The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber

answered her own question. “There was a time when he thought you were more than a little bizarre, remember?”
    Shelly did, all too well. “At first I thought he was totally unexciting, but I’ve altered my opinion of him, too.”
    “So what’s the problem?”
    “I don’t want to fall in love,” Shelly said pointedly. “I’ve got bigger plans for my life than to tie myself down to a committed relationship right now.”
    “Then don’t. It shouldn’t be that difficult. Decide what you want and disregard everything else. There’s no law that says you have to fall in love this minute. For that matter, no one can regulate when and who you marry, either. Not even your aunt Milly.”
    Jill was saying everything Shelly wanted to hear. Everything she needed to hear. But it didn’t make any difference; her heart was already involved. If she could forget she’d ever met Mark, she would. But it was too late. She was in love with him. With Mark, who was in love with someone else. Mark, who saw love and marriage as goals to be achieved within a certain time frame. He’d probably never done anything impulsive in his life.
    A relationship between them would never last. If hewasn’t smart enough to figure that out, she was. Something had to be done and soon, and Shelly knew it would be up to her to do it.
     

    Shelly didn’t have long to wait before she saw Mark again. They met at the main branch of the Seattle Public Library on Wednesday evening. She was returning ten overdue books. Six months overdue. The library had sent her three warnings, each progressively less friendly.
    She was half-afraid the buzzer inside the library entrance would go off the moment she walked through the hallowed doors, and armed officers would haul her away.
    “I wondered when we’d find each other again,” Mark said, strolling up to her at the counter. She’d seen him almost immediately and tried to pretend she hadn’t.
    Shelly acknowledged him with a quick nod and ordered her heart to be still. She managed a slight smile. “Hello again,” she said, drawing a checkbook out of her purse. At least she’d come prepared. The fine for the books was sure to be monstrous; in fact, it might be cheaper to buy them.
    Mark set the two volumes he was borrowing on the counter. Shelly noted the titles— Tools for Time Management and The State of the Language , and groaned inwardly. To someone like her accountant friend, these books were probably easy reading. Her own tastes leaned more toward mystery and romance, with a little nonfiction thrown in.
    “Have you got time for a cup of coffee?” Mark asked as she wrote out the check to pay her fine.
    She was gladdened by the invitation, but knew she had to refuse it. Before he could say or do anything to change her mind, she shook her head. “Not tonight, thanks.”
    His smile faded as though her refusal had startled him. “You’re busy?”
    She nodded, smiling at the librarian as she handed over her check. The librarian smiled back. It had been a civilized exchange, Shelly thought, and her library card had’t been confiscated, despite her transgressions.
    “You’ve got a date waiting for you?”
    It took Shelly a second to understand that Mark was referring to her refusal to join him for coffee.
    “Not exactly.” She turned away from the counter and headed toward the exit. To her surprise Mark followed her outside.
    “Something’s wrong,” he said, standing at the top of the steps.
    She stopped her descent and stood below him, looking up. Pretense had never suited Shelly; she was too innately honest to hide her feelings. “Mark, I think you’re a very nice man—”
    “But you don’t want to marry me,” he concluded for her. “I’ve heard that line before, remember? Actually, half the mall heard it, too.”
    “I’ve already apologized for that. It’s just that…allright, if you must know, I’m beginning to like you…really like you, and frankly that terrifies me.”
    Her