriate times. “I hate to see you deprive
yourself of true happiness because you’re afraid.” Kate reached out and grasped
her hands. “Wes is crazy about you.”
    Jill bit her lower lip and spoke her true fear. “What if I
tell him and it does matter? What if it changes the way he sees me?”
    “It won’t.” Kate’s words were sure and strong, but they
didn’t help.
    “What if it does ?”
    Kate squeezed her hands. “You’re in love with him.”
    Jill only shook her head once, not bothering to lie. Her
sister would see through it anyway. “When he’s with me, it’s like I’m a
different person. When he looks at me, I feel like a whole woman, perfect in
his eyes. I can’t give that up. Not yet.”
    “Jill—”
    “I’ll tell him. I will. Just give me a little time to figure
out how.”
    Kate smiled sadly. “You know how to tell him. That’s not why
you want more time. If you can’t be honest with Wes, at least be honest with
yourself.”
    Kate was right. She wanted to be with Wes. Just once, she
wanted to lie in his arms and pretend she could be everything he needed. There
would be plenty of time for heartbreak later. Time for regret and resentment.
    For now, she’d take the make-believe and hope it would be
enough.
    * * * * *
    The sound of wolf whistles and catcalls dragged Jill out of
the kitchen in the midst of the lunch rush hour. As she turned the corner, she
caught sight of Wes in a Madison police uniform. She was so taken aback by the
change in his appearance, she giggled.
    “What the hell are you supposed to be?”
    Wes’ eyes narrowed and she silently taunted him with her
gaze. Daring him to utter a comeback.
    “I think he looks handsome,” Lottie said. Her words were
accompanied by more than a few head nods amongst the female diners.
    “Handsome, nothing,” Cheryl said from behind the counter.
“That boy looks sexy as sin.”
    A couple of women cheered, and the mayor’s eighty-year-old
mother asked if Wes would arrest her. Through it all, Wes grinned and accepted
their teasing with good grace, but he never took his gaze off her.
    “Bit early for Halloween, isn’t it, Wes?” she added, and
several of the men clapped at her cut down, while the women remained firmly in
Officer Robson’s camp.
    “Come on now, sweetie,” Cheryl persuaded. “You gotta admit
Wes looks good enough to eat.”
    “So does my cherry pie, but I wouldn’t strap a gun on it.”
    Wes’ eyes twinkled at her joke. Something about the man’s
presence brought out a lightheartedness that she enjoyed. After her talk with
Kate earlier, she’d decided she was going to let the cards fall where they may
for a while. She’d wanted Wes Robson since the first day he’d walked into her
diner nearly six years ago. She was finished denying that. The