Matty grabbed Bill's arm again.
"Now what are you doing? For fuck sake."
Bill gently pulled away from her grasp.
"Matty just let me go."
"Go where?"
Bill turned to her, completely frustrated.
"I am going to go to bed and then in the morning I am going to pack up and get the fuck out of here. I've had enough of this shit."
"WHAT? WHY?"
Bill bent down to pick up Jarge.
"If I have to explain, then ..."
He let out a long exaggerated sigh.
"Never mind."
As he stood up, Matty grabbed Jarge from his arms.
Jarge squawked at her.
"Shut the fuck up bird, or I'll stuff you for Sunday dinner."
Jarge jumped from her arms and hid under the chair, covering his head with his good wing.
Matty grabbed both of Bill's arms.
"What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Didn't you just tell me you don't want to lead me on?"
"Yes, but ..."
"And you do that while hugging me and holding my hand and ..."
Bill kicked the railing that surrounded the lighthouse veranda. He was not used to having to deal with the confusion that came with being attracted to a woman and Matty wasn't making it any easier.
"Fuck. If I wanted to be this fucking pissed off and upset, I could have stayed in Mexico with Mario and Maria."
He grabbed the railing and shook it, screaming.
"Fuck. I knew I should have just bought a condo in Jamaica."
"WHY ARE YOU SO MAD?" Matty screamed back at him.
He stared at Matty.
"You stop me from leaving.
You tell me you wanted me to stay.
You ... you ... kiss me like you ...
Like you like me or something.
And now ...
and now you hold my hand and tell me you don't want to lead me on."
"And I don't."
Bill screamed again. It echoed across the water.
"Then why the fuck do you want me to stay? Why the fuck am I still here?"
Matty just stared at him.
Bill leaned over the rail and took a deep breath.
"I thought so."
He turned around and reached under the chair to get Jarge.
"I wanted you to stay because I love you," Matty half whispered.
Bill closed his eyes and shook his head.
"I don't think so Matty."
He stood up, Jarge in his arms, and looked at the pretty redhead.
"I don't think you know what love is. And seriously, I can't take any more of this merry-go-round bullshit."
Tears filled Matty's eyes and she nodded.
"You're right, Bill. I don't know how to love. The only person I ever truly loved in my life was my Nanny Dove."
She shrugged her shoulders, wiping her eyes in her sleeve.
"I don't understand the feelings I am having, Bill. I'm just a girl from Tuckamore Bay. I am not refined. I am not pretty or sophisticated. I hate wearing dresses. I love my jeans and t-shirts. I am not a girly-girl. I never was. Growing up in the Bay, you had to be tough. We were all tough. We are all tough. By the time I was 12 I could kick the shit out of any guy here in the Bay. Nanny tried to change me, but she couldn't. I didn't wear dresses."
She slumped in one of the padded chairs.
"For fuck sake, I don't even know what I am rambling on about."
She covered her face with her hands. Bill could hear her crying softly.
He put his free hand on her shoulder.
Matty looked up at him, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"You know why I took law?"
"No," Bill answered gently, as he put Jarge on a chair.
"Because I knew I was tough. I knew I could stand up i a court of law and take on any man. I knew I could bring them to their knees.
It was the one occupation that I could be me. I could be tough Matty Dove."
Matty wiped her eyes and cheeks.
"When Dave told me he had a buyer for the village, I was determined to do whatever it took to manipulate this person into doing what I wanted to do."
"Save Tuckamore Bay from relocation."
Matty looked up at Bill.
"I didn't care what I had to do. I was going to use this sucker to invest in our town, no matter what it took."
Bill sat in the lawn chair next to Matty.
"How do I know you are not manipulating me now?"
Matty swallowed hard and licked her lips.
"Because, if you want to go. Then I will let you go. I won't try to stop you."
Tears started pouring down her cheeks, again.
"And ... and ... believe me. I am not that good of an actress."
Jarge jumped from his chair and waddled to Matty. He jumped in her lap and lay his head against her chest.
Matty laughed through the tears and kissed the top of his head.
"Stupid bird."
She looked at Bill.
"I might not completely understand what I am feeling, Bill, but i do know this. I don't want you to leave. If you left the Bay and left me, it would tear my heart out."
She hugged Jarge. "Stupid bird."
"Aren't you still kinda leading me on?"
"All I meant by that was that I ..."
She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.
"I don't want to lead you on, into believing that I am going to do anything ...
until I am ready to do it.
I am a virgin and I plan to stay that way, until I have a ring on my finger and a husband by my side. I know its old fashioned, but ..."
Bill took her hand, cutting her off.
"Its okay. I understand."
"Do you?"
She lifted his hand and kissed it.
"I really like you and maybe I love you. I'm just not 100% sure yet, because this is all new to me."
Again she wiped her eyes and cheeks. She smiled at Bill and laughed slightly. "My sleeve is soaked."
She took another deep breath.
"What I do know is that I want you in my life and for the first time in my life, I honestly feel that I found the man I want to spend my life with."
She put Bill's hand to her face.
"I just have to be sure."
Bill nodded. He really didn't want to leave Matty.
"I understand."
"And I understand if you want to leave. Most men would."
"Well I guess its lucky for you that I am not most men."
Matty leaned forward and kissed Bill gently on the lips.
Jarge squawked, as he was squat between the two.
Matty laughed, never taking her eyes off Bill.
"I am banking on the fact that you aren't."
A cool wind blew off the ocean.
"Brrr."
Matty stood up and passed Jarge to Bil.
"That wind is suddenly cold."
"Come on," Bill said softly.
"Lets put the lawn chairs and stuff away and go inside."
A couple minutes later, the two were walking down the stairs. Bill was carrying Jarge, while Matty carried the scotch and cigars.
"You wanna join me for a nightcap?"
"Sure."
Bill pounded the air with his fist.
"I'm not sleeping with you, Bill," Matty joked.
"I know. Not until you have a ring on your finger."
Bill stopped and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.
"Just a sec."
Matty turned around and stared at Bill.
"What are you doing?"
"Phoning Harry to see if they have any rings at the General Store."
Matty laughed and continued down the stairs.
"Nice try Bill."
"Well he might."
She stopped again and looked back at him.
"Bill?"
"Yes."
"You know we don't have any cell service here."
He smiled and put the cell phone back in his pocket.
"Well its the thought that counts."
"Nice try," Matty chuckled, as she left the lighthouse.
Jarge laughed at Bill.