Adam paused in his pathetic attempt to clean up. She stared at the coffee table, wondering how he’d managed to make it lookmoremessy. She covered the receiver. “Dad’s sick.” She hit the speakerphone button so he could hear the coughing. His brows came together.
“I’m fine. I’m fine. There’s nothing you can do for me here but pace the floor.”
“I could work from your home office for a day or two.” She glanced at Adam for confirmation. He frowned but nodded. Her heart pounded. Was it the idea of her being away that bothered him, or was it the idea that she might fall behind on work? She had three meetings with head butlers tomorrow to discuss any needs their employers had from The Cove. Keeping in touch with them through the first year as they settled in was so important. And with each house being a reflection of the owner, designed to their personal tastes and whims, no two homeowners had the same set of needs.
She reached a hand out and laid it on Adam’s bicep to steady herself as a fresh wave of homesickness washed over her. Talking about her Dad and growing up with him must have softened her. He put his arm around her and drew her to his side for comfort. She soaked it in, the support and the feel of his body next to hers. Not a romantic evening? Ha! She’d float on this half hug for weeks.
“Stay—finish what I couldn’t and then get the heck out of there,” Dad said.
Bella cringed. Adam stiffened. She wanted to tell Dad it wasn’t like that, that even though she missed him, she loved being here, loved the castle, the staff who were more like family, and … Adam. She loved Adam.
Before Dad could say anything else to upset Adam, she took the phone off speaker. “Dad? I’m sorry I can’t be there to sing happy birthday to you.”
“I wouldn’t be able to eat the cake anyway. It’s not on my heart diet.”
“I’ll find one that is and have it sent over.” There must be a bakery somewhere in Seattle that made vegan, non-fat, low-sugar, dairy-free birthday cake. “You should have a treat on your special day.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. Love you.”
“Love you too.” She hung up and sheepishly looked up at Adam. “He doesn’t hate you,” she offered. “He just misses me.”
Adam glanced quickly away. “I suppose I can understand that.” He released his arm from around her side, leaving a sense of loss in its absence. Bella hugged her arms around her body to ward off the chill. She wondered what it would be like to wake up in those arms each morning.
Adam stacked and moved dishes for a moment more, growing more frustrated in the process. Bella giggled. “Haven’t you ever cleared the table before?” She held back, not helping, because it was more entertaining to watch him struggle with something. He was just so darn good at everything else.
“I know it all fit on the tray when she brought it in …” His eyes widened for a split second. “Aha!” He gathered all four corners of the tablecloth, making the fine china clink and clank together.
Bella covered her face. “Mrs. Poole is going to kill you.”
He tied a knot in the top and then transferred the whole thing to the serving tray, which he pushed into the hallway. When he reappeared, he was dusting his hands together. “There. Dishes done.”
Bella plopped onto the couch. “You are in so much trouble.” She flapped her hands. “Oh my gosh. I had nothing to do with that. If she asks, it was all you.”
“You’d throw me under the bus?”
She didn’t hesitate. “In this case? Yes.”
He laughed deeply, but there was still a troubled something in his eyes that Bella yearned to erase. She wasn’t sure how to bring up what her father had said. It probably sounded like she wanted to go. That she’d been lamenting her time here to her father on their nightly chats. She hadn’t. Dad understood that Adam wasn’t the Beast he’d been made out to be. Not that she’d told himeverything,but they had talked about the day he’d rescued her in court, the time making sandcastles, and the fact that Adam was tutoring her.
“I never thanked you for coming to court that day—for saving me.”
Adam shrugged off her gratitude. “It wasn’t you they were really after; it was me. They’ve wanted to take me down for years.”
It was then that Bella could finally put into words what she’d seen in Adam’s eyes that first day they met. “It’s lonely at the top, isn’t it?”
“It weeds out the people you can’t trust, that’s for sure.”
She almost asked if he trusted her, because she wanted him to. But, at the last second, she bit back the words. If he said no, her heart would shatter, and she wasn’t quite ready for that to happen. Wasn’t strong enough to work beside him and know he didn’t want her. What they had, this thing growing between them, was precious and young. It hadn’t had time to put down thick roots or reach for the sky. Although it captured her whole heart, she wasn’t ready to test it quite yet.
“What in the name of St. Peter!” screamed Mrs. Poole from the hallway.
Bella slapped both hands over her mouth to hold in her giggles. “You’re in for it now,” she warned Adam.
Adam looked about the room for a place to hide. “I’ll give you ten thousand dollars if you say you did it.”
Bella laughed right out loud. “Don’t even think about it.” She gathered up her books. “I’m going to study in my room. I have a feeling you’ll be doing dishes tonight.” She exited right as Mrs. Poole bustled in.
“Adam Moreau, why?” Mrs. Poole wailed. “There’s butter all over the tablecloth and a chip in one of the plates.”
