I watched music videos and interviews, and I even read his own posts on social media. Now that I’ve seen the man in person, it’s hard to imagine the lunatic jumping off the speakers into a crowd, only to be carried through the venue, is the same guy who teared up at the sound of his daughter reading.
When he shows up at my door, I’m sipping my second cup of coffee, forcing myself to stay awake.
“We brought bagels!” Cailin sings as she skips to the counter.
Adam closes the door and turns to me. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Yes, of course. Please, come sit down.”
He takes his same seat as yesterday. He’s so comfortable, sitting at my table like he’s been there a thousand times, as he pulls the bagels out of the bag and places one at each place mat.
“Can I get you a cup of coffee?” I offer.
“Sure. Here, I’ll help.”
He steps into my small kitchen, which feels even smaller with his tall frame. I reach up to grab a mug and hand it to him. When he takes it from me, our fingers brush, and he keeps them there before pulling my hand into his.
He puts the mug into one hand and keeps mine in his other, dropping it down to hang in front of us. “I really want to thank you for all you have done for Cailin. I’d like to invite you over for dinner tonight. Are you available to join us?”
My mind goes completely blank. “Um, what? Um, I mean … dinner?”
God, I’m such an idiot! Mouth, meet words. Now, speak.
He smirks.
Of course he smirks. And, damn it, it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Yes, dinner. At my place. I just purchased the Pleasants Valley property. We’re having Linda and Wayne over, and I’d like it if you could join us.”
“You purchased what?”
Now, I’m more shocked than surprised by his offer. That place has been on the market for years. It’s worth millions, and the people of this town always wondered who would purchase it.
The 1800s ranch-style home was fully refurbished by a builder who did it as a side project, one room at a time. Everything was brought back to its original design but with modern conveniences. The owner passed away a few years ago, and his daughter was trying to uphold her dad’s dream but was barely making ends meet.
“Do you know the property?”
He lets go of my hand, and I instantly miss the tingles from his touch.
“Everyoneknows that property. It’s not very incognito if you’re trying to stay low-key.”
He steps to the side of me and pours his coffee, taking a sip and leaning back against the counter. He crosses his ankles, looking cool as a cucumber. “Yes, but with the gate and the land around it, I can keep people off my property to keep some kind of privacy.”
The property is five acres with the house directly in the middle of tall trees and lush landscaping.
“Do people know it’s you who bought it?”
“Not yet. It was purchased under my trust with my real name. I had people move us in and get everything set while I was on tour. We slept there last night for the first time.”
“And it was amazing!” Cailin joins our conversation.
I step toward her, welcoming the space for a minute so I can breathe a little easier. Whenever he’s close, I forget why I need to stay away from him. “What’s your favorite part?”
“My room! I have a bench in my window that’s covered in pillows and my bed has a sheer thingy hanging around it.”
“Sheer thingy?” Adam laughs.
She shrugs. “I forget the name. I feel like a princess though.”
