Finally, sleep came in the early hours of the morning. Adam woke up feeling as if the world was on his shoulders.
With a grimace, he started at his face on the small mirror on the wall. Lines of strain marked his forehead and the sides of his eyes.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He would just have to find a way to make it through the day without snapping someone’s head off.
With that resolution, he left his room.
“Whoa! Who let out the angry bear this morning?” Stephen asked immediately when Adam stepped into the kitchen.
Ignoring his brother, Adam nodded at Annie who was standing by the stove. He pulled out a chair and sat heavily on it.
“Are you all right?” Annie asked as she poured him a cup of coffee.
“I’m fine. I had a rough night.”
Stephen cocked his brows and then grinned. “A rough night? Why?”
Sipping from the steaming cup of coffee, Adam snapped, “It’s none of your business.”
Stephen burst into laughter.
Annie shook her head. “Be nice, dear.”
Stephen spread out his hands and gave his wife a mock surprise look.
“What did I do? As a caring brother, I’m only trying to find out why my brother is grumpy this morning.”
Adam eyed him above the rim of his cup. “Caring, my foot. You just want to mock me.”
Stephen laughed again. “What happened between you and Olivia last night? Did she turn down your proposal?”
Giving his brother a dirty look, Adam replied, “And who told you my crankiness has something to do with Olivia?”
Stephen shrugged. “Well, when you left here last night with her, you were happy. In fact, you were so excited; you were almost falling over yourself to be the one to take her home.”
Adam would have laughed if he wasn’t in such a bad mood. Had he really been that obvious in wanting to be alone with Olivia?
“What makes you think it’s not the fact that I haven’t been able to arrest anyone for the raid that has me grouchy?” he threw at his brother with a savage bite.
“We all know you love your job but this is absolutely woman trouble. I know the look. Something most likely happened between you and Olivia last night. Come on, spit it out.”
Adam regarded his brother with angry eyes for his astuteness and then looked at Annie who was waiting expectantly for his reply.
“Nothing happened between Olivia and me.”
Annie’s face crumbled with disappointment.
“You know, Adam, there are a lot of bachelors in this town looking for wonderful women like Olivia.”
“Well, I wish them success in their search.”
Stephen shook his head. “Don’t be so stubborn, Adam. My advice for you concerning Olivia is not to let the grass grow under your feet. Someone might snatch her up right under your nose before you know it. And then you’d regret not making a move.”
Drawing his chair back, Adam rose. “Thanks for the advice, brother, but it’s not needed. I’m not ready for marriage.”
“I hope you don’t regret those words.”
Adam raised and dropped his shoulders. “It wouldn’t be the first time I regretted something.”
