Jane Millionaire

“She’s refused to be interviewed, although I know for a fact she’s had offers from everyone from Oprah to Leno.”

“So?” Rob shrugged as if JP’s words were falling on indifferent ears. Unfortunately, they weren’t.

“Sounds a bit odd that someone seeking fame and fortune would turn down all opportunities to ride the media wave just so she could return to her former job as a cop.”

JP said what had been nagging at Rob’s psyche for the past week. From the moment Leno’s people had called trying to arrange an interview with Jill and he’d learned she’d already refused their offer, he’d wondered why. If she had really slept with him to further her career, why would she refuse free publicity now? He’d heard through the rumor mill several of his colleagues had actually offered her big screen female leads that she’d point blank refused, stating she was a police officer at heart, not an actress.

But he’d refused to delve into the meanings of Jill’s actions. He’d thrown himself into finishing the show. Not an easy thing to do when the couple being filmed were sickeningly in love.

Had he been wrong? And if he had, the thought of what he could have had, what they could have had together, threatened to destroy his ability to breath.

She’d claimed to love him. Had she?

JP seemed to think so. And he trusted JP.

Memory of hearing Jill tell her sister that she’d slept with him to further her career rang in his ears. With the clarity of hindsight, he knew she’d been joking.

Why hadn’t he realized it then? Why hadn’t he been willing to risk his heart, everything he was, to do as JP suggested and to have interfered when she’d sat on her throne facing the four remaining bachelors? He should have resigned from the show and asked her to choose him. Begged her to choose him.

His pulse picked up speed as he remembered the hurt look of resignation as she’d asked him not to throw away what they’d had, that she could forgive him for allowing her to choose another man. And he’d told her to leave.

Could she forgive him a second time?

He had to find her, prove to her he regretted his foolishness. It would take more than mere words of love for him to win Jill’s heart back. But how could he convince her he wanted her in his life? That without her, he had nothing but an empty h

ouse and a lonely existence?

He didn’t want to be alone. He wanted Jill. Was it too late? Would she forgive him for being scared to risk his heart?

She had too.

# # #

A very frustrated Jill sank onto her sofa to curl up with a bowl of popcorn and a soda to watch the final episode of JANE MILLIONAIRE. She’d considered skipping the show completely, but couldn’t bring her self to.

Not that Jessie would have let her anyway.

Her sister insisted she had to watch to see how it all ended. Reluctantly, Jill had given in to her sister’s wishes; too tired to argue when Jessie had been full of determination that she couldn’t miss this show.

Today hadn’t gone well. Chief had pulled her into his office and informed her that he had assigned her to a desk for the next month. A month. She wanted to be out in the field where the action was, not stuck inside four walls where the only action she’d see was that of a computer screen.

But he’d argued the force didn’t have the manpower to leave her out in the field with all the intentional ‘crimes’ taking place in hopes Jill would be the arresting officer. Since she hadn’t willingly provided additional fodder, the media were having a field day with the crime wave that had hit San Padres during the past two weeks.

Her choice had been to sit at a desk or go home on leave.

She bit into a kernel of popcorn and chewed the buttery morsel in frustration.

“Things will calm down in a few weeks, and you’ll be able to go back to work,” Jessie, with a bowl of her own, reassured as she plopped onto the other end of the sofa.

“My life will never be the same again.”

“If you really believe that, why don’t you start accepting some of the offers you’re receiving? My gracious, Jilly, you’re the envy of every woman in America right now.”

Jill rolled her eyes. “I think you’re mistaken. I didn’t end up with a man. The real princess did.”

“Maybe you should have stuck around and fought for Rob.”

“And maybe you’re forgetting that I went after him and he told me to leave.”