While leaving Pop's Place with Josh, Samantha could have sworn she saw Holt drive by in his cruiser. And was that a scowl she'd seen on his face?
After their little episode the day before, Samantha couldn't very well blame him for being a little upset, but what was a girl to do in that kind of situation? She would just have to talk to her uncle about letting people know what was going on with him. Yesterday would never have happened if she weren't trying to help her uncle keep his secret a little while longer.
As Samantha was opening her car door, Josh leaned over to give her a hug. "Thanks for letting me crash at your place," he said. "I really appreciate it."
"Anytime, Josh," Samantha said, noticing for the first time how Mary Beth was looking at her through the window of Pop's Place. Samantha knew then that something was definitely wrong. You just didn't look at another person with that kind of dislike on your face. She would have to question Mary Beth about it.
No time like the present, she thought.
She turned to Josh. "I think I forgot something inside. How about I meet you back at my place and we'll talk?"
"That's fine," Josh said. His hand slapped the hood of her car as he walked off towards his Jeep.
Just as she was about to head back into the diner, her beeper went off. Technically, she had the day off, but apparently that didn't mean she wouldn't be working.
She climbed into her car after taking one last look at the window where Mary Beth had stood. Her inquiry into Mary Beth's new attitude would have to wait.
As Samantha pulled out of the small parking lot, she wondered what was happening with her lately. She was curious as to why Mary Beth would be upset with her, but her thoughts didn't stay on Mary Beth for long. As soon as she hit the highway, they strayed to Holt. She had never felt these feelings, so fast and so hot, about another man in her life.
Why Holt?
She just didn't know. Well, other than the fact that he made the wrestler "The Rock" look puny and maybe because he was the most handsome man she had seen in a long while. No, it was probably because he had that image of danger and gentleness all combined in that police uniform. That had to be it. She thought of safety and compassion when she saw his uniform, so naturally she was attracted to him.
Blue lights and the quick burst of a siren pulled her from her thoughts. The all-compassionate and safe Holt was right behind her. Of all the nerve. Samantha glanced down at her speedometer and realized for the first time that she was actually speeding. Again.
Jeez, might as well get it over with.
She pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and started looking through her purse for her license.
It was nowhere to be found. That was when she realized that Holt had never actually given it back to her. She looked into her rearview mirror and saw Holt striding swiftly to her car.
Embarrassment caused heat to suffuse her face. She never seemed to meet up with him at a good time.
He finally reached her car. She rolled down the window.
"I see that you haven't learned anything since I pulled you over yesterday," Holt said with a smirk on his face.
Samantha could feel the blood rushing to her face. "I didn't realize that I was speeding, my beeper went off and I was just trying to get to the clinic to see what was going on. By the way, you don't have to look so thrilled that you caught me again."
Holt's smirk disappeared. "I don't see how you figure you'll even make it to the clinic if you keep driving like you do." He leaned over and rested his hands on the door. "And we still have the matter of seventeen parking tickets to discuss, don't you think? Or better yet, why don't you explain what you were doing yesterday in the clinic? Don't you think it's a little dangerous to come on to a guy like that and then leave him hanging."
Samantha was so embarrassed she didn't know what to say or do.
For about five seconds.
Then all the frustration and irritation she'd been dealing with in the last twenty-four hours spewed forth and her brain couldn't keep up with her mouth. "Well listen here--as far as the tickets go why don't you talk to my uncle about that, and concerning that little indiscretion yesterday--just call it temporary insanity. Now if you don't mind, I'll be leaving, thank you."
As Samantha floored the gas, she couldn't believe what she had just done. Never ever had she used her connection to the chief of police to get away with anything. As she looked in her rear view mirror she realized Holt was just as shocked as she was with what she had done. Man, was her uncle going to fume about this one! He didn't take kindly to people thinking or acting like they were above the law, and it wouldn't matter one little bit that she was his niece.
~~~~~~
Holt was stunned speechless. Shocked that Samantha would think that she could just drive away from him, it took him a few minutes to collect himself, but once he did he was fuming.
"Of all the crazy people--she beats all I've ever seen. Who does she think she is? She can't just drive away and think nothing of it." The realization that he was in the middle of the street yelling at a disappearing car infuriated him.
He stomped back to his cruiser. After he'd calmed down, he jerked the car into gear and headed back to Pop's Place.
He needed something to take his mind off of that crazy, beautiful, wild woman. Because right then he could have cheerfully strangled her. Then kissed her senseless.
Holt knew that he shouldn't be having thoughts like that but he couldn't help himself. On the rare occasions he'd ever pictured himself falling for a woman, it'd been someone who at least obeyed the law. Not some nutcase that thought by having the chief of police for an uncle that she'd be safe from hi--the law.